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Author's Chapter Notes:
Thankies, for all the reviews everyone! You all rock! *muah*

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“A…J…” Nick gasped into the phone before I snatched it from him.

“Nick? What happened? What’s going on? NICK!” AJ’s voice rang through the phone.

“NO!...BAYLEEEEE!!!” Nick screamed just before I slammed the receiver onto the base. I ripped the phone line from the wall. It was only a few minutes before AJ and Howie came busting through the front door.

“NICK! BAYLEE!” Howie screamed as I heard him and AJ climbing the stairs. I met them at the top landing, blood covering my hands and clothes.

“WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?!?” AJ demanded as he shoved past me with Howie on his heels. I followed close behind them as I tried to explain.

“He told me ‘no’. We talked, we remembered, I asked him to play a prank on you guys and he…he…he told me ‘no’! I’m so sick of hearing ‘no’.” I shivered as they rushed into Nick’s room.

“What did you do, Baylee?” Howie gasped as they both leaned over Nick’s bloody body.

“I couldn’t take it any more! He was ruining my life,” I choked as I stood, frozen in the doorway.

“Yeah, right,” AJ chuckled. “You two are busted. Pranks over, you got us.”

“Yeah, Nick. Get up,” Howie said shoving Nick’s shoulder. When he didn’t move AJ slapped the right side of his face. Still, there was no response.

“I gotta get out of here. Cover me, please?” I pleaded as the sound of sirens came within ear shot. “At least give me a head start.” I scrambled out the door leaving them bent over Nick’s lifeless body.

“Wait…BAYLEE!” AJ chased after me. “You can stop the act.”

“LET GO!!!” I screamed as the sirens grew closer. Breaking free from his grip, I ran out the back door. I saw AJ, in the corner of my eye, head back up the stairs at break neck speed. I rounded the side of the house. The sirens stopped in front of the house.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!” AJ’s voice rang through the air, followed by Nick’s obnoxious laughing.

“YOU’RE A DEAD MAN!!!!” Howie’s voice was the next one to reach my ears as I came around the front of the house.

“Hey Aaron,” I greeted him as he climbed out of his car.

“Hey, Bay. Did it work?” he snickered. We both busted at the seams as Nick came flying out the front door, covered in blood and followed by a very mad AJ and Howie. Just as Nick and I figured, the sirens and me ‘fleeing the crime scene’ made them think that it wasn’t a joke, after all.

“I think that should be taken as a ‘yes’,” I snickered as I watched them run at full speed. Suddenly, AJ skidded to a halt and redirected his course. My eyes widened as I saw him coming at me.

“BAYLEEEEEEEEEEEE!” his face was beet red as he charged toward me. Screaming, I headed around the house and jumped into the pool. AJ splashed in next to me as Nick and Howie rounded the side of the house before joining us in the pool. It became an all out battle and water war. Aaron was smart enough to split before he got pulled in to it.

“We got you guys so good!” Nick laughed hysterically. AJ jumped on him, dunking him under the water.

“You have to admit it; we DID have you both fooled.”

“That’s only because that little punk came with the sirens!” Howie splashed me.

“It doesn’t matter…you STILL bought it.” I high five’d Nick as we all climbed out of the pool.

“We’ll get you back,” Howie smiled as he dried off and sat in the poolside chairs.

“I can’t understand a couple things, here. One: how the hell did Nick’s ADD not get the best of him? Two: How did Baylee talk Nick into the whole thing, to begin with.”

“Well, Aje, it’s just been a little too long.” Nick smirked. We all laughed about the whole incident for a while longer before changing into fresh clothes and heading out for dinner. The night was great! All four of us were so relaxed at dinner and we watched movies after getting back to the house. It was well past midnight before AJ headed back to his own place. Nick, Howie and I all headed up to our rooms.


“Okay, dad, let’s see what you have to say tonight,” I spoke out loud as I flopped on my bed and grabbed the worn journal from the table. Locating the spot where I left off, I began reading again.

June 1, 2005

Journal-

Get ready for a not so average entry. Kevin really agitated me today. He gave me an hour long lecture on raising Baylee! Can you believe that? I can’t believe half of the things he said to me. Practically insulting my abilities as a father, he told me that I was more of an older brother to Baylee than a father because of all our goofiness, fun, and games. I am so mad at Kevin, right now that I could just…AAAH! I don’t even know!

So, now, I am questioning the decision that Leighanne and I made when we put Kevin down as the guardian in the event of something happening to us. I love my cousin with all of my heart, but my fathering skills are mine, not his. Leighanne and I like how we are raising our son and I just don’t think it was right the way he spoke to me today. Whether or not he was trying to insult me is irrelevant. His ideas of raising a child differ from mine, so what? That doesn’t mean that my way is wrong! Not that his way is wrong either! Kevin isn’t even a father yet but he decides he knows the best way for me to raise my son?

Kevin has always taken control of the group and been the leader / fatherly figure. He has always kept us in line and on track. He has always done a great job, too. I value his opinions and advice but not a lecture on everything he thinks I am doing wrong! Excuse me for blowing off steam, but I really can’t even stand the sight of him right now! I am so offended. He basically told me that I was a failure as Baylee’s father, without actually saying the words. I just hope that my son doesn’t grow up to think the same of me.

Baylee is a wonderful boy and all of us love him. I am sure Kevin just wants the best for him, but I am beginning to think that, that would not include Kevin ever being his guardian. This makes things so rough and complicated. Leighanne agrees that, maybe, Kevin wouldn’t be the best choice, but who would be? I have a lot of thinking to do. Plus, I need to sit down and have a heart to heart with my anal retentive cousin. Maybe, things came out wrong or maybe I just took it too personally. I guess we’ll see. May God help me to sort this out.

- Brian T. Littrell


So, Kevin WAS supposed to be my guardian? My thoughts raced as I tried to figure out if this was the turning point of, what ended up being, my future. I wanted to read on, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Something was holding me back. Was my father really going to spell it all out for me? Was I really going to find out how I got Nick as a guardian? Why had I never found this journal before?

“I don’t think you failed as a father, dad,” I whispered as I turned out my lamp. Darkness filled the room as I lay staring into it. Sleep did not come easy for me and when it did come, it was not very restful. Dreams filled my mind as I tossed and turned.