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Chapter Three-Hundred-Ninety-Two



“Lil’ Rok was brave too,” Ellie pointed out after Q had finished cleaning up her war wounds and she lowered her mouth down and kissed the top of her puppy’s head as she snuggled him close and Lil’ Rok licked her cheek affectionately.


“Yeah, I heard” Q told her with a small smile and he gently began to pet Lil’ Rok too. “You’ve got yourself a real companion here sweetheart. Id say he just passed his first really important test in doggy training.”


“Course I do,” Ellie replied as she gave Lil’ Rok plenty of kisses in return. “He is one of the bestest friends I’ve ever hads.” Just then, Josh came out with Tyke and Chance’s dog treats.


“In doggy training everytime a puppy does something good they are rewarded for it. So I think it’s only fair that Lil’ Rok is rewarded for his good deed,” he insisted. When he approached Ellie and Q, Lil’ Rok recognized the bag of treats and perked up. He whirled around in Ellie’s lap to face Josh with his little tail wagging and Josh opened the bag, got out a treat, and held his hand open allowing the pug to take it directly from his hand.


“You were a very good boy for rescuing Ellie Lil’ Rok, a very good boy” Josh praised as he too pet the puppy and gave him some lovin’ and Lil’ Rok loved right back. Just then, Jackie walked into the living room with three cups – two chocolate milks, and one hot chocolate. She had heard about Ellie's cold from both Ann, and in the poor little girl’s voice. She also has a plate of chocolate chip cookies that she and Chris baked together. She sat it all on the coffee table.


“Here you go kids, help yourselves. I thought cookies and milk would be the best remedy. Ellie, yours is the hot chocolate with whipped.” Ellie crawled out of Q’s lap and onto the floor and she and her cousin’s began to dig right in. Ellie didn’t even argue upon being given hot chocolate. She’s had such a rough day that any kind of treat would suffice.


“Were you able to get a hold of Kevin?” Q wanted to know after watching Ellie wolf down one of Jackie’s brilliant home made cookies as if she’d never had any in her life.


“Yes,” was all Jackie said and something in her tone told him not to ask anymore questions about Kevin. “He’s on his way.”


“What about Ann and Jerald?” Q asked again, deciding that was a safe subject.


“Neither of them have answered their cell phones yet, but I’m going to keep trying” Jackie answered as she leaned down and placed a soft kiss on the top of Ellie’s head and she turned and headed back in the kitchen.



~*~*~*~*~



“I’m sorry Johnny, but something’s come up I really need to go” Kevin announced while walking back into the room where he’d had to excuse himself from his meeting to answer his phone.


“Kevin…” Denise began.


“I’m sorry Denise, but it’s important. It’s Ellie, I really need to go to her.”


“But we’re talking about you doing another album, man” Johnny insisted, making it sound as if there is nothing else more important.


“I realize that and I’m anxious for it, its very important and I say we do it, but I have a little girl now and she is sick and apparently there is an emergency. I’ve been asked to come to her right away. So I’m asking that you be patient with me when I get calls like this – please.” Johnny stared at him for a long moment, and Denise spoke up.


“Perhaps its for the best anyway, Johnny. Maybe we should reschedule a meeting with all of the boys so they can be apart of this decision too.”


“All right…but the first thing we need to do when I meet with all of you is find a way to work around all of these kids you have.”


“Couldn’t agree more,” Kevin replied, and he stayed silent as he let Denise do all of the official talking and excused them both in a way that wouldn’t be considered rude. When they walked out into the hall and as soon as the door was closed, Denise looked at him deeply concerned.


“Whats going on?”


“I don’t know. Jackie called me to tell me that Ellie has somehow ended up at Brian’s house and said it was an emergency and I needed to get there as soon as possible. She wouldn’t tell me what happened, but she sounded very urgent.”


“Then by all means, please hurry and get to her” Denise insisted worriedly. “I’ll follow you in my car.”


“I’m sorry Denise, I didn’t mean to—“


“—It’s fine honey, you were right earlier. I know the struggles of parenthood all too well, and therefore I need to be more understanding. I don’t want to be made out to be the bad guy to all of you guys like Lou was, so we need to try and work together okay?” Kevin nodded and Denise gently patted his shoulder before the two of them parted and headed for their own cars. When Kevin got to his he started his car up and quickly headed to Brian’s as he let his mind wander as his heart pounded in his chest with worry for his little girl. Why is she suddenly at Brian’s? There are so many things that can be wrong with her and being a newbee father, every single reason passed him by making his anxiety even worse. At least she is at Brian’s though…and not the hospital, he silently told himself hoping it would help him relax a little. It means whatever is wrong with her; she’s not hurt enough to be hospitalized.


But then the question is she hurt though? ran through his mind sending his panic alarm off all over again. Has she fallen down? Has her cold taken a turn for the worse? Is it really even a cold that they’re dealing with in the first place? He knew he should’ve taken her with him, he knew he should’ve followed his gut instinct. He needed to be with his baby girl today, he needed to take care of her himself but he didn’t, he let his girlfriend talk him out of it. And why didn’t Summer call him herself? He would think she would be the first one to let him know that there is something wrong. Anger and frustration surged through him just then at that thought. Why hadn’t she let him know? That will definitely be discussed the moment there is a chance. No, that will be discussed now. He reached into his pocket then and pulled out his cell phone and he proceeded to call his girlfriend and demand to know what is up. He went to his phone book, went down the list until he was at Summer’s cell phone, and then pressed call and placed the phone to his ear. The phone rang several times, until he got her voicemail. Kevin hung up, then pressed call again and he tried again two more times, each time getting voicemail.


“DAMNIT!” Kevin cursed loudly. “Will NO ONE tell me what the hell is going on with my daughter?!?” He shouted to the empty car and he began to speed up some.



~*~*~*~*~



“So, you still haven’t told me what brings you here again for the second time in two days, Ann,” Kristin told Ann amusedly as she came to her table once more. Ann had asked her repeatedly to call her by her first time until she finally got the picture and started doing so. “Our food can’t really be that good that you’d want to eat it twice in two days.”


“I told you,” Ann answered innocently. “I just thought Id treat my eldest to some pie.”


“Okay, okay” Kristin laughed. “What kind of pie should I get you then?”


“Well, I’ll have some pumpkin pie,” Ann answered, and she looked at Jerald who was highly amused by this whole thing. He’d only just been informed that the reason they were there was so Ann could show him Kevin’s future girlfriend and get his opinion on her after they were first seated and Kristin had walked away. Ann had asked ‘so what do you think?’ and Jerald stared back at her confused and asked ‘think of what?’ and Ann had quietly begun to explained.


“I will have apple, please” Jerald added while smiling at her some.


“Coming right up,” Kristin replied after marking that down, and she walked off. Jerald waited until she was well out of hearing shot and then spoke quietly to his mother.


“Ma, do you honestly believe Kevin is going to want to even look at women again when he finds out the truth about Summer?”


“You weren’t here last night to witness the powerful connection between them.”


“Powerful connection or not, you know how he was when he broke up with Tiffany…what makes you think his breakup with Summer will be any different? Bitch or not, horrible couple or not, he still really cared about her and is going to be hurt.”


“What better way then to lightly nudge another woman – a woman who is completely right for him I must add into his life to mend his broken heart?”


“That would be known as rebound for one, would you really like your son to go through that? And secondly, how do you know she is right for him just by having her as your sever two days in a row, huh? You hardly know the woman. She could be just like the others and I am for one, not letting my baby brother fall victim to those sorts again.”


“Because I am his mother, I raised him all of his life, I know what’s best for him. And Ellie adored her I think that should be enough. You should’ve seen the way she was with Ellie last night it was so perfect.”


“They always seem so perfect in the beginning. Do you know how much I wanted for Summer to make my brother happy? Ellie is five years old Ma, she’s not exactly in position to decide what’s dangerous and what’s not.”


“Children pick up on things a lot easier then you realize. I think she is the perfect judge for this situation.” Jerald stared at her for a couple of moments in silence.


“You are really serious about this one?”


“As serious as I’ve ever been and you know I only have my children’s best interests at heart.” Jerald continued to sit there looking unsure. He’ll be damned if he lets his brother get hurt again after Summer.


“Use this afternoon to your advantage. If you must be the protective brother, then by all means, do so. Ask her questions and get to know her. But I can tell you right now that she is the one.”


“Ask her questions huh? Won’t that be a little weird?”


“Do it casually, of course. Don’t make it seem like it’s a third degree.” Jerald arched his eyebrow. “Make it seem like you are just really friendly and caring about your server. I mean, after all, they are human. They deserve friendly conversation every once in awhile.”


“You are really something else mom,” Jerald told her amusedly.


“Well they do. I’m sure it takes a lot of work being a waitress” Ann insisted defensively.



“So, have you figured out why she’s back for the second time in a row, and has requested you of all servers?” Tina asked her sister as she walked by her in the kitchen.


“Not a clue,” Kristin answered with a shrug. “She claims that she is just treating her son to some pie. And don’t sound so surprised, sis. I am a pretty good server.” Tina rolled her eyes playfully.


“Uh-huh. But customers don’t normally request their favorite waitress; they just usually take what they can get. There is favoritism going on here, and I’m highly curious as to why.”


“Jealous much?” Kristin smirked.


No,” Tina scoffed. “But she is the mother of a Backstreet Boy, so it does peak the curiosity of your co-workers…and big sister.”


“Is it so hard to believe that even the mother of a famous celebrity could think I’m a good server?”


“That’s not what I meant and you know it. I just have my suspicions that maybe Kevin liked you more then he let on last night and now she’s here with her other son and they’re sizing you up.” Kristin laughed.


“Oh please, Tina. Dream much?”


“Hey it could happen, you’ve always been the beautiful one in the family after all.”


“I thought you said Kevin has a girlfriend that he met on New Years Eve? So why would he be interested in me if he has a girlfriend?” Tina scowled at the mention of Summer then.


“Maybe because Summer is a bitch?” She asked. “She’s not very popular with the fans honey. She’s after one thing and one thing only...and I have a feeling she’s not going to be around much longer. I heard that even his bandmates and family detests her and family means the world to Kevin.”


“Why sis I never knew you keep up with boyband drama,” Kristin replied as Ann and Jerald’s pies were placed on the counter as they were just freshly made and were done cooling and ready to be enjoyed. Kristin grabbed them and began setting them on her tray.


“The Backstreet Boys are pretty cool. Their music is catchy and they’re probably the most talented boyband that there is in the entire music industry.”


“No argument there, I listen to their stuff sometimes, but I didn’t know you did,” Kristin replied before grabbing up her tray and heading off to serve Ann and Jerald.


“Here you two go,” She told them with a friendly smile and she placed pumpkin pie in front of Ann and the apple pie in front of Jerald. “These are freshly baked right out of the oven and have just been cooled so you two came at exactly the right time for pie.”


“Sweet,” Jerald replied and Kristin smiled at him some. “Is there anything else I can get you? More soda perhaps?”


“Actually,” Jerald replied, deciding to take his mother’s advice and put her to the test. “My niece highly recommended the hot chocolate here. She called it the Kristin Special I believe?” Kristin laughed some.


“Yeah, I made her some Hot Chocolate and put a little whipped cream and sprinkles in it to help Kevin keep her from throwing a major fit because she wanted chocolate milk instead.”


“I see…” Jerald replied while managing to hide his surprise. “Well I promised her I would try some. So…can I get some of that please?” Kristin smirked a little at his request.


“Of course you can,” She told him amusedly. “Would you like the sprinkles and everything?” she teased him lightly and Jerald found himself smiling naturally and chuckling at her joke.


“Sure why not? I like me some good sprinkles every now and then.”


“Would you like the Dino-Shaped kind, or regular?”


“Hmm…I’m not sure. What kind would you pick if the roles were reversed?”


“Me? Well I would definitely go with the Dinos,” Kristin answered sincerely.


“Really? How come?”


“I have a niece and a couple of nephews and I baby sit them a lot and well…you know how it is to be an aunt or uncle. So my inner child likes to take over a lot. Sometimes when they aren’t even around,” Kristin explained. “So I would definitely go with the Dino-Shaped sprinkles, but that’s just me.”


“Dino-shaped sprinkles it is then,” Jerald replied and Kristin nodded and marked that down.


“Coming right up. And Ann would you like some more coffee?”


“Yes please, that would be nice,” Ann smiled and Kristin nodded and turned and walked off. Jerald watched her go take care of another table for a moment, watched her personality with them to make sure she wasn’t just putting on an act, and then he looked at his mother.


“Well she is definitely sweet and laid back, I will give her that.”


“And obviously loves her niece and nephews. This is the second time she’s brought them up. That means she’s not only a family person, but she loves kids. That right there is the main thing Kevin needs.”


“All right, all right so you might be onto something here,” Jerald replied after taking a bite of his pie. “But I still stand by what I said earlier. They always seem perfect now, but as soon as you let them in…BAM, they’re all of the sudden the wicked witch of the west.” Ann went to reply when suddenly her phone vibrated in her pocket for the 4th time. Ann sighed and reached into her pocket.


“I’m sorry Jer, I know we agreed no cell phones while we eat, but…”


“Go ahead Ma, it must be important if they keep calling” Jerald insisted gently and Ann flipped her phone open and placed it to her ear.


“Hello?” She spoke into it and Jerald sat there quietly eating his pie. “What?” She asked worriedly, and Jerald looked up at her with great concern. “Oh no…okay we will be right there,” she promised and then hung up.


“What? What happened ma?” Jerald asked sincerely just as Kristin was walking by and noticed their stress.


“Summer is what happened. Kevin had a meeting with the record label and had to leave Ellie with Summer because she was sick. Well you know the rest…she’s at Brian’s now, we have to go to her.” Jerald looked at Kristin then.


“I’m sorry Kristin, I’m going to have to take a rain check on the hot chocolate. Can we get these pies in a box to take home please?”


“Of course,” Kristin answered and Jerald noticed the genuine concern written all over her face as she turned and headed into the kitchen. She returned in not even a minute and handed the requested boxes over. Jerald and Ann put their pies in their boxes and got up and Kristin led them to the cash register. They paid for their pies and Ann made sure to add in a good tip before they said their good-byes and turned to leave. As she stood there watching them go she over heard them talking.


“At least now we have the proof we need to get Kevin to see how much of a bitch Summer is.”


“Yes, but how much of it was at my Grand baby’s expense?”


“I know mom, I know. But at least now hopefully she won’t be able to lay another hand on Ellie again.”


“You are damn right she won’t! If Kevin doesn’t throw her to the curb, I will!”


“Is she okay? How bad is she hurt?” Jerald asked stressfully.


“I don’t know, Jackie didn’t go into details,” Ann replied and the door closed behind them. Tina walked up behind her sister and slid her arms around her waist and rested her chin on her shoulder.


“That poor little girl…who would want to hurt such a sweet thing?”


“I know…” Kristin agreed, her heart breaking at the thought of that precious five year old who she only just spoke to last night being beaten up.


“That bitch…I hope Kevin throws her to the curb too.”


“Who is Jackie?” Kristin questioned.


“Brian Littrell’s mother – he and Kevin are cousins so that would make her Kevin’s aunt.” Kristin nodded and turned around and walked off to tend to her tables while feeling completely disturbed now.


~*~*~*~*~


When Ann and Jerald pulled into the driveway to Brian’s house they saw Kevin and Denise going inside. Jerald and Ann both got out and followed them in there just on time to hear Kevin’s frantic questions.


“Where is she? Where is my baby? I demand to know what happened, right now!” He insisted as he looked around at everybody including his mother and brother who he noticed come in from behind him.


“We’re going to tell you everything, I promise” Q replied. “But you’re not going to like what we have to say, you might be angry with us and that’s fine so long as you know the downright truth.”


“Just tell me already. I know I’ve been being kept in the dark and I am tired of it! I want answers and I want them now!” Q looked at Jerald then, causing Kevin to whirl around and look at him.


“You need to sit down Kevin,” Jerald answered.


“No! I don’t want to sit down!” Jerald stared at him for a long moment, and deciding that there was no easier way to deliver the news, he would just come right out and say it.


“Summer has been abusing Ellie.”


“What?” Kevin asked irritably. “I know you all hate her, but that’s ridiculous!”


“No, it’s not” Q insisted. Kevin shook his head and crossed his arms over his chest refusing to believe a word of this. “I know you guys hate my girlfriend and downright refuse to accept her, but I can’t believe you would go this low.”


“Kevin she—“


“--NO. You are lying!” Kevin insisted, stomping his foot exactly the way Ellie does when she throws her tantrums. “Summer would never—“


“--Oh yes she would!” Jerald demanded angrily. He is highly sick of his brother defending the woman.


“Why do you think Ellie wouldn’t let anyone touch her for so long? Because it hurt her too much. Why do you think you haven’t been allowed to give her baths or be alone with her for too long? She has bruises all over her body and they’re from Summer” Q explained. Kevin shook his head.


“I’m not listening to this. I am through with listening to you people bash my girlfriend!” he informed and he turned and headed for the door only to have Jerald and Ann grab onto him.


“If you won’t listen to us, fine. You can see it for yourself” Jerald insisted and he brought his brother over to the couch and pushed him down onto it.


“What are you talking about? I don’t understand…”


“We have it all on video,” Laney replied and Kevin watched him as he pointed the remote at the television and hit play and all of the sudden his house appeared on the screen. He watched in dead silence as his girlfriend terrorized his little girl and listened to every word that was spoken between the two while he was out.


“We put the video cameras in your house last night so we could catch her in the act,” Q explained. Everybody sat and watched Kevin as he watched the plain truth right before his eyes and didn’t say a single word till the very end. Despite his silence though, everybody could see that he was fuming.


“Is she still in my house?” he asked quietly when it was all over.


“I don’t know, but probably. Before I turned the tape off to bring it here I saw her straightening up the place and trying to make it look like nothing happened.” Kevin stared at the now blank screen for a long moment, and then he whirled around and stormed up the stairs.


“Ellie! Ellie its daddy where are you at baby?” he called out, and then came across Josh’s room. He entered it and there she sat between Josh and Chris.


“Daddy!” Ellie cried and Kevin knelt down and held his arms out to her. Ellie stared at him for a long moment, and then slid down from the bed and went to him, closing the space between them. She wrapped her arms around him, buried her face in his shoulders and she began to sob. Kevin hugged her close to him carefully and held her as she cried. After a long moment, when she calmed down some, he lifted her shirt up over her head so he could see it. So he could see the bruises for his own eyes. As soon as he saw her bruised covered body from the chest down though, Kevin broke down and cried himself and he once again pulled her into a hug and Ellie buried her face in his neck.


“What have I done? What have I done? He kept asking himself repeatedly as he kissed the top of her head softly.


“I’m sorry daddy I didnts mean to be a bad girl. I didnts mean to make Summer wants to hit me, an’ I didnts mean to hit her withs my sai…” Ellie sobbed and Kevin pulled back and gently cradled her face in his hands as he looked at her tearfully.


“No way Elenore Richardson, you listen to me young lady right now. You’re not to blame for any of this do you understand? This was my own stupid fault. I should’ve listened to you and taken you with me. No, you know what? I should’ve seen her for who she really was, but daddy was blind and for that I will never be able to forgive myself. I love you so very much, Ellie. You are what’s important to me, you’re my whole world and if an adult is beating the crud out of you – which will never happen again if I have anything to do with it. But if they are, I want you to know that you have my utmost permission to take your sai and beat on them back. You hear me? Daddy is never going to put you in this situation again, but if for some rare reason that you have to, you need to protect yourself to the best of your ability. Because you are way too important for daddy to lose, and he will never lose sight of that again.”


“Kay,” Ellie sniffled.


“Why didn’t you tell me baby? Why didn’t you tell me what was going on?”


“Because she says she’d kills Lil’ Rok,” Ellie sniffled. “An she tells me you wouldn’ts care anyway because you don’ts love me an’ I’m nots allowed to be loved by you no mores.”



“Those were all lies princess. Each and every one of them…you need to know that I am your daddy and if something this serious is going on you need to tell me right away. You can tell me anything, no matter what. And as for Lil’ Rok…she doesn’t stand a chance. Your daddy will deal with her so don’t you worry about it. Got it?” Ellie nodded tearfully and slid her bruised arms around him before burying her face in his shoulder.


“I love you Elenore Richardson. You and I are going to be okay. We’ll make it through this.”


“I loves you too daddy,” Kevin sat there hugging her close and giving her kisses for a long while before finally getting up with her. He turned and started for the door where Jerald stood. He gently pushed passed him, not even looking at him and he carried her down the hall and down the stairs. Once down there, he grabbed up Lil’ Rok and headed for the door.


“Kevin where are you going?” Ann wanted to know.


“To get that bitch out of my house and out of our lives, that’s where.”


“Don’t you think Ellie should stay here then and away from all of that?”


“My little girl stays with me,” Kevin insisted coldly before opening the door and walking out and he slammed the door behind him. Jerald and Ann made brief eye contact with each other and everybody else before the both of them hurried out the door to their car, and after a raging Kevin.