Part 39 -  Fallen

“My quote that went out on the Today Show this morning was taken out of context,” was what Kristen said to the person interviewing her on Entertainment Tonight. “I didn’t mean for it to be such a big deal.  I’m friends with Mark and when he mentioned he was interviewing Kevin's girfriend I said some things I shouldn’t have said.  He asked me if he could quote me and I honestly thought he was kidding so I said yes.  I had no idea he was going to say it the way he did.” 

The reporter kept a friendly smile on his face and nodded, “So he said it in a way that wasn’t how you wanted him to say it?”

“Well yeah… I mean, he made me sound like such a jerk.  Like I was totally out to frame Kevin.  That wasn’t the case at all.”

The reporter looked at a card in his hand then back at Kristen, “I’m paraphrasing here but you were basically quoted as saying that Kevin was cheating on you, that you hadn’t been divorced when he began dating Kellie, and that your divorce is still in the works.  But according to the documents provided by your ex-husband’s lawyer, none of that is true.  So what exactly was taken out of context?  If you weren’t out to frame Kevin, what were you trying to do?”

“Well… I…” Kristen stammered.  “It’s just that…”

“Just that you’re a lying whore?” I said to the television and Kevin chuckled.

The reporter stepped in again, “Was there any truth in the statement you made to the Today Show?”

Kristen sighed, “No.  I was upset because I saw how happy Kevin seemed with this chick and I lashed out, okay?  I never meant for Mark to share any of it on television.”

“So Kevin has never cheated on you?”

“No.”

“And he didn’t begin dating Kellie while he was married to you?”

Kristen rolled her eyes and shook her head, “No.”

“And the divorce papers dated seven months back… they’re accurate?”

“Yes.”

“Ha!  Stupid Whore!” I yelled at the TV.  “You fucked with the wrong couple!”

Kevin chuckled again, “You’re taking way too much joy in this.”

“Yes, I am…” I said with a smile aimed at him.  “She totally ruined my first day of Book Week with her bullshit.  Am I happy that she’s looking like a total ass-hat on national television right now? Oh hell yeah I am!”

The interview went on with Kristen trying to dig herself out of a hole and the reporter basically not taking any of her bullshit. It was freaking brilliant.  By the end of the interview I had a huge grin on my face and felt more relaxed than I had all day long.

Jules called to have a little celebration over the phone with us and we discussed sending a thank you gift to the Entertainment Tonight staff.  Then since we were scheduled to see each other bright and early the next morning for more interviews, we said our goodbyes and I spent the rest of the evening alone with Kevin.  We talked about recreating our most awesome sexcapade up on Josef’s roof but in the end were much too tired to even bother and ended up lying in bed together watching some old movie until we both passed out.

Morning came way too quickly for my taste and before I knew it, I was on the set of Good Morning America to do yet another morning show interview about my book.  Thankfully the chick who interviewed me didn’t have any tricks up her sleeves and the interview barely even touched on the previous day’s Kristin Drama.  I was happy to gush on-air about my sexy boyfriend when asked and gladly answered questions about my books turning into a movie with the vague canned answers that Jules had provided me.  In all, it was a much better morning than the day before had been.

After my interview I yawned as I limped my way into the green room to meet my entourage.  I plopped myself down on the couch that Kevin was sitting on and put my head on his shoulder.  My eyes closed and I yawned again.

“You were great, babe…” he told me quietly.

“Thanks…” I said, my eyes still closed as I hugged his arm.

Jules walked in and ruined my happy little mini nap, “Oh no you don’t… no resting for you. We have half an hour to get to your next gig. Up, now…”

I sighed and looked at Kevin, “She’s mean.”

He laughed and stood up then offered me his hand, “I know, but you love her.  Come on, the sooner you get through this, the sooner we can go home and sleep.” 

He pulled me to my feet and I only grimaced a little bit when putting weight on my ankle.  I was hoping that by the next day I would be able to go without the gigantic robo-cop brace and just wear sneakers instead. 

“If you two weren’t shagging all the time you wouldn’t be so damn tired…” Jules said as she handed me my bag.

I gave her a dirty look, “For your information there was no shagging last night.”

She raised an eyebrow at me, “Oh really? Trouble in Paradise?”

“More like, Day from Hell Thanks to the Evil Ex-Whore…” I said and giggled.

“Oh yeah, I forgot about that…” she laughed while we made our way down the hall.  “I guess if you’re so tired then we shouldn’t pick up Miles to have lunch with us after this next gig.”

“Withhold the Baby Man and I’ll purposely screw up the rest of my interviews for the remainder of the week just so that you have to do clean up…”

She giggled and looked at Kevin, “Good Lord, she’s beastly today…”

He grinned at her, “Just hand over the kid and no one will get hurt.”

I nodded, “Exactly…”  I then stopped and looked around, “Where the hell is Christian?”

“Meeting us at the car, I sent him on a quick errand.”

We resumed walking and I shook my head with a smile, “Would you stop using Christian as your glorified go-for who you don’t have to pay?”

“Trust me, you’ll be glad I did this time…”

When we walked out of the building and made our way to the car waiting for us I climbed in to see Christian already sitting in the limo.  He smiled from ear to ear and handed over a Grande Mocha Frappichino from Starbucks.

“Oh sweet heaven in a cup…” I moaned as I took the drink from him.    

“Told you…” Jules said as she got in and slid across the seat to make room for Kevin.

I tried not to grin but couldn’t help it, “I love you guys…”

~~~~~

The second interview of the morning went well… I only yawned once during it but considering it wasn’t on live television they promised me they’d edit the yawn out before putting the segment on air.

By the time we made it to lunch and I had a very happy Baby Man in my lap, I was exhausted and everyone else was too.  “You’d think we hadn’t slept in a week…” I said and drank my Coke while trying to keep Miles’ wandering hands away from my ice.  He’d already dunked his hands in my water and grabbed an ice cube only to chuck it across the table at Christian with a squee of delight.  Apparently Miles was in the Grabby Hands phase of child development. 

“One quick phone interview at two for the NYU radio station, which you can actually do from bed if you want as long as you don't fall asleep, and then you’re free until the book signing tonight…” Jules said.

I nodded and kissed Miles’ head.  He looked up at me and grinned as drool oozed out of his mouth.  I chuckled and wiped his mouth with my fingers then wiped them on my napkin in my lap that he was sitting on.  I turned Miles around so he was standing in my lap facing me; he loved standing more than he loved throwing things.  His chubby little wet fingers wrapped around mine and he stood on my legs then began bobbing up and down like a drunken sailor.

I looked beyond Miles to Jules for a moment, “How do you stand the cuteness?”

“I often don’t…” she said and shrugged.  “He overwhelms me with it many times a day.”

“You’re just so dang cute…” I said to Miles and leaned forward to gently nibble on his nose.  He giggled like it was the funniest damn thing in the world which made us all laugh with him.  “You think it’s funny, but I’m gunna eat you up, kid.  I’m going to start with those cheeks and then snack on those fingers and leave those wonderful chunky legs for last…”  I kissed all over his face and he let out little squeals in between belly laughs as I pretended to eat him.

“That’s kind of nasty when you think about it, Kels…” Christian said with his fork paused before his mouth.

I looked at him, “Yeah, and?”

“Not that I don’t totally agree that he’s insanely edible… but it’s kind of gross.  You’re talking about eating the kid’s legs.”

We all laughed a little too hard, mostly because we were all getting slap happy from being so tired.  Miles kept up his little dance on my lap and babbled in his Baby Man language totally oblivious to the fact that several adults were talking about eating him.  “Okay so maybe once he’s old enough to understand what we’re talking about we’ll have to stop saying that we’re going to eat him. But until then we shall talk of nothing but eating up his adorableness,” I grinned at Miles and kissed his sweet little nose.  “Right, Baby Man?”

He babbled at me and then laughed at whatever it is he said then did some deep knee bends.  Kevin laughed, “I think that was a yes…”

“Me too…”

I looked at Kevin watching Miles and I shit you not I could feel my womb screaming out for a baby.  Not just any baby, but a baby of Kevin’s that had his beautiful eyes and my curly hair.  I glanced at Jules and she was watching me. She shot me a knowing grin and I stuck my tongue out at her.  I wondered to myself how in just a few short months I’d managed to go from being the happy single woman to being in love and wanting to bear children with the hunk of sex sitting next to me.  It was nuts. 

When I looked at Kevin again he smiled and leaned in to give me a kiss.  Miles interrupted the kiss by leaning forward with his own drooly kiss on Kevin’s cheek.  As Kevin wiped drool from his face and laughed I decided that I didn’t care how nuts it was that I had fallen so hard for him in such a short time.  The fact of the matter was that I had fallen and I liked it a lot.