Kevin decided to busy himself with cleaning today. His basement looked more like a big garbage dump and he felt like it was time to go through everything and throw all unnecessary things away. So he put on his outdoor handy man gloves, as Kristin liked to call them, and carrying three huge garbage bags, went on a mission to clean.
He could count on one hand the amount of time that HE actually cleaned this house. Constantly away from the moment they had purchased it. Their first house together. They had lived in apartments, and huge condo's as a couple but nothing much beat having your own house. And one thing was for sure, Kevin could definitely afford it.
One thing his Father had always bore into his three children was that you weren't truly a success in life unless you could support your family. After purchasing not only his first house but then one for his Mom, a small summer cottage she could escape to from time to time that was very close to his brother Tim, he had realized that he had in fact become that success.
All he ever wanted, all he ever dreamed about had come true.
Factor in the love of his life and Kevin was sitting pretty. They would always be financially stable, no matter what happened. They would always have this place to live. He sat down next to a pile of junk Indian style, just like how he sat when he was a kid. And the first thing he happened upon in the midst of that junk was a poster for their first show ever in Orlando.
He picked it up and smiled.
The good old days. He ran his hand on the surface, remembering how small they all were. They had grown up together. His eyes happened upon the look of disgust he had on his face. They were all smiling, but he wasn't. He looked like he would rather be anywhere else.
Maybe back then that's what he thought.
The idea of being pigeonholed with a group of kids was not something he had wanted to do. It took some heavy persuasion for him to change his mind. And ironically it had come from his older brother.
"You are being given the opportunity to live out your dreams, why are you not going to do it?" Jerald had asked him one Sunday afternoon after church. He had come home to be close to everyone after his father's death.
"It's so far away. I think I should move back home for Mom" He had said tears in his eyes at the thought of not saying the word parents in present tense any longer.
"She wouldn't want you here, she wants you to be happy kiddo. We all do" He had pat Kevin's back firmly. This meant I love you in Richardson speak. And those few sentences had sparked him to make the decision of is lifetime.
One he was grateful for. Most times.
There were moments he had wanted to just leave, never looking back. Good riddance. Sometimes especially when it came to Nick and AJ, he had all he could do to hold his tongue. Constantly having to remind himself that they were just children. Now he found himself patting Nick's head. He was tiny, now a grown man.
Time flies.
He decided to put the poster aside. Not ready to part with it. He probably would never part with it. Tons of memorabilia he had kept from show after show kept popping up as he threw away some and kept others. He was a pack rat. It drove his wife nuts, just like it used to drive his Mom nuts. Now he found it was driving him nuts. So many things he had to sort through he felt overwhelmed by it all.
Overwhelmed by his success.
He stood up and decided to take a little break. Maybe he would make himself a sandwich. He climbed up his stairs and ventured into his huge kitchen. It was a cook's dream. Everything you had ever wanted, every kitchen gadget ever made, lived in his kitchen.
Still unopened.
He walked over to his pantry and as he did, noticed that the red light on his answering machine was flashing. Everyone he knew teased him because of his machine. He loved it though. Why hire someone to take your calls when you are going to be home to get them yourself?
He was hoping it was his agent or his wife. Something good. He walked over and hit the button.
"Hi Kev, it's J" Kevin frowned at the serious tone his friend had. He didn't like that tone, to him it never meant anything good.
"Listen....uh..I was wondering if you could maybe call me back. I really just need to talk"
Without hesitation, Kevin picked up his phone and dialed AJ's number, staring at one of his newer posters as he did it. This one they had all looked as jaded as Kevin had in the first one. Innocence lost.
They had come so far, and had meant so much to him.
"Hi J, I'm hear buddy talk to me...."
