Kevin:

 

            I sighed as I opened the door and set my bags at my feet, glad to finally be home after a week in the blistering mid-western winter of Indiana. The familiar scents I’d left behind greeted me. The faint aroma of Lauryn’s lilac perfume. The soft smell of dryer sheets. It was barely six am and the house was silent except the quiet tick of the grandfather clock across the room.

            I tiptoed to the kitchen and pulled a bottled water from the fridge, shaking my head at the stack of dishes sitting by the sink, a tomato-based substance crusting along the edges. I loved Lauryn. But this habit of leaving the dishes until someone—usually me—got around to doing them irritated the piss out of me.

            I capped my water and crossed the living room to the bedroom to spoon up behind my fiancé and inhale her homey scent. But as I opened the door, the water slipped from my hand and anger surged through my veins. That blond sonofabitch cozied up with my fiancé, his arm draped casually across her waist. Her arm rested a top his, their fingers slightly tangled together.

            “You little fuck!” I growled, yanking Nick from the linen and slamming his against the closet door. The wood cracked under the force and Nick stared at me with fear radiating from his panicked blue eyes. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?!” I asked, slamming his body again. “Trying to fuck up another person’s life to balance out the way you’ve fucked up your own?!”

            Lauryn pulled on the arm that held Nick securely against the splintered closet door by his throat. “Kevin, stop! Put him down! Stop!” she cried, her frantic tugging useless.

            “I didn’t touch her,” Nick muttered. Before I could stop myself, I hooked his left eye with my fist, a trickle of fresh blood dripping down his cheek from the gash left in his brow.

            “Kevin, stop now!” Lauryn shouted. She caught my face in her hands and forced mine toward her. “Baby, look at me. Look at me,” she ordered, her voice calm and smooth. “Let him go.”

            “Are you fucking him, Lauryn?” I probed demandingly, my eyes piercing hers.

            Placing her hands against my chest, she shoved me backwards. “Fuck you, Richardson! Regardless of what some people believe, I am not fucking my way up the Backstreet ladder!” she fired at me.

            “How can I believe you when you have Mr. Neglect and Irresponsibility in my bed?” I retorted.

            Her lips pursed into a fine white line. “You don’t understand, Kevin,” she stated, her beautiful blue eyes welling up with tears. “I chose you. You left me and it broke my heart. And when Brian wanted me back, I had to tell him no. You are the only one I ever wanted,” she sobbed, wet streaks lining her rosy cheeks. “I chose you then. And I choose you now. But not if you don’t trust me.”

            I glanced over at Nick. “Believe me, Kevin. Nothing happened. I wouldn’t do that to her. She loves you more than anything else,” he said softly.

            “Then why were you in my bed? Cuddled with my fiancé?” Kevin inquired.

            “I needed the closeness of a sleeping figure. I tried to sleep in the guest room. I really did. But I am so used to Reagan sleeping by my side. I just needed Lauryn to simulate Reagan. And I think she needed me too. To be you. If only for a couple nights,” Nick explained.

            “Well, it ends now,” I replied softly.

            Nick nodded. “It would have anyway. I’m looking at a sublet this afternoon.”

            I turned back toward Lauryn and caressed her cheek with my fingers, swiping away the warm tears that dripped from her eyes. “I’m sorry, baby. For doubting you,” I whispered, lifting her chin so her gaze met mine. “I love you, pussycat.” I leaned down and planted a gentle kiss on her upturned lips, pulling her closer to me so I could wrap her in my arms.

            She squeezed me tightly. “I love you too,” she murmured, burying her damp face in my chest, her small hands resting on my lower back. She pulled away and glanced between Nick and me.

            “And you,” I started, thrusting my finger at Nick. He flinched visibly, a hint of panic returning to his azure eyes. I reached forward and pulled him to me, gathering his solid body into my strong arms and hugging him fiercely. “Welcome back, kiddo,” I finished. When he snapped from his shocked daze, he hugged back. “What have you been up to, Nicky?” I asked, giving his back a few sound pats before pulling away.

            He smiled and tucked a few strands of long hair behind his ears. “I’ve been keeping busy. Have a new album coming out after production wraps. And then of course the movie,” he answered.

            “Yeah. I hear your movie is coming out in a couple months. I’m sure Lauryn and I will be right there premiere night. That is if you want us there,” I stated, sliding my arm around Lauryn’s waist and pulling her close to my side. He didn’t say anything. And I figured things were still fuzzy between us.

 

Nick:

 

            Weird. Everything is weird. I never thought Kevin would be this forgiving. I mean, he’s held longer grudges for me missing appointments than for missing 18 months of his life. The three of us sat around the round kitchen table, drinking coffee and visiting while the sun rose behind the Manhattan skyline. Kevin joked with me. Pulling on my hair and asking, “What’s up with the shaggy do?” But I didn’t hesitate to remind him it wasn’t much longer than his own. It felt so great to finally talk to him and not have to fear I’d end up in cement boots at the bottom of the East River.

            “Any plans for this morning?” Kevin asked, pouring himself another cup of coffee.

            I took a slurp off my mug. “No. I don’t start shooting until tomorrow,” I answered.

            Kevin resumed his seat. “Well, how about you come to the studio with me and help me with Lauryn’s new material. Then maybe I can check out this sublet with you.”

            I glanced over at Lauryn, concern over the song she and I had recorded earlier raising questions in my mind. But she just smiled. She didn’t seem worried at all. And I guess there would be no point. It was already over and done with. And the worst Kevin could do was say no. “Sure. That would be fine,” I answered after my brief moment of silent worry.

            “Great! I’m going to shower. I’ll be back momentarily.”

I watched Kevin leave and then turned toward Lauryn. “That went better than I expected. Much better,” I sighed, a small smile playing on my lips.

She covered my hand with hers. “You just need to try, Nicky. You can’t fear us or we’ll never be the friends we once were.”