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Whenever You Call Chapter 13 Mariah followed Kevin's 4-Runner to his house after they picked up Chinese take-out for dinner. It was a beautiful home - spacious with plenty of dark wood paneling. It even had a pool in the backyard. Kevin flipped on the pool lights, and they went out to the patio, where they ate dinner by the glowing sapphire lights. In between bites of cashew chicken and pork fried rice, the couple talked just as they always had over the telephone. There was a noticeable difference though. Actually being together, they were able to read emotion in each other's eyes rather than relying solely on words. That alone made their discussion seem more intimate. Mariah soon discovered that she could easily lose herself in the depths of Kevin's green eyes. They were so expressive. Unknown to her was the fact that Kevin was able to read her eyes as easily as she read his. After dinner, she helped him clean up the dishes despite his protests that she was a guest. It was then the phone rang. He grabbed it from the counter and clicked it on. "Hello?" he greeted while his eyes were still focused on Mariah, who was filling the dishwasher. "Oh, hey, Tim. Wassup?" Mariah finished and wiped her hands on a towel. "Yeah? Hold on a sec." He covered the mouthpiece and told her, "It's my brother in Kentucky. I'll only be a minute. Make yourself at home. Go explore." She nodded. As she walked out the door into the hallway, Mariah heard him. "Um...yeah, I have company. Yes, a girl!" She smiled and set off to discover the rest of the beautiful house while Kevin finished his conversation. "So who is this woman?" Tim Richardson asked his younger brother. "Her name is Mariah. She's so unbelievable," Kevin gushed. He confessed the entire story of his relationship with Mariah. "I never met her before tonight, but, Tim, I'd swear I've know her all my life." "Sounds like your in love, Kevvy." "I know I am, but how? I mean, a couple of phone calls?" "Kev, you've had a lot of heart-to-heart talks with this woman. She seems to know you well, and if I'm not mistaken, I'd say she has feelings for you, too," Tim counseled. "You deserve to be happy, Kevin. I've seen you go through a lot of destructive relationships, a lot of personal heartache. Do me a favor - no better yet do yourself a favor. Go to Mariah. Tell her how you feel." Kevin sighed. "I will. I want this to work so badly." "Just don't think too hard. Go with it." Meanwhile, Mariah had gone into the living room and found Kevin's collection of compact discs. It spanned the entire spectrum of music from Mozart and Beethoven to Prince and Billy Joel. Against the opposite wall was the huge stereo system/entertainment unit to play his collection. From the living room, she walked down the hallway and looked into the next room on the right. For the second time that night, Mariah's breath caught in her throat. The room was spacious with glowing hardwood floors and what looked to be white walls decorated with the gold and platinum records the Backstreet Boys had earned. The centerpiece of the room was a polished grand piano. She hadn't bothered to turn on the lights because there was no need. The blue fluorescent lights from the pool flooded through the large bay window that overlooked the backyard. She quietly walked toward the instrument drawn to it like Sleeping Beauty to the spindle. She ran her fingers lightly over the keys before taking a seat at the bench. Without a thought, she began to play. In the kitchen, Kevin heard the soft melody. "Did you just turn on the stereo?" Tim asked. "No, that's..." The realization formed quickly in his mind. "Listen, Tim, I've gotta go. I think Mariah is getting restless." "Okay, I'll talk to you soon. Oh, and Kev?" "Yeah?" "Tell her." "I will. Thanks."Next: Chapter 14 |