“Hey man.”
“Levi,” Ron say, out of breath.
“What’s up Ron? What’s going on?”
“I don’t know how to tell you this, but…” I grip the phone as I wait for him to finish.
“The shop was broken into. Your bike.” He doesn’t say anything else and I can imagine him scratching his beard then removing his cap only to put it right back on again.
“What’s wrong with my bike, Ron.”
“It’s all messed up, Levi.”
Again, I feel like I’ve just been sucker punched. This time I feel the darkness coming and I focus. I stay in the light. I hand my phone to Zant, and I run inside. I make my way through the kitchen where Kelly is getting something to drink. She isn’t who I’m looking for. In the living room, Micah and Chance are sitting on the couch, looking at their phones. They aren’t who I’m looking for either. I spin around in a circle searching for her. I need her. I need to find her.
The darkness is coming, and I need her. She brought me back. She needs to help me stay.
“Where’s Kathleen,” I croak out.
Chance stands up quickly and comes towards me. “What’s wrong?”
“I need Kathleen.”
“She’s in the bathroom.”
I spin around and walk down the hall to the bathroom. I try the nob. I don’t bother knocking. The door swings open and she’s standing at the sink. I watch the look of surprise cross her face before she sees the look on mine.
She spins towards me and I whisper, “touch me.” She places her hands on both sides of my face and doesn’t let go. I watch her beautiful brown eyes as they melt like chocolate. Confusion and compassion swim in their depths and I get lost. This isn’t a lost like I’m used to. This isn’t a lost in the dark. This is a lost in the light. A lost in her. A complete lost in everything Kathleen. I heard her earlier say, ‘come back to me’. She has the power to help me stay. I want to stay with her.
I don’t know this girl from Eve, but for some reason, I want to. Getting to know her these two days has been somewhat surprising. I’m surprised that I actually want to know more. Wanting to protect her is one thing. I do that out of nature. It’s ironic since I was a victim of horrible child abuse for years, but it’s the way I am. Wanting toknowher is a different thing all together. I don’t let people in. I placed walls around myself a long time ago. Select few have been let in and I have always felt like that was enough. I didn’t have room for anyone else.
Maybe I was wrong.
I start to breath normal again, but she doesn’t let go and I don’t let go of her hands. I slowly move closer to her. Kathleen’s lips are perfect – rosy and pouty. Just how I like them. I want to know what they taste like, but I know we aren’t there yet. I know I’m not there yet. She probably isn’t either. That still doesn’t stop me from wanting them.
She’s only seen the messed-up parts of me. She doesn’t know the good parts, the funny parts, the better parts.
Before I can get any closer to her lips, Nova runs past us. “Don’t kiss her Unc. That’s gross!” she yells.
We both chuckle, but it quickly dies away. “Are you ok?” she says.
“I am now. Thanks.” She slowly pulls her hands away from my face and I immediately miss her touch. I shake it off, grab her hand, and pull her from the bathroom. “Come on. We need to talk. Something has happened, and I need to go back.”
“You mean we?”
Nope. She isn’t going back. She’s staying right here with Micah.
“No. You’re staying here, where it’s safe.”
“What happened? Why are you going back?” She has her hands on her hips and I’d be lying if I said her irritated look isn’t hot.
“Because, the fu…, the guys that want you, messed up my shop and my bike.”
She gasps and slaps her hands over her mouth. “Oh my gosh,” she muffles.
“I want you to stay here with Micah, Kelly, and the kids. Chance, Zant, and I are going back. I think we know what’s going on, but we need to go see. I need you safe. Ok?”
She nods her head and doesn’t even blink her beautiful eyes. They look like they may pop out of her head, but they are still beautiful.
