~*~Kevin~*~

Nick and Lee were gone for two weeks. We never heard from them once. Good man.

Things in Orlando were pretty calm. The others of us got together once for a pre-meeting, and a few other times just to hang out. Mostly we all just chilled. It wasn’t often that we got some down time. Tracie and I took the first week and did nothing. I went to the club and hung out with her by the pool. Worked on my tan. Went home and worked out. I did do a little research. I wanted a house on the beach and Tracie got excited by the idea. Week two was spent looking at houses. It only took us two days to find what we wanted. It would need some work, but we could do that. It was empty and the owners let us go ahead and stay there. Funny what a large cash down payment will get you. It wasn’t going to be our main house, but our getaway. That weekend AJ, Brian, and Sara came and set up house with us. Nick and Lee showed up on Monday.

~*~Tracie~*~

That’s when things started getting weird. Again. Nick was in love with being a husband, so he started in on Kevin. "Yo man, you gotta do it. Saying "my wife" is the best. And being a husband. You two gotta set the date and do it. Start working for it."

We had set the date. Scheduled it for six weeks before the date for the next cd. We figured post production should be done, a video, and before all the hoopla before the release. Lee and I went out and had our dresses. I hadn’t known what I wanted, so I tried on everything in the place and found perfection. We were going to be married in his hometown. It was very important to Kevin that his family be there. Since the last fiasco. I agreed. I missed having a family.

A few weeks after Nick returned and they were writing Kevin started twitching. He would drift off into his own little world and someone would have to yell at him to get him back. Then he moved into bitchy. Grumpy. Difficult. Ok, more difficult. I made a plane reservation and had us on the way to Kentucky within 24 hours. I knew that putting him in the mountains would fix this.

~*~Nick~*~

We knew what this was about. Kevin’s baggage was coming back to smack him in the head. Marriage. No matter how he looked at it, he failed. On some level. So he was scared. Kevin has problems with not doing something perfectly. I’m sure Tracie knew what was going on. Best thing she could do was to get him alone and let him freak out then be human again. No one could hear the screaming in the mountains. And we didn’t have to put up with him. He’s a prick when trying to deal with things. She’s signing on to deal with that. I just walk.

~*~Kevin~*~

Not sure what the fuck is wrong with me. I’m not comfortable in my own skin. Being home was good. We had dinner with mom and she kept looking at me. I didn’t know what to tell her. I was the happiest I’d ever been in my life, but I felt like the whole world was weighing me down. I took off into the woods when we got back to the cabin. I settled into the porch swing when I got back. I didn’t think about anything as I’d walked. I needed to be really away. Tracie came out and sat down between my legs. I wrapped my arms around her and felt her hands on my arms. I breathed in her smell. "Kevlyn, do you want to get married?"

"Yes."

"You didn’t even think about your answer."

"I don’t have too. There is nothing I know more than knowing that I want to be married to you. Forever." I felt Australia fall off my shoulders.

"Ummm, ok."

"Why would ask such a question? Are you sure you want me?"

"Oh yeah. I didn’t really ask for me. I wanted you to hear yourself answer."

There went Asia, "What do you mean?"

"Typical Kevin freaking out behavior. Need you to get centered on what’s important and not obsess on the details." She turned and kissed me then faced the woods again.

Bye bye South America, "I haven’t been obsessing."

"Only because you’ve been too busy freaking out to obsess. My guess is you haven’t figured out this is pre-wedding jitters, so you haven’t found a target for your obsessing. So the rest of us deal with free floating obsessive Kevin."

I hugged her tighter and I felt Africa and Europe drift away, "You’re right. I hate to fail."

She turned and straddled my lap, "I know you do, baby. You won’t fail. I won’t let you."

North America left. I ran my hands up her back and into her hair, "Thank you. I love you."

"You pick the date. Just tell me and I’ll be there. I don’t give shit about anything but you." She reached down and rubbed the crotch of my jeans. Antarctica . . . melted.

The next day I called back to Florida and talked to Nick, "Sorry, I was melting down. I’m better. We’ll be home day after tomorrow."

"You’re gonna keep doing this until you get married. Realize this isn’t the same thing at all. Then you’ll do it again when she’s pregnant."

I glared into the phone, "But I’ll have you to remind that I’m being a dumbass."

"Na, Tracie gets that job. I’ll just call you a dumbass. I’m serious though. Do us all a big ass favor and move up the wedding." Nick laughed. I was silent. I hadn’t thought of that. What was keeping us? "I’m for real here. Just say screw the plans and get married out on the beach like we did. Only at your house. Lee and I will arrange it all. This weekend."

"You can’t do all that." I was thinking.

"Kevin, of course I can. IF you let me. I owe you way more than this for getting my brother and sisters here. We can get a wedding together by the weekend. Lee will take care of having the bride ready."

"I think I should tell her about this."

"I don’t. Hang on." I could here muffled voices, "Nope, my wife doesn’t either. Tracie freaks out just as bad as you."

I laughed, "She hits though."

"Surprise her. Then when she freaks out it’ll all be over."

I smiled and remember last night, "She won’t freak out. She told me to pick the date, she’d be there."

I heard a change in Nick’s voice, "Please, Kevin, let me take care of this for you guys. I promise I’ll have everyone here. It’ll be perfect. I’ll even have the honeymoon booked."

I couldn’t resist him. He really wanted to do this. The more I thought about it, the more I wanted it too, "Hawaii. We decided on Hawaii. Beaches and mountains."

Nick yelled loudly, "Yes! I’ll take care of it. See you tomorrow. Go to Orlando. We’ll be taking care of the beach house. You bring her Friday. Wedding on Saturday. That’s the plan. Thank you again, Kev."

"No Nick, thank you."