Kellen's Moment

by Robin Alexander

  Kellen put her sandwich down and held up both hands and acted as though she was weighing something. “Ruin the mood by tattling on her daddy or have awesome sex? You know what I went with.”

  “I think she needs to know what we have to deal with from her family. Has she said anything to you about the signs Walt likes to put up at the town line? You should explain that Walt’s not just being an asshole.”

  “He is being an asshole.” Kellen wiped her mouth. “We’ve talked about this. If he’d stop that shit, they probably would too. Walt always has to have the last word—or sign.”

  Kyle nodded. “I know, but wouldn’t you be interested to hear what they tell Stevie about us?”

  “No, because it obviously hasn’t made a negative impression on her.” Kellen picked her sandwich back up. “You should hear her talk about them. I know she loves her parents, but I think she likes them less than we do.”

  “Trent’s worried about her being disowned, but it sounds like she may not mind. She might even be looking forward to bitch slapping them with you,” Kyle said and frowned. “Kell…keep your eyes open, okay?”

  Kellen dropped her sandwich on her plate. “Don’t go there.”

  “Where am I going?” Kyle asked with a shrug.

  “Let me enjoy this with her.”

  “This is what we do for each other. You’ve made me mindful of all the what-ifs with every guy I ever considered getting serious with. I’m not trying to discourage you from getting involved with Stevie, I want it to work out. Trent has her back, I have yours. What you just said about her not liking her parents kinda worried me a little bit. If she ever wanted to get back at her parents for something, defecting to the McLin side would be the perfect way to do it.”

  “And you went there,” Kellen snapped. “You just crushed a perfectly happy butterfly.”

  *******

  That evening, a storm rolled in right about the time Kellen was to make her trek through the woods. Stevie drove her car to Kellen’s place instead, and the second Kellen opened the door, Stevie made it obvious she had butterfly taming on her mind.

  “Oh, it feels so good to have the shoe on the right foot,” Stevie said later and flopped over on the bed, breathing heavily.

  “Is that a metaphor?”

  “I’ve never really enjoyed sex until now. Trent described it perfectly. I feel like I’ve gone through life with the wrong shoe on my right foot.” Stevie took Kellen’s hand and kissed it. “When you opened the door tonight dressed in those sweatpants and that snug T-shirt, you set me on fire.”

  Kellen laughed. “It turns me on that you get turned on by sweatpants and T-shirts. I’ve got a lot of sexy in that dresser over there.”

  “It’s all you, your smile, your looks, your scent, your intense stare when I’m talking to you and even when I’m not. I like the way your jaw juts out when you’re thinking about something. I think it’s wonderful that your socks don’t match.”

  Kellen looked down at her feet. “Look at that, they don’t, and my underwear is still wrapped around one of my ankles.”

  “I was in a hurry to get to certain parts,” Stevie said as she rolled on her side and draped a leg over Kellen’s. “You were too. I think you ripped the clasp out of my bra.”

  “I’ll replace it.” Kellen grinned. “I bought you a toothbrush today.”

  “Are you trying to tell me my breath stinks?”

  “No, I just want to make you comfortable because I enjoyed sleeping next to you last night, and I hope to do it again with covers this time.”

  “Kellen…I wanna smell your armpit.”

  “No, you just made me sweat. No,” Kellen cried as Stevie tried to pull her arm up. “You should never listen to Trent, he’s crazy.”

  *******

  Kellen smiled as she gazed at Stevie bathed in the firelight wearing the T-shirt and sweatpants she’d had on earlier. “You’re a good cook, this spaghetti is delicious,” she said and took another big bite.

  “I’m glad you like it. You’ve been feeding me, and I wanted to feed you too. I thought about seeing if you wanted to spend the weekend with me in New Orleans, where we could be seen in public and I could take you to dinner.” Stevie sighed. “Then I remembered we’re in the Mardi Gras season, and hotel rooms are in short supply.”

  “Very expensive too. Are you getting cabin fever already?”

  “Not at all,” Stevie said with a big smile. “Cooking made me think about taking you somewhere. Typing made me think about touching you. You’ve been on my mind all day. I ran out of paper towels, and the cardboard roll made me think about your leg. That’s how bad it is, or good if I didn’t actually have to spend some time concentrating on work.”

  “I almost called a woman I work with by your name today,” Kellen admitted with a laugh and was reminded of her conversation with Dave, which brought the seed of worry that Kyle had planted front and center in her mind.

  “Your expression just changed in a heartbeat, what went through your mind?”

  “Does your family talk about mine a lot?” Kellen asked before she took another bite of her dinner.

  Stevie set her plate aside. “I figured we’d eventually have to discuss this since our families have a history. Can we agree there’s them, and there’s us? I love my family, I know you love yours, too, but I don’t want their fight to ever become ours.”

  “That’s gonna be difficult. You haven’t been immersed in it like I have, and I…I…” Kellen set her plate to the side. “Cards on the table?”

  Stevie nodded. “Please.”

  “I don’t know if I’ll ever get to the point where I could like your dad,” Kellen admitted.

  “Most people don’t. He has an abrasive personality. I assume that’s why you won’t work with him on the parade and festival schedules.”

  “I won’t work with him on anything. I think it’s best to keep Sealy’s and McLin’s business separate, and this is why,” Kellen said and told Stevie about the call she accepted from her father.

  Stevie sat stone-faced for a moment and shook her head. “That doesn’t surprise me. I know my dad can be very catty. My mom told me she ran into Walt in a store, and he called her a cow. Is that something he would do?”

  “Yeah,” Kellen admitted with a groan.

  “Do you or Kyle make any of the signs I’ve seen?”

  “No, absolutely not,” Kellen said, holding Stevie’s gaze.

  “Linden’s son, Jordan, and his friends make the signs you’ve caught them on camera putting up. They do that with Linden’s and my dad’s full support. My mom and sister draw their conclusions based on what my dad says, which is that you’re difficult and you won’t work with him. I’m sure he hasn’t admitted to them he called you just to say your town is a dump.”

  “I can admit Walt is no saint in this.” Kellen waved a hand. “He and your dad call each other on the regular to trade insults, and I’m sure he’s said some horrible things about your entire family.”

  “I can’t deny it bothers me that Walt called my mother a cow. We’re at different ends of the spectrum when it comes to our priorities and how we treat people, but she’s still my mother. It was naïve to ask if we could keep it all separate.” Stevie smiled at Kellen. “I just don’t want any of it to come between us. I really think we have something good going here, and I selfishly don’t want anything to stop the progression.”

  “What do you want it to progress to?”

  “You, me, a lot of gray hair, and wrinkle cream,” Stevie said wide-eyed. “Are you about to tell me we don’t have the same goal because I felt like the night of the party that’s what you were looking for?”

  Kellen grinned and kissed Stevie. “We have the same goal. I really believe we’re gonna get to the point where we want to smother each other with a pillow. According to Trulee, that’s a successful relationship.”

  “What’s unsuccessful—pistols at dawn?”

  Chapter 14

  Kellen woke her
self humming a familiar tune. She sat up and looked around. “Why do I hear Fleetwood Mac?”

  “Mom!” Stevie said as she flew out of bed, ran into the kitchen, and dug her phone out of her purse. “Hey.”

  “Where are you?”

  “What?” Stevie asked, unable to process the question.

  “Stevie, it’s one o’clock in the morning. Where are you?”

  “I’m…I stayed at…” Stevie realized she had to lie. “I’m at Megan’s in Belle Chasse. We drank, and I decided to stay here.”

  “Well, you could’ve had the decency to let me know that. I went to the kitchen for water and nearly had a heart attack when I looked out the window and noticed your car wasn’t there.”

  Stevie rubbed her eyes. “I’m sorry. I’m not used to doing that anymore.”

  “Get back in the habit, Stevie Rae,” Joan snapped.

  “Okay, Mom.”

  “I love you, good night.”

  “Good night,” Stevie said and ended the call. She made a trip to the bathroom and crawled back into bed.

  “What was that about?” Kellen asked as she pulled Stevie close.

  “I got fussed at for not letting my mom know I wasn’t coming home. She thinks I’m in Belle Chasse at a friend’s house. I’m sorry she woke you up.”

  Kellen shivered. “I’m sorry your butt feels like a block of ice.”

  “It’s warm now,” Stevie said sleepily.

  “She does love you in her own way. Maybe it just seems like family image is more of a priority.”

  “Babe—is it okay if I call you that?”

  “Well, yeah,” Kellen said with a big smile.

  “Babe, we aren’t getting into a deep conversation at one in the morning.”

  Kellen nuzzled Stevie’s shoulder. “But I’m awake now, and you are too.”

  “Kellen, go night night, or I’m gonna employ the pillow at the beginning of our relationship.”

  “Okay, I just want to clarify one thing. You said relationship, so can we officially say we’re in one?”

  “That is what I meant when I said my goal is gray hair and wrinkle cream, but if you need to have a label on it in spite of saying they confuse you, then yes. It’s official, we’re in a relationship. You should know I get very grumpy when I’m awakened in the middle of the night,” Stevie said into the pillow.

  “Okay,” Kellen said happily and kissed her shoulder.

  *******

  Kellen sighed the next morning as she watched Stevie’s car go down her driveway. She’d begun missing Stevie when she kissed her goodbye. Though Kellen was convinced she’d had her moment with Stevie, even she was surprised at how fast things were progressing between them. The little concern that Kyle had caused to arise was easily swatted down after her conversation with Stevie about family. Everything felt as though it was clicking into place between her and Stevie just like Kellen imagined it would when she found the right one.

  Kellen turned away from the window, planning to dry her hair, when her phone rang. She smiled when she saw Kyle’s name on the ID. “Good morning. It’s a great day in the land of the butterflies.”

  “Hey, Kell,” Kyle said somberly. “You need to come to the diner and help me calm Walt down. Hurry.”

  *******

  A searing rush of anger swept through Kellen while she stood in front of the diner and read: Fags and hags eat here scrawled across the glass windows in big red spray-painted letters. Ben, the police chief, stood next to her. “We’ve already looked at the video footage. It was three people, and they all had their heads and faces covered. The vehicle was an old seventies model Ford truck, and the license plate was also covered, but it’s no stretch of the imagination to figure out who the perpetrators are.”

  “So we’ve got nothing,” Walt ground out.

  “Nope,” Ben said with regret. “I’ll send a picture of the truck to the Sealy Police Department, but I doubt they’ll look very hard for it.”

  Walt turned to Kellen. “What’re you gonna do about this, Mayor?”

  “Clean the fucking glass,” Kellen spat out.

  “No, you need to get on the phone with Dave and tell

  him—”

  “Tell him what—I can’t prove it, but I know his grandkids did this? Listen to him deny it while taking pleasure in the fact that I’m furious? You know he’s got his phone in his hand waiting for that call, and I’m not gonna give him the satisfaction. You call him if you want to and insult him, his wife, and the rest of his family and keep this stupid fight going. When I’m done cleaning those windows, I’m gonna go to work like an adult.”

  Walt wagged a finger at Kyle. “Remind her she is a McLin.”

  “She knows,” Kyle said with a shrug. “She’s right. Dave wants that call, so why bow down and give him what he wants?”

  “Is Trulee inside?” Kellen asked.

  Walt nodded emphatically. “Yeah, and she’s upset.”

  “Trent’s in there loving on her,” Kyle said to Kellen.

  “Ben, you go on inside and have a cup of coffee,” Walt said. “I’m gonna talk to Kellen and Kyle.”

  Kellen shook her head. “No, Ben, stay right here because Walt is about to suggest something illegal, and he doesn’t want you to hear it.”

  “Nope, that’s not true,” Walt insisted. “Ben, get you some coffee, and breakfast is on me.”

  “Ben, stay,” Kellen said with a firm tone.

  Ben sighed. “I’m about to Taser myself. If I piss my pants, cover me with a blanket.”

  “I’ll take a shot of that too,” Kyle said with a nervous laugh while watching the staredown between Kellen and Walt.

  “You’re the mayor, Kellen, it’s your job to stand up to Dave and let him know we won’t tolerate this,” Walt said angrily.

  “I’m so sick of you trying to pull me into this game you play with him,” Kellen retorted. “You continue to engage the Sealys, so you may as well paint the diner, too, because you’re just as complicit.”

  “Where’s your family honor?” Walt looked from Kellen to Kyle.

  Kellen exploded. “There is no honor in this dumbass, childish spat only you and Dave get off on!” Kellen pointed at the defaced diner. “This isn’t my idea of fun, and it damn sure isn’t Trulee’s. You should be in there apologizing to her for what you caused.”

  “If you ain’t gonna do anything about it, I will,” Walt said with fire in his eyes.

  Kellen jerked a thumb at Kyle. “We are not going to continue this stupid fucking tradition.”

  “You disappoint me,” Walt said lowly.

  “The feeling is mutual. I’ve had enough,” Kellen said and watched Walt walk away.

  “I’m gonna follow him and keep him out of trouble,” Ben said with a nod.

  Kyle gave Kellen a moment to cool off. “I know that was hard, but he had to hear it.”

  “Shit.” Kellen inhaled deeply and let it out slowly. “We’re going to my house, get Mr. Sealy, and take him to Trent’s shop where I will cut him into strips with a welding torch.”

  “You still have him?” Kyle asked with a look of horror. “Is he okay?”

  “He’s gained a little winter weight, and he’s always complaining about hemorrhoids—he’s a piece of metal, Kyle!” Kellen frowned and scrubbed her face with her hands. “I hurt Walt’s feelings, and I feel like an asshole, and at the same time, I wanna slap him and yell stop this shit!”

  “But you were right, look at the diner. Trulee’s the one suffering here.” Kyle sniffed. “I’m gonna ignore your sarcasm about Mr. Sealy right now.”

  Kellen smiled sadly at Trulee as she walked outside with Trent. “I’m sorry, Trulee.”

  “That’s nothing a little elbow grease can’t solve.” Trulee gave Kellen a hug and lowered her voice. “Do you think the Sealys found out about you and Stevie, and they did this?”

  “I think they would’ve confronted her first.” Kellen checked her phone to see if she’d gotten any messages from Stevie
, and there weren’t any. She breathed a sigh of relief, thinking no news was good news. “I think this is their answer to Walt buying that piece of property, then putting a sign on it telling the Sealys to suck it. I lost my temper and yelled at him when he wanted me to confront Dave. I know he’s upset with me right now.”

  “I’d say he’ll calm down and you two could talk it out rationally, but we both know that won’t happen for a while. You and Stevie need to be very careful,” Trulee warned. “If the news about you two gets out, especially right now, things will get very ugly.”

  “Maybe it’s exactly the right time for the news to come out.” Kyle held up a hand when Kellen, Trulee, and Trent gawked at him. “I’m just spit balling, thinking outside the box.”

  “Get back in the box, Kyle,” Trent snapped. “Everybody, just stay in your boxes.”

  *******

  “Shit is going down. Batten the hatches and put on your helmet, it’s about to get real,” Christine said when Stevie opened the door of the cottage to her.

  “What does that mean?” Stevie asked.

  “Someone spray-painted Fags and hags eat here on the windows of Trulee’s Diner. Let’s make coffee.”

  Stevie’s jaw sagged. “By someone, you mean Jordan, right?”

  Christine shook her head. “Oh, we never say that out loud.”

  “You know it was him, though.”

  “It probably was,” Christine said as she went into the kitchen and perused the assortment of coffees she and Joan had bought Stevie.

  Stevie knew her face was red, she could feel the heat. “And that’s okay?”

  “You didn’t see the sign Walt put up on the property he just bought, apparently. He told Dad to suck it.”

  “I don’t care about his stupid sign! Jordan damaged property.”

  Christine glanced at Stevie. “Why’re you so upset?”

  “It’s not right, and what Jordan wrote is offensive to me.”

  “Don’t let Mom and Dad hear you say that, they’ll think you’re gay,” Christine said with a laugh.

  “I am, that’s why Randy and I aren’t together.”

  Christine’s jaw dropped. “What?”

  “You heard me.” Stevie folded her arms as she internally geared up for a fight.