Annoying Pest...

by K. S. Adkins

  “I swear it, Pest,” he said with pleading eyes. “You have to know…”

  “Know what?”

  “That I changed my mind,” he whispered. “Halfway through I knew I couldn’t fucking do it. I walked off to get my head right so when I came to you, you’d know I spoke true. Then they took me, and I didn’t get the chance to tell you that you’re my girl. That I love you, will love you, every day I draw air.”

  Meeting his tear filled eyes, I saw he meant it. He loved me, he’d stay, and we’d fight, fuck, and grow old together as we were meant to.

  Filled with adrenaline and hope, I rested my hands on his chest and asked him, “My man is bound and I’ve got ideas. What to do, what to do?”

  “If I were you, I’d ride my dick, but that’s just a suggestion.”

  “Hmm,” I grinned evilly, breaking his stare to look at his crotch.

  “Pest,” he grated out, causing me to look up.

  I didn’t like it when Chevy was distressed. Not that it happened often, but when it did, it tied me up in knots. This was what it had to feel like for him when I struggled. And it’s no secret I struggled a lot.

  “Love you more than life itself. I didn’t want to be your source of pain.”

  “You don’t even understand how powerful you are, do you?” I asked softly. The look of bewilderment told me that no, he didn’t know. It was my fault for never telling him. That fuck up is on me.

  “When I’m with you, I feel like I can do anything, be anything. I’m fearless. Yes, I have setbacks, but it’s you I focus on. I fight through it to get back to you.”

  “Pest,” he whispered closing his eyes.

  “Look at me,” I begged him and when he rewarded me with his pain filled eyes, I cupped his face, and laid myself bare. “There is no me without you.”

  Resting his forehead against mine, he said, “I was lost without you. For a year, for the last few hours…”

  “Then stop running away from home. Guy missed you, I missed you, we weren’t a family without you. We were lost, too.”

  “I want my family back,” he said low.

  “Done,” I agreed easily.

  “Gonna have to kick Guy’s ass for this,” he mumbled.

  “That’s your call,” I said, kissing his temple. “I’m going to hug him.”

  “Pest?” he asked and locked eyes with me.

  “Yeah, Chevy?”

  “I’m still tied up.”

  Yes, yes, he was.

  

  Tempest was in the middle of her a lesson with Tiffany when Guy took the seat next to me. It’s been three weeks since the breakthrough he orchestrated, but it’s been so fucking crazy that he and I never had our coming to Jesus about the shit he’d pulled. Grateful or not, what he’d done was wrong.

  Putting her through that kind of nightmare was dangerous. Tempest handled it, yes, but had she not, who the fuck knows what would have happened. I wasn’t pissed that he had me nabbed and restrained. It was the taunts from the lone motherfucker in the room, the shit he was saying he’d do to her that sent me into a blind rage. God’s honest, had I broken free, I would have killed an innocent man. A man I hadn’t known was innocent at the time.

  Anxiety.

  I had bathed in it.

  I was consumed by it.

  Could not escape it.

  I was given a bitter taste of what Tempest deals with and knew one thing to be true. She was a bigger badass than I’ll ever be.

  I hadn’t been gone a week when Guy started calling me about the threats to Tempest. Telling me she had a stalker, sending me letters, and photos. He would complain that I was selfish, leaving her out to dry.

  And when he tried to guilt me into coming back citing her anxiety, I listened but I hadn’t heard. At least what he’d been honest about. So I’d followed her every move, making sure from a distance she was as safe as she could be without me. Turns out it was all bullshit. A ploy to get us back together.

  It worked.

  Leaning forward, resting his elbows on his knees, he looked at Tempest playing her violin and said, “Still don’t see it, do you?”

  “See what?” I asked, watching her too.

  “When it comes to you, anxiety has never had a hold on her. That’s a gift, Chevy. A gift no one else gets. Just you.”

  Yeah, I got that, now. “You let me think you two were together.”

  “I didn’t let you think anything,” he said, facing me. “You came up with that all on your own. I just didn’t bother to correct you.”

  “Why the fuck not?”

  “Because I figured if you loved her like I thought you did, like she thought you did, you’d come back for her.”

  Well fuck, the hits just keep on coming. If you looked up clueless you’d find my face next to the definition. “Should have,” was all I could say.

  “You’re here now,” he said, slapping my shoulder. “Regardless of what you think, you’re an honorable guy. Always have been. You’d fight an army for her, I’ve seen it firsthand. You gotta remember though, she’d do the same for you. Your heart is always in the right place, even if fists are involved. Especially when it comes to Tempest.”

  Together we look over at her at the same time she turned to us and smiled.

  “Let the past go, brother. Your future is right over there.”

  I knew he was right, but I had to get this last bit off my chest. I owed him more than an apology.

  “I left you to pick up the pieces,” I say with remorse dripping from my tongue. “That shit is going to stay with me a while. I don’t know… I don’t know what would have happened to her had you not been here. Me bailing, that fucking douche Rick, then losing our baby…”

  “Chevy,” he said gently because that was Guy. He always smoothed out our rough edges. “We both know she’s a hell of a lot stronger than we give her credit for. Let’s face it, we both live for wanting to take care of her. But she doesn’t need us for that and hasn’t for a long fucking time. She keeps this family together, Tempest does that. She’d have gotten by, in her own way, in her own time. Our girl is not a quitter.”

  “Do you think in time she’d have moved on from me?”

  “Now that,” he said standing, “is a question I can’t answer. But…I also couldn’t risk finding out. You came back, brother, that’s what matters. Are you sure you’re ready?” he asks standing.

  “Yeah, brother.” I copied him, doing the same. “I’m ready.”

  As he approached Tempest, giving her a kiss on the cheek, I watch her curl into Guy like she’s done since she was a kid. Tempest would always love Guy like a big brother. So yeah, my coming back mattered. She mattered. My family mattered. Which is why I had to do this.

  

  The day Tempest found out she was pregnant she looked in my eyes and still nursing a fresh broken heart, she smiled. Together, we read all the books, prepared the right meals, and made sure she had the proper amount of rest. Not once did she knock Chevy, nor did she want me to hear her when she cried. Tempest, despite the joy of pregnancy, suffered in silence.

  Hours she sat by the window staring out into nothing, but I knew she was yearning for Chevy. His leaving the way he did, knocked her on her ass in more ways than one. Tempest didn’t see it coming and it left her reeling.

  She had no means of handling it, and honestly, his leaving killed me, too. I lost my brother that day. He didn’t come to me for help. Had he, I would have explained that he didn’t see what I saw. How the two of them balanced each other out.

  Chevy calmed her anxiety.

  Tempest calmed his temper.

  I suppose it all worked out as it was meant to. All of it, except this. This, I had no explanation for.

  With my hand on his shoulder for comfort, Chevy grated out, “Tell me.”

  Taking a deep breath, I came to kneel next to him, traced the letters on the marker and wiped my eyes. “It was the baby or her, Chevy. I chose Tempest.”

  “I would
have done the same,” he whispered. “But it still hurts, Guy.”

  “Yeah.” Because what else could I say?

  “You stepped up,” he said, dropping his head. “Took care of her, of them. I imagine a part of you died that day, too.”

  “I managed,” I lied. He needed me strong, not bawling.

  “Bullshit,” he said, facing me. “I see it in your eyes, brother. I fucking feel it. This is me being your goddamn shoulder for once. Let me be that for you, don’t deny me this.”

  For the first time in my life, I fell forward and Chevy caught me.

  “It happened so fast,” I cried into his shirt. “I held her hand, promising her she’d be okay. I fucking promised her, Chevy. When they… once he was out, they allowed her to hold him. They let me, too,” I choked out. “We held him together and his heart…it still beat.”

  “Fuck,” he whispered, squeezing me tighter.

  “We thought… but then, his heart stopped beating. Her doctor gave us some time and after she kissed him goodbye they took him away. She was so strong,” I promised him. “So fucking strong. But I brought him here, had him laid to rest properly. I had to. For her, for me, and for you.”

  “You have to let it go, man,” he said, cupping the back of my neck.

  “I should have taken better care of her.”

  “This was bigger than you, Guy.”

  “Your son deserved a life.”

  “Listen,” he said, pressing our foreheads together. “I’m not a religious man, but neither you or I could have prevented this. Bottom line, my son was loved and I am grateful for everything you’ve done for Pest and for me. Without you, there’d be no us. You’re our foundation, Guy, now let it fucking go.”

  “Tempest was right,” I managed to laugh. “You are fucking annoying.”

  “But you love me,” he grinned.

  Slapping me on the shoulder, he hauled me up and we walked side by side back to my truck. Finally, I had my brother back and in time, I may even manage to let the guilt go.

  

  I sold the RV.

  Chevy put his bike in storage.

  But we didn’t buy a house, we bought a Transformer. No, not from the movie—sadly. From a camping store. The Transformer is a leisure travel van that is a fraction of the size of my RV, but had all the amenities Chevy and I will need to travel the country. Of course, we argued about the necessity of this—in the camping store no less.

  Chevy reminded me that I was the one who wanted to put roots down. Asking the manager to stop staring at us, I reminded him that as long as we were together, he was my roots and that he needed to shut up.

  Eventually, a grill caught his eye and he did shut up. Long enough to buy said grill anyway. Chevy knows how much I love my kabobs and after he looked it over, he approved of our new home.

  Two weeks ago, I let my fans know that I was on hiatus. Maybe the three of us would make music together again, perhaps we won’t. But we would always be a family and it was time that each of us found what made us happy outside of the public eye. I can’t speak for anyone else, but for me, happiness isn’t measured by ticket sales and concert venues. It’s all about the moments.

  It was time for Chevy and I to have our moments, privately.

  Now that our home had wheels, he went out and bought us a map of the United States and a box of pins. According to Chevy, if you’re going to “Drive all over the fucking place, you need to mark where you’ve been. Who the fuck wants to double back to Boise? Not me, Pest.”

  Armed with a map and pins, we planned our adventure by not planning it. This was his doing, too. Because my life has always been a series of planned events, he insisted we wing it. I’ve never winged anything in my life and was looking forward to it.

  I’ve also learned a few things in these past two weeks. One is, when you take away my main source of anxiety, it turns out, I don’t get anxious all that easily. And in a very short time, the handful of moments that I found myself getting anxious over were quite manageable. They didn’t require medication or a Tempest-timeout. (Although we did keep meds on stand-by.)

  Chevy, along with some deep breathing and reflection, I found the attacks slowly ceded. No, I wasn’t cured. I suffered from anxiety and on some level always would. But removing myself from the public eye was the best thing I could have done for my health.

  I loved to sing and perform, but the penalty was too steep for me. It wasn’t worth the hell I lived in while I was there. As long as I had a voice, an instrument, and opportunity, I’d always be a performer. For now, that was enough. Besides, I got to play for my biggest fan every day. A girl couldn’t bitch about that.

  So our first stop was Iron Mountain to visit Guy and finally find out about the news he wanted to share in person. Stowing the last of our gear, I sneaked up on Chevy and wrapped my arms around his middle.

  “Can I drive?” I asked, sticking my hand out for the keys.

  “Ah no,” he laughed as if my suggestion was insane.

  “Why not?” I pouted. “If I can maneuver an RV, I can manage an oversized mini-van.”

  “Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should,” he said facing me. Taking my hand and kissing the top, he gave me a soft smile, reminding me, “I want to drive you.”

  “You have to sleep sometime,” I mumbled.

  “True,” he said, dipping me in his arms. “And when I do, you’re next to me.”

  “You’re never going to let me drive, are you?”

  “You’re catching on,” he said, slapping my ass and pushing me toward the passenger seat.

  Grumbling under my breath about pushy alpha males and tire iron accidents, I fell into my seat prepared to stay angry for at least a week. But then he climbed in, turned his hat around, and smiled at me. That easily I wasn’t pissed anymore. “Pest?” he asked, starting the engine.

  “Yeah?”

  “Sing me a little something.”

  This man knew me.

  This man loved me.

  This man was getting road head.

  

  “I need you to trust me,” I whispered against her lush lips. Lips I wanted to kiss forever.

  “But—”

  “Baby,” I said, sliding the straps from her shoulders. “Everything will be fine.”

  “What if—”

  “No more hiding,” I said, grinding into her from behind. “We’ve discussed this.”

  “You discussed it,” she moaned. “I just pretended to listen.”

  Then I heard tires on the gravel and swore under my breath. “Fuck, they’re early.”

  “Guy—”

  “Baby,” I begged her. “Trust me.”

  “Fine,” she grunted adorably, but made no move to join me at the door. Giving her a moment to compose herself, I went out to welcome the arguing duo. The second I saw how happy Tempest was, it took everything I had not to cry. Because it had worked. Bringing Chevy home had healed them both. The cost to the three of us was steep, but family was everything and always would be. It had been worth the risk.

  “Guy!” Tempest yelled as she collided with my chest. It was moments like these where she was still the clumsy pre-teen that couldn’t find her footing. God, seeing the tension gone from her eyes… Worth it. Wrapping my arms around her, I whispered, “You look amazing, Tempest.”

  “Round the clock sex will do that to a girl.” She winked, and I held her even tighter.

  Gone was the girl who feared everything and in her place was the woman I knew she could be. Tempest was finally free. Coming in for a man-hug, Chevy gripped the back of my neck, and I close my eyes as our foreheads touch. “Missed you, brother,” he grunted.

  “Missed you too.”

  “So,” Tempest said, eyeing my cabin. “You got us here, what’s the big news?”

  Looking from Tempest to Chevy, I exhaled and announced, “I’m getting married.”

  At this, Tempest immediately started to cry. Chevy rubbed his chin, offering me a grin
while also trying to comfort his woman, who took crying to a whole other level.

  “T-to w-whom?” she asked between sniffles.

  “Yeah, who is she?” Chevy asked.

  From behind me, I felt her close in. Then I relaxed when I felt her fingers slide through my palm to link with mine. Stepping around me, so they could see her, she quietly said, “Me.”

  Mouths open, eyes wide and in unison they both shouted, “Claire?”

  But it was Tempest who surprised me the most. As Chevy was pulling her back toward him in protection, she held up her hand and said, “I’m good, Chevy.”

  That’s the thing about her. You never knew if she was going to break down or break your jaw.

  Steeling Claire for what I explained could be an epic blowout, I stood in front of my own woman in protection, hoping it wouldn’t come to that. Involving Claire was risky, but she agreed with me whole heartedly.

  Chevy had needed to come home and fix things. Tempest had needed to find her will to fight again. They needed to be challenged. Tempest needed to find her inner voice and use it to say she’s had enough.

  With Claire’s help, I convinced Chevy to come home. Together we watched Tempest find her will to fight again. We cheered them on as they defeated every challenge. And then finally… Tempest found her inner voice and walked away from fame. Thank fucking Christ.

  Now toe-to-toe with me, Tempest looked up and whispered, “I won’t hurt her, Guy.” With a nod, I stepped aside and watched my best friend offer her hand to my woman. “You were in on it, too, huh?”

  Taking her hand, Claire stepped forward and whispered, “Yes, I was and I’m not sorry. I have never witnessed two people fight so hard for what they wanted. It was worth you hating me, Tempest.”

  “You are one hell of an actress, Claire,” Tempest grinned in instant acceptance.

  “You don’t seem very surprised by this,” Claire said softly.

  “Nothing surprises me anymore,” she shrugged. “Something about you never added up and now I get it,” she said, looking up at me. “You both went above and beyond for us, so thank you.” Pulling her in, Tempest hugged Claire who had a solid five inches on her. They did this for a long while before Claire said, “For the record, I didn’t enjoy hitting on Chevy. That man only has eyes for you.”