I promise the next chapter will be better!
Chapter 3
* * * * * * * * * * *
Alicia woke up the next morning with an intense migraine. As she rolled over to check the time on the alarm clock, her stomach felt like it was full of water, sloshing inside of her. The clock read 10:13. It took her ten minutes, but she finally stumbled out of bed and onto her feet. She put on sandals and as she looked at herself in the mirror, she realized that she was wearing the same clothes that she had worn the day before. She mustered up the strength to take off those clothes and slip into a tube top and shorts. Then she left the garage and headed to the house. Each step seemed heavier than the last as she trudged across the backyard. Finally, she arrived at the back door and opened it. The whole family, including Merrill, was sitting at the kitchen table eating breakfast.
"Good morning sunshine," Graham said, "We heard you had quite a night."
Alicia mumbled something incoherently and collapsed into a chair at the table.
Colleen said, "You look horrible."
Alicia sarcastically replied, "Thank you! I didn't notice."
"Aunt Alicia, are you sick?" asked Morgan.
She put her head down on the table and said, "Very, Morgan. Very."
Merrill said, "I tried to warn you last night, but you didn't listen to me. I knew this was going to happen."
"Kiss my a-"
Graham interrupted and said, "Anyone want seconds on pancakes?"
Bo waved her hands in the air and said, "Me! Me!"
"Alicia, are you hungry?"
"No. I'm gonna go lie down on the couch."
She pulled herself out of the chair and staggered into the family room, where she collapsed onto the couch.
Merrill looked at Colleen and said, "I'll be right back."
He excused himself from the table and went into the family room. He sat next to Alicia, who was spread out and face down on the couch.
"You know I'm leaving tonight," he said.
"Good."
"You don't mean that, do you?"
"Go away. I think I have a brain tumor-this cannot be a headache. It hurts too much."
"I hate to tell you this, but you brought it upon yourself."
"Stop lecturing me, OK? I made a mistake-big deal. Now can you please let me sleep?"
"I'll be gone for two weeks.we're playing in Atlanta, Miami, Orlando, Tampa, and New Orleans."
Alicia opened her eyes and looked at him.
"Two weeks? Really?"
"Yeah."
"You're gonna forget about me and find another Kylie."
"No I won't. In fact, when I get back, I'll take you on a real date-with little or no alcohol."
"You promise?"
"Sweetheart, I never break promises. Maybe hearts, but not promises."
"I'm gonna be so bored here, Merrill."
"Well, what if we hadn't have spent time together yesterday? You'd still be bored."
"Yeah, but-I like being around you. And you held my hair back for me last night when I threw up. I've never had a guy do that for me before."
"It was quite romantic. You know, you vomiting your brains out and me holding back your hair. Every couple should experience that."
Alicia laughed and said, "Please don't make me laugh. It hurts to laugh."
"But I know a way you don't have to be bored."
"How?"
"You can babysit my apartment."
"Babysit your apartment?"
"Yeah. I have goldfish and they'll need to be fed. You can feed them and stay there for me until I get back."
"Where's your apartment? In Philly?"
"Yep. Downtown Philly, to be exact. It's not that great, but it's liveable. I got a bit of a salary raise this season, so I was able to move up in the apartment food chain."
"Do you live by yourself?"
"Yep. It's my bachelor pad. So, will you do it?"
"Well, I could look for a job while I'm there.."
"And you can drive my car."
"Really?"
"Why would I need it?"
"Why are you being so nice to me, Merrill?"
"You're my sister-in-law. We're family and family watches out for one another. Plus, you're gorgeous and that doesn't hurt any."
They looked into each other's eyes and Merrill lowered his face to Alicia's. He kissed her gently on the lips and smiled.
"I'm driving back to my place to get my bags and then I'm coming back here so that Graham can take me to the airport."
"Hopefully, I'll be feeling a little better by then..and I'll go with you guys."
"OK. Get some rest."
"Will do."
Merrill kissed her cheek and left the house. Alicia, with a smile on her face, buried herself into the couch and fell asleep.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Alicia? Ali- wake up, hon. I need a favor from you."
Alicia squinted her eyes and saw Colleen standing over her.
"My headache's gone. How long have I been sleeping for?"
"About two hours. Listen, can you do something for me?"
"What is it?"
"Graham got called to do last rites for one of the church members. I'm taking Morgan and Bo to a birthday party..is there any way you can drive Merrill to the airport?"
"Yeah, I guess."
"You know you want to."
"I look like hell."
"He called about a half hour ago and said that he was on his way. You still have a little time to get ready."
Alicia got off of the couch and said, "I'll be in the garage house if you need me."
She left the house and crossed the backyard to the garage house. She fixed her hair some and put on a little makeup. Then she sat on the steps to the top of the garage and lit a cigarette. She thought about how much she liked Merrill as she took long and deep drags. Finally, his car pulled up in the driveway. Lustful thoughts filled Alicia's head as she watched him get out of the car in a chest-hugging black shirt and jeans.
"Got another one?" he asked.
"Another what?"
"Cigarette."
As he sat a few steps down from her, she handed him a cigarette and her lighter.
"You don't seem like a smoker," he said.
"What do I seem like? A goody-two-shoes who can do no wrong?"
"I wouldn't say that."
She laughed and asked, "What time is your flight?"
"5:15."
"We should get going then."
Merrill handed Alicia a set of keys.
"These are my apartment keys and my car keys. If you lose them, I'll kill you."
"You wouldn't dare."
They threw down their cigarette butts and went to Merrill's car. During the drive to the airport, Merrill couldn't stop looking at Alicia. Even though they had only been talking for a day, the chemistry between them was higher than anything they had ever experienced.
"You get to go down South," Alicia said, "Lucky you."
"Nah. I'd rather stay here."
"Yeah right! You'd give up your career to just stay here in Bucks County?"
"No, but..I don't know. Lately I've been thinking that it'd just be nice to get a job coaching around here..and just stay at home."
Alicia looked at Merrill and laughed.
"What's so funny?" he asked.
"Nothing. You're too cute."
"Thanks. I don't think I've ever been called cute before."
"I'm sure countless of your little groupies have called you cute before."
"Think what you want to think, but I don't have groupies. Yeah, I meet girls, but none of them are my standard."
He couldn't help it and ran a strand of Alicia's hair through his fingers as it blew in the wind.
"Do you have any idea," he said, "how beautiful you are?"
"Merrill, if you keep talking like that, our goodbye is going to be worse. But then again, a girl could always use an ego boost."
They arrived at the airport within 40 minutes and Alicia pulled to the curb of the airline Merrill was flying on.
"What city are you headed to first?" she asked.
"Miami."
Merrill got out and got his bags out of the trunk. Alicia got out as well and met him by the passenger door.
"Thanks for driving me," he said, "Graham and Colleen'll show you where my apartment is. But I'll, um, call you whenever I get the chance, OK?"
"OK."
They looked at each other and then Merrill said, "See you in two weeks."
"See ya."
"Aren't you going to at least let me hug you?"
"Of course."
They embraced and then Merrill gave Alicia a quick French kiss.
"Have fun and be careful," Alicia said.
"Yes, Mom."
She smiled as he finished checking his bags and walked through the automatic doors. He turned and waved at her one last time. Then she got back in the car and drove off. He was now on her brain more than he was before. However, Alicia had no idea that Merrill couldn't concentrate on anything but the thought of her. But within two weeks, she would be fully aware.
Chapter 3
* * * * * * * * * * *
Alicia woke up the next morning with an intense migraine. As she rolled over to check the time on the alarm clock, her stomach felt like it was full of water, sloshing inside of her. The clock read 10:13. It took her ten minutes, but she finally stumbled out of bed and onto her feet. She put on sandals and as she looked at herself in the mirror, she realized that she was wearing the same clothes that she had worn the day before. She mustered up the strength to take off those clothes and slip into a tube top and shorts. Then she left the garage and headed to the house. Each step seemed heavier than the last as she trudged across the backyard. Finally, she arrived at the back door and opened it. The whole family, including Merrill, was sitting at the kitchen table eating breakfast.
"Good morning sunshine," Graham said, "We heard you had quite a night."
Alicia mumbled something incoherently and collapsed into a chair at the table.
Colleen said, "You look horrible."
Alicia sarcastically replied, "Thank you! I didn't notice."
"Aunt Alicia, are you sick?" asked Morgan.
She put her head down on the table and said, "Very, Morgan. Very."
Merrill said, "I tried to warn you last night, but you didn't listen to me. I knew this was going to happen."
"Kiss my a-"
Graham interrupted and said, "Anyone want seconds on pancakes?"
Bo waved her hands in the air and said, "Me! Me!"
"Alicia, are you hungry?"
"No. I'm gonna go lie down on the couch."
She pulled herself out of the chair and staggered into the family room, where she collapsed onto the couch.
Merrill looked at Colleen and said, "I'll be right back."
He excused himself from the table and went into the family room. He sat next to Alicia, who was spread out and face down on the couch.
"You know I'm leaving tonight," he said.
"Good."
"You don't mean that, do you?"
"Go away. I think I have a brain tumor-this cannot be a headache. It hurts too much."
"I hate to tell you this, but you brought it upon yourself."
"Stop lecturing me, OK? I made a mistake-big deal. Now can you please let me sleep?"
"I'll be gone for two weeks.we're playing in Atlanta, Miami, Orlando, Tampa, and New Orleans."
Alicia opened her eyes and looked at him.
"Two weeks? Really?"
"Yeah."
"You're gonna forget about me and find another Kylie."
"No I won't. In fact, when I get back, I'll take you on a real date-with little or no alcohol."
"You promise?"
"Sweetheart, I never break promises. Maybe hearts, but not promises."
"I'm gonna be so bored here, Merrill."
"Well, what if we hadn't have spent time together yesterday? You'd still be bored."
"Yeah, but-I like being around you. And you held my hair back for me last night when I threw up. I've never had a guy do that for me before."
"It was quite romantic. You know, you vomiting your brains out and me holding back your hair. Every couple should experience that."
Alicia laughed and said, "Please don't make me laugh. It hurts to laugh."
"But I know a way you don't have to be bored."
"How?"
"You can babysit my apartment."
"Babysit your apartment?"
"Yeah. I have goldfish and they'll need to be fed. You can feed them and stay there for me until I get back."
"Where's your apartment? In Philly?"
"Yep. Downtown Philly, to be exact. It's not that great, but it's liveable. I got a bit of a salary raise this season, so I was able to move up in the apartment food chain."
"Do you live by yourself?"
"Yep. It's my bachelor pad. So, will you do it?"
"Well, I could look for a job while I'm there.."
"And you can drive my car."
"Really?"
"Why would I need it?"
"Why are you being so nice to me, Merrill?"
"You're my sister-in-law. We're family and family watches out for one another. Plus, you're gorgeous and that doesn't hurt any."
They looked into each other's eyes and Merrill lowered his face to Alicia's. He kissed her gently on the lips and smiled.
"I'm driving back to my place to get my bags and then I'm coming back here so that Graham can take me to the airport."
"Hopefully, I'll be feeling a little better by then..and I'll go with you guys."
"OK. Get some rest."
"Will do."
Merrill kissed her cheek and left the house. Alicia, with a smile on her face, buried herself into the couch and fell asleep.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Alicia? Ali- wake up, hon. I need a favor from you."
Alicia squinted her eyes and saw Colleen standing over her.
"My headache's gone. How long have I been sleeping for?"
"About two hours. Listen, can you do something for me?"
"What is it?"
"Graham got called to do last rites for one of the church members. I'm taking Morgan and Bo to a birthday party..is there any way you can drive Merrill to the airport?"
"Yeah, I guess."
"You know you want to."
"I look like hell."
"He called about a half hour ago and said that he was on his way. You still have a little time to get ready."
Alicia got off of the couch and said, "I'll be in the garage house if you need me."
She left the house and crossed the backyard to the garage house. She fixed her hair some and put on a little makeup. Then she sat on the steps to the top of the garage and lit a cigarette. She thought about how much she liked Merrill as she took long and deep drags. Finally, his car pulled up in the driveway. Lustful thoughts filled Alicia's head as she watched him get out of the car in a chest-hugging black shirt and jeans.
"Got another one?" he asked.
"Another what?"
"Cigarette."
As he sat a few steps down from her, she handed him a cigarette and her lighter.
"You don't seem like a smoker," he said.
"What do I seem like? A goody-two-shoes who can do no wrong?"
"I wouldn't say that."
She laughed and asked, "What time is your flight?"
"5:15."
"We should get going then."
Merrill handed Alicia a set of keys.
"These are my apartment keys and my car keys. If you lose them, I'll kill you."
"You wouldn't dare."
They threw down their cigarette butts and went to Merrill's car. During the drive to the airport, Merrill couldn't stop looking at Alicia. Even though they had only been talking for a day, the chemistry between them was higher than anything they had ever experienced.
"You get to go down South," Alicia said, "Lucky you."
"Nah. I'd rather stay here."
"Yeah right! You'd give up your career to just stay here in Bucks County?"
"No, but..I don't know. Lately I've been thinking that it'd just be nice to get a job coaching around here..and just stay at home."
Alicia looked at Merrill and laughed.
"What's so funny?" he asked.
"Nothing. You're too cute."
"Thanks. I don't think I've ever been called cute before."
"I'm sure countless of your little groupies have called you cute before."
"Think what you want to think, but I don't have groupies. Yeah, I meet girls, but none of them are my standard."
He couldn't help it and ran a strand of Alicia's hair through his fingers as it blew in the wind.
"Do you have any idea," he said, "how beautiful you are?"
"Merrill, if you keep talking like that, our goodbye is going to be worse. But then again, a girl could always use an ego boost."
They arrived at the airport within 40 minutes and Alicia pulled to the curb of the airline Merrill was flying on.
"What city are you headed to first?" she asked.
"Miami."
Merrill got out and got his bags out of the trunk. Alicia got out as well and met him by the passenger door.
"Thanks for driving me," he said, "Graham and Colleen'll show you where my apartment is. But I'll, um, call you whenever I get the chance, OK?"
"OK."
They looked at each other and then Merrill said, "See you in two weeks."
"See ya."
"Aren't you going to at least let me hug you?"
"Of course."
They embraced and then Merrill gave Alicia a quick French kiss.
"Have fun and be careful," Alicia said.
"Yes, Mom."
She smiled as he finished checking his bags and walked through the automatic doors. He turned and waved at her one last time. Then she got back in the car and drove off. He was now on her brain more than he was before. However, Alicia had no idea that Merrill couldn't concentrate on anything but the thought of her. But within two weeks, she would be fully aware.