Musikgirl, cobraj899, Pheely101, Strawberry Shortcake123, kate-loves-potf, raviv-alyfan, Aye sea turtles, funvince, kcutie16, mactavish, beanhead, Friendsfreak5604, clg, BrOwnEyedcutie112092, alotlikelove, and beebeebee ALL ROCK! Oh my gosh, all of your reviews made me smile like hardcorely! They really made me feel good about this story! You guys are a-w-e-s-o-m-e!
BrownEyedCutie112092, your review like blew me away! Lol wow! Thank you times, like, 23894789!
I love you ALL! Yay!
This is for each of you…enjoy!
Chapter 5: It's All Relative
"Miss Teslow, now is not the time for laughter. Do I appear comical to you, simply something to be entertained by?"
Mr. Messerschmidt's voice growled menacingly, as Keely sat hiding her face in her hands, her shoulder shaking with laughter at the scene before her.
"Much like the poor, sad soul who sits near the entrance of a carnival," Messerschmidt continued, "wearing a lopsided bowtie and cheap toupee, attempting to astound the young ones who pass him by with his dancing expertise and poorly constructed balloon creatures, from monkeys to dogs to chinchillas, oh my!—all the while not realizing that they are not laughing so joyously with him, but rather at him…" He stroked at his moustache. Keely doubled over, officially not able to breathe anymore, she was laughing so hard.
"Am I nothing more than a poor, sad, balloon-animal-constructing clown, Keely?"
She looked up at him, finally catching her breath for an instant.
"Sorry, Messerschmidt," she gasped between giggles. "Never meant to make you think you were a sad, poor, animal-balloon…whatever." She wiped at her eyes, which actually had tears forming in them. "Just so you know, though…Messerschmidt, like, never calls me Keely." She grinned.
"Oh. Right." The weird accent was abruptly gone. The tall figure leaned down and picked up a Wizrd from the coffee table in front of him.
"That was certainly fun…shall I make up another metaphor to describe it?" asked "Messerschmidt".
"No, Phil," Keely answered, giggling. "That's definitely okay. If you wouldn't mind, could you change yourself back quickly, because the idea of Messerschmidt in your living room during summer vacation is starting to creep me out…a lot."
"Yeah," he laughed, quickly programming the Wizrd to transform from Mr. Messerschmidt back to Phil. "It was fun at first, but now it's getting kind of frightening." Keely nearly shuddered at how bizarre it looked, Phil's casual dialogue coming out of their strange, uptight teacher's mouth. He pointed the Wizrd at himself…well, kind of self.
"Hey, Phil—AHHHHH! WHAT THE HECK?"
Keely and Phil/Messerschmidt jumped at the sound, both spinning around to face a horrified Pim, who had just entered the living room.
Keely bit back a new round of giggles. She looked over at Phil, who just exchanged a sly smile with her.
"Ah, Miss Diffy," he said, sporting the weird accent once more. "What a delight to run into you during your summer vacation, when you aren't supposed to have any interaction with any of your teachers or anything school-related at all." He flashed a devious smile.
Pim looked frozen with alarm. "Uhhh…" She looked over at Keely, her wide azure eyes searching for an answer. Keely just shrugged.
"What…?" Pim began.
"Mr. Messerschmidt" just grinned, pulling an arm out from behind his back, in which he held a Wizrd. In one swift movement he aimed it at himself, and in a flash of light, he was six inches shorter and Phil.
"I rather enjoyed that, Miss Diffy," he remarked to his sister.
Pim exhaled loudly, holding a hand to her chest. "Whoa, Phil," she said, relieved but stunned. "Do…not…ever…do that to me…again. Thanks. I'd appreciate it."
Keely giggled. "Pim, that look on your face was classic. Come on…you know it was hilarious." She winked.
"Yeah, maybe for the blonde little ray of sunshine who got to be a bystander to all of this, while her cutie patootie scared the crumbs out of his sister, but not for the sister." Pim shuddered. Keely just laughed and leaned back on the couch. "Anyway, Phil," Pim continued. "I was going to ask you if I could use that Wizrd, because—"
"Wait, what happened to yours?"
"Uhhhh…" Pim looked at the floor, folding her hands in front of her. She smiled stiffly at her brother. "Remember that conversation we had about report cards and whatnot?"
"Oh, the one at three a.m.?" Keely cut in.
"Yes, that would be the one," Pim answered. "Yeah, well, um…remember also how Hackett actually lives next door to us?"
Phil just raised an eyebrow.
"It has a little something to do with all of that. Boy, does word get around these days—know what I mean, Slappy?" She laughed, obviously uncomfortable with the subject matter. She cleared her throat. "Anyway, can I? I'm just going to make a replicate of myself to play fetch with Curtis, so I won't have to. I have other plans."
Phil just shrugged. "Wouldn't want Pim to miss out on 'other plans'," he remarked. He handed it over. "What 'other plans'?"
"Oh…stuff and things. Maybe some more stuff. If I'm up to it after that, some more things." She shrugged, ignoring the looks she was getting from her brother and Keely. "Don't you guys have anything on the lovely little agenda today?"
"Yeah…" Phil nodded. "I think. Do we, Keel?" He dropped down next to her on the couch.
"Well," she said, "yeah. I mean, I do. You don't have to come, but I told my mom I'd be back sometime soon after we went out to breakfast this morning, because…she wanted to talk." She shrugged, looking down at her hands.
The night before, Phil and Keely had both fallen asleep in her living room during the movie. At around eleven, Mandy had to wake them up, and not wanting to disturb his parents so late with calling to ask if he could stay over at the Teslows', he went home. The next morning, he had picked Keely up and taken her out to breakfast, and afterwards, they hung out at the Diffy residence for awhile…not doing much besides playing with Phil's Wizrd. Ah, the joys of having futuristic best friends. (A/N- But this doesn't mean they aren't a couple, don't worry. They're still best friends too.)
"Oh…right." Phil, concerned for Keely, tapped her nose lightheartedly. "So solemn all the sudden," he remarked.
She cracked a smile. "I'm fine," she assured him, tapping his nose back.
"Oh, what's that, Mom?" Pim said suddenly. "Yeah, I'm coming. It's a good thing you called at this particular moment, because I think I was just about to witness some PDA." She smiled politely at Phil and Keely, waving cheerily before making an exit. "Oh, and thanks for the Wizrd," she called back over her shoulder.
Phil rolled his eyes. "Mom's at the grocery store," he said, for just himself and Keely to hear, when she was gone.
Keely chuckled. "Oh well," she said. "I think she was just about to witness some PDA, anyway." She leaned over and gave Phil a peck on the lips. She grinned, then stood up.
"PDA is nice," Phil said innocently, his chocolate eyes wide and childlike.
Keely just smiled, grabbing his hand and pulling him up. "It can be," she agreed jokingly, "but I'd better get going. It's almost 12:30. I think my mom has to go to the office in about an hour…and she wanted to talk before she left."
"Right." Phil nodded. He looked into her eyes, searching them. "Do you need me to go with, or…?"
Keely considered it for a moment, playing with his shirt collar. She smiled. "I'm okay," she told him finally. "I'll call you later, though. All right?"
Phil nodded. "All right." He kept his eyes on hers.
She nodded. "Cool." She took a deep breath, looking towards the front door as if she knew she should go to it, but she didn't move.
Phil held out an arm. "Walk you to the door?" he offered cheerfully.
Keely sighed, beaming. "You're awesome, Phil. Thanks." She slipped her hand through his arm, and together, they walked the six feet to the door.
"That was nice," Keely told him.
"No problem at all," Phil assured her.
She nodded. "Well, I'll call," she reminded him.
"Mhm. I'll be waiting for it." He smiled warmly.
Keely smiled back at him. "Okay." She absentmindedly reached for the doorknob.
Phil reached for her.
"Come here, you," he said gently, pulling her into a warm hug. "You're not getting away without one of these."
"Oh…" Keely sighed, wrapping her arms around him tightly. "Thank you, Phil." She paused a moment as she leaned her head on his shoulder. "You're the best."
"You're the best, too." He was stunned for a second by the close-up, overwhelming smell of her shampoo. He kissed the side of her head. "It's going to be okay," he told her.
"I know," she replied. They pulled apart reluctantly.
Keely seemed to feel much better now, and Phil could see it in her dazzling smile. "I'll see you later, Salt," she told him, winking as she opened the door.
"Can't wait…Pepper." She stepped out onto the front porch, waving gently before turning to go.
Phil watched her walk down the porch steps, temporarily mesmerized by her flowing, angelic movement as he always had been.
He closed the door, already counting the minutes until he could comfort her again.
…………
She closed the door behind her, enveloped in the quiet of her house. Well, nearly quiet anyway.
The only sound she heard was a woman's voice coming from the living room…but it wasn't her mother's. The voice was followed with the applause of an audience. Even before she entered the living room, she could tell that Mandy was spending some of her quality free time this afternoon with her good friend Oprah.
Keely walked quietly into the room. "Hey, Mom," she said.
Mandy turned around quickly. "Oh, nugget!" she exclaimed, cheerful. "You're home! You scared me there for a second." She laughed, waving her daughter over. "Well, come on over here. Tell me. How was breakfast?"
Keely plopped down next to her mom on the couch. Mandy put a loving arm around her daughter's waist.
"It was awesome." Keely grinned. "We went to that pancake house that just opened not too long ago, across from Otto's Pink Pig. They've got the best blueberry waffles ever." She smiled at her mom. "But your strawberry waffles kick their butt—don't worry."
"Oh, I'm not." She winked. "But thank you, sweetheart. I'm so glad you had fun. Phil is really, really good to you." She brushed a strand of blonde hair away from Keely's forehead. (A/N- Everyone does that to Keely, don't they? Haha. I swear I didn't plan that or anything.)
"Yeah. He really does." Keely looked down at her lap, playing with one of the rings on her fingers. She smiled.
Her mom burst into giggles at something on the screen. "I just love Oprah," she proclaimed. "She's just so, so funny…"
"Oh, yeah." Keely laughed distractedly. "That Oprah, she's great."
She bit her lip.
"Hey, Mom," she said casually. "Didn't you say you wanted to…talk, or something like that?" She suddenly felt nervous, and she didn't really know why.
"Oh," Mandy replied. "Oh…right." She turned her face away from the television. "Yeah, I did."
Keely couldn't find any answers or clues in her mother's face as to what it was all about, so she waited patiently as Mandy turned off the TV and then, turned to face her daughter.
"Well, sweetie, before I say anything, I want to apologize," she began. "These past couple of days, I've been acting, well, like a chicken with its head cut off. I realize that I kind of scared you, and that's the last thing I want to do to my love muffin." She brushed Keely's check lightly with her finger, and Keely smiled.
"It's okay, Mom," she said. "I mean, I'll admit you did have me a little scared, but you're forgiven."
"It's really nothing to be scared of, anyway," Ms. Teslow went on. She paused for a moment. "I guess it just…surprised me."
"Surprised you…?" Keely ran through several possibilities in her brain.
Mandy nodded. "Oh, honey," she said. "There I go, scaring you again. I'll just get right to it."
"That'd be nice," Keely said.
"Well, first of all," she said. "You remember how I said your father called the other day, don't you?"
Keely froze. Oy vey. "Um…yeah. I remember." She tried to sound indifferent.
"Well, you know how your Uncle Robert, his brother, lives near him, just outside of Tuscon?"
"Oh, yeah," Keely said. "Uncle Bob. He can never decide which one he wants to be called." He chuckled. She never saw her uncle much, but she'd always been fond of him. Even after her parents split when she was little, he'd kept in touch with Keely and Mandy and they'd always gotten along.
"That's right." Her mom smiled. "Well, he and your dad talked pretty recently, and...he told your dad that he's getting a divorce."
"Uncle Bob's getting a divorce?" Keely asked. Mandy nodded sympathetically. "Oh, no. That's awful." She looked upset for her uncle. "Even though I haven't seen them for a long time, I remember how close he and Aunt Karen were. He must be really crushed."
"Well, nugget, in the past few years things have gotten a little rocky for them…apparently they just had a lot of disagreements over money and whatnot, and things just weren't working out anymore." There was something in Mandy's voice when she talked about it.
A sense of familiarity with the situation, maybe.
Keely nodded. "That's sad," she sighed. "But…what about…Dad?"
"Well," Mandy went on, "he also told me something else. While the divorce is being finalized…Uncle Robert is moving out of Tuscon."
"Really? Where to?"
"Well…to Pickford."
"Really!" Keely's eyes were wide. "He's moving here? That's exciting!" She smiled. "He was always a lot of fun to be around."
"Yeah, he is," Mandy agreed, smiling. There was something more she needed to say, and Keely could tell.
"Keely," she began, "do you remember Melody?"
Keely paused a beat. "Melody?" She thought. She knew she'd heard it before…
"Yeah…Melody Teslow," Mandy continued. "She's your cousin; Bob and Karen's daughter."
Suddenly, it clicked.
"Oh!" Keely exclaimed. "Right! The really short little girl who stole the marshmallows off my s'more at the family reunion when I was five…I don't even know how I remember that, but I do." She laughed. "I was also really jealous of her pink Barbie towel, and tried to steal it when she was in the pool…"
Mandy laughed. "Right, so you remember," she said. "Well…Melody isn't a 'really short little girl' anymore, I guess. She's fourteen now, and…when Uncle Robert moves up here, he's bringing her with him."
"He is?" Keely asked. "Well…that's cool. I haven't even seen her since that reunion, but it should be cool to meet up with her again." She smiled. She was feeling much better now; this news wasn't half as bad as she'd worried about, except for the news of Uncle Bob's divorce, which was unfortunate, but at least it wasn't life-threatening or anything of that sort…
"I'm glad you think that, honey," Mandy told her daughter. "But, well…after I talked to your father, I called up your uncle to see how he was doing." She shrugged. "We talked for a bit, about his plans for what to do when he gets to California, and he told me that…he and Melody don't really have a place to stay yet. That's one of the things they're working on."
"Oh," Keely responded, unsure of what that meant. "Well, what are they going to do?"
That brought Mandy to her next topic of discussion.
"Well, jellybean," she began, "we were talking it over, and…I just knew that he was going through a lot right now, and the stress of finding a place for he and Melody to settle down up here before they even leave Arizona would be too much." She took a deep breath.
Keely looked back at her mother expectantly.
"So I offered him a place to stay, here. With us."
Keely blinked.
"Here? In our house?"
Mandy nodded.
"He and Melody?"
"Well, unless she decides to pitch a tent in the backyard," Mandy laughed, lightheartedly. She stopped when she saw how surprised Keely looked.
She took Keely's hands. "That's why I'm talking to you about it first, nugget," she said calmly. "I didn't want to just make this happen all of the sudden without talking it over with you." She paused. "What do you…think about this?"
Keely just paused. Wow. Her mind raced. An uncle and cousin living in the house, when it had been just she and her mom for so long?
"Well," she said, "how long would they live here?"
"Oh, sweetie, not very long," Mandy assured her. "It wouldn't be forever. Just until they find their own place, which won't take very long, because…" She straightened her shoulders proudly. "I told him I'd help him out with that one." She grinned, pulling at her shiny "I Sell Homes" pin.
Keely smiled, but her mind was racing all over the place. This wasn't really terrible news. In fact, it was kind of cool. She had always been a hospitable and considerate person, just like her mom. Her uncle was obviously going through a rough time, and she didn't want him to be without a place to stay anymore than her mom did. For a long time, it had been just Keely and Mandy, the two Teslow women. It would be cool to have two extra guests for a little while, especially her sweet, loveable uncle. She didn't really know her cousin Melody that well, but with something new comes new opportunity…something her mother always used to tell her.
Finally, she nodded.
"I think that'd be really cool," she told her mom, smiling so Mandy knew she was for real…or at least trying to be. "I do."
"So, that would be okay with you?" Mandy asked gently.
"Yes. Of course." Keely grinned. "Thank you for talking about it with me, Mom."
"Oh, sweetheart, I wouldn't have jumped into this without making sure my most important person knew all about it." She pulled Keely into a hug. "Thank you for understanding. I love you."
Keely smiled. "You're welcome…and I love you too."
Mandy rubbed her back gently, as a feeling of content hung between them. Keely felt completely relieved, and possibly, she thought, a little excited.
"So," Keely added as they pulled apart, "besides that…Dad's doing well?" She hadn't actually seen her father in almost four years, so she felt like she should ask.
"Oh," Mandy added, smoothing out her shirt. She was fidgeting again. "Yes. He's doing pretty well." She patted Keely's leg. Keely knew there was something more her mom had to say.
"Good." She smiled, but kept her eyes on her mother's face.
Mandy continued. "We were talking," she said, "and we talked about the family coming up, and your dad mentioned that it would be nice to see Melody and Robert when they're here." She paused. "But even more, he thought it would be nice to see you."
Keely was quiet.
"Your dad wants to come up and visit you," she said, "the weekend after your uncle and cousin get here."
Keely just looked down at the bracelet on her wrist, concentrating on it. Her mind was suddenly swirling. She wasn't sure what was in it. She couldn't tell how she felt.
"Okay," she said finally.
Mandy looked carefully at her daughter. "Okay?" she asked gently.
Keely looked up, taking a deep breath. "Okay," she repeated.
Mandy knew Keely too well to miss the emotions that flickered across her face. She took Keely's hand.
"Once again, sweetheart, I just said that he wants to come and see you," she said. "I didn't say that he absolutely was going to, only if you think you'd like that."
Keely nodded. "Mom, he's my dad," she told him. "I…" She shrugged. "I was twelve the last time I saw him…but…" She trailed off. "Still…that's…that's okay." She swallowed, trying to keep her mouth from getting any drier. She suddenly felt…nervous. She couldn't hide it.
"Oh, honey…" Mandy put her arm around Keely, pulling her closer. "Sweetie, I understand." She kissed Keely's head. "You don't have to say yes."
"It's all right," Keely assured her, not even completely assuring herself. "If he wants to come and see me…that's cool."
Mandy nodded. "I think he'd really like that," she said quietly, looking at the muted TV screen.
Keely looked at her lap.
"Well, if he's coming the weekend after Uncle Bob gets here," she asked, "when is Uncle Bob coming?"
"Well…in about a week," Mandy answered. "Today is Thursday, so…we should expect them by next Friday at the latest."
Keely nodded. "Cool." She smiled for her mom, not wanting her to worry.
But Mandy already was.
She stroked her daughter's cheek gently. "Smile, muffin," she urged her gently. "You're too pretty not to."
Keely tried it. Her mom smiled back at her.
"There it is," she said.
Suddenly, a loud buzz made them both jump.
"Oh, goodness," Mandy said, sighing. Her cell phone lay on the coffee table, vibrating.
"They can find me anywhere, can't they?" She winked at Keely, who smiled back. "Excuse me just a minute, sweetie." She patted Keely's leg, and reached for the phone, flipping it open and putting it to her ear.
"You've got Teslow," she greeted the other end of the line.
Keely looked down at her hands. She was thinking too much.
She knew just the person she needed to be around when that happened.
……………….
"So…what did you find out?" he asked her. His voice, even on the other end of the line, calmed her down instantly.
Keely looked around her cheerful bedroom, holding her cell phone against her ear. She took in a breath. "Well," she began. "It's kind of…big news, I guess."
Phil paused. "Uh-oh. Do you want me to come over?"
"Well, I mean, you don't have to. It's not horrible. I just…yeah. Come over." She bit her lip.
"All right. Are you okay, Keel?"
"Yes."
"Promise?"
"No."
Phil laughed, but not whole heartedly. "Okay, I'm coming over right now," he told her. He sounded concerned . "Hang in there."
This time Keely laughed. "Thanks. Just come on in when you get here. My mom had to run to the office again."
When she hung up, she lay back against her pillows and rolled over on her side. Her gaze fell upon pictures of she and Phil, on her nightstand, around her mirror, on her dresser. She closed her eyes and smiled, but into her mind snaked images of how life would be starting next week.
What would it be like to share a house with two other people? The idea of that was crazy enough, but to think one of them was actually a teenager was kind of unnerving. She wasn't really scared, she just didn't know what to expect.
Then, her father. It had been four years…
Her mind was racing too fast, and suddenly she was scaring herself. Don't think about it so much, she scolded herself. She was losing that argument.
Just when she thought she might be starting to go crazy, there was a tap on the door.
"Come in," she called, knowing it was him.
Then, there he was—her lifesaver.
"Hey, Keel." He closed the door behind him and crossed the room towards her, stopping just short of her bed and shoving his hands into his pockets. Her heart melted at how innocent and boyish he looked. "So, what's up?" he asked.
Keely found herself smiling. It was incredible how his very presence could make her worries just fly out the window…or at least retreat into hiding for the time being.
She looked up at him, sitting up on her bed with her knees tucked under her. "Just come here and hug me," she told him, holding out her arms.
Phil paused a beat, but a warm smile flickered across his face. "Took the words right out of my mouth," he said, dropping down next to her and wrapping his arms around her. He rubbed her back.
She tightened her grip around him, not so she was crushing him, just so he could feel how tightly she was holding on. She sighed into his shoulder. "Thank you for coming."
"I told you I'd be here to talk," he reminded her.
"I know." She took a deep breath. Over his shoulder, her eyes scanned the room, contemplatively.
"My dad wants to come and see me next weekend," she said suddenly.
Phil stopped stroking her back.
"He does?"
Keely pulled away from him slowly. "Yes." She nodded. Her voice was surprisingly emotionless.
"Oh. Well…" Phil tried to stay positive in his tone of voice, but he wasn't sure how to react. Keely hadn't really had much of a father for a good part of her life. Now, out of nowhere, he wanted to come and visit. The kind of feelings that this kind of a situation brought on were foreign to him. Still, he tried to understand.
"And I'm guessing you aren't ecstatic about this," he said, taking her hand.
She just sighed, looking up at him finally.
"I don't know…" Her voice was small, scared. "He's my dad…but, at the same time…it's like he's not…" She bit her lip.
Phil knew that expression that she had on her face now. It always started with biting the lip. Then she blinked. Then, slowly, her eyes would shine over with tears, and then…
Phil saw her face crumpling, and instantly gathered her into his arms. She started to cry.
"Aw, Keel," he said, holding her firmly, running his fingers through her hair. "You're scared, aren't you?"
She sniffed. "Possibly…"
"Hey," he told her. "Listen to me, Keel. Nothing is ever as bad as it seems."
"Phil," she responded, her voice thick, "I don't really know how to explain it. I'm scared, but I'm—I don't know, curious. I'm anxious. Yeah…I guess that's the word." She wiped her eyes.
Still holding her with one arm, Phil reached for some tissues from her nightstand. He gently wiped her eyes with one of them, then handed her another one. Gratefully, she took it.
"Phil, you rock." She looked sad and scared, but she smiled. As usual, it was breathtaking. (A/N- Yeah I'm a girl, but I think Aly/Keely has one of the most gorgeous smiles ever!)
"You rock…harder," Phil told her, struggling for the right word at the end. She looked up at him, and they both laughed.
"There we go!" Phil announced happily. "She's laughing!"
"Yes…she is." Keely sat up, wiping away the tears with her tissue. She sighed. "I don't know. I guess maybe I'm overreacting."
Phil shook his head. "Don't worry about overreacting," he told her, gently. "This is understandable, Keel. I just want you to remember that I'm gonna be here for you the whole time. You know that, right?"
She smiled at him appreciatively. She suddenly looked a hundred times happier.
"I do know that," she replied. "And I think you might possibly make me cry again, you perfect, incredible guy…" She giggled, hugging him gratefully, the way she always did it when they were just friends. He returned it, the same.
"I knew you would make it better," she said softly. "You always do."
He lay his head down so his lips were against her shoulder. (A/N--Like the Christmas episode? Oh my gosh.)
"Keely Teslow, you are the most wonderful girl I've ever known," he whispered.
She sighed happily. "Phil…"
They sat quietly for a few seconds.
"That wasn't the only thing my mom told me," Keely said suddenly. She pulled away just a little, so she was still holding onto Phil's arms.
He studied her face for a moment. "Uh-oh," he said quietly.
She shook her head. "No, it's – it's actually not bad." She shrugged. "Well, not really. Depends on how you look at it, I guess."
Phil looked thoughtful. "I'm thinking of several possibilities right now," he told her.
She laughed. "I was, too, when my mom first told me." She picked up a plump pink pillow from her bed and held it in her lap.
"See, my dad's brother, my Uncle Robert, lives near my dad," she began. "When my mom was talking to my dad, he told her that my uncle is getting a divorce. Then, he told her that my uncle is moving from Arizona…to Pickford."
"Oh," Phil said, nodding. "That's not bad, is it?"
"No, no," Keely said. "I mean, it's pretty cool. I guess he always really liked Pickford after he used to visit us here, before…" She trailed off, shrugging a little and looking down. "Anyway, he's moving up here…but he doesn't exactly have a place to stay yet, so…my mom offered him one. Here." She gestured around the room. "I mean, you know, not here, as in my room, but…our house."
Phil had been nodding attentively as she talked, and now he raised his eyebrows. "Wow," he said. "That'll be…interesting." He seemed surprised. "So um, is this the clown uncle?"
Keely laughed. "No, that's my mom's brother, Bruce," she said.
"Oh, okay." He laughed. "So, your uncle is living with you for awhile. That shouldn't be so bad." He ruffled her hair.
She smiled, grabbing his hand and holding it. "Yeah," she added, "Except…"
"Except?"
"I forgot to tell you the part where he has a daughter who he's bringing with him and she'll be living here too." She said it all in one breath.
Phil's eyes widened. "Whoa," he said. "Slow down there. He has a kid?"
"Mmhm. My cousin. I haven't seen her since I was, like…five. Now she'll be living with me." Keely looked as if she didn't know what to make of it all.
"Well, that might change things just a little." Phil laughed. Keely smiled only a little.
"It's okay, Keel," he told her. "I didn't say it was a bad change."
"I know," she replied. "I mean…no. I don't know." She shrugged. "All I know is I have the best boyfriend in the history of forever, and we should both go and do something to get our minds off of this." She held his hand and gazed at him eagerly.
He nodded. "Awesome." He smiled. "By the way, as flattered as I am, I can't take credit for being the best boyfriend in the history of forever. Just…up until the year 2121." He stood up, brushing off his shirt in a fake "proud" kind of gesture.
"Ha," Keely said, grinning. "All right then, I guess I stand correc—" As she went to stand up off her bed, Phil scooped his hands underneath her and lifted her up like a baby. "Ah!" she exclaimed.
"I just had to do it." He grinned boyishly as he carried her out of her room, and Keely smiled back.
What was it she was worrying about again…?
……………
Hmm. There's something about Melody... you'll find out when you meet her.
By the way…if you're wondering about Pim, and her whole plot thing, trust me, it all ties in. )
I heart all your reviews and I think you probably know that after my note at the top! In the words of Curtis, "TIIIIIITUNGAAAAA." That made no sense.