Title: In Another Life. Author: Jezebel the Temptress Feedback: eh_oh_po@yahoo.com
Disclaimers: This story is fiction and it is not intended to imply anything about the true sexuality of the celebrities mentioned or any personal knowledge about their private lives. If you are underage for your area, if it is illegal for you to view such material or if you are opposed to two men in a loving situation then this story is not for you either.
*** Part 6 ***
It was a hard week that followed and Kevin remembered the smiling Kyle that Alex had brought out with fondness. Each time Kyle was faced with an obstacle that seemed insurmountable he seemed to shrink a little more into himself and Kevin didn't know how he would take the latest blow.
There had been some complications in Kyle's recovery, his ribs were still sore and affecting his breathing and the doctor wanted to sedate him more than he probably should for a patient that had been awake a week now. Healing was a slow process and Kyle seemed to be frustrated with the little progress that he was making.
Kevin hoped that he would be able to break the good news first before they had to face the bad.
"Hey." Kyle said with a smile as he saw Kevin standing in the doorway. "Are you going to come in or were you just looking for a place to think, because I can imagine there are a million better places than this hospital room."
"I don't know." Kevin replied, trying to sound bright. "This room isn't so bad."
Kyle looked away, he could see that Kevin was trying to put on a brave face and that there was obviously something he wanted to tell him. It had been a week, the doctors said that he could leave in about that time.
"They've said that I can't go, haven't they?" Kyle asked sadly.
"Actually, the doctors want to send you home." Kevin said, glad that this brought Kyle's spirits up again.
"Really?" Kyle asked.
"You'll have to come in for outpatient care but they think that you've recovered enough to do the rest of your recuperation somewhere else." Kevin said. "Brian has already started clearing out my spare bedroom so that you'll have somewhere to stay, and you can decorate it how you want."
Kyle nodded, glad that he didn't have to try and find somewhere to stay immediately and touched that Kevin wanted to make him feel as if he was at home. There was something nagging at the back of his mind though, Kevin seemed upset by something and if it wasn't that he was coming out then it had to be something else.
"What's wrong?" Kyle asked. "There is something else that you're not telling me. You would say if you didn't want me there wouldn't you?" He knew that there was a history between them but Kyle hoped that if nothing else Kevin would be honest with him. Kyle was not too proud to admit that he might need help in the next few weeks but he didn't want that help to come from pity.
"Of course I want you to stay." Kevin said as he stepped closer into the room and took the seat next to Kyle. "The thing is that..." He paused, looking for the right way to say this without hurting Kyle too much. "It's Jonathan."
"What?" Kyle begged as a million thoughts ran through his mind.
"It's okay." Kevin was quick to reassure him. "It's just that the family court are having a hearing tomorrow about him and it doesn't look good. There are certain aspects of my lifestyle that they might frown upon, and my lawyer isn't sure that it will count in my favour."
"Surely they can see that Jonny needs you." Kyle said. "With Mom gone you're all the family he has."
"We are his family." Kevin said. "I meant it when I said I wanted you to stay, and not just in the short term. If and when I get custody of Jonathan he's going to need the pair of us. In fact my lawyer seems to think that your support in my application for custody will only be a good thing. Jonathan has lost everything and the next few months are going to be a complete upheaval. You're the only constant thing in his life and it would be better if you were there for the transition."
"You know that you have my support." Kyle said. "I'll go to the court and tell them that if you want me too, as well as telling them that you're going to be a great father."
"I need you to know the full truth first." Kevin said. "I can't ask you to speak up for me if you don't..."
Kyle cocked his head to one side, a gesture that meant that he wanted Kevin to go on but Kevin remained silent. It was going to take a lot to get this admission out.
"I'm bisexual." Kevin said finally, looking away as he did so. It was hard to admit and he didn't want to have to face the onslaught when Kyle realised it. "And I'm involved with someone, another man..."
"So?" Kyle replied.
Kevin looked up, genuinely shocked that Kyle was so accepting.
"You don't think that it makes me a bad father?" Kevin asked.
Kyle laughed, coughing as the laughter hurt his still healing ribs. Kevin reached for him instinctively and rubbed his back as Kyle leaned forward in a hacking cough.
"Oh, God." Kyle breathed out. "Don't make me laugh..."
"What?" Kevin asked, concerned that he had caused Kyle this pain, even inadvertently.
"Jonny lived through Gary trying to be his father and he was just one in a long string of men that my Mom bought home." Kyle said. "Compared to them you'll be a saint because you don't hit or throw things and I'll bet that you rarely even raise your voice. As for being gay I don't think it would matter if you had three heads or were an axe murderer, you're his father. His REAL father. Jonny has grown up knowing that and he idolises you."
"He knows?" Kevin asked. This was news to him.
"I made sure that he knew." Kyle said. "It was the least I could do for him after what I had done."
"You didn't do anything." Kevin replied, but Kyle shook his head.
"You don't get it do you?" Kyle asked. "When I ruined your wedding it wasn't only your life that I messed up it was his as well. If I hadn't done what I did he wouldn't have had to live through Andrew and Connor and he certainly never would have met Gary. I screwed up and he's been paying for it ever since. So when the latest bastard shouted at him or tried to beat up his Mom I told him that it was okay, his Daddy still loved him."
"It wasn't your fault." Kevin said, but as he saw Kyle shaking his head he knew that his words were falling on deaf ears. He could deny it as much as he wanted but Kyle was not going to believe him. Kyle was not ready to believe him. So Kevin would take Kyle into his house and try to build a home with him and if they got the chance with Jonathan too. Maybe eventually he would be able to heal the emotional scars that the doctors could not.
"Are you still okay with coming home with me?" Kevin asked. He wanted to change the subject but wished that it could have been to a lighter topic. Still he needed to know. He knew that Kyle had accepted his sexuality at face value but there was a large difference between accepting it and living with it on a daily basis.
"Of course." Kyle said. "Did the doctor really say that I could leave today?"
Kevin nodded.
"Then what are we waiting for?" Kyle asked enthusiastically, the pain of the previous moments buried away again where it would continue to fester. "I can't wait to leave this bed."
Kevin smiled wanly and handed a bag over to Kyle. Kyle had not noticed it before and took it without question, frowning when he looked inside.
There were jeans, boxers, t-shirt, even socks and shoes inside. All of it looked new and the jeans and shoes especially looked more expensive than the usual K-Mart specials that Kyle wore.
"The clothes you came in wearing were trashed." Kevin said softly, not wanting to add that they had been covered in blood, not all of it Kyle's. "And we couldn't get the rest of your things yet."
Kyle nodded, not wanting to think about returned to the apartment yet to gather his things. He would have to find another job soon so that he could afford new things there was not a lot of his old life that he wanted to remember.
"I'll leave you to change." Kevin said, turning to leave.
Kyle nodded again, still not able to speak. He emptied the bag onto the bed and mechanically began to dress.
He was getting out of hospital. Kyle tried to focus on that. It was the only good thing that he had going for him at the moment.
The house that Kevin owned in Orlando was much larger than the one that Kyle remembered him living in. He supposed that after six years as a successful recording artist that there was more money coming in to buy the luxuries such as large houses and the two year old Mercedes that Kevin drove.
The house itself was the epitome of modern architecture with large glass windows to allow in plenty of light which was reflected through the open plan rooms on the light wood floors. As soon as Kyle stepped inside the house he could smell the money that pored out of every surface. The smell of a mixture of pine cleaner and wood polish also told him that Kevin was very house proud or that he hired a cleaner, probably a little of both. It would be a big change from the apartment that he had shared with his mother, brother and her boyfriend which had only one bedroom and which was situated in a block which never smelled clean. Kyle had to wonder though if such a house would ever be a home to children. The sterility of the place made it difficult to see Jonny playing in the lounge with his toys or outside running about in the landscaped gardens.
"I know it's a bit much..." Kevin said, mistaking the look on Kyle's face. "My house in Lexington is a lot less ostentatious but I tend to spend a lot of time here and I wanted a place that I could call home."
"It's great." Kyle said. "It'll just take a bit of getting used to, do you think that you could draw me a map to get around?"
Kevin laughed.
"You'll get to know the place after a few days." Kevin assured him. "I've put you in the guest room downstairs for now, I didn't think that you would want to have to deal with the stairs with your ribs but you can move upstairs as soon as you get better."
Kyle nodded, swallowing down the lump that formed in his throat when he thought about living here longer term. He didn't want to think of any sort of commitment to the place because life had taught him that forming attachments only led to disappointment when you had to leave. Seeing Kevin's honesty in his offer though made Kyle hopeful that he could build a home here and that alone was dangerous. He could never forget that this was only really temporary until Jonny was settled, after that he didn't have to stay and Kevin didn't have to feel responsible for him.
"It's just along here." Kevin said, thinking that Kyle's silence was probably due to his being tired and that it was best to get him settled as soon as possible. "Alex called earlier, he said that he was going to leave some things for you..." Kevin added, wanting to fill in the silences so that Kyle didn't think that he had to.
They arrived at the downstairs guest suite after a few moments, having come through the lounge room and down a short corridor. The house had been planned so that this could be used as a guest suite that was just off the main rooms of the house. Kyle would be within easy reach of everything, including the Kitchen.
As he stepped inside Kyle gasped. The room was larger than the entire apartment that he had shared with his Mom and Jon with it's own seating area and ensuite bathroom. If you had guests staying then they would probably never want to leave. The state of the art entertainment system that had been set up by the seating area was obviously not something just for the guests. Kevin smiled when he saw it.
"I assume from the fact that it wasn't there this morning that this is Alex's gift." Kevin said indicating the television with built in DVD player and speakers. There was also a large pile of DVD's, CD's and to Kyle's surprise a few books too. "He said that he didn't want you to be bored while you're recuperating."
"I don't know what to say." Kyle replied honestly. "This is so much more than..." He stopped himself from saying 'than expected' or 'than I need' because both made him sound like the ungrateful brat that he had tried for five years not to be. "Thank you."
Kevin didn't really know what to say to that, he knew that this was probably Alex's old system. AJ had to have all of the latest toys and gadgets as soon as they hit the market and he didn't really feel that he had done much more than offer Kyle a roof over his head. It struck Kevin that Kyle probably didn't receive help very often and that it must be hard to accept it when it came.
"You're welcome." Kevin responded finally. "If you need anything else just ask and I'll see about getting it..."
Kevin loitered a moment as he watched Kyle take in all of the items in his room. He hoped that the younger man liked it. Kevin had not really had much of a hand in decorating the rooms of the house, only the Master suite and the study were his ideas the rest were left up to a decorator. Looking at the room through a critical eye it seemed a little impersonal.
Kyle finally yawned, stretched and moved to sit on the bed.
"I think that I'll take a nap for a while." He said. "I'm pretty sure that the drugs they gave me at the hospital are wearing me out."
"Okay." Kevin replied, hiding his relief at being let off the hook. "If you need anything I'll be in the lounge room."
"Thanks." Kyle said, already laying back on the bed and settling down to sleep.
Kevin left him alone, finally letting out a sigh of relief and feeling guilty about doing so. It was so much harder than he had thought having Kyle there. It felt strange having a teenager around again, especially one that was a lot more adult than Nick or AJ had ever been. Kyle had grown a lot over the last five years and now Kevin didn't really know how to interact with him. Kyle didn't need a father figure anymore, it was too late for that, but it was also strange to try and interact with him as a friend. Kevin supposed that he would have to learn because Kyle was there for the long term and they could not share an uncomfortable silence forever. They had to work together if they were going to get Jonathan back. Kevin hoped that he would be able to work things out by the time they did.
Kyle woke with a start, sitting up immediately and groaning when he felt the extra stress his sudden movement had placed on his ribs. For a moment he didn't remember where he was and all of the old fears and worries passed through him. It was not until he saw the bandage around his still broken hand that he remembered he was at Kevin's and that the nightmares were not true.
In his mind Kyle had been back in the Kitchen on the day of his mother's death, but this time he had not managed to push Jonathan under the table in time and had not saved his brother's life. In his dream Jonny died before ever meeting his father and it had been Kyle's fault.
The dream was probably because of the upcoming court appearance and his subconscious telling him that Jonathan might not get the chance to meet Kevin if he didn't get custody but there was also a part of Kyle that knew it so easily could have been true. It was that part of him that made Kyle even more convinced that Kevin had to get custody of Jon. If he could make sure that happened then maybe they would all sleep a little easier.
"Kyle?" Kevin asked through the door. "Are you okay? I thought I heard you calling but..."
Kyle was surprised that Kevin had not just walked in, it was his house after all and he had the right to.
"Kyle?" Kevin asked again, this time sounding slightly more concerned.
"I'm okay." Kyle belatedly replied. "You can come in."
The door handle turned and a moment later Kevin entered carrying a tray with milk and cookies. Kyle tried to smile at the paternal image that Kevin was portraying, he was long past needing a father in his life and yet it felt so right for Kevin to fulfil that role, the smile diminished when he realised that he had passed up Kevin as a father once and that he probably wouldn't get a second chance. Kevin was doing this only out of guilt and because he needed Kyle to get Jonathan.
"I was about to bring you a snack when I heard you call out..." Kevin said, in fact Kyle had been screaming but he didn't want to tell the younger man that. "I thought that I would check that you are okay."
"I guess I should be getting up." Kyle said, feeling a little lazy. It was nearly the afternoon and he had done nothing but sleep all day. He knew that there must be a dozen things to get done before the hearing the next day and he wanted to be able to help. "I need to get a suit for tomorrow and work out what I am going to say."
"I can help with what you're going to say. My lawyer said that all you need to do is answer the judge's questions and you should be fine."
Kyle nodded, not trusting his voice as a lump rose in his throat. Kevin really was looking after him and it was nice to have someone else to do the worrying for once. Since he was 16 Kyle had been doing all the worrying that was needed for Jonathan and for his Mom.
"Of course, if you feel up to going shopping we could still go out and get you a suit." Kevin continued. "There are probably a million things that you'll need that I didn't think to buy."
"Thanks." Kyle replied. "I don't have a lot of money but..."
"You won't need any." Kevin interrupted. "I'll buy you whatever you need, it is the least I can do..."
Kyle shook his head.
"I can't let you do that." Kyle answered. "You've already done so much."
"I want to do it." Kevin replied, Kyle opened his mouth to interrupt but Kevin continued insistently. "Kyle, if it weren't for you I wouldn't know about Jonathan, let alone have a chance to have him in my life. I never dreamed that I would be able to have children and it's all I've ever really wanted... you gave me that chance."
"It wasn't me. It was Mom." Kyle argued.
"You brought him back into my life and I'll always owe you for that." Kevin responded. "If I can do anything for you I will because that is more than I can ever repay."
Kyle wasn't sure that he understood the logic of Kevin's argument but he also wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth. He was not egotistical enough to believe that he could do this on his own and he supposed that he should be grateful for the help he was getting rather than being unappreciative.
"We both owe each other a lot." Kyle responded.
"Well, maybe we should just stop counting and call it friendship instead." Kevin said with a smile. "So, Did you want to go shopping?"
"That'd be good." Kyle answered with a small smile.
Friends. He could do that.
Kevin watched as Kyle headed straight for the cheaper stores at the end of the mall and realised again just how different their worlds were and how much he had changed from that naive fifteen year old boy. At 15 Kyle had wanted all of the latest trainers and fashions but it was obvious that the older more adult man that Kyle had become understood the meaning of money and the value of a dollar. Kevin was a little less serious about money than he had been aged 25, he supposed that the luxury of having money was that it meant you didn't have to worry about it anymore. Kevin was not frivolous with his spending but he did treat himself every now and then and one of his few indulgences was clothes.
"Kyle, there is a good shop over there for suits." Kevin said, pointing towards one of his favoured boutiques. They made suits to measure as well as off the rack which were good quality and just right for what they wanted. Kevin knew that Ryan the proprietor would have something for them. "Unless you want to go somewhere else."
"No, here is good." Kyle said, looking up at the shop window and seeing the expensive display in the window. He would usually have gone elsewhere to get clothes but this was for a court appearance and he didn't want to show Kevin up. If this was where Kevin wanted him to buy a suit then he would go in here. After all, it was Kevin that he was representing tomorrow not himself.
"Can I help you?" Someone asked as they entered the shop. Kyle thought that the assistant sounded a little disdainful as he took in his appearance but he supposed they weren't used to teenagers in jeans entering the shop except for graduations and formal dances and it wasn't time for either.
Kyle didn't respond immediately because he didn't know what to say. Thankfully Kevin had dealt with people like this a lot and knew what to say.
"We're looking for a suit, something conservative but not too outdated." Kevin said.
"What is the occasion?" The assistant asked, clearly trying to work out the relationship between the two of them. The assistant was crisp and smart, clearly employed because of his curt tone and upper crust accent that could have been bought from any good elocution teacher. He had just the right tone of condescension in his voice to sound stereotypically British, although he was clearly American.
"It's for a court appearance." Kyle said with a dangerous smile. The man smiled as if he had been thinking exactly that.
"He's the star witness." Kevin added, watching as the man's smile fell. The assistant had obviously assumed that someone like Kyle must be the accused and not anything else. "We need him to look authoritative without seeming out of place. They do say that people judge a book by its cover."
Kyle had to try hard not to snicker at Kevin's dig at the assistant. It was nice to have someone defending him for once rather than having to put up with the judgement of others. Usually it was something that you got used to in your teen years, especially when you had the look of a delinquent that Kyle seemed to. He looked younger than his nineteen years, although his age showed in his eyes, and Kyle knew that he would be followed around shops and asked for ID well into his mid-twenties because of it.
"Very well sir." The assistant said, still looking at Kevin. "I'll see what we have available." He did not even ask whether they wanted measurements taken and headed for the suits that were already made up. Because these were not bespoke they were always slightly cheaper and it told Kyle exactly what the man thought of them.
"Normally I would ask you to measure him up but seeing as we don't have a lot of time I think off the rack will have to do." Kevin agreed.
Kyle smiled as the stony faced assistant picked out a range of things for him to try. He had to admit that even though the man was conceited his suits were gorgeous and probably worth every penny that Kevin would spend on them.
"If you'll follow me, young man." The assistant said. Kyle complied, following him into the changing rooms and allowed himself to be sized up for the suits. To Kyle's surprise the man had already worked out his rough size and all of the suits were already the correct size for his frame. "I'll leave you to try these. Let me know if any of them are okay."
"They're all very nice." Kyle said, feeling that he needed to say something even if they man was not being kind to him.
Kevin waited outside as Kyle paraded out in suit after suit until he finally settled on a conservative black one with a silver pin stripe. It was strange for Kevin to see him like this rather than in jeans or hospital garb and it reminded Kevin just how grown up Kyle really was. He no longer looked like the teenager that Kevin remembered but instead seemed like an upwardly mobile young man who would fit in around the corporate circles that Kevin sometimes moved in.
"I think that is the one." Kevin said as he realised that Kyle had tried it on for a second time. "You look..." Kevin searched for a word that didn't sound patronising and couldn't come up with one. "...good." He finally settled on.
Kyle smiled, as if he was seeing it for the first time too.
"You were going to say 'grown up' weren't you?" Kyle teased. He didn't mind really that Kevin was going to say that because it was what he was thinking. He looked like someone that might work in an office as a clerk or middle manager. It was definitely the right look to go to court. "I was thinking the same thing."
Kevin laughed. "Actually, I didn't want to say that because it makes me sound old."
"You are old." Kyle joked. He was glad when Kevin smiled because he didn't want to push it too far too fast. "I think that I'll have to be careful on what shirt I wear because of my cast but other than that I should be fine."
Kevin realised then that Kyle still had his hand in plaster and that it might be hard to wear a suit. He cursed himself for not having realised that before. He also noticed that Kyle had an open collar on his shirt. He had not been trying for fashionable he probably just couldn't knot a tie with only one hand.
"If you go for a short sleeved shirt under your suit jacket you should be fine." Kevin said. "It's warm enough outside to justify one."
"Good idea." Kyle said as he returned to the changing room to remove the suit. "I won't have to worry about cufflinks or anything that way either."
"Have you decided?" The assistant asked, clearly thinking that he was about to make a sale.
"Yes." Kevin replied. "We'll take this one."
"Very good sir. I'll ring it up for you while the young gentleman changes."
Kyle tried not to look at the price the man entered into the cash register as he undressed. It would only add to the guilt he felt for being in debt to Kevin. It didn't matter what Kevin told him about them being equal, or about how much Kevin felt he owed him for bringing Jon back into his life, Kyle still felt as if he was sponging off of Kevin and a thousand dollar suit was not going to help that. Still, he supposed that he was going to court tomorrow to help Kevin get Jon back and if dressing up helped then maybe the excessive price tag was justified. There would probably be other occasions when he could wear it and it was not as if he would grow anymore.
"You ready to go?" Kevin asked, folding the receipt into the suit bag that the assistant had hung the suit in.
"Sure." Kyle answered.
"We just need to stop off and get you a few casual clothes and then you'll be set." Kevin replied.
Kyle sighed. It made sense he supposed to buy everything while they were there but he still felt as if it was all adding up on a long list of things he would owe. Kyle wondered when and how Kevin would collect that debt.
TBC