Kevin guided Kami toward the front of the diner in case the woman popped her head up and looked the way they came.
They had to run low to avoid the long windows.
They circled around the other side to the back door.
****
Kevin stepped into the men's room to wash the grease from the man's hair off his hands. Kami barged into the men's room and sat down on the toilet.
"What the hell are you doing?" Kevin asked.
"Not waiting, so deal with it," Kami replied.
Kevin closed his eyes tightly while he finished washing his hands. He turned the water on full blast, so he wouldn't hear any bathroom sounds his sister made. He kept his eyes closed as he turned and felt for the paper towel dispenser. He felt Kami trying to get around him. He opened his eyes. "You're not going to wash your hands?"
She gave him a look as she pointed to the hand washing sign. "It says only employees have to wash their hands."
"For God's sake Kami, you're eating shrimp and French fries." He shook his head at how disgusting that was to him.
"Alright, but can I wash them for less than a minute instead of the full minute you do?" She scrunched her nose at him after that.
He watched her face in the mirror as she washed her hands. "Not going by the accent, but you know, you could be an actress Kami. A good actress. No, a great actress." He didn't even try to read the look on her face that was particularly pretty then, and he didn't have to try to think of more to say, "No matter what you do. What you be—" He laughed at how badly he said that and enjoyed the giggle it brought that made her face even prettier. "What you become. You'll be great at it and beautiful doing it."
Kami smiled her beautiful smile at her handsome brother in the mirror. "I love you Kevin."
It was strange. It was a compelling emotion. It was more than that. It was a 'Thank You!' for his sister who always had his back. Who had to do without so much, to give him what he needed. He was as much a stranger to a strong feeling like that as he was to the man he had knocked unconscious. But that feeling wasn't something he could ignore. He hugged her from behind. "I love you."
Neither one of the Rileys in the bathroom heard the old man opening the door wide.
Kevin realized there was an onlooker when Kami tensed. He let go of her, turned, and explained as best as he could. "It's alright, she's my sister."
Maybe it was the shocked look on the old man, or maybe it was all they went through that night or that summer, but the brother and sister looked like two drunks helping each other walk as they laughed their way all the way back to the booth.
****
The next month passed with the foursome passing time together almost as routinely as any teenagers would over summer break until something happened that broke the teen routine. Zoey walked into the Riley house ahead of her parents.
Kevin sat up from his spot and saved what he was working on before he closed his laptop.
Zoey had signaled to Kami and Kaley and pulled them all in for a quick conference. She took a quick look at the door. "I told the parental units to check out your Mom's rose garden, so I only have a minute." She listened and heard Kate making cooking sounds from the kitchen. "I forgot about this stupid two-week cruise we're taking, so whatever I do, follow my lead." She shrugged. "I don't know what the hell I'm going to do, so lead if I have nothing to follow."
Kevin leaned in for a whisper. "I'll lead if I have something to lead with, but on the following? I don't have a woman's intuition, or any intuition."
"Oh, good." Kate gave a sweet smile to Zoey as she sat two platters of hors d'oeuvres on separate tables in the living room. "Our young adults are already in the living room where the cocktail segment of the night begins."
"That means we get a cocktail, right Mom?" Kevin flashed his brows like he thought Taylor would.
Kate smirked. "Nice try."
Uncle Frank walked in. "Let those suckers look at the flowers while I get first pass on the eats."
Taylor and Beth came in and bragged on Kate's beautiful flowers that were in bloom.
Kaley and Kami helped Kate get drinks for everyone.
In no time, everyone was settled in, drinking alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks, and enjoying the tasty appetizers.
Zoey turned to Kevin, "Kevin, I know you think I'm ready to do it—" She was perplexed by the perplexed looks on the faces of the mothers.
"I don't think she means do that, Moms." Kaley grinned widely.
Kevin was so glad his sister did that. He was worried. It took him a lot longer than the mothers, but he took it the same way they did.
There was a pleasant round of laughter.
Zoey waited the laughter out and looked at her parents. "As you know, my smart boyfriend's getting me through the online courses easy-peasy."
"The lad's a miracle worker." Taylor raised his drink glass to mimic a toast.
"Taylor," Beth chided in a whisper.
"He's right Mom." Zoey turned and raised her glass along with a sweet smile for Kevin. She turned back to her parents. "He thought he could get me through the next few weeks and maybe ... Just maybe ... I might be ready to take the SAT test."
"I can't believe what I'm hearing." Beth gripped Taylor's arm. "Are you saying you'd rather study for that than go on the European river cruise?"
Zoey nodded and explained more for her smart and shrewd parents. "It's like I'm in the studying mode, so it makes sense to keep rolling along while I'm on a roll." She patted Kevin on the back. "And I have a great Study-Buddy."
"You could prep with them too, Kami," Kate said.
For some reason, the way his mother said that and the way she kept her mouth silent made Kevin think of Uncle Frank's negotiation advice again.
Kami's eyes were wide open.
Kaley patted Kami on the leg. "I studied with Kevin last year, and it made the difference. All the difference." She stroked her chin. "I might join in. See if I can top my top score."
"I'll watch the kids," Kate said.
Kami's wide-eyed look yielded to a sly-eyed look. "Or, we can watch ourselves and you could tag along and third-wheel the McConnells on the cruise, Mom."
Kate had her hands up and her head shaking immediately. "No, that would be imposing."
Beth put her arm around Kate. "Or, it would be awesome."
Kate turned her head and looked at Beth with pure gratitude.
"I can keep tabs on the kids. My schedule is pretty light the next few weeks." Frank explained when Taylor looked his way. "Intentionally light. I'm recharging my batteries before I charge in with the big lawsuit for the big client you got me."
Taylor nodded in appreciation of the information. "You know Frank, one of the biggest selling points in the cruise brochure was battery recharging."
Kevin tried not to look at his girlfriend or his sisters. He wanted to give them looks of awe and appreciation for the deft way they manipulated the mature adults so adeptly. He felt Taylor looking his way.
"I'm deducing Kevin knows his way around the preparation materials?" Taylor said.
"He does," Kaley affirmed.
"He took it before he started high school," Kate said proudly.
That was a feeling Kevin could place. It always made him uncomfortable when his family bragged on him. His father was the bigger bragger. His mother was more tuned into how that made him uncomfortable. Still, she couldn't help herself sometimes.
"What was your score, Kevin?" Zoey tugged on his shirt as she asked.
"You don't want to know," Kami answered for him.
Kate shared knowing looks with Beth and Taylor before she looked proudly at her son. "Let's just say that when word got out, the news station wanted to run a feature on him."
Kevin wanted to get the attention off him. "I told Dad to tell them the only way I wanted to make it on the nightly news was for doing something cool."
"Like growing a giant watermelon?" Zoey said before she giggled.
"Or, a pot
ato that looks like the President?" Frank added along with his affable chuckle.
"No, something sensational for my sensational brother. More like a gnarly killing," Kami said.
"A vigilant vigilante killing," Kaley revised.
"Well, if we leave you teenagers home alone, we'll be happy if you don't show up on the news at all." Beth raised her glass to that before she set her eyes on her daughter with an especially proud look.
Kevin felt Zoey's hand gripping his and he knew he was proud of her for a different reason in that moment. Her lying ability.
Frank stood up after Kate did. "I think since the young adults will be adulting on their own, us real adults can set the table and do the serving."
Beth stood up and struck a pose with her finger to her chin. "Hmmm ... Me serving my daughter? What a novel concept."
Zoey feigned a look that kept the laughter on that going. The instant the adults were out of the room, she leaned over to Kami. "I'm so sorry, Kami. It was the only thing I could think of."
"Seriously? That's the ultimate 'Good news, bad news' joke. Two weeks without a parent, but I have to study my ass off." Kami shook her head. "You couldn't think of anything else?"
Kaley leaned over to Kami. "Suck it up. You need it. It's good for you." She looked at the others. "Good for all of us."
"To keep us together," Kevin said.
Kami kept her look on Zoey until it gave way to a smile. She put her hand out. "One!"
Everyone else matched her hand and said "One!" like they had before and they would again.
****
The next week, they stood in front of the big screen television in the family room in the McConnell home, marching in place, pumping light hand weights, as all but Kevin competed to answer the SAT question that flashed on the screen. "C!" Zoey blurted out.
Kaley and Zoey waited for Kevin to nod or shake his head to answer.
Kaley spoke after the head nod, "That's three in a row Zoey."
"Thanks, but I know you're holding back." Zoey turned to Kevin. "Five-minute break?" She grimaced. "My stomach is a little upset."
"Water break," Kevin said.
They all set their hand weights down and picked up their water bottles that were close by.
Zoey felt her stomach.
"Are you okay?" Kami's competitive look gave way to a concerned one for Zoey.
"Just a little nauseous," Zoey said.
"I wonder if it's something you ate?" Kevin asked.
"All I ate was the healthy food you forced me to eat, Honey." Zoey flashed her brows at Kevin.
"You got the donuts for best essay last night," Kaley said.
"Maybe it's not what you ate, Zoey." Kami looked at Kevin who was stretching. "Maybe it's the pain from exercising all day every day from the pain in the ass asshole who thinks you learn better that way."
"No pain, no brain gain." Kevin watched Zoey's face contorting as she rubbed her stomach. "Do my mental minions want a change of pace?" After seeing three nodding heads, he turned off the television.
The girls carried their water bottles and sat on the comfortable seating that was all covered with towels to catch the sweat.
Kevin played a sound track of ocean waves, with his recorded voice speaking at an incredible speed at an almost inaudible volume under the nature sounds. He caught Zoey watching him. "Eyes closed during the sublime subliminal listening and learning session."
Kevin sat in the recliner and kept his eyes open to make sure the girls kept their eyes closed.
"Did Kevin do all this behavioral reinforcement, subliminal learning, brainwashing, torture crap the last time he trained you, Kaley?" Kami kept her eyes closed but turned her head to Kaley who sat next to her on the couch.
"Yep, we did it in six days while you were doing your beauty pageant thing." Kaley had a fond eyes-closed smile at the memory. "I was more skeptical than you Sis, until I took a practice test." Kaley took a drink of water seamlessly without the benefit of her eyesight.
"You have to trust what you take in on other levels, Kami." Kevin looked at her face. It was interesting to watch their faces with their eyes closed. Expressions still came and went. Probably matching the comings and goings of their thoughts. He kept the subject going to defend his teaching method, "Those fast screen scrolls we did ... They were too fast to read—"
"Even for you?" Zoey asked.
"Even for me." Kevin smiled when he saw that answer put a look on her face. "But, you all kicked ass on comprehension and retention of what was too fast to read."
"And you think we're soaking in your super-fast crazy whispering under the ocean wave sounds?" Kami had her hand to her ear to pair a gesture with her words.
"Yep." Kevin stroked his chin and thought of a way to explain that could bolster confidence. "You and Zoey have super subliminal abilities."
"We do?" Zoey sounded genuinely surprised.
"Sure, Zoey." Kevin didn't have to think about that. He already had. "Take your lying and thieving abilities."
"It's good to know what my man thinks of me." Zoey tried to sound hurt, but the giggle at the end spoiled that.
"You watch people and see things I could never see. You see things Kaley barely sees." He looked at Kaley and saw her nodding with her eyes still closed. "You don't just hear and see what someone is saying or doing, you get deeper. You find the truth underneath what's presented as truth."
"I can tell when someone's lying or being phony," Kami said.
"You, middle Riley child, are more of a savant than I'll ever hope to be." Kevin looked truthful as he looked at her beautiful resting face. "I'm stoked about the beauty pageant for one reason."
"What?" Kami asked.
"Every time, it goes down the same way." Kevin looked off and revisited those past experiences. "All of your lovely competitors. They're so sweet to your face, while they're all beautiful back-stabbing bitches. But, you? You out-sweet the living crap out of those lovelies. You compliment them cordially without them knowing you're cutting them so cruelly. You come off as the sweetest, but the sweetness is only a sweet tool to get them to do what you want and get you what you want."
"You do do that." Kaley heard the doubled word and doubled down. "Doo-doo-head!"
They all laughed at that.
"And Zoey, you manipulated your parents, me, and my sisters, and basically made me your boyfriend—"
"Within the first five minutes of meeting you." Zoey's face held a beautiful smile of satisfaction.
"Kevin and I are better with words or numbers," Kaley said.
"Zoey and I kick your asses at reading and working people," Kami said.
There was a comfortable silence as the truth of that set comfortably with all four.
"Are we on track for the two weeks?" Zoey asked.
"Tomorrow's the fifth day." Kevin rubbed his face and assessed. "Practice tests in the morning, to see where we're at. Find the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Listening to music with my crazy whispering mixed low in the mix." He nodded as he thought of the last thing. "Walking and talking debates to keep the argumentative edge sharp." One final nod sealed it. "That's about it."
"That's it?" Kami sat up, but still kept her eyes closed. "Except for that crap you said, that's it?
"Kami, the practice test is a long-ass ball-buster," Zoey explained.
Kevin shook his head and smiled when once again, he realized they couldn't see that. He did wonder if that automatic movement influenced what he said and what they heard. He got back to the conversation when he saw changes on their faces that might be stress. "We start the practice session at an hour and scale it back to half that."
"I can't think that fast," Zoey said.
"That's the point," Kevin said, "I don't want you to think."
"So, we're done, except for listening to music, arguing with each other, taking a morning test that gets shorter every morning, and not thinking the whole time?" Kami sat up, opened her eyes, and smiled at Kevin.
Zoey either felt or sensed Kami doing that. She sat up and opened her eyes.
"If this works, you're a genius," Kami said.
"He is a genius, so it will work," Zoey said.
Kevin smiled at them before he looked at Kaley, "Oldest and wisest, would you like to compare and contrast the conditional logic those two I love as unconditionally as I love you just proffered?"
Kaley smiled at him before she turned to them. "Gladly, but I need the refreshing pool dip that's part of your refresher course first." She took off her T-shirt and summer shorts to reveal her bikini underneath.
Kevin watched that with no particular feeling because that was his sister, but he did like the idea she had. He pulled his shirt off and was ready to swim in the basketball shorts he wore. "Mind if I dip along with my dippy sister?"
Kaley shook her head. She took Kevin's hand.
Kevin stopped her and looked at Zoey who still clutched her stomach.
Kami looked at Kevin as she put her arm around Zoey. "Go ahead, I'm going to see if I can find something for her to eat."
"Maybe soup?" Zoey said.
Kevin saw his sister was handling it, so he squeezed Kaley's hand and smiled when she pulled him toward the door. It was a simple nonverbal communication for anyone else, but for him, it was something to be proud of.
****
Kevin and Kaley dove in at the deep end and raced to the shallow end. Kaley shook out her hair before she smoothed it back and smiled. "You're right little brother, it does give you an attitude change."
"I should market and make money off my test prep routine," he speculated more than bragged.
"You should." Kami got to the steps that were specifically designed so you could relax and recline in the cool refreshing water.
Kevin followed his big sister's lead and sat on the step beside her. "You know you're teaching them as much as I am, Kaley."
"Not really, Kev."
"You always do that—" He tried not to get excited but picking up on clues that clued him into a person got him jacked up. "Downplay it. Play humble." He saw her looking at him and guessed she was appreciating what he said and curious about where it was going. He hung his head down because he knew where it was going, and it was hard for him to get it there.
The Killing Rileys- First Love, First Kills Page 15