Until Next Time (The Shooting Stars Series)

by Michelle Maness

  “What is all this stuff?” she asked him.

  “Old school papers, notes, pictures, mostly junk,” he admitted. “I found a paper I wrote in the eighth grade; that was funny.”

  “I’ve probably got this much and more stashed in my room,” Katherine shared.

  “I didn’t realize I had kept so much stuff.”

  “I would offer to help but I wouldn’t know where to start,” she shrugged.

  “I don’t either,” he laughed.

  “Who’s that,” Katherine nodded to a picture.

  “That’s Sammy, he and I were good friends in ninth grade,” he shared.

  “Why are those pictures in the trash?”

  “Ex-girlfriends,” he admitted. “Satisfy your curiosity if you want,” he invited.

  Katherine smiled and stood to claim the pictures before thumbing through them.

  “I didn’t figure you’d had any ugly girlfriends,” she teased.

  “You’re funny,” he told her.

  “You sure you don’t want to keep them?” she asked him.

  “Positive, now put them back in the trash,” he nodded at the bag.

  “Who is this guy?” she lifted another picture from his keep pile.

  “Josh; we were friends for all of six months before he moved but he was a cool guy. I knew him in Pittsburg.”

  “What was it like moving all the time?” she asked him.

  “Lonely.”

  “With that stack of ex-girlfriends?”

  “Yes, it was, actually.”

  “I don’t think I would like it much,” she admitted.

  “There is one thing you could do for me,” Adam told her.

  “What’s that?”

  “Get me another trash bag? They’re under the sink.”

  “No problem,” she jumped up.

  Katherine had just grabbed a trash bag from beneath the sink when a man entered. His dark brown hair hung in a greasy mullet down his back; his blue eyes were assessing as they swept over her. He was tall and muscular, but a paunch at his belly attested to the fact he no longer maintained whatever regimen had gained him the muscles in the first place.

  “Well, hello, darlin’ who are you?” the man asked her as he sidled in her direction.

  Taking a step backward, Katherine shuddered.

  “Hello, Reggie,” Adam greeted as he slipped an arm around Katherine’s waist. “We’ll be in my room,” he informed the man. Back in his room, he locked the door.

  “He is creepy,” Katherine kept her voice low as she again shuddered.

  “I don’t like him or trust him, but don’t worry, you’re safe with me,” he winked.

  “Right,” she smiled up at him.

  He kissed her before returning to his spot in the floor. Katherine settled beside him.

  “Does Reggie stay here a lot?” Katherine asked him.

  “Some; I can’t decide how they choose where to stay,” Adam shrugged.

  “Your mom can do better than that,” Katherine’s face twisted in revulsion.

  “If she weren’t drinking she could.”

  Katherine admired the muscles of Adam’s shoulders as she watched him work; he was rather well built she noted not for the first time. A pen lay nearby and she picked up and uncapped it.

  “What are you doing, Kaitlyn?” Adam demanded when she started drawing on his shoulder.

  “Be still, I’m an artist at work here,” she chastised.

  “What are you drawing,” he tried peering over his shoulder.

  “Hold on. There,” she nodded and put the cap back on the pen.

  Adam stood and looked in the mirror over his chest of drawers. Katherine had drawn a heart and put her own initials inside.

  “You’re cute,” he informed her as he grabbed stuff from his floor and started putting it away. It only took him a few minutes to clear the floor and tie up the two trash bags he had filled. Once finished, he offered Katherine a hand and pulled her to her feet and into his arms for a kiss.

  “Thanks for the company,” he told her.

  “You’re welcome,” she assured him.

  Adam reached for a shirt from his luggage and pulled it on before putting on his socks and shoes.

  “Want to walk to the dumpsters with me? I prefer not to leave you alone in here with red neck Reggie.”

  “Sure,” she quickly agreed; she had no desire to be alone with that man either.

  Katherine followed Adam across the kitchen and to the door.

  “Your mom will be home soon,” Reggie informed Adam before burping and taking another swig of beer.

  “Thanks,” Adam nodded and waited for Katherine to precede him through the door.

  “Hey, Adam,” an old lady across the drive waved as they stepped off the porch.

  “Hello, Mrs. Hays; how are you this evening?” Adam asked the woman.

  “I’m doin’ alright. Who’s your friend?”

  “This is Kaitlyn, my girlfriend,” Adam walked the lady’s direction.

  “It’s nice to meet you Mrs. Hays,” Katherine smiled.

  “Nice to meet you too. She seems real sweet, Adam; that’s the kind you want,” Mrs. Hays nodded.

  “I’ve already figured that out,” he smiled at the woman. “I’ll see you later.”

  “Bye,” the woman waved.

  “She seems nice,” Katherine noted.

  “She is; one of the few decent people in this place, honestly.”

  Adam tossed the two bags in the dumpster and then took Katherine’s hand to escort her back to his mom’s. Reggie, a beer can crushed in his hand, was still flopped back in the recliner.

  “Don’t suppose you would be a sweetheart and grab me another can would you, darlin‘?” Reggie winked at Katherine.

  “I’ll get it,” Adam glared at the man and moved to the fridge.

  Katherine stood with her arms around herself; she did not like the way the man looked at her or the way he smiled.

  “Thanks,” the man nodded.

  “Come on, Kaitlyn,” Adam nodded for her to follow him.

  “You two behave,” the man snickered.

  Adam slammed the door to his room and locked it.

  “I swear, Kaitlyn, I am going to hurt that man,” he shoved a hand through his hair.

  “You could come stay with us,” she reminded him.

  “I am trying, however unsuccessfully, to have a relationship with my mother.”

  Adam lay down on his bed and propped his hands behind his head to stare at the ceiling. He smiled at Katherine when she joined him and snuggled against him.

  “I love you, Kaitlyn.”

  “I love you too,” she returned. “What is your mom planning for Christmas?” Katherine asked him.

  “I don’t know,” he admitted. “What does your family do?”

  “Christmas Eve we gather with the extended family at Grandma’s house; that is quite the gathering. You should come if your mom doesn’t have anything planned,” she invited. “Then on Christmas Day we celebrate at home with Daddy’s aunt; she’s the last of his kinfolk in this area.”

  “That sounds nice, Kaitlyn,” he told her.

  “You’re welcome to join us for any of it; I’d like for you to if you want to,” she assured him.

  “I might,” he nodded.

  The sound of the door opening was followed by voices and then raucous laughter.

  “Mom’s home,” Adam noted. A moment later a knock sounded on his door. Katherine sat up and crossed her legs as Adam stood and opened his door.

  “Hi, Mom,” he greeted.

  “Reggie said you have company,” Donna peered into the room curiously.

  “Kaitlyn and I were just talking.”

  “She’s welcome to stay for dinner; I was going to make a nice meat loaf,” Donna smiled.

  Adam, his eyes wary, glanced at Kaitlyn.

  “Thank you, Mrs. Ellington,” she smiled at his mother.

  “Call me, Donna,” she invited. “I’
ll call you when it’s ready,” Donna promised.

  “Thanks, Mom,” Adam closed the door behind her. “Apparently, she’s going to play mom tonight,” Adam noted as he returned to the bed and pulled Katherine down with him.

  “Have you two ever talked about it?” Katherine asked gently.

  “Not since I was fourteen and thought I could actually talk her into getting help. It was pointless,” he told her.

  “I’m sorry, Adam,” Katherine propped her head on her hand, her elbow on the bed, and looked down at Adam.

  “You have no reason to be,” he assured her.

  Katherine leaned down and kissed him; Adam pulled her closer.

  “What did you do today?” Adam asked her a moment later as he rolled so that they were facing each other.

  “I slept late after sitting up talking to Tessa until early morning and then met Stephanie for lunch, bought a few presents I hadn’t gotten around to yet, wrapped those, and then came here.”

  “Sounds like you were busy,” he noted.

  “I was.”

  They continued talking until Donna called them to eat.

  “Grab us an extra chair, Reggie,” Donna tugged the table out from the wall. “We can fix our plates and then bring them to the table to eat,” she smiled at everyone.

  “Here we go,” Reggie set an office chair at the table.

  Katherine smiled at Donna as she was handed a plate. She fell in line and put a little of everything on her plate before moving to the table and pouring tea over her ice.

  “So what are you majoring in, Kaitlyn?” Donna asked after they had started eating.

  “Marketing: advertising specifically.”

  “I imagine that is fun,” Donna smiled across the table at her.

  “I hope so; I won’t know for a while yet,” Katherine smiled back.

  “Adam has yet to decide what he’s spending all his money on,” Donna shared.

  “Getting his basics first is a smart move,” Katherine defended him.

  “I told him I could get him on at the plant,” Reggie shared.

  “What are we doing for Christmas, Mom?”

  “Reggie wants to deep fry a turkey at his house. His kids are coming.”

  “What time?”

  “Around lunch.”

  “Can I meet you here later?” Adam requested.

  “I guess,” Donna frowned.

  “Thanks, we aren’t doing anything on Christmas Eve are we?”

  “No.”

  “Thanks, that’s what I needed to know.”

  “I guess you were invited to some stuff, huh?” his mother asked.

  “I was,” he admitted.

  “That’s the trouble with kids growing up,” Reggie said around a mouth full of food.

  Katherine answered Donna’s questions but was relieved when the meal was over, especially when Reggie’s leg kept brushing against hers.

  “Are you okay?” Adam asked her once they were back in his room.

  “I’m fine,” she assured him.

  “You were uncomfortable in there weren’t you?” he asked her.

  “Not in the way you think,” she quickly corrected him. “Reggie’s leg kept brushing against mine; probably because the table wasn’t meant for four people and he was in the odd chair, but it creeped me out.”

  “So help if that man messes with you I will kick his…”

  Katherine cut him off with a kiss and watched him smile.

  “Distracting me are you?” he teased.

  “Yes, I am,” she grinned.

  She stayed for a little while longer and then asked Adam to walk her out to return home. She arrived home to find her parents watching the news.

  “Hi,” she greeted as she sank into an arm chair.

  “Where have you been?” her mother asked.

  “I had dinner with Adam, his mom, and her boyfriend. It was an interesting experience,” she admitted.

  “Oh?”

  “His mom was playing mom, as Adam calls it and her boyfriend was just plain creepy,” Katherine shared.

  “You ever wonder how Adam turned out so nice and polite.” Walter mused with a smile.

  “All the time,” Katherine smiled in return. “According to Adam when he was little she was a pretty good mother but the older he got the worse her alcoholism became.”

  “You be careful over there, Kattie. I’m sure his mom is nice enough but you never can tell with alcoholics.”

  “I think his mom is harmless enough, as I said it was Reggie who creeped me out. But don’t worry, Adam was sticking very close; he doesn’t trust the man either.”

  “Does he seem to be doing okay over there?”

  “I think so. He cleaned his room out today. I’ve never known a guy who cleaned when he was bored,” she laughed.

  “I suspect that if he didn’t it wouldn’t happen,” Walter theorized.

  Katherine sighed, “Unfortunately you’re right.”

  “Aunt Phoebe’s mom was an alcoholic,” Walter shared. “I’ve heard her tell some sad stories.”

  “Adam has a few,” she admitted. “I am off to bed. I love you guys,” she kissed both her parents on the cheek before moving off to bed.

  Eight

  Adam and Katherine managed to spend part of everyday together and Christmas Eve as well. He hung back and watched for the most part, intrigued by the family dynamics in play. They were clearly a close knit bunch of people with good natured teasing and joking flowing easily between them. The food was some of the best he had ever eaten but he had long since given up on the names of those around him. Gracie managed to pull him aside and sat and talked with him for several minutes before she was whisked off to open gifts. Katherine claimed Gracie’s vacated seat and smiled at him; he smiled in return. She was clearly happy here among her family, her eyes shining and face glowing. He could understand enjoying a family like hers.

  That evening after they returned to Jackson, he lingered and helped Katherine and Julia in the kitchen. He was coming back the next day. He finally made himself go home and sleep. His mom was gone but he wasn’t surprised by that.

  The next morning he showered and was back at Kaitlyn’s well before the twelve o’clock meal time.

  “Hi,” Kaitlyn smiled when he arrived.

  “Hope I’m not too early.”

  “Not at all,” she assured him before kissing his cheek.

  “Hi, Adam,” Julia greeted.

  “Hello, Julia. Can I help in anyway?” he offered.

  They welcomed him into the kitchen and included him in the bustle of preparing for the meal. Walter joined them a few minutes later and pitched in; laughter came easily among them. Adam smiled; he felt more at home here than he did with his own mother.

  “I think I’ve butchered the potatoes rather than peel them, but the peels are off,” Adam announced as he glanced at the bowl in front of him. Kaitlyn had made it look so easy, her peels coming off in thin strips and the potatoes cubing nicely in her hands. In his hands they had come out a lumpy mess.

  “By the time we cream them no one will know,” Katherine kissed his cheek before she whisked the potatoes away to clean them and start them cooking.

  “Grab some pecans, at the rate I’m going we won’t have enough; Julia refuses to buy them already shelled,” Walter invited.

  “The pies taste better if the pecans are fresh,” Julia insisted.

  “I’ll help too,” Kaitlyn grabbed a nut cracker and a nut. A moment later a pecan flew across the kitchen and pinged off the fridge.

  “It helps if the pecan is in the grooves,” Adam teased.

  “So it does,” she laughed as she retrieved the pecan from the floor.

  By twelve noon straight up and down Phoebe had arrived and they were sitting down to eat. Once the table was cleared they settled into the living room where Walter had a fire roaring. Kaitlyn plopped down next to the fire and beside the tree and started pulling presents out and separating them into piles. Adam had a fee
ling that this was a routine for them. Once she had separated them all out, she handed each person their pile and then sat back down behind hers. Phoebe, as the oldest, opened her gifts; then Walter and then Julia.

  “I can’t go next; I’m a guest,” Adam argued when Kaitlyn told him he was next.

  “You’re a little young to be objecting to your age,” Kaitlyn teased.

  “It’s not fair for me to displace your position,” Adam told her.

  “You haven’t, we reverse it every other year and on any given year there are guests here so open your presents already!” Kaitlyn chastised him.

  Adam did as ordered and thanked them for including him as well as for his gifts before Kaitlyn opened hers. Adam lingered as long as he dared before leaving for his mother’s; Kaitlyn escorted him out.

  “Merry Christmas, Adam,” Kaitlyn wrapped her arms around him and kissed him.

  “Merry Christmas, Kaitlyn.”

  Katherine watched him go and sighed. She worried that his evening would not be as pleasant as his day had been. She had nothing but suspicion to go on but she feared a holiday like Christmas was a great excuse for drinking to an alcoholic. She turned and went back inside, seated herself in an arm chair and discarded her shoes to tuck her feet to the side.

  “You seem quite taken with this young man,” her Aunt Phoebe noted.

  “I am,” she admitted.

  “He seems really nice, though a little quiet.”

  “Not once you get to know him,” Julia offered.

  “No, he really isn’t all that quiet,” Katherine smiled.

  “You two are still quite young; what are your plans?”

  “We haven’t mapped out our future as yet, Aunt Phoebe, as you just said, we’re still quite young.”

  “Just wondered, you two can hardly keep your eyes off each other,” her aunt’s eyes twinkled.

  Katherine allowed her aunt to tease her figuring that at her age she had earned the right. As the evening wore on they reheated leftovers and Phoebe returned home. Walter put It’s a Wonderful Life on and they settled back to watch together. Katherine felt herself growing drowsy from the warmth of the fire and her full stomach. She finally stood to go fix herself a glass of eggnog in hopes of staying awake. She had just sat the carton back in the fridge when she heard a car in the drive. She opened the door into the garage and hit the garage opener, to see who was there. She knew the moment she saw Adam that something was wrong. She hit the button on the garage again as he entered and frowned as he neared.