Curse of the Peters Brothers

Chapter 16

flashback...

Pacing back and forth in his bedroom, Leland couldn't get a grip on what had happened the night before.

He had been anxious to see Hell-Kat. He had missed the graduation because his last final was that morning. So he went over to her house as soon as he saw headlights in her driveway just in time to see Ewen and Kit sit down in the garden.

Then he heard Ewen's big announcement. Ewen said he loved Kit. His heart stopped beating and his legs felt as though they were made of lead. Though he tried, he couldn't move until he heard what she said in return. Ewen kept talking, telling her that he knew it was sudden but that it shouldn't have surprised her. Not able to wait any longer, he turned and walked back to his house without hearing her declaration of love to his brother. He knew they dated, everyone knew. At least, those were the rumors, Leland was still holding onto hope that those rumors weren't true.

Love? His brother was in love with her? The knowledge made him sick.

Though it was past daybreak now, it was still dark. Rain was pelting down like a drain had broken in the sky as he looked out his bedroom window.

Enough was enough. If he didn't talk to her about last night he'd lose it. Barely taking the time to tie his shoes, Leland ran through the rain to the Taylor's home. What he saw had him stop dead in his tracks. Kit had just put a box in her car that was already packed full and then got behind the wheel and started to drive away.

Leland stood there, rooted in place as he watched the tail lights of her Honda Civic drive down the unpaved driveway. Knowing in his gut that she was leaving, still he stood there watching. The whole time hoping and praying that she'd slow down. Stop. Anything. When she reached the end of the drive he waited, hoping she'd turn left to go to his house.

She turned right. He ran down the driveway and watched her fade into the distance before she took another right turn to leave the neighborhood. By this time he was soaked through from the fat, heavy raindrops that pelted down from the sky.

Time stood still. He couldn't know for sure how long he stood there watching that corner expecting her to come back. But she didn't. Somehow he knew that she was gone. He'd lost her forever.

Finally finding that his feet could move, he walked to the Taylor's back door and knocked, Liz answered. She was clearly crying. Leland's heart stopped beating once again.

"Oh. Leland," Liz said uncomfortably.

"Where's Kit?" he asked, worried.

"She's gone, Lee."

Emma came to the door then, glaring at him hatefully. Leland focused his attention on her, "Where is she?"

She answered him monotonously, "She told us not to tell."

"Why the hell not?" he shouted.

Then Cindy made her way to the door. "Leland, I think it's best if you just go home for now. I'm not sure what happened or why she left but I will respect her decision for privacy."

"Mrs. Taylor..." he plead.

"I can't Leland. I'm so sorry."

"Well you... when you speak with her, will you tell her to call me? It's important. Please?"

"Go home and get dry before you get sick," Cindy ordered gently, sadness marring her tone.

"Yes ma'am," he conceded. He'd go get dry and then he'd get in his car and drive until he found her and brought her back home again.

~*~

present...

The bachelorette party went really late and now, even hours after waking, Kit could hardly keep her eyes open as she did her hair and makeup. The wedding party had to leave at six o'clock to get to the wedding. That gave her just one hour to complete the mission of taming her unruly hair.