Chapter Twenty-One
"How did it go with Bonnie?" I asked Damon after he picked me up from my dorm so we could go back home, the boarding house.
"Terrible," he practically spat.
"You didn't get the ascendant? Did she have it? What happened?" I asked.
"She has it. She's destroying it."
"What? Oh, okay. Um... and you're okay with that?" I questioned as we sat still in the parking lot. Damon frowned and banged on the steering wheel making me jump. "Damon," I whispered softly.
"No, Kenzie! I'm not okay with it! But Bonnie..." he trailed off, his yelling dropping to a defeated whisper himself. I reached over and placed a hand on his flexed bicep. He was clenching the wheel still.
"Bonnie what?" I asked. I needed to know what happened. Because if Lily doesn't get the ascendant, she's destroying the cure.
"Bonnie pointed out... if I really want Elena to have the cure I would've told her. She played on my insecurities... Said take it if I wanted to watch Elena grow old... My fight for it stopped. I don't want her to take it. I don't want her to leave me. I've barely gotten her."
I nodded slowly, "then fuck it. Forget the cure. Lily can't get her friends back either. It's a win win. Elena doesn't even know."
"Kitten?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you want the cure?"
"W-what?" I stuttered. He finally let go of the steering wheel and turned his icy eyes to me. The ocean was frozen, forcing me to take this seriously. He was searching for my true answer. And I had one. I just... I was afraid to say it. Afraid to want it. "No," I whispered.
"Kenzie," he said through clenched teeth. "I've been thinking about it all damn day. You should take the cure. You want babies. You want a different life than the one you have—"
"Damon, I wanted to be a vampire. I wanted to be with Stefan. I have that—"
"Do you?" He quipped. "Where are you going to be in five years, huh? What if you guys don't work out? What happens then, Kenzie? Because I've seen you heart broken. What if there's a way to prevent that from happening, huh? Take the cure. It was always meant for you."
"But you wanted it for Elena."
"Now I want it for you."
"Damon, stop projecting," I said.
"I'm not projecting anything."
"Yes, you are. You're insecure about your relationship with my twin. Worried that if you don't work she'll regret everything, when you could've saved her the heartbreak and the misery of an eternal life. She never wanted this, and if y'all don't work, she'll hate being a vampire. But if she takes the cure, you have no chance of being together. Right or wrong?"
"Take the damn cure, Kenzie," he ordered.
"No," I spat. "Bonnie is destroying the ascendant. Let's all lose. Keep it the way things are. Let's stop trying to beat the system. Elena and I are vampires. We chose this life when we chose our guys. Okay?"
"You and Stefan can take the cure. Be human."
"How? If he takes the cure he'll age—"
"Only if the cure is taken from him. So you take it first... then he drinks from you. You're not much older than your turned age. You'll be fine."
"But, Damon," I frowned. "We can't."
"Why not?"
I stared at him, my heart breaking as his eyes were watery. "You can't live without your brother. I can't take him from you. You're the only thing he loves more than me," I said softly, taking his hand. "So I can't take it. Okay. I won't."
"Are you sure? Because I want you to be happy, Kenzie."
"Let's just forget Bonnie ever brought the cure back, okay?" I suggested, reaching over to wipe his eyes as a tear fell. This whole decision was eating him alive.
"Okay."
I nodded then. Let's forget it. Neither of us wanted to feel guilty about not telling Elena. Because she would probably want it. But... neither of us want her to have it. It tears me apart how selfish I am, I don't want her to have the cure because I do want it. But I can't make that decision without Stefan. And... I don't know how the brothers could survive without each other. They've always needed one another, that's how they ended up as vampires. Damon needs me and Stefan. We're all here for eternity. We will deal with life together. That was enough for me. And I'd have my twin with me for life too. I'll put that in the win column.
***
Damon and I walked into the house. All the way across the room was Lily standing in front of the fireplace. I grabbed Damon's hand as we walked over to face her together.
"Tell me you have the ascendant," Lily spoke up, not bothering to even look at us as she used the poker to stab at wood to keep the fire crackling.
"I can't, because I don't," Damon said.
"Then you understand what's going to happen next."
"Oh, it will just be like old times. I screw up, and you punish me for it," Damon sighed.
Lily glanced over at us, turning slightly to show she was holding a small box. That must be the cure. She still has it. A second later she tossed the box into the fire before anyone said a word or could stop her. A small gasp left Damon's lips. He dropped my hand and I turned to face him. His eyes were wide, full of emotion. It just hit him, what he had done. And he regretted it all. Not getting the ascendant to save the cure. He still wanted it. Guess he can't live with the guilt of keeping this from my sister. He wasn't ready to let go of the possibilities, the lives it could change.
"Some things never change. Spare me your indignation. We both know I did you a favor. That sense of relief you feel right now, that's the realization that Elena will never leave you," Lily told him, matter of factly. "You made her choice for her. There's no harm in that. As long as you're happy, she never needs to know."
"Exactly. So goodnight," I said sternly. I gave Damon a look that was supposed to say 'let this go. It's all going to be fine.' I hope he could see all that. He needed to think and believe all that if he was going to cope with what happened.
Lily scoffed then. I raised an eyebrow back, turning to look at her. A smirk came across her face as she used the poker to open the cure box. It was empty. I glanced at Damon in confusion. "What the hell has this conniving bitch done?" I asked before I could stop myself.
"Well... you see, making Elena, Damon's forever, that's exactly what he wants. That wouldn't be a punishment at all," Lily explained.
"Damon!" A soft shout came. Mine and Damon's eyes nearly popped out. My twin came running into the room with a little jewelry box. "Damon, is this..." she trailed off, looking between us all with a hesitant smile on her face. She knew what it was.
"The cure to vampirism," Lily confirmed. "I left it out for you to find since Damon was never going to offer it to you. And Kenzie apparently wasn't going to mention it's existence either."
Elena's whole face dimmed, dropped into absolute sadness, hurt...betrayal. "Is that true?" She questioned, looking between me and her... boyfriend? Were they together technically? I wasn't sure. I can't keep up with them. Hell, I can barely keep up with my own relationship.
"Elena, I can explain," Damon told her.
"Looks like you three have a lot to talk about," Lily said and I stood in her way before she could go to leave the room.
"You're mad at your son, don't drag me into your plots of revenge," I warned her. "The ascendant will cease to exist soon. But if it doesn't, I'll take you back to 1903 and I will leave you and your un-maternal instincts there."
"Are you threatening me?" She growled.
"Yeah. Because I protect my own. And Damon, Stefan, Elena... They're my family. I won't let you hurt or use them. But I will let you go back to your desiccated friends so you can watch me light them on fire one by one—"
"Kenzie," Damon interjected.
"No. I've had the worst year. Tormented by your brother's bad decision, Kai's evilness, I will not be played with by your shitty mother," I stated firmly.
Lily scowled and walked around me, purposely knocking her shoulder into mine. I reluctantly let her go. She was older. I didn't have much of a chance. I was sure Damon and Elena would help a girl out, but it wasn't worth it. I had bigger plans for her if she kept it up. Sending her back to 1903 and making her suffer the way she's making her own sons suffer.
"Goodnight," I said, going to leave the room as Lily finally left the house because I heard the front door slam a minute later.
"Wait, Kenzie," Damon called after me.
"Let her go. We need to talk," Elena said. She was clearly ready to lecture and argue. So I hurried my way upstairs.
***
"Babe," came a soft murmur with a small shake of my body. I groaned softly, trying to force my way awake even though I wanted to sleep. "Babe, wake up. I'm home."
"Stef?" I called out, slowly sitting up.
"Yeah, it's me."
"Hi," I greeted, turning to see him sitting on the other side of the bed. "Are we talking or making up? Because I really had a rough day and I would rather kiss and hug you."
"Can we do both? My day was hard too," he said. Both of us keeping our voices down. He leaned close, pressing his forehead to mine.
"Yeah, what are you doing here?" I asked. Then I pecked his lips before he could answer. "Oh, I've missed you."
"I've missed you more," he said, his hand cupping the side of my neck before kissing me deeper. I moaned softly, moving to climb into his lap. "Whoa, slow down, Kenz."
"No. If we're not kissing, we're fighting. And I don't want to fight. I want to be happy and in love."
"Well, I love you. And it will make me happy if we talked a little bit. Please? We have a lot to catch up on. And again, I had a hard day."
"And sex isn't going to fix it?" I pouted.
"Kenz," he laughed.
"Daddy," I whined, tugging on his shirt. "Please, please, make love to me."
"Fuck," he groaned, his hand sliding up to tug on my hair, pulling my head back. "You are in for it tonight. And tomorrow morning you're getting up early, and we are talking."
"Yes, daddy," I moaned. "Whatever you want."
His lips crashed on mine, he gave my head a little tug by my hair, and then rolled us to the side so he can be on top of me. Oh, fuck yes.
***
I groaned loudly in frustration. I swatted at the phone pressed to my ear blaring an alarm. My blankets were being stolen from my body, so my other hand held tight. I was cold above my knees currently. And I hadn't opened my eyes or lifted my face from my pillow.
"Kenzie," Stefan called again. "Kenzie, Kenz, wake up! Come on. You've been asking for 10 more minutes for an hour now. Wake up."
"No," I mumbled lowly. And then the blankets left my weak grip. I whined, kicking my legs in a tantrum as I slowly rolled over onto my back in defeat. "What the hell do you want?" I asked, opening my eyes to glare at my husband. Ugh. I was having nice dreams of riding unicorns along the beach with Stefan. My fairytale wedding.
"You said we could talk in the morning."
"Over coffee and waffles, Stefan," I scoffed in disbelief, sitting up now.
"Babe, please," he pouted, sitting down in front of me. On my side of the bed. Ugh. Laying back down was no longer an option because he was in my way. Well maybe I could lay horizontally— "Kenz." Oh, no. He's stealing my puppy dog eyes, and look at his jutted out lip. What a jerk.
"Fine," I caved. "Talk. What about me do I need to change to make you let me sleep in everyday for the rest of our lives?"
"Nothing cause that's never going to happen. School is going to start back up in the fall."
"Yeah, third year. I'm halfway done. But it's spring break aka summer off has started. I would like to sleep all day when we're not having sex."
"We've done that for a summer already, and look where it got us."
"Our lazy, sexy summer is not the reason Damon and Bonnie went to a prison world," I retorted.
Stefan rolled his eyes, placing a hand on my calf and tilting his head. "But we didn't wedding plan that year either. Now look at us."
"At least we are married now though."
"I want a real wedding."
"That's what you want to talk about?"
"Among other things, but yes. We need to plan our wedding."
"We got engaged two years ago, we got drunk on thanksgiving and—"
"And so now we can't have a real wedding?" He sighed, shaking his head and standing up suddenly. I grabbed his hand quickly before he could walk away.
"Of course we can have a real wedding," I stated. "I want that too. Okay?"
"Don't lie to me, Kenzie."
"I'm not lying," I growled. "You're being melodramatic. Sit down and talk to me before I kick your ass for waking me up for no reason."
He huffed and plopped back down. "Do you really want to be married to me? Or do you regret it? Because I'm sorry it was my drunk idea—"
"Stefan, I don't regret it. I want to be your wife. I've wanted that for a long time. Yes, the way we got here is... absolutely pathetically ridiculous. But... that's our lives together. We're messy, we're complicated, but... I love it and I love you."
"I love you too," he smiled softly, squeezing my hand. "And I want a big wedding."
"I want one away from this town."
"I'll go anywhere with you."
I grinned, leaning forward to kiss him, my arms wrapping around his neck. "Good. Because I want it somewhere warm. Cali, Hawaii, Florida, Arizona... It doesn't matter which, you pick."
"We have to look at venues," he said, kissing me again, a little deeper.
"We are going to plan the fuck out of this wedding. But only after Ric and Jo have theirs."
"Ugh."
"We're supposed to be happy for our friends," I scolded him, running my fingers through his soft hair as I got comfortable straddling his lap.
"Speaking of friends... Caroline is—"
"Ahhh! Uh-Uh. No," I said, placing a finger over his mouth now.
"She got her humanity back. I did it. But then she freaked out and ran away. We have to find her. And help her through this."
"No, we don't. We need to leave her alone and let her go. Or this marriage is going to have another setback in healing. I'm serious."
"But—" he mumbled and I smashed my whole palm over his mouth. His eyes met mine and he had a deadpan expression on his face. He waited a few seconds before tugging my hand away to let him speak.
"No, but's," I cut him off from speaking still. "She ran off probably to take some time to think about all she's done. She has a mother to grieve and a performance to prepare for—Apologizing to me. What I am not going to do is chase after her. And I do not want you to either."
"She's our friend. She's alone—"
"Do you want to be alone, Stefan?" I snapped. "You leave her alone. Do you understand me? Or you will not have a big wedding... you will barely have a wife. I am sick of being unhappy, being angry, being tormented by the fact you act like she's more important than me—than anyone or anything!"
"Calm down."
"No!" I yelled, giving him a harsh look. "Promise me you will leave her alone during this time. Let her come back on her own. Do not chase after her."
"Fine."
"I'm serious, Stefan."
"I won't look for her," he said. I wasn't sure I believed him... But if we were going to make this marriage work I needed to trust him. If he's lying, I'll deal with that later.
"Thank you," I said softly. He nodded, placing his hands on my hips. I raised a brow at him. "What else do we need to talk about?"
"You and Tyler."
"There is no me and Tyler. I'm yours."
"Does he know that?"
"Yes," I chuckled, pressing my forehead to his.
"Okay. Then tell me what else is going on. Anything you want to fill me in on? Like Enzo knowing Sarah... and how you hid that from me?"
"Enzo is... a lot to handle. But he's my friend. And he's been dodging me about that. I should call him. I've been meaning to yell at him and I definitely owe him a slap or two."
"Do I want to know why?" He sighed, rubbing my back now. I bit my lip then. I wasn't sure what to tell him. That Enzo knew his mother or was telling Sarah about vampires. God, I was hiding a lot. Bottling it all up. I've been desperately wishing Stefan was with me through all this to share stuff with, take a load off my shoulders. But now? I was scared of how he would react to anything I could tell him.
"Um, I'll let you know after I catch up with him," I replied. Yeah, I'll see what Enzo knows before I tell Stefan, who hates him, anything. "Next topic, your mother. Have you... spoken to her or... anything?"
"Um, no. I haven't had the chance."
"Are you planning to face her?" I asked. He shrugged. "I think you should talk to her before things get any messier. Cause honestly, I hate her."
"What?" He frowned. "Why?"
"I'll explain later. After you talk to her. You get to make your own decisions about Lily."
"Did she do something to you? Or say something that made you—?"
"She's a ripper, Stefan."
"So am I. And you love me. You've stuck by me when I was at my worst."
"No, your worst has been the last couple of months of you acting like a different person. Ripper you is different. And real you is perfect. Your mother? I don't think she has different sides to her. She may very well always be a ripper, physically and in personality."
"What are you not saying, Kenz?" He questioned and I sighed. "Just tell me."
How do you tell this beautiful boy who is too scared to face his mother that she doesn't actually love him? She's just glad to be out of that prison world. How do you say that she doesn't want a relationship with her sons, she wants to bring her heretic friends to the present world? How do you say she's a bitch, a terrible mother, and you want her to get the hell out of her sons lives?
"She's been pestering Damon. She's... not as kind as she's led you to believe. And... what she said to make you turn it back on? Lines Damon gave her to say."
"What?" He frowned.
"Lily was—Look, I don't want to break your heart, Stef. But... it's only fair. Damon had to get it practically slapped in his face... The truth is she was never coming back for you guys. She's a ripper. She killed thousands. A boatload before the Gemini coven stopped her and her freak show friends who wanted to kill the coven first," I told him as gently as I could.
"That was so long ago, Kenzie," he retorted, starting to move me off his lap.
"I know," I said, cupping his face in my hands. "I think you you should speak with her. You need to confront her. You need to decide for yourself what you want to do with her. Because I want to send her back to 1903."
"Absolutely not," he stated.
"You don't know her."
"And you do?"
I sighed, "I know her better than you do."
"She's my mother, Kenzie."
"She's a blackmailing woman who abandoned her children, killed populations of people, and is only hell bent on bringing her murderous friends to our world. What type of mother is that?"
"Okay so she's not your mom. She's a vampire—"
"Don't bring my mother into this."
"Then don't talk about mine."
"I knew this would be a sore subject with you," I said, shaking my head and getting off the bed now. My mood ruined. "You're too sensitive. And you have no idea who she really is. So why don't you find out the hard way. And then talk to me about what we should do."
"Seriously?" He scoffed as I raided the dresser for clothes. I needed a shower and then to get out of here. He needed to find his mother.
"Lily is MIA. Find her. Talk to her. I know it'll hurt, but you need to see the real her. Damon and I can't tell you about it. And when she breaks your heart, remember you have me. Your wife to lean on. Because I love you irrevocably, unconditionally, and I want the best for you. So whatever you want from this woman... I'll give. If you think she's worth redeeming or keeping around... I'll deal."
"Promise?"
"Anything to make you happy."
"Kenz, I don't want you to leave like this."
"Then shower with me. Let's spend our days apart. And regroup later? I have a bachelorette party to plan and then I have to help your brother throw a kegger for Ric so I'm busy. You're not so you have time to find your mom."
"I have to deal with her today?"
I rolled my eyes, giving in, "not if you don't want to."
"I don't want to."
I laughed, couldn't blame him there. "Fine. Let's just shower together.
"Yes!" He cheered.
He ran over, picking me up and carrying me into the en suite while I laughed. Oh, I've missed this. It was complicated right now and tough, but I had faith we'd get through this. We've been through a million other things and made it out together, this will be no different.
"Remember when we first started dating and we said we'd never break up, or let each other go?" I asked him when he put me down.
"And then we did?" He frowned with a small snort in disbelief. "How naïve were we?"
"Very, but I want that energy again. This time it's not an empty promise from people who hadn't faced any challenges. We know who we are now, we've continued to choose each other."
"And I will choose you every day for the rest of lives, wifey," he grinned.
"Ditto, Stefanator. You're mine. Forever. You don't get to leave me. You're stuck taking care of me and loving me for all eternity."
"I wouldn't have it any other way," he said, hugging me now. "I promise we'll be okay, Kenz."
"I know we will," I smiled softly, my left hand gently caressing the skin where my name was tattooed on him. Another sign of our permanent love. No more break ups. No more mess. We had to deal this time around. We had to work it out each time. And I couldn't wait. We'll drive each other insane, things will test us again, but we've seen life without each other and nothing is worse than that.
***
I bit my lip, grinning as I stood around the corner, hiding behind Jo who was being approached by a fake police officer. It took a week to plan it, well to come up with a nice simplistic plans for a bachelorette party. "Dr. Laughlin," He greeted her.
"Yes?" Jo responded.
"Hi, I'm officer Baker. Is there somewhere private we can speak?"
"Sure," she answered. Then the two took a short walk to an open hospital room. I looked over at Bonnie and Elena who were looking over my shoulders. I then gave a nod and we all creeped slowly down the hall to the room where I could hear Jo and the officer still speaking. "What's this about?" Jo questioned.
"I'm here regarding Professor Saltzman. I understand you are engaged to be married."
"Is something wrong?"
"Nope... Everything is just right."
The three of us took off, running into the room just in time for our officer stripper to rip off his pants. "Surprise!" We all yelled.
Bonnie started playing a song, Elena was throwing confetti, and I was ripping open a bag of skittles with my teeth. Some were to throw and some were for me to eat. "Oh, my God. No. I don't think so! No, no, no, this can't be happening," Jo said.
I laughed, dancing around the stripper who helped me sit Jo down in a seat. "Happy bachelorette!" My twin cheered, placing a tiara on Jo's head.
I pulled out the beads out of my little red purse, placing some around Jo's neck. "Happy bachelorette, future Mrs. Saltzman," I grinned at her.
Jo laughed and then the stripper took me by the hand, twirling me around and away before giving Jo a slight, playful lap dance. I pulled out my phone to record. We had only a little bit of time here. We were making a mess of a hospital room and probably disturbing the whole hospital to be honest. Maybe, I didn't think this through but this is where she was, about to get off work. More surprising than fun. She had a date with Ric, it would've been hard for us to steal her away and Damon and Matt to kidnap Alaric.
Twenty minutes later we were all at the diner in Whitmore. I compelled the place to ourselves. So free food, yummy milkshakes, and music from a jukebox. It was this or bowling or movie night. But this involved me getting to eat.
" An entire diner to ourselves? Actual heaven," Jo grinned, biting into a burger.
"If Caroline were here, we would be planning a spa day," Elena said.
"If Caroline were here, I'd stake her a hundred times. Not just because we all don't want a frilly spa day," I spat and Elena grimaced.
"But now, she's MIA," Bonnie tried to make light of it.
"Understandable, considering I'm planning to murder her," I stated, scowling.
"Anyways... Kenzie figured we'd just stuff our faces," Elena chuckled awkwardly.
"Kenzie is a genius," Jo mumbled out through a mouthful.
Bonnie giggled, "Except... aren't you a vegetarian?"
"Bonnie, don't ruin it!" I scoffed, kicking her gently as she sat across from me in a booth.
"I'm just saying, that's not exactly a Garden burger!" Bonnie laughed.
"The baby is not okay with the no-meat thing. Besides, it's my party, and I'll eat what I want to," Jo retorted, taking a sip of her milkshake. "I do wish this was vodka, though."
"Right?" Elena snorted.
"Speak for yourselves I love milkshakes," I smiled, sipping my all the way down. "And I need a refill."
"Hey, I don't want to know what Ric's doing, do I?" Jo asked as I left the table.
"Uh, probably at the... movies..." Bonnie trailed off awkwardly.
"Yeah, or mini-golf...?" Elena threw the idea out.
I started laughing at their pathetic lies. Then the rest of them joined in. "Uh-huh," Jo uttered in disbelief. Obviously. "I need ketchup!" She jumped to her feet and bumped hips with me as I passed her on my way back from getting another chocolate milkshake.
"So, are we gonna talk about it?" Bonnie was asking my twin as she sat down.
"What?" Elena frowned in confusion.
"Seriously? You're gonna make your best friend have to pry it out of you?" Bonnie continued with the questions. My twin still seemed puzzled. "I know about the cure, Elena."
"You do?" My twin gasped and I rolled my eyes. Yeah, she's the one who got it. "How is it even possible?"
"Damon called me last night and he told me everything, including his insane plan to take it with you," Bonnie replied.
"W-what?!" I spat, milkshake spitting out of my mouth all over the table and my plate and a little bit of it on Bonnie.
"Damon called you?" Elena asked surprised, handing out napkins. I scoffed. Yeah, and not me? The person he offered the cure to before. And I know that he knew I actually wanted to take it.
"He needed someone to talk to after you left the conversation without telling him what you were thinking!" Bonnie explained.
"You just left him hanging?" I asked, shaking my head. I stood from the table then, turning my back to them and blinking away tears. That's the most romantic thing a vampire could do. I would do anything for a perfect human life for Stefan and I. But our relationship is a ship that's taken on so much water it was begging to sink. The last thing we needed was a a house that I knew Stefan would dedicate enormous amounts of time renovating and kids to worry about.
"That's not exactly how it happened," Elena murmured, embarrassed.
"And I quote, 'She stared at me like I was an alien, and then basically teleported out of the room.' So, explain," Bonnie said.
"Damon Salvatore stands in front of you and tells you that he wants to become a human again. Wouldn't you freak out?" Elena quipped. I guess she had a point. "I just... I needed some time to process. I mean, twenty-four hours ago, I didn't even think it was possible to become a human again."
"But you want to be human again," I stated, pulling myself together and sitting back down next to my twin.
"Yeah!" Elena answered immediately. "Well, I did... Honestly, it's all just very complicated right now."
"You guys aren't full, are you?" Jo interrupted us.
"Kind of," Elena admitted as her and Bonnie smiled sheepishly.
"I could eat for three days straight without stopping and not be full," I scoffed, picking up my burger and devouring it in a few bites. I needed food to drown my sorrows because we didn't have alcohol and now I desperately wanted it. Ugh, I was turning into Damon.
Pfft. Who would I drink with once he's human? He'll be wasted after a couple rounds. Or not drinking cause he's working some job or playing house with his kids? Who am I to talk? If I was human... that's what I'd be doing.
My phone ringing, interrupted my buffet. I was hoping it was Stefan. I wanted him to make me feel better. I wanted to tell him how his–our brother was a piece of shit. It's been tense between us all week. We wake up in bed together, make small talk, go our separate ways, meet up at home, share a few kisses, and go to sleep.
I think we're both avoiding each other to continue avoiding the fact that our marriage is still in shambles. Because if we talk about all the bullshit, we'll fight, and I don't know if I can take another fight. I don't know if I can face what either of us did or how much pain he's caused me.
My eyes widened at the caller ID: My best mate. Enzo. "Excuse me," I told the girls, standing up and walking away from them to answer. "I haven't heard from you in forever. Where the hell have you been?" I asked him.
"Well, no time to explain. I'm currently looking at your pathetic husband–"
"What are you doing in my bedroom?" Stefan cut him off in the background.
"Stefan?" I raised my voice, confused.
"Kenzie?" He questioned back.
"I just thought I'd tell my sexy mate how her husband is leaving voicemails for another girl. Because I figured she'd want to know that," Enzo said.
"What?" I growled. "You're calling Caroline?"
"Apparently for awhile now. And he thinks she should come home because her being away is really crappy timing for him and his problems," Enzo reiterated.
"And now you've caused another one. Kenz, I can explain," Stefan was saying.
I slipped out the diner, scoffing in disbelief. "Don't, I'm on my way. We can talk about this when I get there. Alone. And Enzo, thanks for looking out for me, mate," I said.
"You deserved to know. You're one of the most amazing people I have ever met. I care about you. I don't think you should be second best to the man you're with," Enzo replied and I smiled softly.
"That and you rather me be mad at something other than how you've been dodging me lately," I retorted. "I know you mean what you said. But I see right through you. We're best mates according to my caller ID you've labeled. And I also know you're up to something. What is it? Why are you bothering my husband? I may want to kill him sometimes, but I will torture you to the brink of death if a hair on his head is out of place or you so much as insult him to the point of his incessant brooding."
"Oh, believe me, there are a number of places I'd rather be... Strapped to a gurney, having my spleen cut out, for instance! Unfortunately for me, I'm here because his mother needs his help," Enzo said and I furrowed my eyebrows, continuing to walk down the street.
"My mother?" Stefan questioned.
"Apparently, her beloved Ascendant's been destroyed. She's in bad shape. Could use a bit of your time."
"What the hell do you know about my mother?"
"I'll explain in the car. She's at the Grill. Meet us there, love," Enzo said before the line went dead. Ugh. Well, I was a little over the party. I sent the girls all a text that a Stefan sized emergency was keeping me away. That was the best excuse there was. My failing marriage I was trying to save. I'm pretty sure that's how everyone else saw it.
How I saw it? A broken, confused shell of who we were together. A couple drifted apart from space and time along with anguish and distractions. Two people who were holding their emotions back and were sure to explode soon. A young married couple tiptoeing around the broken pieces.
~Picture: Stefan and Kenzie making out
Soooo??? Damon offered Kenzie the cure. What do we think about that? Should she take it? Would she take it? Or will Elena? What will Stefan think about her refusing it?
Actually what do we think about Stefan? #Stenzie has been making out, but it doesn't mean they've made up. It doesn't look like it either. Fighting over Caroline is one thing, but now about his mom?
Let's hope #Stenzie gets it together soon. They both love each other, want a dream wedding, but they're lacking in passion and depth. Problems to resolve and romance to rekindle. Is happiness or pain in their cards next?