Three Years

three

After hearing her father's name for the first time, Sierra wouldn't stop asking questions which Kirstin answered as honestly as possible. She told Sierra about her aunt Esther and her uncle Josh, about her other grandmother called Shelly and grandfather called Michael. Of course, when she asked out of curiosity where her father was and why he wasn't living with them, Kirstin couldn't answer that. She made up some feeble fib that he was working somewhere overseas and couldn't live with them. She couldn't bare to tell her daughter that her father didn't even know she existed.

Taking all of this new information in and working on her project the whole day made the small girl very sleepy, very quickly. So at an hour before Sierra's actual bed time, Kirstin sang her a lullaby and instantly she was out like a light. "Goodnight, my love," Kirstin whispered and kissed her forehead sweetly before closing the bedroom door quietly. 

Stepping into the kitchen to grab some hot tea so she could wind down with a book, Kirstin glanced at her phone and noticed that her right hand man, Kevin, had left her two missed calls. 

It's only like, eleven in the morning over there. It must be quite urgent, she thought to herself with a frown.

Surprisingly, when the band split up, she and Kevin remained good friends. Best friends.

She always thought that herself, Scott and Mitch would forever be the iconic trio, but once Pentatonix ended they all went their separate ways. Scott moved to Japan as a solo singer with his two husbands, Mitch got a modelling contract... they all made it big.

Except for her. 

She was a single mom, working from home as she taught online. Her solo career flopped, her dreams of being on Broadway were left in the dust. Her two best friends had left her for the fame. She didn't even have their phone numbers anymore, and that broke her heart.

Kevin was basically Kirstin's diary. She told him all about the situation with Avi when it happeed and he listened intently and gave great advice. He was actually the only one who knew she had a daughter, besides her mother, of course. Although Sierra had never met Kevin in person, she loved talking to him over the phone and they formed a close bond. 

She dialled Kevin's number and he picked up after two rings. "Kirst! Just the lady I'm looking for." Kirstin could practically hear his smile through the phone. 

"Hey, Kev, is everything okay? You called me twice so I figured it must be important."

"Everything's perfect, I just called to tell you that Alyssa and I finally set a date for our wedding," Kevin said cheerfully and Kirstie gave a squeal of excitement. Kevin and hisfiancée, Alyssa, had been engaged for a long time, so she was happy to know they were finally tying the knot. 

"Aww, that's great Kevin. I'm so happy for the two of you!" Kirstie replied, grinning from ear to ear. She was just happy that out of the two of them, at least one person had a successful love life.

"So..." Kevin paused and said a quick prayer before he asked the big question. "Do you think you would be able to come down to Los Angeles for the wedding?" He asked quickly.

Kirstin let out a long exhale and looked up at the ceiling, "There are so many memories in that city, Kevin... I don't know if I can face it."

"Please, Kirst, it would mean a lot to the both of us. It just won't be the same without you there," her best friend pleaded through the phone. He practically sounded like he was willing to get on his knees.

Kirstin hesitated before asking quietly, "Will Avi be there?" 

She wanted to support her best friend, she really did, but she didn't know if she would be able to cope with seeing him after all these years. She was scared, if she was being honest. Scared that if she saw him, she would melt like she did every time she was around him, and fall straight back into his cheating, deceiving arms.

Kevin sighed, he knew the question was coming so he was prepared. "Yes, but I promise you won't have to see him that much. Probably just at the reception you'll bump into him and if he gives you any hassle, you come straight to me. Just please come, Kirstie. I need my best friend at my wedding."

Kirstin put the phone away from her ear for a little bit in order to think about the situation properly. She felt so selfish after hearing Kevin beg. She shouldn't have to ditch his wedding just because she had some issues with a certain guest there. A true friend would put their issues aside and put on a brave face and she wanted to be a true friend.

"Kirstie? You still there?"

"Hey, Kevin?"

"Yeah?"

"I'll be there."