Kevin

“Can you keep a secret?” My sister Sarah asked as she stuck her head around my bedroom door. I looked up from trying to concentrate on my school homework and replied, “Of course, I can,” while thinking, I know you can’t, or you wouldn’t be telling me now. “What’s it about this time? Sarah was always confiding her and anyone else’s secrets in me and then she’d generally spread them all over Facebook, while telling me not to tell anyone!

“It’s about Mum.”

“What about Mum?”

“I think she’s having an affair.”

“Don’t be daft. What on earth makes you think that?”

“I heard her on her phone the other day. She was talking to Val, her friend who works in the corner shop. I heard her tell Val she couldn’t wait to see Kevin.”

“Well who on earth is Kevin? I don’t know anyone around here with that name. I’ve never heard Mum speak of any Kevin before either.”

“Shall we tell Dad Linda?”

“For goodness sake no Sarah. That’s the last thing we want to do.”

“Well what can we do about it then? I mean, if Dad should ever find out I don’t know what might happen.”

“We’ve got to discover the truth Sarah. You said you heard her mentioning Kevin on her phone. We need to know who this Kevin is. Investigate it first and then we can think of what to do next.”

“How can we investigate it?” Asked Sarah.

I thought hard and then told Sarah my idea. “We can try and get hold of Mum’s phone and look at the texts and numbers and maybe can find out exactly who he is.”

“But Mum keeps her phone locked and I don’t know the pass code. Do you Linda?”

“No, I don’t.” I had to think again. Plan B. “Sarah, one of us could distract Mum quickly while she’s using her phone. Then we can grab it and go through the messages and numbers.”

“But who’s going to do what Linda?”

“I know, we’ll wait until she’s talking on her phone, then I’ll come running down with my homework and say I can’t do it and get all panicky and stuff so that she helps me. You’re very quick on your mobile, so you can get Mum’s phone and go through her numbers and texts while she’s distracted. Does that sound a good idea?”

“That’s great. We’ll just have to wait for the best moment.”

…..

Two days later I heard Mum talking on her phone to someone. She was in the kitchen. I sneaked into Sarah’s bedroom and told her to hurry up as the game was on. Then I tiptoed back into my bedroom grabbed my homework and we both ran downstairs.

I crept behind Mum and then said, in a loud voice, “Mum, Mum, can you help me please? I can’t do my homework and it’s got to be in by tomorrow.”

Mum was not happy at being interrupted. “Can’t you see I’m on my phone. I’m busy. Won’t it wait Linda?”

“No Mum. I’ve got to hand it in tomorrow morning.” I gigged about on my toes and tried very hard to make a nuisance of myself.

“Oh, come on then. I’ll speak with you later, Val.” Mum said and then grabbed my homework book. “What can’t you do?”

“It’s maths Mum. I don’t understand algebra.”

“Well you know I’m no good at maths and algebra either. You’ll have to wait until your Dad gets home.” She pushed the book back into my face.

“Sarah! What are you doing with my phone?”

“I was just looking at the pretty picture you had on the front of Linda and me, that’s all.”

“Well you just keep your nose out of my business and my phone. I don’t go looking in yours now do I?”

“No Mum but you know my pass code to get into my phone.”

“Then change it my girl. That’s all you have to do-change it.”

“Yes Mum,” Sarah sulked.

I followed Sarah back upstairs. We sank our sad bodies into my bed.

“Did you find anything Sarah?”

“No. I don’t know the numbers on Mum’s phone so I couldn’t say if any were odd ones. There were no texts with the name Kevin on them.”

I was perplexed. What were we to do now?

“What can we do now Sarah?” I asked.

“I guess we’ll just have to wait for another opportunity. Maybe keep our eyes and ears open as well.”

“We can check the mail.” I said. “Let’s make sure we are downstairs before Mum is when the postman comes.”

“That’s a fantastic idea, Linda.” And embarrassingly Sarah gave me a huge hug.

…..

A week went by with nothing much happening, and I had almost forgotten about Kevin and Mum’s affair when Sarah charged into my bedroom looking frantic.

“Linda, Linda. I’ve just heard Mum on her phone to Val again and she said she would meet her at the cinema next Friday night to see Kevin. I heard her loud and clear. She’s going to meet Kevin! What can we do Linda, what can we do?” Tears were bubbling up in Sarah’s eyes, so I cuddled her for a couple of minutes.

“It’s all right Sis, we’ll sort this out. Look, we’ll follow Mum to the cinema. I expect she’s going to the main one in town so that will be easy. We’ll just have to be discreet.”

“But what can we tell Dad?”

“I don’t think Dad will be here for the next two weekends as he’s got some conferences to go to. So, we’ll be on our own. It’s going to be all right Sarah. We’ll find out all about this Kevin and Mum’s affair as soon as we can.”

…..

The Friday of the cinema visit arrived. Sarah came into my bedroom so that we could listen out for Mum getting ready in hers. We also hid our shoes and coats under my bed so that we could get them on quickly. Mum came into the bedroom and we both sat looking busy doing our homework. Mum said she would be off shortly, and we must behave and not stay up too late. Mum also said she would be late home as she would probably go for a little night cap with Val in the restaurant near the cinema. Sarah and I gave each other a knowing look. We both knew Mum would not be going to the restaurant with Valerie but with the dreaded Kevin. As soon as we heard the front door close, we put on our shoes and coat and headed downstairs and out the door. Mum was already at the bottom of the road. It was dark but we could see her meet up with Val as they stood by the lamppost on the corner of the street.

Sarah and I dodged in and out of people’s driveways as we crept along behind Mum and Val. It was imperative we did not give ourselves away.

We turned the last corner and watched Mum and Val go into the cinema. Then we hurried over the road, made sure they were nowhere to be seen and went to buy our tickets. Luckily it was rated PG-13 and no-one questioned us about our age. Sarah is thirteen and I am fourteen but we both look much older than that.

We waited until a group of people were going in and we hid ourselves among them. Luckily, they all went to the back of the theatre. We had decided to sit as far to the rear as possible so that we could get a good view of Mum when she met Kevin.

We had a good vantage point of where Mum and Val were, and we settled down to watch the film. I was longing to buy some popcorn and Sarah kept saying she wanted a drink, but we just had to sit it out. We were on an important mission to save Mum and Dad’s marriage.

The film began and both Sarah and I were mesmerised by it. We both cried and little and forgot all about Mum and Val. Then the lights went up and Mum and Val had disappeared.

We both rushed out the doors and kept ourselves hidden in the hordes of people exiting the building. Once outside the cinema again I saw Mum arm in arm with Val and they were heading for the restaurant Mum had told us about. I poked Sarah because she appeared to be falling asleep on her feet. She nodded when I pointed out Mum and Val.

“What shall we do?” Sarah asked.

“We’ll have to follow them. Kevin is probably already waiting in the restaurant.”

Once again, we crept along dodging in and out of shop doorways. We did not want to blow our cover. On seeing Mum and Val enter the restaurant we decided to cross over the road and stand behind a large oak tree so that we could get a good view of the interior. We were lucky in that Mum and Val were sitting at a table in the window. Our mouths began to water, and our tummies rumble as we watched them order starter and then mains. Kevin was nowhere to be seen.

We were both feeling rather cold, disappointed and hungry now and so we decided to go home.

“I’m going to confront Mum in the morning.” Sarah said as she stomped along beside me.

“I’m not sure if that’s a good idea, Sarah. I think we need to use different tack ticks.”

…..

The following morning, I heard Mum downstairs in the kitchen and then Sarah’s bedroom door open and close with a bang. I dived out of bed, put on my dressing gown and dashed to the kitchen. There was Sarah with her hands on her hips.

“Mum, are you having an affair?”

“What a silly question child. Of course not. Whatever gives you that idea?”

“Kevin.”

“Kevin?”

“I overheard you loads of times telling Val you were going to see Kevin. You went out with him last night, didn’t you?”

“Well you cheeky little suspicious blighter, I went to see the film Dances With Wolves-STARRING KEVIN COSTNER! Do you really think I would betray your Dad? Is that what you think of me?”

Sarah was blushing. I watched as she rushed toward Mum and hugged her. “Sorry Mum. I was so worried when you kept mentioning Kevin and I didn’t want you and Dad to split up.”

“Kevin Costner-he’s my favourite actor. That’s all I went to see. Come on girls let me get you a nice breakfast. What say we have a good old fry up and no more talk of affairs please.”

Luckily Mum saw the funny side and I did too. I also felt a great relief. We didn’t dare tell Mum we had been at the cinema. It was a fantastic film and now Kevin Costner is also our favourite actor.