Sarah and Kevin 16

February

"OK, you guys," Sarah said one evening as they sat down to dinner. "Saturday is Valentine's Day and I have a wedding to go to. So, I'd like to trade Sunday for Saturday. I'll cook on Sunday instead, OK?"

"Are you going alone?" Peter asked.

"No. Mark invited me. That's why he was here a couple weeks ago," she said to Kevin. He nodded.

"Mark is your brother-in-law, right?" Peter asked.

"Right," she said and took a bite of her roll.

"He seems really protective of you," Peter said. Sarah nodded and rolled her eyes.

"Is there something going on between you?" Peter asked.

Kevin could see her carefully weighing her answers.

"That's a little personal don't you think?" Sarah asked.

"I just want to know where I stand," Peter answered with a slow smile.

Kevin gritted his teeth. Scott and Tom looked like they had stopped breathing. All eyes were on Sarah.

Sarah's eyes narrowed and her jaw clenched. "My relationship with Mark has little to nothing to do with where you stand, Mr. Tansara. But for the record, no, there's nothing between us." Her tone dripped like water from a melting icicle. The smile fell from Peter's face. He raised his hands.

"Alright. Sorry. Didn't mean to piss you off," he said. He didn't sound sorry at all.

"Apology accepted," Sarah said. "So is Saturday OK with everyone." They all answered in the affirmative.

Kevin couldn't keep the smile off his face for the rest of the meal.

After dinner, Peter couldn't get downstairs fast enough.

Kevin waited until Peter was at the bottom and turned to smile at Sarah. "You really put him in his place." he said, laughing.

Sarah sighed. "I didn't want to, but he left me no choice. Why does he have to talk to me like that?"

"Don't feel bad. His ego is plenty big. He'll recover fine." Kevin said, ruefully.

"I suppose," Sarah answered.

They finished the dishes quickly and in silence.

Kevin turned to her. "You know why he talks to you like that. He's trying to wear you down so that..." Kevin couldn't finish the sentence.

"I know. I keep trying to make my purpose clear and it's like he doesn't even hear me." She sighed again. "Maybe I went about this mentoring thing all wrong." She looked down at the floor.

Kevin reached out and grabbed her shoulders. She looked up at him, startled. "Sarah, don't say that. You have no idea how thankful we all are for you. Even Peter.

"I thought my life was over. I was going to go back to Madison and get a regular job and never get what I really wanted. You came out of nowhere like...an angel and saved me. Even if we never get the break we need, even if I still end up going home and getting a regular job, I will always be thankful for what you have done." He had to whisper to keep his voice from shaking.