I Can't Explain

Heminevrin

22 August, 1978

Of course, The Who went on tour, but I didn't go. I stayed at home and slept, cleaned, and slept for the months Keith was gone. He called me almost every day, telling me of the wild parties and pranks and all the shit he would pull. Without Keith around, life was extremely boring. I mean, having Karen and my other friends to talk to helped, but many days I was lonely.
Keith came home, though, and things took a turn for the worst.
Keith had started drinking again. This time, Pete said, more than he ever had in the past (that's a lot of alcohol, if you think about it). I loved Keith, and he knew that, so when we went to a doctor, Keith didn't object.
The doctor prescribed him Heminevrin, which would help with his alcohol cravings. He could take up to three per day, whenever he felt the need to take a drink. Everything went well; I made sure Keith took his medicine, and he made sure not to take too much. Things were going great for us.
"What's on The telle tonight?" Keith asked me as we both flopped onto the couch.
"Same ole, same ole, news, politics, the usual." I sigh.
"Kenleigh?"
"Hmm?"
"When did you realize you loved me? Like, at what moment?" Keith asked.
"I told you before, remember?" I reply. "Yeah, but when did you realize you wanted to spend the rest of your life with me?"
How innocently Keith said that made melt for the trillionth time in my life.
"Well, I think perhaps it was when you told me how you felt about me, the night after I confessed I loved you. I mean, before then I knew I was in love with you... But I wasn't able to be sure until I knew you felt the same. If that makes any sense at all."
Keith smiles and kisses my temple. "It makes sense. I remember that night like it was yesterday."
"When did you realize you loved me?" I ask.
"Your fifteenth birthday, when I got you that ring?"
-Keith handed me a small, ball-shaped, paper-wrapped object. "Happy birthday!"
I opened it to reveal a small, purple ring from a gumball machine. It was cheesy, but I rather liked it.-
"How could I forget that day?" I smile. Standing up, I go to the record player and put on The Kinks' "Lola". I turn to Keith and smile, gesturing for him to join me to dance. He does and we slow dance to several songs that night. It was a good night.
We went to bed around 1:30, and I curled up next to Keith, using his arm for a pillow.
"Are you gonna sleep on the couch again tonight?"
"Only if you snore," I smile. Last night, Keith wouldn't stop snoring so I slept on the couch.
"I don't want to be lonely!" Keith fake-pouted.
I kissed him. "Don't worry, babe, just keep it down, it's like a sawmill over there."
Keith switches off the light and cuddles me closer to him.
"You know that I love you a lot, right?"
"I know. Because I love you to the moon and back."
"To myself and back? How does that work?"
"Shut up, Keithie."
"Kenleigh?"
"What?"
"Whatever happens in life, I will always love you."
"I'll always love you, Keith Moon."