“So this is good-bye…” Lynnsey said.
”Yep… I’m sure I’ll be back to visit after the tour,” Kevin replied solemnly.
”Pray for my dad, OK?” Lynnsey said.
”Every day. You have my number if anything happens…” Kevin said.
“Yes.” Lynnsey paused, and then reached out to him. “I’m going to miss seeing you every day,” she told him.
He hugged her. “You have Ross here, remember? Don’t fret about it,” Kevin said, forcing a smile.
“Bye,” Lynnsey said.
“Bye.” Kevin turned and walked away, and then looked back. Lynnsey smiled at him, and he smiled back. Then he continued walking until he reached the elevator. And then he was gone.
Lynnsey sighed and went back to the waiting room. Kevin had surprised them all by dropping by only a week ago. He had spent every day of that week at the hospital with them.
The following day was Thanksgiving, and Ross was going to stay for it.
“Kevin left?” Lynnsey’s mother asked when Lynnsey got back.
“Yep,” Lynnsey replied.
Her mother eyed her. “You sure you don’t want to go to the airport with him, see him off there?” she asked.
Lynnsey gave her mother a peculiar look. “Why would I do that?”
Lynnsey’s mother smiled down at the magazine she was reading. “Oh, I don’t know,” she replied slyly. “Just a suggestion.”
Lynnsey smiled coyly at her mother’s weirdness and then noticed that Ross was not around. “Where’s Ross?”
“He went to go get me and your grandma some tea from the cafeteria.”
“Oh.” Lynnsey sat down on the couch and picked up the book she’d been reading for the past 3 days, Emma by Jane Austen.
“Your grandmother just loves Kevin,” Lynnsey’s mom commented.
“I noticed,” Lynnsey replied. Lynnsey’s grandma had fawned over Kevin since the first day he had arrived in Tampa.
“She thinks Ross is a little hardheaded, though,” her mom said.
“What are you trying to get at, mom?” Lynnsey asked.
“Oh… nothing. I’m just making conversation, honey,” her mom replied.
Lynnsey just rolled her eyes. Her mom just smiled.
Howie waited nervously at La Madeleine for Kara. What if she didn’t show up? Then she appeared in the doorway, and he smiled.
“Sorry I’m late. The traffic flow coming from Tampa was really busy. I guess everyone’s going places for Thanksgiving,” Kara commented.
“Yeah.”
“How have you been?” Howie asked.
“Really good, actually. I was thrilled to see my family, including all six of my brothers, who all drive me crazy.”
Howie laughed. “I have a big family, too.”
“I didn’t know that,” Kara said.
“It’s true.”
“So we have something in common,” Kara said.
“We have a lot of things in common,” Howie replied smoothly.
“Oh? What else do we have in common?” Kara challenged.
“We both come from Orlando… we both are in our mid-twenties and are still single, we both… well, we both know Chris Kirkpatrick well…” Howie laughed.
Kara’s jaw dropped open. How did he know?!…
“I got into a conversation with your cousin, JC, at a charity event 2 weeks ago. He mentioned how he had a cute older cousin Kara Kimball, and I mentioned how I knew a Kara Kimball, and we found that she was one in the same. And then he just told me some basic stuff, including how you dated Chris. I went to college with Chris,” Howie said.
Kara shook her head, smiling. “What are the odds?”
“I don’t know. What I do want to know is…” Howie leaned in, and turned serious. “Is your relationship with Chris the relationship you were talking about before when you said that a relationship with a famous person hadn’t worked for you?”
Kara nodded.
“Well… I just want to let you know that… I am the complete opposite of Chris.”
Kara nodded.
“And maybe the problem wasn’t that he was famous, but that he just wasn’t the right one. You know what I mean?”
Kara nodded, looking into his eyes.
“And maybe if I do this… you won’t slap me…” and before Kara could try to grasp what Howie meant by that statement, he leaned across the table and kissed her.
She burst out laughing.
“What?” Howie asked defensively.
“I like you,” Kara said, laughing.
After Thanksgiving, the boys went back to their final all-day dance rehearsals before the tour. They were grueling, 10 hour rehearsals. The first day back was especially hard on AJ.
“AJ! You’re not keeping up!” Fatima Robinson, their long-time choreographer, scolded.
AJ just muttered an obscenity directed at himself under his breath, and kept on trying. His heart was still aching, and his focus was elsewhere.
Nick was the opposite, putting even more hard work into his dancing than usual. He was just happier than ever before, and it was partly because he was just happy about his relationship with Gretchen, and partly because he was happy that he had turned over a new leaf about being a cheater and his conscious was clear.
After the first hour, Fatima could tell that the guys need a break.
“OK guys, take 5. You’re doing fine!” she encouraged.
Brian plopped down on the floor and wiped sweat off of his brow. “I am sooooo out of shape!” he said.
Kevin laughed. “You should work out like me,” he said.
Brian shrugged.
“By the way, Kev, I hear that you just disappeared for a week to Tampa. What’s up with that?” Nick asked.
“It was just a visit down there, to get away from… here,” Kevin replied.
“Yeah, sure…” Howie said, sarcastically.
“Well, if you nosy people must know, the mayor of Tampa is in the hospital with cancer, and I befriended the family when I went down there for the fundraiser. I just wanted to check up on them, and give them company and support.”
“That’s nice of you, Kev,” Brian said. “Why didn’t you just tell me that to begin with?”
“I don’t know.”
“There’s got to be more than that, Kevin. You were getting really defensive!”
“Well, there is a girl in the family… she’s 22… *the guys started smiling slyly* and I just knew that you guys would take it the WRONG way…”
“You’re blushing, Kevin!” Nick said laughing.
Kevin rolled his eyes. “I’m going to get some water,” he said huffily, and walked away.
“So defensive…” Brian said, laughing.
“How are things with you and Michelle?” Nick asked.
“Great! In fact, I talked to her this morning, and we decided that I’m going to go to Los Angeles to visit her the day after Christmas.”
“Really? I’m going to Georgia a few days before Christmas to see Gretchen and meet her family.”
Brian laughed. “Uh-oh, meeting the family, huh? This is serious.”
“It is,” Nick said.
“I just can’t believe this new you,” Brian chuckled. “What’s happened to my womanizer best friend?”
“Don’t say that. It’s not like I don’t struggle. I can’t help but check out other girls and stuff, and I’m sure that Gretchen does the same with guys. But I’m keeping my hands to myself. My eyes are the only things that will stray, and that is the vow that I have made.”
Brian just shook his head and laughed.
“Hey guys,” Howie said, coming over to them.
“Hey Kara,” Brian replied.
“Grow up,” Howie joked.
“So you got Claudia a job on the tour?” Nick asked.
“Yep. She’s a wardrobe girl,” Howie said.
“Won’t that be weird, having your ex on the tour, though? And what if she still has a thing for you? Does she know about your new thing with Kara?” Nick asked.
“No, me and Claud are friends. And I don’t have to worry about her having a thing for me …” Howie trailed off.
“What do you mean? She has a thing for someone else in the group?” Nick asked, looking worried.
“Don’t worry, Mr. Conceited, she doesn’t like you,” Howie told him. Nick breathed a sigh of relief.
“The last thing I need is a chick chasing after me. And I am not conceited,” Nick said. “I’m just… concerned.”
“Sure,” Brian said. “Who is it, then?”
“Don’t tell him, but… it’s Kevin.”
“Uh-oh!” Brian practically shouted.
“Shut up!” Howie said.
“Thank God. Kevin needs some booty,” Brian said.
Nick burst out laughing. “I can’t believe you said the word ‘booty’!”
“All right guys!” Fatima shouted, entering the room. “Let’s get back to work!”
Nick was still trying to get over what Brian had said. AJ glared at them. Mostly because he was jealous that they were laughing, having fun, while he was miserable. He had gone off by himself during the break.
“Carter! Do we have a problem?” Fatima asked.
Nick put on a serious expression. “No.”
“Good. Let’s start with the dance for No One Needs To Know .” No One Needs To Know was a song on the new album, and it was about a guy having a relationship with a girl who already has a boyfriend.
The music started, and the guys began practicing again.
In a rehearsal hall about 5 miles away, Kayla Norman was practicing as well.
And the group, BBMak, who were originally opening for Britney Spears but then switched to the BSB tour, were getting ready as well. The tour was one to prepare for, because it was going to be huge.
4 WEEKS LATER
Nick picked Gretchen up in a huge embrace, and kissed her hard. He didn’t care that they were in the middle of the Atlanta airport and that people were probably looking at them.
“I have missed you SO much!” Gretchen said in his ear as they hugged.
“Me too,” he replied.
“Let’s get out of here before we’re recognized,” Nick said.
They got Nick’s one piece of luggage and then headed for Gretchen’s car in the parking lot. Nick made sure to grab her hand.
“You’re so affectionate,” Gretchen laughed.
He kissed her neck. “No I’m not.”
“How was the flight?” Gretchen asked getting into the driver’s seat.
“Typical. I wanted it to go by faster so I could be with you.” Nick leaned over and kissed her again.
“You really missed me, didn’t you?” she asked, amused.
“What do you think?” Nick asked.
“We’ll catch up on our catching up later,” Gretchen said, coyly. “My family gives me a lot of privacy.”
Nick grinned. “I can’t wait. So I’m going to meet your parents, your brother, and your two sisters, as well as your grandparents and maybe a cousin here and there?”
“Sounds right. They all know who you are, and are excited to death. Especially my 12-year-old sister, Nadia. She’s in love with AJ, though, not you.”
Nick clutched his heart and pretended to be hurt. “Man.”
“I know you’re disappointed,” Gretchen said jokingly.
They arrived 20 minutes later to Gretchen’s parent’s two-story farmhouse, set in the middle of rolling hills. It was very pretty, very cozy looking.
Nick all of a sudden felt shy, and timidly followed Gretchen into the house.
“Mom! Dad! We’re here!”
A blonde-headed girl, a mini-Gretchen practically ran into the foyer. As soon as she saw them, she stopped, and tried to play it off.
“This is Nadia,” Gretchen said, smiling.
“Hi Nadia,” Nick said, motioning for a hug. Nadia practically fainted.
Gretchen laughed. Then, an older looking version of Gretchen appeared.
“This is my mom,” Gretchen said.
“Hello, Nick,” she said. Nick gave her a hug as well.
“It’s nice to meet you,” Nick said politely.
Gretchen’s dad entered the room shortly after and shook hands with Nick, and then Gretchen’s brother and other sister followed.
“Why don’t you have a seat in the living room? Supper’s almost ready,” Gretchen’s mom said.
Nick smiled, and he and Gretchen went into the living room. On the mantle over the fireplace were pictures of Gretchen and her siblings, including a dancing picture of Gretchen when she was a toddler.
“You were so cute when you were little,” Nick said. Gretchen was about to say thank you when he added, “Where did those looks go?” He laughed, and said, “I’m joking. You’re beautiful!” She pretended to be mad, and didn’t respond. He started to nibble on her ear to try to make it up to her, and she let him.
He stopped when someone cleared their throat. He looked up and saw Gretchen’s mom standing in the doorway. “Dinner’s ready,” she said.
Nick turned beet red and immediately distanced himself from Gretchen. He did NOT want Gretchen’s mom to think that he was after Gretchen for only physical reasons, somewhat like Brandon.
Brian packed for his two-day trip to Kentucky to be with his family at Christmas, and then for his one-day trip to Los Angeles to see Michelle. He thought about how after this visit he would only see Michelle about once during the next 4 months. That reality hadn’t quite hit him yet, but he’d have to get used to it. Oh… touring. The ‘Millennium’ tour had been SO exhausting, and he didn’t know of they had enough energy for a tour like that again.
It was set to be a good show, with BBMak and Kayla opening, and then there were a lot of special effects that were planned. A lot more than they had ever used, actually.
Brian finished packing and then started getting ready to head for the airport. Kevin was coming along with him as well to see his family.
He was almost out the door when the phone rang. Brian contemplated letting the answering machine get it, but then sighed, put his bags down, and went to the phone.
“Hello?” he answered.
“Hi Brian,” a female voice said.
Brian nearly had a heart attack. “Leighanne!!??”
“Yes. How are you?”
“I’m… I’m fine. Just a little surprised. And you?”
“I’m doing well. Are you going to Kentucky for Christmas?” she asked.
“Yes, I’m about to leave for the airport,” Brian said.
“Well, then I’ll let you go. I just called to say ‘Merry Christmas,’” Leighanne said.
“Merry Christmas to you too, Leighanne,” Brian said.
“OK. Bye.”
“Bye.”
Brian hung up the phone and went back to his suitcases. He would have to look at that picture of Michelle a LOT.