"Here, again, alone," Brian said to his empty living room as he absent-mindedly flipped through the channels on the T.V. He shut off the T.V and tossed the remote aside as he pulled his feet up on the couch.
In the last four months, Brian had been on tour with his band mates, the Backstreet Boys, having not a single minute free until now. He scratched his head thoughtfully and got up. Coming back to his house on the water had been a wise decision for him. He needed to relax and coming here was having that full effect on his over-tired body.
Brian walked over to the large bay window and took in the breath-taking scene of the ocean waves crashing upon the beach as if the water itself longed to be free from the ocean. Brian smiled to himself. It'll be nice to have time to myself, he thought. He turned to the right now facing the house next door, the only other house on the beach.
I wish someone would move there, Brian thought, while taking in the appearance of the house. The place had been there since he could remember. When he had picked this beach to build his house on, he had intentionally picked the spot next to the empty, and almost eerie, house. He wasn't totally sure why but, he'd had a feeling that the house would play some important part in his life, but he didn't know when and he didn't know how.
The house itself was smaller than his, but it was just as grand. The porch in the backyard had a beautiful patio, perfect for having a cookout with some friends or just for laying out.
Brian had always yearned for someone to move there. After all, he just wanted a little normalcy in his blessed life and an ordinary next-door neighbor would be good enough for him. Brian knew he would never give up his fame, music, or fans, for that was what he truly loved. But, he wouldn't mind being perceived as just a normal person either, because that's what he was, just a normal guy who loved to sing.
Oh well, he thought. Maybe, one day, someone will move in there and I could have something more to look forward to when I get some time off. Brian walked away from the window, back to the couch, and sat down again. He began to think. He hated it when he began to think, for two reasons: One, it showed he had nothing better to do, and two, it brought back memories of Maile.
Maile. His dead wife. A tear came to his eye as he thought of her. She was so beautiful and full of life, that it was still hard to believe that she was dead and gone.
She had silky, black hair so dark and full, that it reminded you of a clear, starless night. Brian could still remember the way it felt every time he ran his fingers through it. She had deep, brown eyes that he could never stop gazing into, and her smile was one of the many things he loved most about her. So bright, it made Brian's heart melt with warmth every time he saw it.
Tears now stung his face as these vivid, happy memories turned to Maile's final days. After being diagnosed with the fatal disease, Tuberculosis, she began to fade away before Brian's very eyes. He stayed by her side until she told him goodbye forever. That night's memory was still fresh in his mind, right down to her last words.
He'd been sitting by Maile's bed when she began to cough uncontrollably. He had to put a wet towel over her mouth to catch the blood coming up from her lungs. As she finished, Brian took the cloth away and set it on the night stand. As he turned back to face her, he saw her prepare herself for another coughing fit. He quickly reached for the towel, but Maile, gently, placed her hand on his arm, stopping him.
"Yes?" he had said.
"Will you remember me, Brian?" she asked in a voice barely above a whisper.
"Of course I will. How could I ever forget you?" Brian said, placing a light kiss on her cheek.
"Will you ever find someone to take my place? Someone else to take care of you?" Brian's eyes had begun to water...He didn't even need to think before answering that question.
"No," he said. Maile looked up at him and smiled. He would never forget that smile. It was so lifeless and weak, but yet, the most beautiful he had ever seen.
"Don't be naive, Brian. Of course you will find someone new after I'm gone," she said, weaker this time. "No...I could never bring myself to do it," Brian said, tears rushing to his eyes.
"I want you to. Find someone who needs your love and care the way I did once. Don't give it to me after I'm gone...I wouldn't want to be selfish in taking your love when someone else needs it. Find someone new, Brian. For me."
Those had been her last words. She had given him one last smile and then she lay still. She was gone. Brian knew he would never see that smile again. He brushed away his tears and thought of the last request she had given to him. This thought brought fresh tears to his eyes. He knew what she'd wanted, but he couldn't bring himself to do it, just as he had said.
The sound of a car door slamming brought Brian crashing back into reality. He looked around, noticing for the first time that night had fallen. He pulled himself up from the couch and went to the bay window. He saw someone getting out of a car at the house next door.
It was too dark to see who it was or what they looked like, so Brian, drearily, sauntered back to the couch and lay down. His blue eyes felt puffy and dry. He rubbed them and thought about the person next door. With a million or so questions running through his mind and painful memories of Maile subsiding, Brian drifted into a restless, dreamless sleep.
Chapter Two - Game Play
The sun shone brightly through Brian's window, causing him to stir. "Oh, man. Did I fall asleep on the couch again?" he asked the stillness around him. Memories of last night came flooding back to him, along with the usual heartache thinking of Maile brought along. He stood up and rubbed his eyes.
"It's a beautiful day," he sang aloud as he looked out the bay window. He glanced at the house next door, searching for any signs of life...But, he didn't even see a car in the driveway. It was probably just the housekeeper, he thought.
He walked to the kitchen, in search of a little lite breakfast. He glanced at the calendar on his refrigerator and read what he'd scribbled in the day's box.
"Let's see," he said. "Lakers play the Magic at one. Hmm." Brian looked at the clock on the far kitchen wall. It read 12:34 p.m. "Well, I guess I'd better move on to lunch then. But, what to eat?"
As he pondered over what to eat, the phone rang. Slightly annoyed, he picked up a can of Pringles and grabbed the cordless phone as he made his way back to the living room.
"Hello?"
"Hi, Brian! It's me, Nick!" This brought a smile to Brian's face. Nick's calls had always made him happy.
"Yo Nick! What's up?"
"Nothing. Just getting ready to watch the game." " Yeah, me too," Brian replied, plopping down on the couch and turning on the T.V to ESPN.
"I hear the Lakers have been on some kind of a winning streak. You think it's gonna end today?" Nick asked.
Brian knew that, even though they were both fans of the Lakers, Nick loved to tease him about his obsession with their star player, Christopher Markey.
"Yeah. That and maybe hell will freeze over," Brian said, laughingly.
"Oh, right. Your star player. He's gonna pull it all out again, ain't he?" Nick teased over the line. Brian just sighed and chuckled. Nick always knew what to say. He'd been the one to cheer Brian up while he was grieving over Maile. Nick lived just down the beach, about a twenty-minute drive to get from one place to the other.
"Hey Frick! Are you still with me, man?" Nick inquired. "Yeah, I'm still here. Hey, wanna come over and watch the game? I have cookies!" Brian said, shoving a Pringle into his mouth.
"Sure, man. That way, we can watch Christopher and the Lakers kick some Magic ass together!" Nick said, happily.
"Man, you are a character. See ya in twenty minutes." Brian said.
"Not if I see you first!" Nick hung up and Brian set the phone aside.
He looked out the window again, not giving it a second thought as he, quickly, turned his attention back to the T.V. Had he looked a little closer, he would have noticed someone standing out on the patio of the house next door, watching the ocean lap at the beach.
Less than twenty minutes later, Brian's doorbell rang. "Hmm. Must have sped over here," he said, as he entered the front hall. He unlocked the door and pulled it open.
"Hiya Brian!" Nick yelled, nearly running Brian down as he sped to the living room.
"Howdy Nick," Brian said in a low reply. For some odd reason, he was a little surprised to open the door to find Nick. But why? Who else could he have been expecting? Howie was home in Florida, Kevin was in LA with Kristin, and AJ was in New York, auditioning for a play. With a shrug, he walked back to the living room and sat down next to Nick.
"Oh, Brian! Sweatpants and a tank? For me? Oh, you really shouldn't have!" Nick said, his voice dripping is giddy sarcasm. Brian looked down at his baggy, grey sweatpants and wrinkled, white tank.
"What? It's not like I'm expecting anyone special." Nick looked shocked, but in a joking sort of way. That little grin always gave him away.
"Oh, c'mon, Nick! Give it a rest! The game's about to start." Nick threw up his hands, as if he were surrendering to something, and said, "Whatever, man."
They turned their attention back to the T.V, which was giving a brief vignette on each of the players on the Lakers team. Brian watched each one, knowing who would be last.
"Ah, I hate that guy," Nick mumbled, stuffing a cookie into his mouth as Shaquille O'Niel's brief biography played across the screen. Brian just grinned and popped another Pringle into his mouth.
"And now, our final video before the game...Christopher Markey!" the sports anchor said. They showed pictures of Christopher when he was younger and gave a few facts about him and how he came to be in the NBA.
"Man, they need new material," Brian said, cracking open a Pepsi. "I know all that stuff already." As Christopher's video ended, they went to their reporter on the court.
"Well, you might get some new material now. They're gonna interview him," Nick said, taking his shoes off and opening a Pepsi Twist. Brian turned the volume up a couple notches and shoved a handful of Pringles into his mouth.
He was about to take a drink, when the doorbell rang. He told Nick he would be back as best as he could through a full mouth of Pringles and jogged to the door. Who could it be? He opened the door and nearly choked on his snack. Standing there was a girl he had never seen before.
Brian coughed, sending crumbs down his chin. The girl smiled at him as he swallowed his mouthful of chips and brushed himself off. He felt Nick standing behind him when the girl said, "Hi there! My name is Phylicia. My..er...I just bought the house next door. We're neighbors now, so I thought I would just come and introduce myself." She thrust out her hand. Brian lowered his right hand and grabbed her hand, and shook it, noticing the smoothness of her bare fingers. She pulled her hand back and smiled up at him.
"Oh, my name is Brian Littrell and this is my best friend, Nick Carter. You know? From the Backstreet Boys?" He instantly regretted saying that. Now, this girl would probably start jumping up and down and ask him what his favorite color was. But, she didn't.
"Oh, I know who you are. I'm a big fan actually. Well, I really can't stay and chat. I've got boxes to move and unpack, so I'll see you around. Oh, and you might want to get Nick some water or something. He looks like he might throw up." With that, she turned and left. Brian shut the door behind her and turned to look at Nick.
"What's with the face, dude?" Brian asked as he walked back to the living room.
"Man, don't you know who that was?" Nick asked. Brian just gave him a blank stare. Sometimes, Nick really freaked him out. "You must not have done enough research on Christopher if you can't tell me who that was," Nick said.
"What are you talking about?"
"Brian, man, that was his sister!"
Chapter Three - Get Close
Brian couldn't, no wouldn't, believe his ears. He had just met his idol's sister. No wait, better yet, his idol's sister had just moved in next door and he wasn't doing anything about it?
"Holy shit Rok! You gotta go over there and...talk to her!" Nick nearly shouted as he ran and jumped on the couch, next to Brian.
"Oh yeah? And what exactly would I say? Can you get me floor seats to the next Lakers game?" Almost as if someone had pulled a switch in Nick's head, his face lit up. "Yeah! And make sure you get two! I wanna go!" Nick said, excitedly. Brian thought about it for a minute. "Wouldn't that be kinda rude? I mean, I just met her. It's not like we're old buddies or really close or anything," he said, still flipping the idea around in his mind.
"Oh, Brian. When will you learn get over all these stupid manners of yours? Grow up, would ya!" Nick said, slightly agitated.
"It just doesn't seem right," Brian said, looking down. "Wait! I've got an idea! Get close to her!" Nick said, happier this time.
"What?"
"Go over there and ask her out. Go on a few dates and then pop the question!" Brian felt taken aback by Nick's last statement and his face must've shown it, because Nick's face showed that "oops-I-screwed-it-up" look.
"What I meant was ask for the tickets. Sorry. Forgot it's still a touchy subject," Nick said, quietly.
Should I? I mean, it's not like I'm gonna fall in love with her or anything. After Maile...Yeah, right.
"Think of it this way, Brian," Nick said. "There's no commitment involved. You get the tickets, you split up, and wa-la! Floor seats!" Brian thought again...What could it hurt?
"Alright, I'll do it. But for one game only!" Nick pumped his fist in the air just as Christopher swished a three-point basket to win the game.
Chapter Four - It's A Date
I can't believe I'm doing this, Brian thought, nervously, as he stood on Phylicia's front porch, trying to decide if he should ring the doorbell or not. Brian thought about this whole thing again and decided he was being shallow. Asking a girl out just to get some free tickets to her brother's game wasn't something Brian considered right. "OK, I'm outta here," he said. Just as he turned his back, he heard the door open behind him.
"Can I help you with something?" Oh great, Brian thought. What should I do now?
He turned around and took in Phylicia's appearance. She was wearing baggy jeans, an over-sized t-shirt, a pair of headphones around her neck, and a visor that was upside down and backwards.
"Uh no...I mean maybe," he stuttered. He felt so stupid..."Um, hi. You remember me? Yeah, well..." He didn't know what to say, so he said nothing. He looked at her again, this time meeting her eyes. They were a deep, almost haunting, brown that showed everything she was inside. They look like Maile's eyes, he thought sadly. He felt the tears coming, but he held them back.
"Well?" she asked with a hint of laughter in her voice. Brian ran his hand through his tossled, curly hair.
“Well, um, can I ask you something? I was just wondering...Well, I got to thinking and...uh maybe you'd like to go out sometime? Like, get a bite to eat or something? I know a really expensive restaurant we could go to...My treat." Brian hoped she couldn't hear the shakiness in his voice. He looked into her eyes again and saw fear and hurt pass through them. He stood there, palms sweating, anticipating her answer.
"Um, yeah sure, I guess...When?" she asked, putting her eyes to the ground. Something's wrong, Brian thought. Maybe I'll find out on our date.
"Um, how about Saturday at seven? I can pick you up, if you'd like," he said, waiting for her reaction.
"Yeah, that's good. See you then," she said. She gave him a weak smile, uttered goodbye and shut the door. Brian walked back to his house, thinking of the conversation he'd just had. He hoped something good besides floor seats would come of this. But, he thought of her eyes and how fearful they looked...Why was she so sad?
Chapter Five - Already Being Missed
When Brian got home, Nick was sitting on the couch, eating cookies and watching Christopher tell the reporter about the Lakers win that day. Nick noticed Brian and jumped up from the couch, sending cookie crumbs all over the carpet. I'll have to vacuum that, Brian thought as Nick sprinted over to him.
"Well?" he asked, practically running in place with anticipation.
"Oh...Yeah. We're going out on Saturday, at seven. I'm taking her to that place on Tavarez Street," Brian told him, sitting down slowly on the couch.
"Ooh, that's an expensive place. That'll make a good impression," Nick said, rubbing his hands together. "Floor seats here we come!"
Brian sighed. He turned his attention back to the T.V, catching something about Christopher going home for his brief vacation before the play-offs. Well, I hope he gets some rest and relaxation, he thought.
Brian switched off the T.V and started to think again. Was going out with this girl a smart thing to do? He thought, again, of Maile. She'd wanted him to move on and maybe this was the first step in granting her wish. Wait, he thought. No commitment involved...Would it stay that way?
"Hey Brian! Your girlfriend is leaving," Nick teased, bringing Brian back to the real world. He looked out the window and, sure enough, there she was starting her car. "I wonder where she's going?" Nick asked, standing on the couch to get a better look. What she did next, Brian would have never expected. She turned her head and met Brian's eyes.
He saw her face contort and she started crying softly. Brian felt pain surge through his heart. Was he the reason she was so sad? He looked at her again, pushing the thought from his mind like a bad dream. She gave him one lingering, teary-eyed look, pulled the car out of the driveway, and sped off into the night.
The thought of her sadness pushed itself back into Brian's thoughts and his own eyes filled with tears. He didn't exactly understand why he was crying, but he was and that's all there was to it.
"Aw Rok. Why ya crying for?" Nick asked, handing him a fluffy, blue tissue. "Do you miss her already?" Brian wiped his eyes and blew his nose. He muttered Maile's name and grabbed another tissue. Nick could be so right sometimes without even realizing it, and this was one of those times. But why? He barely knew his new neighbor and she'd only been gone five minutes...No commitment involved, right? If that was the case, why did he already miss her so much, it made him cry?
Chapter Six - They're Back
She'd left around 7:30, Brian remembered. It was nearly eleven o'clock and she still hadn't returned. Around eight, Nick left asking Brian, repeatedly, if he was all right. Brian had told him he would be fine and Nick left without another word.
Now, sitting here alone, Brian wished he had someone to talk to, even Nick and his ravings about cookies and the Lakers. He'd already vacuumed up Nick's cookie crumbs, did the dishes, and dusted the living room four times. There wasn't anything on T.V and he wasn't up to a movie. He'd tried to read, but his mind kept wandering back to her.
He was fresh out of ideas after that, so he gave up on doing anything that required concentration and continued his vigil on the couch.
He looked out the bay window, waiting for any signs that she was coming back. Where did she go? Nick's question had been haunting him for hours on end. Brian tried to think of a place that would take this long to get through.
Not having any luck, he decided he might as well look through the mail. He picked up the various mail items and began to flip through them. He'd gotten two bills, a catalog that he was going to throw away and his sports magazine. Let's see what's going on in sports town, he thought.
Pushing away the other mail, he propped his feet up and leaned back into the couch. He looked through the table of contents and his eyes fell upon a page number with Christopher and Phylicia's name next to it. He was about to flip back to the page, when he saw car lights in the driveway next door. He tossed the magazine on the coffee table, the article forgotten, and jumped to the window.
He saw Phylicia's figure in the dark. He knew it was her because he could make out her visor, which was still upside down and backwards. It looked like she was carrying something heavy at her side. He couldn't tell what it was. As she disappeared into the house, something else caught his attention. He saw two more dark figures following her to the house. They, too, also looked like they were carrying heavy objects at their sides. They went into the house and everything was quiet and still again. Who were the other two people? Brian didn't know who they could be.
He glanced at the clock on the entertainment center, which read 12:02 a.m. He was suddenly hit with fatigue. He went, slowly, to the couch and lay down. His eyes fluttered and he fell into a deep sleep
Chapter Seven - A Visit From 'Da Man'
The sound of the doorbell ringing awoke Brian the next morning. He stood up and stretched, glancing at the clock. 12:30 p.m. He brushed his hair down with his hand and rubbed his bare chest. Yawning, he unlocked the door and, slowly, pulled it open. Standing there was, none other than, Christopher Markey.
Brian felt the color drain from his face as he tried to believe his eyes. His favorite basketball star was standing right in front of him! Oh man, he thought. Nick would cream to see this! He could hardly believe it.
"You Brian Littrell?" Christopher asked, leaning on the doorway. Brian was at a loss for words.
"Y-yes..." he stuttered, nervously.
"Mind if I come in?" Brian stepped out of the doorway, allowing him to pass. He shut the door and began walking to the living room.
"Follow me," Brian said over his shoulder. He led Christopher into the living room and instantly regretted it. The couch was still covered in a massive heap of pillows and blankets from his makeshift bed. His mail was sprawled all over the coffee table and his shirt was draped over the lamp. Christopher walked over to the couch, pushed a few blankets aside, and sat down.
"Do you have a real bed in this place or is this where you always sleep?" Brian blushed furiously, wishing that the floor would just open and swallow him up. "C'mere and sit," Christopher said.
Brian walked slowly to the couch, grabbing his shirt and putting it on. How embarrassing, he thought. He sat down next to Christopher and straightened the table up a little bit.
"Ok, I have something very serious to talk to you about, but before I begin...Do you want an autograph or anything? I hate being interrupted for a picture or an autograph. So, if you want one, let's do it. I have a pen," Christopher said, reaching into his pocket and returning with a permanent marker.
Brian looked around. His eyes fell upon his sports magazine on the floor. He picked it up, along with an envelope from one of his bills, and handed them to Christopher.
"The envelope is for my friend, Nick." Christopher scribbled down his name and handed it back to Brian. Christopher looked at the cover of the magazine and scrawled his name across the top. He handed it back to Brian and put his marker back in his pocket. Brian put the items down on the table and faced Christopher again.
"Ok, now onto what I wanted to talk to you about," Christopher said, leaning back into the couch. Brian didn't know what to expect as he watched Christopher get himself situated. "Got big plans tonight?" Christopher asked, gruffly.
"Um, yeah. I'm going out to dinner," Brian replied. Christopher nodded slowly.
"Going with anyone special?" Brian didn't know how to answer. Was it possible that Christopher didn't know who he was going with? He was about to answer when Christopher interrupted.
"Yeah, I know who you're going with. She told me last night on the way home from the airport." Brian gulped. What was he getting at?
"Well, let me lay down something here. If you're just taking her to a great, expensive restaurant for tickets to one of my games, drop the act. You want tickets to watch me play, you ask me." Brian couldn't believe his ears. How did he know?
"And why would I, uh, do that?"
"Because, it's happened before. She said that you saw her crying last night. Been wondering why? Fear. Fear from a past experience...She hasn't had a date in fourteen months." I can see why, Brian thought. A big, basketball brother would scare any guy anyway, adding the fact that this brother was on the best team in the NBA.
Brian thought it over. Maybe, if he played his cards right, he could get tickets from Christopher with no one getting hurt. But, he wanted to go on the date...Why? No commitment involved, right? For some odd and unknown reason, that didn't matter anymore.
"No, that's not why I want to go out with her. I just want the, uh, pleasure of her company. But, if you're offering tickets, I'll take two!" Christopher looked at him with a small grin and shook his head slowly.
"Fans never cease to amaze me...Got a piece of paper?" Brian looked at the table and tore out part of a page from the catalog. He handed it to Christopher, and he began to write something down. Too bad Nick isn't here, Brian thought. He would fall over and die to see this.
Christopher finished writing and gave the paper back to Brian. He read over it with a small smile. All it said was:
Seats 9 & 10,
Row A,
behind Lakers.
Brian Littrell and a friend - Cm
"Now that's power!" Brian said.
"Yeah. That'll get you into those seats as long as I'm a player, so don't lose it. I don't do free handouts for just anyone twice," Christopher said. Brian folded the paper and set it next to the magazine. He couldn't wait to tell Nick.
"Well, that's all I wanted with you, so I guess I'll leave," Christopher said, getting up. "Maybe, you can come over to house sometime and we'll have a cook-out and hang around or something," Christopher said.
"It's a date!" Brian said, happily, as he walked Christopher to the door.
"Oh, and about tonight," Christopher said, turning to face Brian. "You break her heart, I'll break your neck." With that said, Christopher turned and left.
Chapter Eight - Memories On The Beach
Brian shut the door and sank, slowly, to the floor, putting his hands on his face and rubbing his eyes. It's happened before...But, it won't happen again, he thought, firmly. Even though he had no idea what this past experience was, he assumed that it had been bad and that's why Christopher was being so protective.
He got up and went into the kitchen. He couldn't go to dinner all tense like this. He looked across the kitchen and out the bay window. Brian thought of the way he and Maile used to stand there and watch the ocean together. The water rippling behind her face was one of the most beautiful scenes he could remember. It seemed so long ago that it was almost like it never happened.
He took the cordless and walked over to the window. Gazing at the sand now, he remembered how he would watch Maile walk up and down the beach in her long, white dress. That's where she'd gone when she needed to clear her mind or wanted to be alone.
Brian pictured her walking down the beach, her black hair fluttering behind her like a flag of beauty and secrets. He held the image in his mind, cherishing the thought, and then, as if by magic, there she was. She was walking down the beach, kicking up the sand behind her. Tears flooded to Brian's eyes and he shook his head, but he still watched, entranced by the whole thing.
She turned and looked at the house next door. She stared at it for a minute or two, then she looked at Brian. She nodded slowly, blew him a kiss and was gone.
Brian put his head against the cool glass and began sobbing. There were so many things whirling around in his head that he didn't know whether he'd really seen Maile or not. Don't be an idiot, he told himself. Maile's dead and you'll never see her again. But, he knew he had seen her, regardless of what his better half told him, and he knew she was trying to tell him something. But what? He didn't know, and he probably never would know for sure. Was she telling him that it was OK, that he could move on? Brian wiped his nose and gazed out the window again, knowing all of the answers to the questions in his head were only a hundred tears away. He, once again, began to cry.
Chapter Nine - Reading The Past
Brian stopped crying and looked at the clock. Time had become a matter of importance nowadays, it seemed. He had less than two hours before he was to pick up Phylicia for their date. He looked down and noticed the phone was still clutched tightly in his hand. He dialed Nick's number and waited for him to answer.
"Hello?" came Nick's voice.
"Hey, Nick. Could you come over and help me pick out something to wear to dinner? I'm kinda not thinking straight at the moment." There was a pause before Nick answered.
"What's she gonna wear?" Brian thought about it. What was she going to wear? He didn't want to be under or over-dressed.
"Er, I dunno."
"I'll be there in twenty minutes," Nick said and he hung up. Nick to the rescue, Brian thought.
He clicked off the phone and set it on the table. He sat down on the couch and picked up his magazine, noticing for the first time that Christopher was on the cover. He looked at it and then remembered the article he'd seen in the table of contents the night before. He quickly flipped back to the page and read the name of the article. "Guarding Us."
He looked on the page and saw a picture of Christopher, shirtless, holding Phylicia in his arms. He knew that it was a shot set up by the photographer, but he could really see the fear in her eyes and the sense of protection in his. He also noticed that Christopher was wearing a necklace with, what looked like, a woman's wedding ring on it. He'd noticed the necklace before, but hadn't really given it much thought.
He gazed at the picture for a few more seconds and then moved to the article itself. What he was about to read would shock his mind.
Guarding Us
By: Christina A.
We've all heard of brothers and sisters fighting, right? It's more common than brothers and sisters getting along, a recent poll shows. But, that is not the case for Lakers star, Christopher Markey, and his younger sister, Phylicia. "We just get along really well and we're always there for each other," Phylicia says. I talked with Christopher myself and asked him to tell me why he's constantly "guarding" his younger sister.
"Well, a few years back, she met someone and fell head over heels in love with him. He claimed he felt the same way, always promising to never hurt or abandon her. They got married and he took her away on a very expensive honeymoon, as if trying to say "I make money and that's why you should stay with me forever." Blah, blah, blah. It was all good in the beginning. I mean, he really seemed to care and all. I was happy for her. But, after about a year or so, things started changing.
"It was my second season in the NBA and Phylicia had just graduated from the University of Kentucky. A couple weeks after her graduation ceremony, the Lakers had entered the finals. I wasn't around as much as I usually was because it was my first visit to the finals. Practices were hard and the coach barely scheduled time for any of us to breathe. Phylicia had asked for two floor seats to the first game of the series. I had, of course, given them to her. She was almost more excited about it than I was, which made me feel good.
"I tried to visit her as much as I could, which wasn't very often. But, when I did get the chance to visit, she would follow me around like a lost puppy dog, almost like she didn't want me out of her sight or something. I remember the last time I visited her before the game. As I was driving away, I'd looked in the rear-view mirror and I'll never forget what I saw there. Phylicia was standing on her porch, crying. Then, her husband had come out, grabbed her arm, and violently jerked her back into the house. I had almost turned around and went back, but I was already late for a practice. That was the last I had seen of her until...until after the game."
I handed Christopher a tissue to wipe away the tears that were now coursing down his face. He cleared his throat and, shakily, continued. "The night of the game came and I was a nervous wreck. When the team walked out onto the court, the fans sounded proudly, causing a smile to spread across my face. My nerves calmed and I began to search for Phylicia so I could give her a quick wave before the game started. But, the whistle blew and I was off to work.
"Halfway through the second quarter, the coach subbed me out, giving me my first break of the game. I'd given her tickets four rows behind the Lakers bench, so I turned around and began to scan the faces of the crowd. She wasn't there, but someone else was. I'll never forget all of the anger and fear that sent a shock through my entire body when I saw who was sitting there. Her husband and one of his friends occupied the seats, drinking and laughing as if nothing were wrong.
"I played like shit the rest of the game due to all of the thoughts running through my head. She'd been so excited that I had finally made it to the finals for the first time in my career and she'd said that she wouldn't miss it for the world. Well, here it was, for the whole world to see, and she was missing it. I was so scared because I knew practically nothing would keep her away.
"Well, after we lost the game and got booed off the court, I immediately set out to find her husband. After less than five minutes of searching, my nerves got the best of me and I ran to the garage. As I unlocked my car, all of the worst thoughts popped into my head. Brushing them aside as best as I could, I got in my car and sped all the way to her house. When I got there, I noticed that he hadn’t yet returned. He was lucky, because if he would have been there, I know I would have killed him. I turned off my car and ran into the house, shaking all over.
"When I looked around, the place looked like it had been ripped apart at the seams. Lamps were knocked over, and books and papers were all over the floor. I ran up the stairs to the bedroom, fearing what I would find there. I slowly opened the door and there she was, lying unconscious on the bed. I turned on the bedside lamp and ran to her side. I tried to wake her up, with no luck. I called the police, anxiety flowing freely through my veins. I got her to wake up before the ambulance came. She couldn't talk to me, but I could see the feeling of safety in her eyes when she looked up at me. After she'd been taken away, I waited. I waited for the bastard who'd claimed he'd love and care for my sister, but had instead beaten her unconscious.
"When he didn't show up, I went to the hospital. Policemen were in the waiting room, armed with pencils and notepads for questions. After I'd satisfied the cops and they left to go find him, I asked to see her. The doctor said she would be fine and they let me in. The room was like a white cage to me...White, plain, sad walls that went on forever. I couldn't believe someone like Phylicia had actually ended up here. She was awake and she smiled when I walked over to her. I sat down next to her bed and looked at all the machines she was hooked up to. "I'm glad you're here," she told me. I asked her how long it had been going on. She hesitated and her answer startled me. In that moment, I realized I wasn't there for her as I much as I should have been..."
Christopher paused and looked at me. "What did she say?" I inquired. He looked me, tears running down his face. He let out a deep sigh and began to speak.
"She told me that it had been going on ever since they had gotten married. I was dumbfounded. I asked her why...Why she didn't tell me sooner. She told me she didn't want to put any extra stress on me because she wanted me to succeed in my basketball career....Because she knew it was my dream. She was guarding me from her problems so I could be the star...What she didn't know was that all I wanted was for her to be happy..." Christopher wiped his eyes and asked me if I wanted anything else. I replied "No, I've heard enough," and he left.
Brian wiped his eyes. Now, he knew. He set the magazine down and heard the doorbell ring. Nick's here, he thought. Thoughts of the article were still running through his mind as he answered the door. "What's wrong?" Nick asked, concerned.
"Nothing...I'll tell you later," Brian said, letting him in. They went upstairs and began to prepare Brian for the life-changing event that was about to take place.
Chapter Ten - Significant Other
Brian straightened his tie nervously as he stood on Phylicia's doorstep. He was decked out in an evening suit that had been hiding in the back of his closet. After digging through piles of clothes, Nick had finally discovered the suit hanging behind a Kentucky jacket and a pair of swimming trunks.
After putting the suit on, Nick had started laughing hysterically, saying Brian looked like a monkey. He'd laughed softly. It was the nicest thing he had that he hadn't already worn to an award show, so it would have to do for the evening.
He gave himself one final check and rang the doorbell. He heard it echoing somewhere inside the house and his nervousness grew. The door opened and woman stood in its frame. He didn't know who she was, but he figured that she was the second shadow person he'd seen in the dark on the night Christopher had arrived.
"Er, hi. I'm Brian and I have a date with a girl who lives here...Maybe you could help me out?"
"Oh, yeah, I know. Come on in," the woman said, stepping aside, allowing Brian to enter. She shut the door and yelled Phylicia's name.
"I'll be down in a minute!" Phylicia's voice came from somewhere upstairs.
"Uh, nice place," Brian said, breaking the uncomfortable silence.
"Yeah, it's really nice," the woman said, shortly. At that moment, Christopher walked up and stood next to the woman.
"Hey pal. How's it going? Hey, nice monkey suit!" Christopher said, laughing. Brian blushed furiously.
"Pretty good, I guess. I'm a little nervous," he replied. "Ah, don't worry. She's an easy girl to please, right honey?" the woman said.
"Yup, that's right sweetz," Christopher said, kissing the woman on the cheek. Brian's face must have shown his confusion, because Christopher looked at him and laughed. "I forgot. You're a fan," he said. "This is my lovely wife, Trish." Brian couldn't believe his ears. How could he have missed that?
"Oh, don't worry about it. No one really knows," Trish said. "We never told the press." Brian nodded and put his hands in his pockets. What a weird week he was having. Discovering secrets left and right...Surprises waiting at his front door.
"Well, I'm gonna go up and check on Phylicia. Lord knows what's taking her so long," Trish said. She then headed up the stairs, leaving Christopher and Brian to themselves.
"She's nice," Brian said, uncertain of what to say.
"Yup. Couldn't have asked for better," he said, a small smile creeping across his face. "Oh yeah. Phylicia told me where you were taking her so, I went down there with the wife and checked it out. Nice place," Christopher said. "When a guy takes a girl to a place like that, he's looking for a little more than a piece of her heart, huh?" Brian didn't know how to respond to that, so he just nodded and smiled. He was so confused about what he was feeling that it was making his head spin. He was about to ask another question when Christopher looked at the top of the stairs.
"Your lady awaits, my man," he said, his eyes shining. Brian followed his gaze and his breath caught in his throat. Standing at the top of the stairs was Phylicia, although he hardly would have known if he'd never seen her before. A sparkling, spaghetti-strap blue dress accented her figure, causing Brian to do a double take. Her hair was all done up on the top of her head and she wore Christopher's ring necklace. She stepped slowly down the stairs, with Trish right behind her.
"I hate these shoes," she said when she reached the bottom.
"You look nice," Christopher said, giving her a tight hug. She smiled and turned to face Brian. He stared down into her eyes. He saw a slight trace of fear, but also a whim of happiness.
"Are you ready?" she asked, softly. Brian took her arm and led her to the door. He opened it and let her walk through. As he followed her out the door, Christopher grabbed him by the shoulder, causing him to stop.
"Take care of her," was all he said before he shut the door behind them.