Chapter 14: Departures...and Goodbyes
The next day, Patrick and Mike loaded their things into Lance's
UTE. The guys got into their cars and followed Lance to the
airport. Patrick wondered if saying goodbye this time was
going to be any easier....and immediately doubted it. As the
guys assembled at the gate, Patrick and Mike began to say
goodbye to each of them. Joey and Chris came over and hugged
Patrick.
As Chris pulled back he looked at Patrick for a minute, his
bottom lip quivering, "Remember...if you wanna talk....call
me, OK?"
Patrick nodded and forced a half smile for Chris.
That was the easy part, Patrick thought, now it gets tough.
JC approached Patrick smiling broadly. "Patrick. Take
care and stay healthy. We wanna come up and visit y'all in
a month or so before we go back and finish up our tour."
Patrick nodded and pulled JC into a hug and whispered in
his ear, "I'll try. You keep Justin and Lance safe. Keep
them away from Lou...don't let them him touch them again...or
sick or not...I'll kill him myself."
JC shuddered from the intensity of Patrick's voice and pulled
back, nodding slowly. "I'll do that."
As JC pulled back, Justin stepped forward, his large frown
messing up his normally carefree cherubic face.
"Don't frown Justin, your face'll stick like that, ya
know...then the pretty gurlz won't want you anymore.",
Patrick joked as Justin put his arm around Patrick's shoulder
and they took a small walk.
"You know...you really grow on people.", Justin
said softly, "I am really gonna miss you again....I may
have to get Lance and I to call you once a day or so to see
how you are doing."
"Justin....you are gonna be really busy...I'd be happy
to hear from you when you have time to sit and talk...and
you can always call me if you need to talk about anything,
hear?!", Patrick replied.
"Tell me we're gonna see you again.", Justin said,
his voice a husky whisper as a flood of tears ran down his
face, "I know its horrible to think it...but I just think
that this is the last time we're gonna see you."
"Oh, Justin", Patrick said, "I wish I knew....I
don't know. If I knew when my time was up...I would at least
try to be like Martha Stewart and mail out invites to the
funeral...so that you could schedule me in."
Justin looked up with a horror stricken expression at Patrick.
"Justin....that was a joke...its called deadpan humor.",
Patrick said after a minute.
"I think this is the only time I can say this...",
Justin replied, "That wasn't funny at all, Patrick. I'll
cancel a show if I need to...and the guys and I will come
and be with you when you die. I will be there for you...we
all will! We promised that...and we will be there....You can
bet on it!"
Patrick sobbed as Justin pulled him into a tight hug and
kissed him softly on the lips.
"Take care of Lance, Justin. Love him...trust him, be
with him. Promise me that you'll stay away from Lou. I told
JC...if he ever messes with you again...that sick and dying
or whatever condition I am in, his ass will be mine!",
Patrick said, deadly serious, as he looked into Justin's eyes.
Lance grabbed Patrick's arm and pulled him away from Justin,
leading him towards the seats at the gate.
"Patrick.", Lance said, "I am gonna hold you
to our promise. I do love you."
Patrick grabbed hold of Lance and squeezed him hard as tears
fell down his face. "I love you too, Lance. I made a
promise...and I always keep my promises."
"Then promise me that you won't die anytime soon.",
Lance sobbed, "I wanna be older and wiser when I go to
your funeral."
"I can't make a promise like that, Lance.", Patrick
said softly as he looked into the eyes of the blond singer.
"Then remember what our deal was then...I WILL be there
for you...you and I will face it together.", Lance replied.
Patrick was about to speak when a commotion from the end
of the airport caused everyone to turn around. Five guys,
dressed in dark clothes, sunglasses and hats, were running
towards the gate.
Patrick grinned, "I wonder what their hurry is?"
"PATRICK! WAIT...DON'T LEAVE!!!", the tallest one
yelled and they all ran over to where he and Lance were standing
watching the scene.
"You weren't gonna leave without saying goodbye to us,
were you?", Nick said as he pulled Patrick into a big
hug.
"Besides...we have to get your phone number in NC and
give you all of our cellular numbers so you can call us."
Patrick grinned as the rest of the boys caught up with Nick
and took off their disguises.
"Hi guys. Glad you could make it. Our flight doesn't
leave for another hour tho...so you got here with time to
spare!", Patrick grinned as Brian and Kevin looked at
their watches and began to swear.
Brian walked over to Patrick and grabbed his arm, leading
him away from the guys to talk.
"I wanted to say thank you", Brian began, "You....helped
me out a lot. You got me thinking straight for the first time
in a long time. You showed me what was important for me right
now. I can't ever thank you enough."
"You love Nick, right?", Patrick said quickly and
Brian nodded vigorously, "Then that's all the repayment
I need. I care for you all...a lot, and your happiness...as
corny as it sounds...is my happiness."
Brian nodded and leaned forward, kissing Patrick lightly
on the lips. "I am happy with Nick. He makes me happy
and I love him....and I will do everything in my power to
make him happy."
"OK...promise me, then, that you....YOU will make sure
that he's done with Lou", Patrick replied, "...that
he never sees him alone again. My happiness, in life and after
I die, will lay in knowing that none of my friends are being
abused by him ever again. Clear?"
"Crystal.", Brian replied.
A cough interrupts all talking and Patrick and Brian turn
around to see AJ and Howie standing there waiting patiently.
"Patrick", AJ said, "We are all gonna be making
sure that no one goes near Lou again...and we will put out
a unspoken warning to all the other young male and female
artists that Lou might be able to get his grimy mitts on."
"Yeah", Howie grinned, "Everyone will know
the deal with him."
Patrick sighed and leaned into AJ and Howie, hugging them
tightly, "Thank you guys."
Kevin walked over and announced that Patrick's flight would
be boarding in 10 minutes. Kevin grabbed hold of Patrick's
arm and lead him away from Howie, AJ, and Brian.
"Kevin...", Patrick began as his eyes teared up
again, "...I wanted to thank you for that song last night.
It really meant a lot to me."
"I thought it would. I meant what I said when we were
lookin at the stars. You really do make a difference. I think
you saw it last night...and I hope you see it always. Remember....call
me if you wanna talk...and tell me how you're doing. I am
not gonna let you go on without saying goodbye to you. Call
me and we'll all be there for you...we'll come a'runnin'!"
Patrick chuckled, "And Lance makes fun of me and says
I sound country sometimes...jeez!"
Kevin and Patrick laugh as they head back to the gate. As
they approach, Patrick notices Nick sitting in a chair, crying.
"Nick? What's up?", Patrick asked anxiously.
Nick looked up and wiped away his tears. "I'm fine!"
"No", Patrick replied, picking Nick up by his arms
and walking awhile with him, "fine is you laughing and
smiling....this is definitely not 'fine'."
Nick giggled a little and then looked Patrick in the eyes.
"You know...I don't have that many friends outside the
group. I hang with them and my brother a lot. You popped into
my life this week and opened up my life. Brian and I are together
now, we hang out with the other guys and have fun and all.
And now you're gonna leave me. I don't want you to go."
"Nick", Patrick said sadly, "I am only going
to North Carolina where I live. You and the guys can come
and visit when you want to."
"You know what I meant", Nick said sadly. "I
can't bear the thought of you dying...."
"When I die Nick", Patrick continued, "Part
of me will remain with you." Patrick pointed at Nick's
head and at his chest. "You will keep me alive in your
memories of this time we had together....and my love will
always be here in your heart. I'll only be as far away as
inside your heart and mind."
Nick sighed and the forced a smile, "How do I say goodbye
to you, then?"
"You don't.", Patrick said as a tear rolled off
his cheek, "I'll always be within you so there's no need
for goodbye."
Nick laughed and pulled Patrick in and hugged him again.
"But", Patrick replied, "You have to promise
me that you won't go near Lou again...at least not alone."
Nick looked up at Patrick and nodded.
"Promise me", Patrick repeated. "If he ever
hurts you again..."
"I promise.", Nick replied before Patrick could
finish his thought.
Patrick and Nick walked back over to the gate where Mike
was busy getting everyone's numbers and addresses down. Patrick
smiled as both groups gave him and Mike group hugs before
they picked up their carry-ons and boarded the plane.
Minutes later as the plane lifted off, ten guys stood watching
silently from the gate window, the tears on their faces the
only indication of their keen awareness of the possibility
that they would never see their friend alive again.
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