Chapter 5: The Concert & Clubbing
"Patrick", the voice said, "It's time to go."
"Not yet", Patrick answered, "I'm not ready
just yet. I need a little more time before I die."
"What?", the voice said, panicked, "Patrick...please
wake up!"
Patrick's eyes snapped open and Mike was sitting on the bed
looking into his eyes. Mike had begun to cry slightly and
Patrick began to worry.
"What?", Patrick said quietly.
"Nothing. You said you weren't ready yet...that you
needed more time before you die.", Mike said sadly.
"I do need a little more time. I have a few things more
I have to do.", Patrick said quietly as he got up off
the bed.
The seats for the concert were better than awesome. They
were in the center of the 3rd row from the stage. During every
song, JC, Justin, or Lance would wink or grin at their friends.
The big surprise came when Justin began to work the crowd
before their next song.
"Hey Columbus! Are y'all havin a good time?", Justin
said grinning.
The roar from the sellout crowd was deafening. Justin grinned.
"Our next song is a new one. On its release, we'll be
singing it with Gloria Estefan. Tonight is the first time
we will have sung it at a concert. We'd like to dedicate this
song to our best friend Patrick. Patrick has been very ill
the last few months, but somehow found the strength inside
himself to make it to see our concert and hang around with
us all weekend. We have all gotten real tight with him over
the last couple of days....and we are all gonna be praying
that you stay healthy and stick around to hang with us for
a lot longer. So Patrick....This song is for you...it's called,
"Music of My Heart".
You'll never know what you've done
for me
What your faith in me has done for my soul
You'll never know the gift you've given me
I'll carry it with me
Through the days ahead, I'll think of days before
When you made me hope for something better
And made me reach for something more
You taught me to run,
you taught me to fly
Helped me to free the me inside
Helped me hear the music of my heart
Helped me hear the music of my heart
You opened my eyes, you opened the
door
To something I've never known before
And your love is the music of my heart
You were the one always on my side
Always standin' by, seeing me through, ooh
You were the song that always made me sing
I'm singing this for you
Everywhere I go I'll think of where
I've been
And of the one who knew be better Than anyone ever will again
You taught me to run, you taught
me to fly
Helped me to free the me inside
Helped me hear the music of my heart
Helped me hear the music of my heart
You opened my eyes You opened the
door
To something I've never known before
And your love is the music of my heart
What you taught me
Only your love could ever teach me
You got through when no one could reach me before
'Cause you always saw in me
all the best that I could be
It was you who set me free
You taught me to run, you taught
me to fly
Helped me to free the me inside
Helped me hear the music of my heart
Helped me hear the music of my heart
You opened my eyes, you opened the
door
To something I've never known before
And your love is the music of my heart
Is the music of my heart
As the guys sang, Patrick broke down, covering his face with
his hands and crying uncontrollably. Mike held the back of
his head and pressed him close into his chest. As the guys
finished the song, Patrick, still crying, stood up and clapped,
giving the guys a big thumbs up. The guys waved and grinned
at Patrick.
As the concert finished up, Patrick and Mike went backstage,
showing their passes and walking into the dressing room as
the guys were finishing dressing. JC looked up first and saw
the two enter, walking over to Patrick and Mike and giving
them both hugs, which were then followed by hugs from the
rest of the guys.
"Did you like your song?", JC asked Patrick.
"Yeah", Patrick said softly, his voice cracking
as the tears began to fall again from his face, "It was
so beautiful...I loved it. Thank you so much!"
JC and the guys watch as Mike sat Patrick down and held him
as his emotions again overwhelmed him.
Joey and Chris came over and grabbed hold of Patrick, picking
him up and walking him over to the bathroom, getting him some
tissues and a wet washcloth to wipe his face.
"I'm sorry guys. I guess I wasn't as brave as y'all
thought I was.", Patrick said through the tears.
A single sniffle was the only response and Patrick turned
around to see the guys faces all wet with tears.
"That's a pile of horse shit....crying doesn't make
you any less brave in my eyes.", Lance said finally,
his country accent thick from his emotions. The other guys
nodded and Lance walked over to Patrick, grabbing him into
a group hug with Joey and Chris.
"Family, remember", Lance whispered to Patrick.
Patrick nodded and got up, wiping his face with the cloth
and blowing his nose with the tissues.
"Thank you all.", Patrick said, "I won't ever,
EVER forget this."
"So.", Patrick said quietly, "When do I have
to say goodbye to ya'll?"
"Tomorrow", JC said, "For a few weeks, then
you and Mike are gonna come and visit us in Orlando after
we finish this tour."
Patrick looked at Mike and smiled.
"So.....what are your plans for tonight?", Patrick
smiled.
"We were gonna drag you out to a club if you felt up
to it.", Joey replied.
"That's why I took that nap earlier, I kinda figured
that's what we'd be doing tonight.", Patrick grinned.
The club was packed when the limousine finally pulled up
to the entrance. Mike, Patrick and the guys got out and quickly
made for the door, while the newspaper paparazzi shot pictures
of the group. Once inside the club, the guys fanned out and
paired off as Joey and Chris hit the dance floor. Patrick
wasn't feeling much in the mood for dancing so he got himself
a drink and stood at the bar. About a half hour later, Justin
came out of the crowd and walked over to him at the bar.
"Hey!", Justin said, "You holding the bar
down OK?"
"Yep!", Patrick replied with a laugh.
"JC and Mike are goin' wild out there. I didn't know
Mike was such a good dancer.", Justin smiled.
"Yeah", Patrick said, "We used to always go
dancing......HEY!"
A man came up behind Patrick , and slammed his hip into Patrick,
pitching him forward into Justin, who was off balance and
both boys fell to the ground.
"Rude FUCKIN Yankee!", Patrick said with a snarl.
"No shit!", Justin said angrily.
The man turned around and looked at the two boys with a pissed
off expression.
"Candyass Pansies...If you could learn to hold your
liquor you wouldn't have fallen."
"Hold MY liquor? Please....I could out drink you anyday.",
Patrick said disgustedly.
"Oh yeah?", the man said with a sneer, "Wanna
put yo' money where your mouth is?"
"Sure....you're on", Patrick said with an unpleasant
smile.
"Patrick.....what the HELL are you doing?", Justin
hissed.
"Watch me", Patrick said.
The bartender came over to the men and handed each 6 shot
glasses of whiskey, and said that they would go shot for shot
til someone either puked or passed out.
The first 6 shots were a given. Both Patrick and the man
downed them with no problems.
By this time, JC and the rest of the guys had noticed the
crowd around the bar and had come to investigate. Justin filled
them in and Mike began to laugh hysterically. Justin shook
his head in wonder at Mike's reaction. Mike just nodded and
told the guys to put their money on Patrick.
As Patrick down the 24th shot of whiskey, he realized that
his opponent was beginning to sway. As he picked up his 24th
shot, his eyes rolled back into his head and his body hit
the dirt. Patrick shook his head and loudly said, "Hmmm...Mama's
Boy!"
The guys laughed at Patrick's jibe then Patrick turned around
as a huge stack of 20 dollar bills was passed his way.
"That guy never loses. I have never seen anyone who
could drink like you can. You beat him and you look barely
phased.", the bartender said, shaking his head in amazement.
Patrick grabbed the money and gave the bartender $100 for
the liquor and a tip, then turned around and walked over to
a table and sat down.
"How can you drink like that?", JC and Justin said
in unison as they sat down beside him.
Patrick pulled them in close and whispered to them, ""My
medication counters alcohol in my system....it's some kind
of weird side effect. So, its almost impossible to get me
drunk."
JC and Justin looked at each other and then to Patrick then
burst out laughing.
"He got what he deserved...he was such a rude mo'fo'",
Justin said, shaking his head.
"Let's go home, guys.", Patrick grinned, "Before
he wakes up and tries to go for a re-match."
The guys nodded and headed for the door and the limo that
waited outside.
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