Chapter 75, Late Again

 

Izabel tried to comfort Breanna to the best of her mothering ability but realized that the only way Breanna would feel better would be if she stayed with her family. Before Izabel could suggest anything, she noticed that Breanna had become quiet and calm. Izabel broke away from her thoughts and glanced down into her lap to find Breanna asleep. She quietly shifted her weight so that she was able to move out from under Breanna. Izabel stood up and covered Breanna with a blanket. It was almost 6:30, 9:30 in Florida. Izabel left the bedroom quietly and made her way to the living room where she picked up the cordless phone. The first person she called was he sister's house to let her know that she was doing well. After a few moments, Izabel quickly dialed Breanna's mother.

The guys arrived at the airport and ran to their gates, knowing they were already late. They handed their luggage to the waiting airline employees who quickly tagged the luggage and sent it to be stowed under the plane. Brian, carrying Thomas; AJ, and Nick jogged down the long hallway until the made it to the entrance of the plane. They didn't have their tickets with them but Kevin had made sure to notify the airline employees to be expecting the arrival of the other guys. Once they had arrived on the plane, a flight attendant showed them to their seats. Brian placed Thomas in his seat and buckled his belt while Nick put his backpack and Brian's under their seats. When everything was settled both men sat down quickly out of breath while AJ put his laptop in the overhead compartment. Kevin sat across the aisle leaning over towards the seat next to him where Sarah laid in her baby carrier. Eve had already fallen asleep. After a moment, Kevin looked annoyingly over at the other guys. "What?" Brian questioned. Kevin grinned and shook his head before leaning back over. Brian and Nick exchanged a questioning look before Nick shrugged his shoulders. "What time did I say to meet us here?" Kevin asked as he continued to play with Sarah, not bothering to look at the others. "Nine." Nick replied. "What time is it?" Kevin asked, still playing with Sarah. "Almost Ten." Brian replied. "You're late." Kevin stated as he glanced over at the guys. "Well, no shit shirlock! Nick lives in Tampa. He had to go pack his shit and then *someone* forgot Thomas so name-being-withheld had to drive all the way to butt fuck Egypt to pick him up. So, yes, we are late and bitching about it isn't going to change that." AJ replied, expecting the lecture from Kevin. Kevin looked bemused as he glanced back to Sarah before the plane started taxiing down the runway.

Izabel hung up the phone after talking to Breanna's parents and quietly walked up the stairs towards the bedrooms. She silently entered Breanna's large bedroom and walked into the walk-in closet. She stayed in the closet for close to an hour as she packed Breanna's clothes. Her parents had requested that Breanna stay with them until the funeral was over. They knew she was in no shape to take on the emotional burden of her brothers death alone. Breanna's mom agreed that Izabel would drop Breanna off later that night after she was awake. After Izabel was done packing, she had two large suitcases, a backpack full of CDs along with Breanna's Discman, a laptop, and a small case filled with Breanna's personals. Izabel glanced at the clock and decided to load up the car before waking Breanna. After Izabel was finished loading the car, she glanced up at Breanna's bedroom window only to see Breanna staring back at her. The expression on Breanna's face sent a shiver down Izabel's back. She didn't look like the same person. She looked like an evil ghost who's soul purpose was to haunt that house. Izabel shook off the mental thoughts and walked briskly back into the house; straight up to Breanna's room. "Why'd you pack my things?" Breanna asked in a deadpan voice. "Because your parents want you with them." Izabel replied hoping her answer was enough. "Okay. Let me get my jacket and purse and you can take me." Breanna said as she slipped her on shoes. Izabel looked at Breanna in shock. Never in the years that Izabel had known Breanna had she ever given in to anyone's request so easily as she did at that very moment. "Things are definitely not going to be okay." Izabel thought to herself as she followed Breanna out of the house towards the waiting car.

After three hours of flying, Kevin, Sarah, Eve, Thomas, and Nick had fallen asleep. AJ and Brian stayed awake talking about nothing important. After a while Brian fell into deep thought. AJ watched his facial expressions with curiosity but didn't bother Brian. He knew that Brian had been thinking a lot lately about his life as a singer, future husband, and most importantly as a father. The fact that he had forgotten to pick up Thomas that day had affected Brian. After a few minutes Brian glanced back up at AJ. AJ replied with an accepting expression on his face, hoping his friend would talk to him if he need to say anything. "Hey AJ..." Brian started. "What's up, man? You've been thinking, I can tell." AJ replied. Brian smirked and nodded his head; realizing for the millionth time in his life that his friends could read him like a book. "What do you thinks gonna happen to us? As a group..." "What do you mean?" AJ asked back. "I mean, look at us. We're not gettin' any younger. You're gonna be 25 and I'm gonna be 28 next week. D's 29 and Kev's already 30. Are we supposed to keep doing this? We're still huge but why not just go out while we're on top?" AJ pondered Brian's questions trying to think of an answer. Was his friend having second thoughts about his career? "Bri, what's really wrong? You've never had questions about doing this. Are you sure this doesn't have anything to do with Thomas?" Brian looked almost hurt as the blow of AJ's words set in. AJ did have a point to make, but it was up to Brian to figure it out.

Izabel dropped Breanna off at her parents house and promised her that she would take good care of Breanna's house while she was gone. Breanna absent-mindedly nodded her head as she pretended to listen to Izabel. Izabel gave her friend a long hug good-bye before hoping back into Breanna's BMW to head back to the house. Izabel hated the long and windy roads but after a long drive at 30 MPH on the icy roads, she made it home. Izabel plopped her weak and tired body down on the couch as she drifted off into thought. "Shit!" Izabel muttered as she quickly picked herself off the couch and made her way to the nearest phone. The idea of calling the guys to let them know what was going on in Santa Monica had totally slipped her mind. She knew that Alexei and AJ had become the closest of friends as well as Eve's close friendship with Breanna's brother. "I've adopted him as my brother." The happy words of Eve came flooding back to Izabel. "Man, she's going to take this really hard." Izabel said aloud as she called her house hoping to catch Brian before he went to bed. "Damn!" Izabel shouted when their answering machine picked up. She hung up and dialed his cellphone instead, praying he had it turned on. She made a mental note as the phone rang to chew Brian out for having Thomas up way past his bedtime.

"Yeah, Bree?" Brian said into his cellphone, an hour before landing. "Well, it's not Bree." Izabel replied. "Oh, hey babe. What's up?" Brian asked. "Nothing good." Came Izabel's response. "Uh-oh. I know that tone of voice." Brian stated. "Yeah...you do." "So, are you gonna tell me?" Brian coaxed. "There is no way of telling you this..." Izabel started to say. "If it has anything to do with her being sick, we already know." Brian said. "No, Brian. It doesn't have anything to do with that." Izabel replied. "Well, what is it?" Brian knew by Izabel's voice that something wasn't right. "Oh God...um...Well, Alexei went to the mountains this weekend to pop the question to his girlfriend..." "Well, that's a first! I never expected him to every get engaged." Brian replied with a silly grin on his face. AJ listened to as much as he could but was at a loss. The invisible question mark on his face was blatantly visible to Brian. "Alexei." Brian replied over the phone. AJ's eyes became wide with disbelief. "No way!" He whispered. His good friend had beaten him to the altar. "Brian, that's not it." Izabel stated, drawing Brian's attention back to her. "Okay...what is it?" He asked back. "He and his girlfriend never made it to the mountains." "What'd they do? Run off to Vegas?" Brian joked. Izabel was tired of Brian interrupting her side of the conversation. "No Brian..." She huffed. "...the snow storm hit before they got to their cabin causing zero visibility. Alexei and his girlfriend drove off a cliff and died." Izabel choked out. "Oh shit...oh god...Izzy, you're lying...." Brian mumbled as the color drained from his face. "I'm not." Izabel replied.

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