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Day 3 - Part 6

-You know we don’t have money for the flight tickets, Peach said to Pie who walked around the kitchen. Cara and Ophelia were sitting by the table drinking tea.
-We can’t let this slip trough our fingers! How didn’t we know about the change of schedules?
-So you don’t want to let Kevin slip trought your fingers? Peach asked with bitter voice.
-You know it’s not that, Pie said and stopped. -I haven’t even mailed that letter yet.
-But you will?
-Can we please focus on the matter?
-I’ll get the money, Ophelia said so quietly that they had to ask her to repeat what she’d said.
-I’ll get you the money.
-You don’t need to, Peach said. -We’ll travel with roadies.
-But then we’ll miss whole New York! Pie remarked. -They go straight to England, you know that.
-What about the band? Peach asked. -They have to get NY somehow.
-Listen to me, Ophelia said and they held their silence. -I don’t come to New York.
She didn’t let them interrupt her but kept going:
-I guess it’s time for me to go home for a while. I’ve called my mother. She’s going to pick me up in an hour.
-You live in LA?
-In San Diego, actually. Or lived. I don’t know if it’s wrong or right, but I can’t go on like this. Not anymore.
-Ophelia, you can’t. You have to come with us! Cara prayed.
-Listen little one. Maybe you should go home too. I’d hate to see something to happen to you.
-What could happen to me? Cara asked so innocently that Ophelia almost bursted into tears.
-Nothing. You’ll be safe as long as you stay with these two. Promise me you’ll take care of her. I know it’s my fault she’s here...
-I’m no one’s fault!
-...but I can’t no longer be responsible for her. So please, bury your disagreements for good and take good care of her.
Pie looked at Peach.
-We will, Peach promised. -But are you sure?
-Maybe I’ll join you in Europe. God knows I love that continent.
-We know too, Pie smiled. -And you’ll be there sooner than you think.
-And then it will be just four of us! Forever! Cara joyed not knowing how wrong she was.

They stood on the porch. Ophelia’s mother had came driving the black Mercedes.
-Oh, Olivia! Oh my sweet darling! she cried when she saw her daughter for the first time in two years. -How are you? Who are these girls?
-They’re just friends of mine. So bye now. Maybe we’ll see some day.
She gave quick hug for each girl, then took her mother’s hand and went in to the car. They waved their hands as long as the car was in their sight. Cara looked to the empty street and felt empty inside as well. What had happened? What was about to happen?

Cara opened an envelope Ophelia had given her just ten minutes earlier. When she saw what was in it, she yelled to Peach and Pie who had already gone in. They hurried out, worried that more bad things had happened. But they met Cara smiling widely even if tears still ran down her face.
-See! She left us all her money! Here’s a note: ”I don’t need these anymore. You go flying to New York and keep me in your minds. Because I will never forget you.”
Note was signed just O. Like Ophelia. Or Olivia. Cara didn’t notice same as others, how final that note sounded.
-I’ll call and book the tickets for us, Pie said and went in.
-Now it’s all gonna be allright! Cara cheered. All Peach could do was to hug her and hope she’d be able to protect that girl even just a little.

-So you got to New York? I ask.
-Yeah, we did. We arrived the day later than Boys but managed to get rooms from the same hotel they did. But we were heading troubles we’d never seen before.
-Like?
-Well, when we got there, we first logged on to BSB.net.
-You mean backstreet.net?
-No. It’s completely another address. Has nothing to do with Boys or their management of record company... It’s the net for f-group. And there we found out that their security had got tighter. Even some other f-group members, like Pricilla, who’d been on the road for nine years, couldn’t get in anywhere or talk to the boys.
-Nine years?
-Yeah. I guess she made unofficial record on that. For bad luck she and Peach had got fight over young Nick for four years earlier and hadn’t said a word to each other since. So I didn’t know her at all. I guess she would have had some great stories to tell.
-Would have had? You mean she died?
-No one knows, she shrugs. -She disappeared two years ago in South America. Just walked out after one concert and never came back. I like to think that she’s there somewhere living a normal life. I mean, at that time she was almost thirty. She started pretty much at the same age as I did. It’s a long time. Too long. But I like to think she survived.
-Some didn’t?
-Some didn’t. I think I did. But that’s uncertain also.
-Back to New York?
-Back to New York. I don’t have much to say about that. Boys rehearsed every day from dawn to dusk, or over. We saw them leaving the hotel, going to the studio and that was all. It felt really annoying. And if they were tired, we got our nerves cracked as well, hanging on the streets with hundreds of other fans, losing our special state in their life. I mean before you could ask Louis to drive you somewhere after he’d escorted Howie to studio or rehearsals but then they didn’t even listen to us. They walked by us, like we were air to them. I’m glad that Ophelia wasn’t with us, after what happened with Kevin it would have been too much to her. But partly it was positive because Kevin wasn’t paying any attention to Pie, it was easier to her be back with Peach. Of course it wasn’t completely in balance. And when Pie sent that letter to the lab, Peach threatened to leave her. But in the end she couldn’t. Not then, not there.
-Wasn’t it in New York when Kevin and Kristin...?
-You’re rushing again, she says and smiles at me. She has now turned back to the room and is sitting in the chair by the bed. -Yes, it was New York. And remember, what I tell you is what I know. I don’t say it’s the truth. It’s just one plus one I’ve counted.
-OK. I’ll trust you.
-No. Do not trust me. Trust yourself. Funny. That must be the greatest lesson I learned out there.
-It’s good lesson to be learned.
-Why it was so painful?
That’s a question I can’t answer and she knows that. So she starts to tell.

Kevin was brushing his teeth in bathroom, looking himself from the mirror. He had bluish bags under his eyes. They didn’t look good. He didn’t look good at all. He was torn apart because of his moral and his actions.
When he’d realized that woman who had seduced him - he liked to think she had been more active part, like it would take part of the responsibility away from him - was one of their groupies... And that in the same evening Nick paths had crossed with one of those, as well as Be-Bobs. That girl, what was her name... the one that had been raped, she wasn’t around anymore. At least Kevin thought so. He was partly happy he had hugged her that day in LA. Just partly. Because Brian was up to his ass. Always asking questions about his behavior. ”Why this? Why that? Why not?” Kevin felt irritated and scared.
He loved his wife. He really did. Right then hearing her to move in the next room warmed his heart so much you can’t even describe. And at the same time cold fingers reached around his warm heart, leaving him waiting for something. But what?
Kevin put the toothbrush back to place and flushed his mouth. Then he went to bedroom. Kristin was already in the bed. Kevin turned off the lights and crawled next to her. He started to kiss her neck making her moan a little.
-Ain’t you tired? she asked with weary voice.
-Never too tired to please my wife, Kevin answered and slid his hands lower. For his amazement Kristin took his hand and lifted it away from her tights.
-Not tonight, honey.
-What? Why not?
-I didn’t want to worry you. But I think I’m having yeast infection. I have doctor tomorrow.
-Yeast infection? Isn’t that one really tickeling disease?
-Just the one. So if you find me trying to scratch myself, would you please stop me?
-Oh what a man has to do for his wife.
-This is one of the smallest things I’ve asked from you, Kristin commented and kissed his husband. -Now sleep. You’re exhausted.
-I am, Kevin admitted. -Good night. I love you.
-I love you too.
And in five minutes Kevin was asleep. Kristin lied awake for a long time.