| Chapter 19 A.J. made his way up the drive to Nick's house. He had caught the first flight out, and had been up all night. He knew the guys weren't telling him everything on the phone. He was just afraid of what they weren't telling him. He parked the car, got out, and walked up to the door. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath and rang the bell. Tara was in the exercise room, beating the stuffing out of the body bag when the bell rang. She ran to answer the door. She opened it to find A.J. standing there looking about half scared. "Alex!" Tara said and gave him a hug. "Hey girl, who you beatin up this early in the morning?" A.J. asked with a smile. Tara laughed and pulled her other glove off, "Oh you know, whoever needs it." A.J. walked in and they both went to the living room. "Everyone else is still asleep," Tara said sitting down on the couch. A.J. plopped down in the chair across from her, "Tara, tell me everything. The guys didn't tell me shit, and I'm bout half crazy imagining what's really going on." Tara took a deep breath and looked A.J. in the eyes, "OK, this is what's going on............." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Gary lay in bed watching Leighanne sleep. He knew they would have to get up soon, but he wanted to prolong it as much as he could. He studied every inch of her face, not ever wanting to know what it would be like not to see it. He finally reached over and touched her cheek, "Anne, we need to get up." Leighanne opened her eyes and smiled at him. "We need to get up, we've gotta be at the set in two hours," Gary said. Leighanne groaned and pulled the pillow over her head. Gary laughed at her and pulled the pillow out of her hands, "How are you this morning?" he asked. She looked into his eyes, "Much better." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When Tara had finished A.J. was on the verge of tears. "Tara is this some sort of nightmare? This can't be happening!" he said. "That's how we all feel, but we need to be strong for Brian's sake, he's really having a hard time with this," Tara said. "I bet, I'm having a hard time with it and it's not even me," A.J. said wiping away a tear. Tara reached over and put her hands on A.J.'s knees, "Alex, it's OK to let it out." A.J. looked at her for a moment, then he put his arms around her and let his emotions take over. A.J. was still crying on Tara's shoulder when Howie came downstairs. He walked over and put his hand on A.J.'s back. "I guess Tara filled you in," he said. A.J. looked up and nodded his head, trying desperately to wipe away the tears. "D, what are we gonna do?" A.J. asked. Howie looked at A.J., "Just be here for him, that's all we can do." Tara cleared her throat, "Howie, that's not all we can do." They both looked at her, "What else is there?" A.J. asked. Tara looked them both in the eyes, "You can pray." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Brian woke up to the sun shining in his face through the window. He sat up and looked around, trying to remember where he was. It finally dawned on him he was at Nicks. He got up and walked out into the hall. He could hear someone talking downstairs. He wasn't feeling up to facing anyone yet this morning so he took the back stairs down to the kitchen. He walked over to the counter and picked up his medicine bottle. He stared at it for a moment, then opened it, poured out his morning dose, and took it. He walked over to the sink to get a drink, when the conversation in the living room peaked his interest---he heard his name. Brian made his way down the hall and stood just outside the living room. He could hear Howie and Tara talking, and someone else---A.J. When did he get here? Brian thought. He turned his attention back to what was being said. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Tara, you know I'm not good at that stuff," A.J. said. "Alex, it's not a matter of being good at it. It may be Brian's only hope of getting through this," Tara said. Howie looked over at A.J., "I hate to say it, but she's right. The medicine is only gonna prolong the inevitable." "Yeah, but I don't remember any prayers," A.J. said. "Alex, talk to Him just like you talk to us, minus the curse words," Tara said with a smile. A.J. and Howie both laughed. "There's one thing I don't understand," A.J. said. "What's that?" Howie asked. "What the hell has gotten into Leighanne?" A.J. asked. Tara looked away from them, and they both knew she was hiding something. "You know something don't you?" Howie asked. Tara looked back at them, "Guys, I can't say, not yet." "Tara, do you really think this is the time to be hiding things?" Howie asked. Tara didn't say anything but just looked at him. Brian walked around the corner and looked at her. Howie and A.J. looked at him, knowing he had heard them talking. "Hi A.J.," Brian said. A.J. got up and walked over to Brian and gave him a hug, "Hey Rok." Brian walked over and sat down next to Tara, "Can I talk to you?" Tara looked away from him and nodded her head. Howie grabbed A.J. and pulled him upstairs, "Come on, I'll show ya my room," he said as they disappeared around the corner. "Tara, do you know something about Lee that you're not telling me?" Brian asked. She still wouldn't look at him, "Brian, I .... I can't tell you." "Why not?" he asked. She looked up at him and he could tell it was killing her to hide whatever it was from him. "Brian, I just can't, not right now," she said. "When then? Tara, I don't have a whole lotta time ya know," Brian said. "Bri, don't talk like that," she said. "Like what? Like I'm gonna die?" he said with some anger in his voice. "Brian, don't do this," Tara said. "Tara, we've gotta face the truth. I'm gonna die and there's nothing anyone can do about it! And to top it off I'm losing the one thing I care to stay in this world for," Brian said. Tara looked at him and she could see the hopelessness he was feeling. "Brian, please don't give up," she said. "What else is there to do? Tara, I can't fight this one, I just can't. It's not in me," Brian said. "Brian please don't say that, I'll help you all I can, but please don't give up," Tara said with a tear in her eye. "Tara, I don't wanna live if Lee's not in my life, I can't," Brian said looking away from her. Tara reached over and pulled him around to where he was looking at her, "Brian, do you remember when I told you who I really was, do you remember how I got to be there?" Brian nodded his head. "Bri, I know exactly what you're going through with Lee, and what you're thinking is not the answer," Tara said. Brian just sat there staring at her. "Brian, there are things you have to do before you ......," Tara started. "Like what?" he asked. "Like finish the album," Tara answered. "Tara the album is what started this whole mess, why would I finish it now?" Brian said. "Because if you don't, it's gonna change everything," she said. Brian looked at her confused, "You've been talking to Tracy again haven't you?" Tara nodded her head. Brian leaned back and stared at the ceiling. He really didn't want to do this, he didn't want to do anything but crawl back in bed. But singing did always make him feel better, and he needed that right now. "Alright," he said softly. Tara looked at him, "Alright what?" He sat back up and looked at her, "I'll finish the album." A smile crossed her face, and she reached over and hugged him. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A.J. and Howie burst into Nick's bedroom and shut the door behind them. "Nick, wake up," Howie said. Nick rolled over and groaned, "Go away!" A.J. walked over to the side of the bed and began poking Nick on the arm, "Nicky, get up." "Who the.....," Nick said raising his head up and seeing A.J. standing there smiling at him. "Bone! When'd you get here?" Nick said sitting up and giving him a hug. "A little while ago," A.J. replied. "OK, so why are you two freaks in my bedroom?" Nick asked. "I think we got Tara in trouble," Howie said. Nick looked at him confused, "With who?" "Brian," A.J. answered. "OK, somebody tell me what's going on," Nick said. "Well, we were talking about Brian, and I asked Tara what was up with Lee, and she acted like she knew something," A.J. said. "Yeah, and then Brian walked in the room with this look on his face, like he'd heard everything we said," Howie finished. "So, where are they now?" Nick asked. "Bri asked Tara if he could talk to her, they're in the living room," Howie said. Nick got up and walked across the room to the door. As he opened it, Tara was coming down the hall. She walked in the room, surprised to find all the guys in there. "Um, is this private, or can anyone join in?" she asked. "Come on in, the more the merrier," A.J. said. "K, everyone get ready, we're going to the studio," Tara said. "Tara, don't you think he should rest or something?" Nick said. She looked at him, "Nick, let him do this. K, yall we leave in an hour." Everyone got up to get ready, "Come on Alex, I'll show where your room is," Tara said. Chapter 20 |