| Chapter 1 Diane took a deep breath as she stepped out onto the tarmac, dragging her suitcase behind her. She walked toward the plane, marveling at the sheer size of the thing. As she got closer a young man, around her age approached her, "Excuse me, are you Diane Houge?" "Yeah," she said. "Hi, I'm Clint. Congrats on winning the contest," he said, extending his hand to her. She shook it, "Thanks." "Follow me and I'll show you around. It'll be a couple hours before the Boys get here," he said, walking up the steps into the plane. Diane left her suitcase with an attendant at the bottom of the stairs, slung her backpack over her shoulder and stepped into the plane. "Holy shit," she mumbled as she looked around. Clint laughed, "Yeah, it's nice isn't it?" "Nice doesn't even come close," she said. As she walked from the front of the plane to the back, she took it all in. There where four large chairs in the front of the plane, followed by two large couches that ran down each side. Diane figured that two of the guys could stretch out on each one and not even touch each other. Then came four more large chairs, followed by the galley and then the bathroom. The galley was completely stocked, and the bathroom was huge. It wasn't like the small cramped ones on commercial flights. This one even had a shower in it. "Wow, this is awesome," she said. "The guys seem to like it," Clint said, "Come on up and I'll introduce you to the piolets." Diane followed him to the cockpit. "Hey guys, this is Diane," he said. A middle aged man with salt and pepper hair held out his hand, "Nice to meet you, I'm Dale, the captain." Diane shook his hand. "And I'm Larry, the co-piolet," the younger man said, "So, you fly before?" "Yeah a lot, but I've never played flight attendant before," Diane said, a little nervous. "Well there's nothing to it really," Larry said, "You just serve the guys their dinner and be available to get them whatever they need. It's a long flight, so they'll probably sleep for most of it anyway." "OK, sounds easy enough," she said, "I don't have to do the little safety speech do I?" The men laughed, "Naw, I'm sure the guys can recite that in their sleep by now," Larry said. "Well, lets get you in your uniform and show you where everything is," Clint said. Diane followed him around the plane as he showed her where the cameras where hidden. "You don't think the guys will be mad about this?" she asked, suddenly feeling like she was invading their privacy. "Naw, they'll be fine. They won't know anything about it until you come in for the interview anyway. Then we'll tell them the whole story, the looks on their faces should be priceless," Clint laughed. "OK, if you say so," Diane said, still not sure about the whole thing. When she first won the contest she was ecstatic, but now, with it so close, she was having second thoughts. Clint looked at her, "Are you sure you can pull this off? The whole thing goes to hell if they find out you're not really a flight attendant." "Oh, I can pull it off. I'm just a little unsure of all the cameras. I mean what if they do something, or say something that they don't want someone else seeing?" she asked. "It's alright, the tapes will get edited. After you give us the list of questions for your interview, we'll go through and pull out the scenes that relate to the questions. The rest won't ever be seen," he assured her, "OK?" She nodded, "Alright." "Good, here's your uniform," he said, pulling the clothes from one of the storage bins and handing them to her. "I'm gonna take off. After you get dressed you can put your things in this bin and wait for the guys to get here," Clint said. "OK, thanks," Diane said, turning to go into the bathroom to change. "You're welcome, have a good flight," Clint said, heading back toward the front of the plane. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Diane stared at herself in the mirror. She had put on the flight attendants uniform and was trying to calm her nerves a little before leaving the bathroom. She had pulled her long dark brown hair into a pony tail, thinking that looked better than just leaving it down. She fussed with her makeup a little, then with her clothes. She was glad the uniform fit, she had enough problems trying to find clothes to fit her petite frame, and was happy when the pants didn't drag the floor. She took one final deep breath, "OK Diane, you can do this. Just act natural and do what you've seen other flight attendants do and you'll be fine." She took a last look in the mirror, "Well you look the part anyway," she laughed, walking out of the bathroom and heading up to the cockpit. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Nick sighed, looking out the window as the plane got closer, "I hate flying." "We know that Nick," Kevin laughed, "We've known that for twelve years now." Nick stuck his tongue out at the older man, "I just don't see why they set our schedule up this way." "Yeah, it is kinda nuts," Howie agreed, "I mean we're gonna be in Canada next month on the tour, why not do the interviews then?" "Yeah, why do we have to fly clear across the country to do two days of interviews, then fly right back to Florida for the opening of the tour. It's fuckin insane," A.J. said. "Well that's just the way it is," Brian said, half listening. "And we got back together for this," Nick laughed. Kevin reached over and smacked him in the back of the head, "No you idiot. We got back together because we missed each other, and the fans." "Oh yeah, well that too," Nick said, rubbing the back of his head, smiling. Brian looked over at his friend, grinning, "You're just jealous because my solo album sold more than yours did." Nick rolled his eyes, "In your dreams Bri." "I'm just saying," Brian said, elbowing Howie. Howie smiled, "Yeah, come to think of it, mine did too." "Yeah, thanks for the idea," A.J. teased, "Mine didn't do half bad either." Nick looked out the window as the car stopped, "Oh shut up, all of you," he said as he got out of the car. "Guys, don't tease him about that, it's not nice," Kevin said, then cracked a grin. "But you gotta admit its fun," Brian said, flashing his cousin a grin before exiting the car. "I didn't say it wasn't, I just said it wasn't nice," Kevin laughed, getting out. Howie looked at A.J., "You know Bone, it we don't kill each other on this tour, it'll be a miracle." A.J. laughed, "Well that's what being away from each other for two years does. Now we gotta make up for lost time." "Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of," Howie said, grabbing his bag and heading for the plane. The guys handed their bags to the attendants, letting them load them into the cargo hold of the plane, then each slung their backpacks over their shoulders and ascended the stairs into the plane. Kevin smiled, "Hey guys, we get you again huh?" Dale smiled, "Well we're the best." "That you are," Kevin agreed, looking over and seeing Diane. "Oh let me introduce you," Larry said, "This is Diane, she's new to the company." Kevin held out his hand, "Hi, I'm Kevin." Diane shook his hand, "Hi, nice to meet you," she said, Good God his eyes are green. "Hey there," Brian said, smiling, "I'm Brian, this tall geek is Nick." Nick pushed the shorter man, "Hey you spaz, quit calling me a geek." Diane couldn't help but laugh. She blushed when Nick looked over at her and flashed her his famous Carter grin, "Nice to meet you." "You too," she said. "Hi there, damn girl you are ....." A.J. started, then Howie pushed him, "God A.J. just jump her bones why don't you?" Diane had to bite her tongue to keep from bursting with laughter. "What?" A.J. asked, "I'm just saying the girl is fine. Geesh" "Thanks A.J.," Diane said, smiling. "Aw, so you do know who we are?" A.J. asked. "Yeah, I've heard of you," she said. "Cool," he said, heading to the couches. "Sorry bout that," Howie said, "Sometimes he doesn't think before he speaks." "It's OK, he's harmless," she said. Howie laughed, "Then you don't know A.J. Harmless isn't how I would describe him." Diane shrugged her shoulders, "I can handle him. Why don't you go take your seat so we can get going?" "Oh, yeah sure. Nice to meet you," Howie said, walking over to the couches. The piolets headed into the cockpit, leaving Diane alone with the guys. She kept telling herself to calm down, but it wasn't working very well. She was a bundle of nerves and was sure that at any moment she was going to be sick. She headed to the back of the plane, making sure everything in the galley was secure. She noticed the light blinking on the phone and picked it up, "Yes?" "Tell the guys to buckle up for take off, we have a little weather advisory so better safe than sorry," Dale said. "Oh, OK," Diane said, hanging up the phone. She walked to the middle of the plane, clearing her throat to get the guys attention. "Dale wants you all to buckle up for take off," she said. "Oh man, I was just getting comfortable," Nick whined. Diane laughed, "Sorry, but we've got a little weather to get through." Kevin got up, heading for a seat in the back, "You heard the lady, find a seat." They all got up. Nick and Brian went to the front while the rest sat in the back. Diane made sure they all had their seat belts on, and everything was secure before picking up the phone and ringing the cockpit. "Everything is secure," she said. "Good, take your seat and we'll be off momentarily," Larry said. Diane walked over and looked at Howie, "Mind if I sit here?" "No not at all," Howie said. She sat down, buckling her seat belt. Diane took a look around the plane. Brian and Nick where sitting next to each other in the front, quietly talking. Kevin and A.J. where sitting next to each other across the isle from her and Howie in the back. The plane taxied down the runway, picking up speed as it went. "Well, here we go again," Howie said to himself. Diane smiled as the plane rose in the air, Yep, here we go. Chapter 2 |