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Everything Your Heart Desires Chapter 23 Cheryl picked up Kristy from the Medical Center on Wednesday evening and they drove to the publicly undisclosed location where the Backstreet Boys would be having their dress rehearsal. Cheryl watched as her friend fidgeted - playing with the radio dial, adjusting the air conditioning. �Kristy?� No reply. �HEY KRIS!?� �Yeah?� �Stop. You�re making me even more nervous when you do that.� �Sorry,� she said with a sigh, then sank back into her seat. �It�s just the whole idea of meeting Kevin�s mother� It scares me to death. Do you think she�ll like me?� �Why wouldn�t she?� �Because I�m dating her son�.� Kristy had told Cheryl about the previous Sunday morning and her first introduction to the woman her boyfriend called mother. Kevin had been too tired from rehearsal and their clubbing date to drive across town to the condo, so she volunteered to stay Saturday night at his place. The next morning Kristy was in the kitchen scrambling eggs for breakfast while Kevin was in the shower. She heard him shut off the water just as the telephone began to ring. He appeared with just a bath towel wrapped securely around his torso and pleaded, �Baby, can you get that please?� After quickly regaining her composure, she answered, �S-sure, Kev.� Kristy wiped her hands on the checkered dishtowel and grabbed the phone off the wall. �Hello?� �Hi,� came a woman�s voice tinged with surprise and confusion. �I�m looking for Kevin. Is he there?� �Yes, may I ask who�s calling please?� �It�s his mother � Ann.� Kristy nearly dropped the phone in the egg-filled skillet. �His mother? Oh my God, she would have to call now.� She took a breath in effort to gain courage. �One moment, Mrs. Richardson, he just came from the shower.� �I didn�t just say that.� Before she could insert her foot even further into her mouth, she scampered to the bedroom holding the receiver as if it were a hot potato. She covered the mouthpiece and knocked on the door. �Kev, it�s your mom.� �I�ll be out in a second. Why don�t you talk to her? She�s been dying to meet you,� Kevin answered through the door. �But, Kev?� He peeked out the door. �Talk to her, Angel. She won�t bite, I promise. And she�s going to love you.� Planting a small kiss on Kristy�s nose, he then closed the door. Kristy was mortified. How was she going to explain why she was at Kevin�s house at 8:30 in the morning while he was taking a shower? She had practically condemned herself with the phrases she had already uttered. �Mrs. Richardson?� she started slowly as she headed back toward the den. �Kevin is getting dressed in the bedroom and will be out in a second.� �That�s fine, dear. It will give us women a chance to talk. I assume you�re Kristy?� �Yes, ma�am.� �Really no need for formality. Please call me Ann.� Gradually Kristy relaxed into conversation thanks in part to Ann�s motherly persona and Southern accent. The two talked for fifteen minutes about Kristy�s upbringing and current life, the Richardson family and her relationship with Kevin. Kevin had long since been ready but stood just outside the door listening to his girlfriend talk animatedly with his mother. His heart and soul overflowed with warmth knowing that the two most important women in his life were forging a friendship.Cheryl pulled the Volkswagen into a parking space and she and Kristy walked toward the warehouse entrance. They found Pollyanna awaiting their arrival. �Hi, ladies.� �Hey, P.A.� �Hi, Polly.� �I had strict instructions to bring you to the dressing rooms as soon as you arrived. It seems that two Backstreet Boys missed you immensely.� �I can say the feeling is mutual,� Cheryl admitted. Neither couple had seen one another since the weekend due to the Backstreet rehearsal schedule and the girls� work. They had managed to speak on the phone every night � sometimes for as long as two hours. It was then that Howie and Kevin invited them to the dress rehearsal. Polly led the two women �backstage� but not without being intercepted by bodyguards. �They�re with me, Q,� she stated not retreating from the two burly men protecting the area like bulldogs. The one she addressed laughed. �Don�t worry, we were forced to stare at photos of these two young ladies most of the day to memorize their faces. We won�t give Cheryl or Kristy any trouble.� It was then that Howie strolled out of wardrobe. �Cher!� He nearly sprinted toward his girlfriend and upon reaching her, he enveloped her in a strong embrace. �Oh my God, I missed you,� he whispered in her ear. �I missed you too.� Cheryl replied, the smile brightening her face. Kevin had heard Howie�s boisterous greeting and Kristy soon found him in front of her sans his shirt. It was obvious that he had been interrupted in the process of dressing in his first costume and was currently wearing only black cargo pants. Kristy smiled as he rested his head against hers after they shared a slow kiss. �My timing is a little off. Guess I should have arrived a little earlier.� �Oh, you would have liked that wouldn�t you?� he teased. �Come on. There's someone I wanted to introduce to you.� Kristy�s face suddenly changed - reflecting the nervousness she felt - and Kevin took hold of her hands, caressing the back of them. �Listen, you have nothing to worry about�� He led her away, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her to him. Cheryl said a quick, silent prayer for her friend. When she opened her eyes, she found Howie gazing at her, his eyes filled with curiosity. �Kris is a bit nervous about meeting Kev�s mom,� she explained simply. �There�s no need to be. Ann Richardson is a sweetheart. Yes, she adores Kevin. But even in the � VERY � unlikely event that she hated Kris, she wouldn�t let that stand in the way of her son�s happiness.� He gazed at Cheryl, a smile of amusement on his face. �Were you that nervous before coming to my parent�s place for dinner?� Cheryl nodded sheepishly. �It�s nerve-wracking. You don�t know what to expect.� �You had no need to worry, right?� She shook her head. �I can say that now. Just you wait, Dorough, until I take you home to meet my parents.� Howie�s smile left his face as he thought to the future, but before he could delve too far into his fears, Cheryl gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. The smile reappeared. �Now that you�ve tortured my mind� I might not give you that tour I promised.� Cheryl kissed him slowly. �Okay, you convinced me.� The couple wandered out to the stage, where he showed her the various special effects � pyrotechnics, harnesses for flying. As Howie explained the logistics of the show, Cheryl�s expressions unknowingly voiced their concern for his safety. �It�s okay, sweetie,� he reassured her. �We�ve got the best technical people working with us. I�ll be fine.� �If you say so,� she said skeptically. Howie lifted her chin and brushed her lips with his. �I know so.� They shared another kiss. �Don�t let us interrupt,� said a male voice. �Hey, guys!� Howie greeted. �Cher, this is Dennis, Guy and Mindi � part of the band. This is my girlfriend Cheryl.� Dennis smiled. �Looks like you�ve been busy during our month off.� Howie blushed. �Yeah, um, well�� Cheryl leaned in and whispered in his ear, �You�re cute when you�re embarrassed.� She kissed the corner of his mouth. He couldn�t help but grin, then cleared his throat. �If you�ll excuse us, there are some other things I promised to show Cheryl before rehearsal began.� As the couple walked away, Dennis muttered, �Yeah, I�ll bet.� En route to their next destination, Howie and Cheryl were so entangled in their discussion that they almost literally bumped into a woman coming from A.J.�s dressing room. �Oh, hey, Denise.� Howie then made the introductions. �And if you try to call her Ms. McLean, she�ll feed you to Panda and Bear.� Denise laughed. �Bet you didn�t know that Alex trained them to be attack dogs. Keeps those overzealous fans at bay.� �Um, need I remind you two,� Cheryl interjected, �they�re Shitzus not Great Danes� But it is really nice to finally meet you, Ms. McLean,� she teased. �Oops, Denise.� �This one�s funny, Dorough. You know, I met Kristy earlier. She was a bit more subdued.� �You saw Kris? How was she?� �She and Kevin were searching for his mom. She seemed a bit nervous.� Cheryl exhaled a sympathetic sigh and Howie squeezed her hand gently in reply. �So where are the others?� he asked. �Around�I think the �green room� � or actually, today it�s yellow � is free,� she offered. �Thanks.� Howie led Cheryl to the left and they entered a large room with several couches and a table of catered goodies � everything from finger sandwiches to fruit. �You hungry?� �Not really�� �At least not for food,� she added to herself. As if he had read her mind, Howie pulled her toward the small storage closet. Once inside the tiny dimly lit room � which held some of the extra food � he sat on a sturdy trunk and pulled her onto his lap. His brown eyes met hers, now wide with surprise and anticipation. �I didn�t think three days could ever be so long,� he murmured. Howie drew her face to his and their lips met in a kiss that possessed every emotion they felt in that moment. Longing. Love. Fear. Excitement. Apprehension. A muddled paradox that reflected their lives and their relationship. They both knew that this tour would be a turning point. A kind of test to gauge their future as a couple. Three days might be long, but three months was even longer. Cheryl reached her right hand to his ponytail as the kiss continued. She ran her fingers through the silky dark strands as if memorize the way they felt while his index finger traced her jawline and neck. Both heard the sound of voices but were to involved in the moment to worry about them until it was obvious by the volume that they were in the next room. Howie broke the kiss. �Sounds like we have company.� �They�re coming closer.� Howie eyed one of the extra trays of fruit and smirked. �Fair lady, I fear we must arm ourselves against the attack.� The door opened some thirty seconds later. �Hey, Frick, looks like we hit the mother load.� Nick was soon joined at the door by Brian�s silhouetted figure. �Nice investigative skills, Frack.� �Ready,� Howie whispered. �Aim� Fire.� He and Cheryl ambushed the two other men and began pelting them with grapes amid loud protests. Laughing uncontrollably, the couple soon found themselves without ammunition and too exhausted to continue. Nick and Brain smiled through the sticky juice on their faces. �Mhmm, I�d say this means war,� said the elder blonde. �Yep, watch your back. We�ll get you when you least expect it,� the younger man agreed. �What the hell were you guys doing in there anyway?� Brian, Cheryl and Howie exchanged glances. Cheryl smiled. �Smarty, I�m beginning to think we should have forgone our system and called you D.A. afterall.� She and Howie escaped into the hallway. Brian put an arm around his friend. �Frack, it�s time you and me had a little talk about the birds and the bees.�Next: Chapter 24 |