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Everything Your Heart Desires Chapter 25 �Thank God for the weekend,� Cheryl thought as she shut down her computer and latched her attach� bag closed. Her mood turned somber when she realized that this was the weekend she had to say good-bye to her boyfriend for an undetermined amount of time. She and Howie would have one last chance to spend time together at the kick-off party Jive Records was throwing the Backstreet Boys that night. Cheryl rose from her chair and slipped one arm into her jacket when Rosa, her face reflecting disappointment, walked into her office. "You might as well take that off and stay a while." "What? Why? I�m headed out a bit early today to get ready for my boyfriend�s going away party." She hadn�t told anyone at work who her significant other was yet. Most of her co-workers assumed that one of the reasons she moved to Florida was to be with him. Their relationship was so solid already no one doubted that they had been together for months, not weeks. Rosa shook her head. "The powers that be have called a meeting." Cheryl sank back into her seat as she listened. "Something about brainstorming for the new Toy Story movie release. The L.A. office needs our support." The older woman lay a hand on her young co-worker�s shoulder. "I�m sorry." Cheryl tried to hide the pain and frustration that was causing the lump in her throat and the tears in her eyes. "I need to call D. Tell them I�ll be right there." Rosa left closing the door behind her. "Shit!" Cheryl couldn�t help swearing under her breath. "What do I tell Howie?" After a moment�s hesitation, she picked up the phone and dialed her boyfriend�s cellphone. Across town, Howie paused in packing his clothes to answer. "Hello?" "Hey, D." "Cher. Sweetie, how are you? Couldn�t wait a couple of hours to hear my voice, eh?" "You know that�s true." Cheryl swallowed her pain to grin for a second. "Um, Howie, about the party tonight�" He dropped onto the bed. "Oh, God, this doesn�t sound good." The tears of frustration threatened again upon hearing the disappointment in his gentle voice. "They called an important strategy meeting for tonight. I don�t know if I�ll make the party." "Come on, Cher. You promised you�d be there. Why didn�t you tell me before?" "They just told me�We have to meet on a conference call with the people from the L.A. office about the release of Toy Story 2. It�s a very important meeting." "And I�m not important?" Cheryl cringed at the anger in his voice and volume as his words grew louder. "I leave tomorrow for a tour that lasts months. We will hardly see each other. This was our last chance to be together. Why can�t they understand that? You need to be here with me." "I know, D. You know I�d rather be there right now. I�ve been looking forward to the party since Wednesday. I�ll do what I can to finish quickly here and try to get there, okay?" Cheryl heard a knock on her door. "Howie, I�ve gotta go. If nothing else, I�ll be at the studio tomorrow morning. I promise I�ll see you there." "Promise? You promise? Yeah, whatever. If you say so�" Before Cheryl could explain herself, Howie had hung up. She stood slowly � blinking back the tears, trying to compose herself prior to heading down the corridor to the conference room. A few miles away, Howie had collapsed onto the bed contemplating the consequences of his actions. "Damn, what did I just do?"Kristy held tight to Kevin�s hand as they entered the club Jive had rented for the party. It wasn�t nerves but the increasing knowledge that in mere hours she would be without him � at least in the physical sense. She knew that he would never be far from her mind. Her heart would never lose that warmth she felt knowing how much they loved one another. Still she couldn�t ignore the pain that was growing in her chest with each passing minute, but for the sake of everyone around her - including Kevin - she plastered the smile on her face. Tomorrow didn�t exist. He was here with her now - that was what mattered. Kristy remembered her secondary mission of the evening as she scanned the room. Just prior to leaving the house, she had received a call from a panicked Cheryl. Kristy had tried hard to decipher what had transpired earlier between her friend and Howie, then reassured her that the situation would resolve itself. "But, Kris, he leaves tomorrow. He can�t leave like this." "It will be okay," Kristy had replied, although uncertain if it would be. On the drive over, she and Kevin had discussed the situation and decided it might not be in their best interest to interfere unless the problem escalated to the point that their friends hadn�t reconciled by the time the buses pulled away the next day. "Howie won�t let himself admit it, but he loves Cheryl. He won�t go on this tour without patching things up," Kevin told her. It wasn�t in Kristy�s nature to just allow things to settle though. As the wheels turned in her head, she failed to notice A.J. walking toward her. "Hi, Kris." He kissed her cheek. "Looking beautiful as usual." "Thanks, A.J. Charming as usual." He shrugged, then glanced toward a table at the opposite side of the room where Howie sat sipping a mixed drink. "Are you aware that my best friend is miserable?" "I kind of figured as much. Seems I have a similar problem." "Ah-hah, it is Cheryl. Where is she tonight?" "Caught at work on a conference call with the big wigs from L.A." "Shit, that sucks." A.J. thought for a moment. "What other information can you give me?" Kristy filled him in on what Cheryl had said about the situation. "That�s what I could translate from the hysterics. Howie made some sort of dismissive remark and hung up on her." "Man, you would think that D would have learned something from me over the years." A.J. sighed. "Okay, it�s time Mr. Dorough and I had a little discussion." Kristy watched A.J. as he marched over to Howie and nearly dragged him by the collar to lounge in the next room. She then spotted Kevin�s "come-hither" look from the other side of the room and smiled."TALK," A.J. demanded once he had somewhat forcefully sat Howie in a booth in the corner. Howie shrugged. "About what?" "You know damn well about what. Cheryl. You know, your girlfriend?" "There�s nothing�" A.J. put his hand up to silence Howie�s lie before it began. "Uh-uh, there is something. Care to tell me why you hung up on a woman that you care about so much?" Howie�s steeled look transformed to one of shame for a flickering second before he answered. "I was angry. It was a heat of the moment type of thing." Taking off his sunglasses, A.J. shook his head in disbelief that his best friend could be so unsympathetic and unremorseful. "Do you know what she did? Kristy says that Cheryl called her in a panic, that she was incoherent she was crying so hard." "Damn," Howie muttered then continued. "But she couldn�t come. Her job is more important than I am." "The meeting was unavoidable. She told you herself. It doesn�t mean aren�t just as important to her. If anyone, we should understand that." A.J. stared him in the eye. "How many times do you think you�ll have to cancel on her when there is a last-minute appearance scheduled?" "I know. It�s just � God, I know I made a mistake. I�m just not so sure how to straighten it out." Howie lowered his head to hide his tears. "We leave tomorrow morning. I CAN�T leave like this." "So go to her. Apologize for being such a dumbass." A.J. saw the smile brighten Howie�s otherwise stormy features. "Okay, poor choice of words, but it is nice to see you smile again. You�ll need that later." A.J. wiggled his eyebrows. "You do realize that making up is one of the best parts of the relationship, right?" "Is that all you ever think about?" "Nope. There�s also shopping� sports� Amanda� Panda and Bear� my mom�. oh and of course, music. After all�" "I know, I know. �Music first, music last, music always." Howie pulled A.J. into a hug. "Thanks, Bone." "You�re welcome. Good luck! Now go get her back."Next: Chapter 26 |