Chapter

Kevin and Luke walked through the front doors of the hotel virtually unnoticed. Kevin was the only one of the group that was in town a night early, and most of the fans did not even realize he had already arrived.. There were only a handful of fans standing at the front of the hotel. Kevin, always true to his heart, insisted on greeting the few fans that were there. He signed autographs and posed for pictures, all the while wondering if he'd ever see right again. "Damn, those flash things seem a lot brighter after two bottles of wine," Kevin muttered to Luke. "C'mon, you've covered everyone....let's get a move on....," Luke said, while taking Kevin by the elbow and guiding him out through the fans.
Luke took a good look at Kevin and mentally formulated a plan. "Ok boss, here's the deal. Put this on, " Luke said as he took his hat off his head, and settled it on the top of Kevin's head. He then turned the collar of Kevin's coat up. He had hoped that in the dark of the night, this would be enough to get Kevin the few moments of anonymity he desperately needed.

Normally Luke could stay close to Kevin's side when out walking like this, but tonight proved to be a bigger challenge than Luke ever imagined. The cool outside air had acted to heighten the affect of the alcohol and as a result, Luke had his work cut out for him.

Kevin said he wanted to go to the right. He then, promptly, went to the left!
"Oh great. This is gonna be interesting," Luke mumbled.

"Did ya say somthin to me Luke?", Kevin asked.

"Aaahhh no...no Kevin...I was just...er...well...", Luke stumbled for an answer and decided that lying was the best thing to do. "No boss, I just wondered what would be interesting.....ahh..to do."

"Oh...oh..s'ok", Kevin replied. "Luke!", Kevin said in a raised voice. "Luke.......", Kevin's voice trailed off.

"What is it Kevin?", Luke asked, totally confused by the swing in Kevin's tone. "This is gonna be the longest .. short walk I have ever been on", Luke thought to himself.

"Damn Luke....c'mere...closer, k?", Kevin pleaded. Luke moved closer to Kevin...and held his elbow so that Kevin could feel he was there, since obviously his eyes and ears were not functioning as clearly as they normally do.

"Luke, wha happened to me? Wha....what'd I dooo wrong?, Kevin asked in a broken voice. He could feel the tears starting to flow all over again. "Why couldn't I see wha everone else saw?
I...I jus wanna be in loooove and jus wanna have someone loooove ME so mush....sooo damn mush. Iz at sooo wrong?"

Luke realized that he was screwed now! When Kevin got drunk...his accent got even thicker and he tended to use words only HE could understand. "Aw hell...he's going to expect me to answer, and I don't even know if I'm sure what he said!", Luke thought to himself. So Luke replied with the only answer he knew to give...."Kevin...you'll be ok". Satisfied that THAT particular answer would cover a lot of ground, Luke grabbed Kevin's elbow a little tighter.

"Luke......member back a looong time ago? Hmmm...? Huh? Do ya?", Kevin was asking and looking at Luke awaiting some type of answer.

"Yeah boss....I remember"

"I had it all....success, friends, family...and women! There were always lotsa women, huh Luke? Lotsa women....BUT! I dint want em.... Nope! Nope! I dint! I 'spect women toooo much, Luke, ya know?!?! I do........Then SHE comes in my life.....boom...she done messed me up Luke! Done messed me up good! I'm 29 fucking years old...and all by m'self."

And, with that said, Kevin burst into an impromptu song. "All by myself.......don't wanna be....all by myself......".

"Er..boss...people are staring, ok?", Luke said, while hoping to drag Kevin back the other way.

Kevin was having no part of it. Luke had made the one mistake Kevin needed. He eased up his grip while trying to circle behind him to propel Kevin the other way. Kevin yanked his arm from Luke's grasp and made a run for it!

"SHIT! KEVIN!!!!!!," Luke yelled as he took off down the sidewalk after his "boss". "You little asshole! STOP RIGHT NOW!"

Kevin was teetering on the brink of so many emotions. He was hurt, he was pissed. He was sad, he was giddy. He was alone, he was free!

He was drunk!

And, he was heading right back to the hotel!