Kevin stopped him right as he was about to run out the door.
"Don’t lower yourself to his level,” Kevin said with a firm grasp on AJ’s arm.
"That son of a bitch!" AJ yelled as he kicked the door. "I fucking hate him!"
Kevin stood in front of the door, he wanted to make sure AJ didn’t do anything he would regret.
"Calm down,” he told him.
"Calm down???” He exclaimed. “What the hell is she thinking?!" AJ continued, "What is wrong with her?" He paced back and forth in the hallway.
Kevin tried to come up with something to say, but the truth was, he couldn’t. He didn’t know what was going through Dawn’s mind. Anthony was dangerous and Dawn shouldn’t be anywhere near him. He walked over and put his arm around AJ.
"Come on man, let’s go sit down".

An hour later as Dawn walked back into the building, her mind was in a million different places. She had so much to think about she didn’t even know where to start. What she needed right now was a friend, someone she could spill her guts to who would listen to her. AJ used to be that person, but ever since they got romantically involved, things changed. She didn’t feel like she could talk to him anymore.
She walked into the room where they were supposed to rehearse. Kevin and AJ both looked up at her, then Kevin glanced over at AJ. AJ ignored her and went back to what he was doing.
"This is ridiculous,” Dawn said to herself as she put her purse down sat down by herself.
The rest of the guys were all busy doing other things. Just then, Kevin walked over to her.
"Can I talk to you for a minute?" He asked.
"Sure Dad,” Dawn said sarcastically.
"What the hell is going through your mind,” Kevin said, once out in the hallway. The question> took Dawn by surprise.
"What are you talking about?"
"Your little lunch date today"…his eyes burned a hole right through her.
"Kevin, the last time I checked, I didn’t have to ask anyone for permission to go anywhere. Anthony is the father of my child and I’m trying to do the right thing here,” she said, raising her voice.
Kevin pulled her outside.
"I don’t want everyone to hear us".
Dawn pulled away from him.
"I just cannot believe that you are doing this. He is dangerous. He WILL hurt you again".
"He has changed. He is trying, at least. He’s going to AA meetings and anger management classes. He wants to be a good father and he loves me".
Kevin sighed.
"I know you want to think that he has changed, and for your sake, I hope he has, but I wouldn’t hold my breath. He’s just trying to get you back, then everything will go right back to the way it was before".
Dawn rolled her eyes and looked away.
"Tell me that you honestly love Anthony and you don’t love AJ and I’ll never say another word about it,” he said as he looked her right in the eye.
Dawn just stood there, she didn’t know what to say. She looked away from him, she couldn’t look him in the eye. She couldn’t tell him that she didn’t love AJ and he knew that. She was trying to do the right thing for her baby.
"That’s what I thought,” he replied. "You can’t say it".
"I’m just trying to do the right thing here, Kevin".
"I know you are, and I know it’s hard, but AJ loves you so much. He would give up everything for you".
"I know,” Dawn replied. "Don’t you see that’s why I have to distance myself from him? He has so much going for him. The baby’s not even his and he’s prepared to just give it all up for me. I cannot ruin his life".
"Just promise me you’ll talk to him. Just sit down and hash everything out with him. He at least deserves that much. You two used to be so close. You guys need to communicate,” his voice trailed off.
Then the door opened and AJ poked his head out at them.
"Time to get to work, you slackers,” he teased.
It was strange to see AJ in such a good mood all of a sudden. They all walked into where they were to begin rehearsing. The first song they had to rehearse was, ‘If You Knew What I Knew’. Dawn and AJ were positioned right across from each other, singing into the same microphone. AJ looked Dawn directly in the eye when he sang the song. He may have written it a long time ago, but it certainly fit the current situation they were in.
"7 AM, thinking ‘bout you,
wondering if the thoughts I’m feeling, you’re feeling too.
Like a newborn child, Soft to the touch.
Never thought it was possible, To love someone so much….
I wish I may,
I wish I might,
be that certain someone,
you wish for every night”.
If you knew what I knew, you wouldn’t say what you said,
If you knew what I knew, we’d be together instead,
of you breaking my heart, over things that aren’t true,
My lady, yes, if you knew what I knew."
Dawn had a hard time staying focused on the song, she was going to kill Kevin for making her stand right across from AJ. The song was hard enough to sing, let alone having to face AJ while singing it. He looked directly at her during the entire song. She wasn’t sure if he was trying to tell her something or if it was just because he really had no choice but to look at her.
After starting the song over three times because Dawn kept messing her part up, they finally got through it with no problems.
The next song was, ‘Like a Child’, then ‘Lay Down Beside Me’. They flew through the second song with no problems at all, but took a short break before "Lay Down Beside Me". Kevin knew Dawn was going to need a break, especially after he told her what she was going to have to do.
"Ready?" Kevin asked Dawn as he walked over to where she was, taking a sip of her water. "I can’t imagine it being any worse than the first two songs,” she said, sarcastically.
"Actually, you have a little more on this song".
Dawn looked at him with her eyes big.
"What are you talking about? Why are you doing this to me?"
Kevin laughed.
"I’m not doing anything to you, this was all figured out a long time ago. I can’t help it that you have a lot to sing in this song".
"Isn’t this supposed to be a SOLO?" Dawn asked, trying everything she could to get out of it.
"Well, yeah, but there’s still a lot of background singing, people just don’t usually notice it. Here, read over this and learn your parts".
He handed her a piece of paper. She looked it over.
"I really hate you Kevin".
He snickered and walked away, rather proud of himself. He didn’t care if she hated him now. He would get her and AJ back together if it was the last thing he did.
"Let’s go everyone," he yelled as they all took their places once again.
They started the song, but Dawn didn’t like the way it was going. She stopped singing.
"I don’t feel comfortable with this", she stated as everyone stopped & looked at her. "Why don’t we run through it with just you and AJ, no one else,” Kevin suggested.
“Noooo,” Dawn glared at him. He knew full well that wasn’t what she had in mind.
“Yessss,” Kevin said.
Right before the song started, Kevin motioned for Nick to go over and begin recording. If Dawn knew that he was recording them, she would definitely have a fit. They all left the room, leaving Dawn and AJ in the room by themselves. The song began.
"Something about the way you moved that caught my eye,
I really did have to try it, I can’t deny it.
Watching your body sway as I watched you from behind,
got me so excited, how could I fight it”.
AJ kept inching closer and closer to her. It was making her nervous. The way he sang this song did things to her that she couldn’t explain.
They got through the song with no further problems, and right as it ended, AJ grabbed Dawn and gave her a long passionate kiss on the lips.


Chapter 30
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