"Shane Michael! You get back here right now!"
The handsome blonde haired little boy ignored his very harried mother and continued to run through the crowded mall. She sighed and sat on a nearby bench.
"Mommy!" he cried as he came running back,
"I see it, I see it!"
They had come to the mall to look for a particular birthday gift (he was going to be 10 and wanted a certain game that was extremely in demand)
"Another birthday..." she sighed looking at him.
He so resembled his father that not a day went by she didn't dream of that tryst so many years ago-ages it felt like that this miracle was produced out of a wonderful and life changing point.
"Aaron..." she felt herself going into that all too familiar trance.
Trying to fight back tears, she stood up.
"Okay, let's get it. Mommy's tired." she said getting up and walking with him to the store.
He ran into a nearby Kay Bee store and she suddenly paled. As Shane explored the aisles, she stood staring at the latest collection of Aaron Carter merchandise.
"Shit." she felt herself break down
"Not here, not now." she pleaded with herself
Usually at night with her computer she would follow his daily goings about. He had become a...She snapped back to reality when Shane ran at her almost knocking over a display of Barbie's in a haste.
"Whoa buddy." she said laughing
"But there's only one left! We need to get it now." he whispered as if someone was going to take it from him.
"Don't worry sweets, we'll make sure they don't take it."
She went to get it and passing the display again, glancing quickly went to pay for it.
"Shane? Shane!" she gripped the bag in fear.
He was always running off and she was afraid one day he would be picked up and she would be alone. She had no other family besides him due to family rifts and long standing grudges. She finally spotted him and groaning inwardly she realized he was looking at the Aaron dolls.
"No, anything but that..." she prayed
They had recently discovered Radio Disney and he made it a point to show her anything related to the singers featured on there.
"3,2,1..." she counted the second before the barrage began.
"Oh my God Mommy, look it's Aaron Carter!" he said gleefully jumping up and down with the box firmly in hand.
"Can we get this please?"
She sighed. They were going to attend a show of his in a few days and Shane was over excited. Not only was it his first concert but she'd managed to access backstage passes.
"Ohh! Maybe he can sign it." he said stopping for a second to reflect on the thought.
"Maybe." she said back to him
"But there will be other things at the show sweetie that you're going to want to buy too. Are you sure you want to spend your allowance?"
Again, silence as this new thought was mulled over.
"Yes, yes I do. I think he would like it."
"Innocence of youth." she thought as she led him to the counter once again and paid for the new item.
On the drive him she was torn between thoughts of actually seeing the man she held both a grudge and a debt of gratitude for plus the ramblings of a hyper ten-year-old.
Aaron stood backstage.
"Maybe this time..." he began hs mantra.
Before every show since the one last attended by Sa'iyda and Shane he's prayed he would see them again.
"10 years? No way. But..."
"Aaron no." Nick said firmly
His brother Nick, forever by his side worried over his little brother putting aside the fact that Aaron wasn't little by any means. He tended to believe to strongly in matters of the heart. In the subsequent years since their split, he had seen other women but ultimately the relationships never reached a pinnicle. Nick had no doubt Sa'iyda had dated as well but Aaron just wouldn't let go.
The stage manager called 5 minutes everyone. Aaron looked at Nick.
"Go time bro."
He slapped him a high fie (pre show ritual) and slowly made his way to the stage as the emcee pumped up the crowd.
"If you love Aaron Carter, let me hear you scream!" he egged on the crowd.
"I can't hear you, i guess you don't want him."
That was his cue and he ran out to defening screams. He scanned the crowd looking for a familiar face. He didn't see it and sighed inwardly before getting on with the show.
*At Home*
"Mommy, what's wrong?" Shane whispered to Sa'iyda as she bent over the tiolet, violently retching.
Pale and sweating, she felt herself losing grip on the one piece of furniture that wasn't spinning.
"Mo-Mommy's sick sweetie." she got out as she sat on the floor.
"But Mommy, Aaron...he'll miss us." Shane said, sounding too much like Aaron whining to be of any comfort.
She groaned. She was coming down with a bad case of the flu. He stood watching looking as close to crying as he could. She slowly got up.
"I'm going to see if maybe I can get your cousin to take okay?"
Feeling the room lurch again she sat on the commode.
"As soon as the room comes to a stop."
Sighing he went back to his room and soon strains of 'My Shorty' came through.
Dragging herself to the phone, she dialed the one person that she thought she could depend on. Letting the phone rest on her shoulder she closed her eyes and imagined what he was doing at this very minute.
"Come on Ashlee, pick up."
The phone rang for another five rings then an answering machine bulrted out: "You have reached the home of Ashlee...". She hung up, fear running through her. She tried to make Shane's life as easy as possible but certain circumstances prevented that. She hoped he would take this as well as other things along the way. They made it through. Slowly making her way, as not to upset the whirlpool in her stomach, she made it to his door which was halfway open. She saw Shane sitting with his doll on his bed and singing his favorite song to it.
"Mommy's my shorty, my baby, she coming with me to see Aaron..." ad-libbing as the song repeated
'My Shorty' was the song she'd heard him say in an interview that was for a girl he was once close to but he absolutely wouldn't reveal her name.
She knocked and entered.
"Hi Mommy," he said running to her
"Aaron and I were singing."
"I know babes, I heard you. Good job you two." she said, kissing him on the forehead.
Sitting down on his bed, she called him over.
"Baby, mommy's really sick and Aunite Ashlee is working so we aren't going to be able to go to the concert."
She waited for his reaction.
"Please," she begged herself "Don't let him freak out."
He looked at her then at his doll.
Softly he said "Okay Mommy." and leaned over to give her a kiss.
"Aaron and I understand you don't feel well."
Getting up and taking her by the hand he led her to her room.
"Lay down Mommy. Maybe you'll feel better."
She obliged him and smiled.
"My good boy, I love you."
Turning red, he walked out and leaving the door halfway open, went to his room and resumed playing 'concert'.
"NICK! NICK MAN LOOK!" Aaron yelled, waving a sheet in front of Nick who was speaking to a fan of his.
"What! What? Man, dang slow down." he said holding him at arms lenghth while Aaron tried to show him what he discovered.
"I found a meet and greet list." Aaron said breathlessly.
"And so your point is? I'm trying to score a date with that young lady."
Frustrated, Aaron screamed: "SA'IYDA'S NAME IS ON IT!"
"What? Give me that!" Nick scanned down and sure enough her and Shane's names were on it.
Aaron quickly snatched it back and softly said: "She really did it." remembering how they were joking and were saying their favorite names out loud and how she laughed at it. He felt like he was going to cry.
"That boy Nick. Remember a few years ago I told you I thought I saw her..."
Nick thought for a second then his face fell into one of shock.
"But didn't you say there was a little boy with her...oh my God Aaron, that was your son!"
Aaron sat down hard on a portable trunk.
"I know Nick, I know." he said, holding his head in his hands.
Laying on her bed wishing she was anywhere but in her own body, she listened to Shane perform his 'concert' with his Aaron doll. Sighing and trying to make as little movement as possible, she reflected on the past. Smiling to herself, she fell into a semi-blissful sleep, dreaming of what could have been.
Days passed into weeks, months turned into a year and along with that, big changes with Shane and his mom. Now at 11 years old all thoughts of Aaron were replaced by thoughts of girls, an entry to junior high school and the future.
"SHANE MICHAEL! GET YOUR BUTT IN HERE RIGHT NOW!" she yelled, walking in slowly seeing her favorite shirt covered in mud plus other debris.
"What is this?" she said tapping her foot.
"Well I, we, um, damn..." he said looking down, not being able to explain why he and his friends were using her clean clothes outside as targets.
"WHAT WAS THAT?!"
"N nothing. I'm sorry Mom."
She looked at him and her heart went out. He looked exactly like Aaron at his age close to but not exactly 12.
"Aaron's party..." she whispered to herself.
"Oh Mom, whatever okay?! Stop comparing me to, to HIM!" he said storming out and slamming the door.
Getting up she decided she was going to do something about this. She turned on her computer and went to Aaron's site, speaking largely to herself.
"I know this is a long shot but I have to try."
Scrolling down the page looking for the button to send fan mail or in this case family mail. Typing quickly, faster than her mind could process she poured her heart out to the small screen praying he would get it.
"Odds are." she said outloud "He never gets close to a computer."
Hitting the send button and letting out a rush of air, she didn't know Shane had come in rather quietly and was watching her. Waiting a beat he said softly:
"Mom..."
She was motionless sitting at the computer afraid. She was on the verge of crying.
"Mom..." he said again, walking to her and putting a hand on her shoulder.
She looked up at him blankly.
"Mom, are you okay?"
She smiled and nodded. He hugged her and kissed her cheek.
"I'm sorry. I was out of line before."
She drew in a breath and shut off her computer.
"Let's go out okay?"
"Nick man, move! Damn, let me see my mail God!"
Nick threw up his hands and moved away muttering.
"Finally, some privacy."
Scrolling through all the 'marry me's' and 'I love you Aaron's' he sighed. It wasn't often that he got to check his fan mail and now he knew why. Sighing, he was about to get off when one email caught his eye. He felt the blood drain out of his face. He sat shaking and reading.
"Oh my God, oh my God...Nick, come look at this!"
"Man, what is it? I'm eating."
"You're always eating, get over here."
Nick ambled over.
"Yeah, I'm here." he said dropping crumbs all over Aaron.
"This is disgusting man. What are you...ewww."
"So what? I told you I was busy."
"Well here, look at this."
As he read over the email from Sai his jaw dropped and a chunk of sandwich fell right into Aaron's lap. Aaron jumped up and accidentally uplugged the computer with his foot.
"Oh you ass! What the...oh no...No!" he saw the screen went blank.
"Nick, those emails don't save!"
Nick tried to apologize but the damage was already done. Aaron walked away from Nick disgusted. He wondered if that was the last chance he'd had at ever seeing them.
She walked in with the candles lit on the cake.
"Come on, blow them out before your cake tastes like something out of Madame Tussauds."
Smiling, he helped her set it on the table. Shane was happy it was just the two of them. At the crucial age of 13, most boys wanted to spend all of their time with girls and pals but his bond with his mom was incredibly close. Kissing her on the cheek after she admonished him to make a wish, he closed his eyes and wished for something that hadn't come to mind in seven years. All fourteen candles went out with a putter and she wiped away a tear.
"My big boy." she said to herself as he reached to hand her a slice of cake he had cut.
"Come on Mom. Stop looking like it's the end of the world." he blushed recognizing the look.
She tried to compose herself as best she could. He ate with the same gusto any Carter male would have and dribbled chocolate down his shirt-also in the same manner.
"Well Carvel is good ain't it? So good you have to feed your long dead cotton shirt right?" she said laughing and wiping it off.
He pushed her hand away.
"I can do it myself." he said laughing.
"Thank you, good night!"
Aaron ran offstage, high fiving various members of his touring crew and Nick and then going to his dressing room to shower and change. Stripping to his shorts, he suddenly had this feeling...kinda sorta like his stomach was being dropped (little did he know, it was his son's 13th birthday.) He sat down feeling cold and clammy and not from the two hour show he just performed.
"Aaron? Aaron! What's wrong?" Nick came running in seeing Aaron loking so pale.
"No-nothing Nick. I just feel a little ill."
"Sit then. Here, drink something."
Aaron took the can of soda from him and drank a little bit.
"You know what Nick?"
"Yeah?"
"I think something's happening. It feels like I should be apart of it and I'm not. I don't understand bro."
Nick looked at him worriedly.
"Are you sure you're okay?"
"No man I'm not..."
"Well then, let's get ready to get on the bus and blow this taco stand."
Helping Aaron to his feet, he left him to shower and change. Fifteen minutes later, Aaron emerged a little less anxious and a lot more tired.
"Let's go man." he said, trying to tear Nick away from some fan who Aaron knew was way to young.
"MOVE FATBOY!" he said, pulling him.
"Geez, Airboy, what's the rush?"
Rolling his eyes they made their way to the bus.
"Touring, touring, touring...and nowhere near us." Sai read his itinerary off a fan site.
Sighing, she logged off and went to check on Shane who was having trouble with one of his English assignments.
"Damn! Damn, damn, damn!"
He crinkled up yet another piece of paper into a ball and threw in onto a seemingly never ending pile of paper. She tried to lighten the mood with a joke.
"Hey, need some tress for that paper?"
"Ha Mom." he said with the smallest trace of irony.
"Well, what seems to be the problem sweets?"
"Well, it's this English paper...I...well..."
"What?" she asked looking worried
He was a straight A student and never at a loss for words. Sighing hard, he looked down.
"It's, it's about the hardest time in my life and how I recovered from it."
She looked thoughtful for a second.
"Well, what if there's no changing it?"
"Well the teacher said we'd have to make up a solution and I'm stumped."
"Maybe if you told me what you were considering I could help." she said looking hopeful.
Taking a deep breath he looked at her and started.
"Well since I didn't have a dad growing up, I felt like and outsider to others you know? All the other kids had two parents and I one. Not that it was a horrible experience." he said, giving her the Carter smirk.
She wanted to pinch him but she knew he was kidding.
"Go ahead."
"And well..." he continued
"I...well this is hard to say..." he said stopping and looking down.
"Go on sweetie, tell me."
"I always wished Aaron Carter was my dad." he finished in a rush.
Her breath caught. Did Shane know something she didn't? Waiting a beat Shane continued.
"We kinda look alike you know and it would have been a real conversation starter to say yeah my dad is a Carter. But now I realize he can never be."
"I don't understand honey. How does that pose a difficulty? It seems you have overcome this by realizing that he isn't and that you have a mon who loves you very very much."
She saw tears running down his face. Feeling scared, she took him in her arms and held him.
"I'm sorry if I was blunt but it's true." she said rocking him and trying to get him to stop crying.
"But Mom, who was my dad and where is he? This isn't right, we should all be together." he said looking at her for an answer.
"I know. I know Baby Boy." she said using her nickname for him that had also been his father's.
Waiting for him to calm down but still holding him she suggested:
"Maybe this is what your paper should focus on. Finding out the truth and explaining how painful it was. That shows your perserverance and should be a guarenteed A." she said looking him in the eyes.
Sighing again, he smiled at her. His questions were not being answered in the manner most comforting to him. Nonetheless he had calmed down now that he had somewhat gotten over his homework problem. But unrenowned to her, it had opened a doorway to a problem who's resolution would not come easy.
Looking out the window bored, Aaron sighed.
"Nick man, I'm bored."
"Yeah bro, I hear you."
He wasn't paying much attention to Aaron, he was in the middle of a great level on his favorite video game.
"Yo, what's our next stop bro?"
"Um, let me check." Nick said, finally tearing himself away.
"O-town bro." he said smirking.
"Who? What did you say?"
"I said Or-lan-do. You know, Disney World..."
"Dude! She lives here! Or at least, she used to."
"Aaron no. Dude, it's been ten years! You need to let her go."
*As life continued on, no one knew what was lurking in the days to come*
Newly computer literate Shane decided to do an online search for Aaron Carter. He knew something wasn't right. Whenever his mom saw anything of or pertaining to Aaron she broke down. Just the other day he was cleaning out the closet with her and he came across the doll they bought on his birthday some centuries it seemed ago and she just about broke down and cried. The signs were also in his physical features. His face and body were of equal proportion to Aaron's when he was 13, fortunately he had his mom's clear skin.
"Wow, there certainly a lot of teeny sights around." he said browsing the 'I love AC' and 'Marry Me AC' sites.
Yawning and stretching he closed his eyes for a second and accidentally hit the enter key which had brought the browser to the next set of homepages.
"Aaronnews.com huh?" he said half to himself and half to the computer.
"Let's try it, what could it hurt?"
As he got through all the blinding graphics and useless TV appearances and picture sites, he came to a list of upcoming tour dates.
"Bingo! This is it." he said.
"What is it?" Sai asked as she had only heard this last bit of information.
She was battling a cold and had been sleeping a good portion of the day.
"Um nothing Mom. Nothing." he said shutting off the monitor and getting up.
"I was doing some research for my English paper."
"Shane! Wasn't that due last week?"
"No, the teacher extended it to Friday."
He prayed his skill at lying would come in handy.
"Well okay but I want it finished young man."
"Yes, yes mother." he knew she hated being called that.
"Let's get you back to bed. Or would you like to lie on the couch?"
He gently led her to the couch and closed the door of the living room after making sure she was comfrotable and feeling the effects of the Nyquil he had made her swallow.
"Now let's get back to this." he said turning on the monitor and searching for any dates in or around his area.
"Sarasota, Ft. Lauderdale, blah...A HA! Orlando. Shit. Oops." he covered his mouth out of habit.
Saturday? How was he going to get tickets and a ride without his mother knowing? Thinking hard and trying to ignore his mom's snoring, he decided he was going to call his friend. She was a girl his mom didn't like (she was so much older than he was at 16) who had a car and was almost as big of a fan of Aaron's as his mother was or tried to deny being.
"Yo, sup biatch?"
"Hey shrimp. Isn't it past your bedtime?" she said laughing. They always started a conversation this way.
"Well I got a problem." he said jumping right into it.
"Um well, you are thirteen."
"Shut up, I'm being serious."
"Oh God Shane, you're acting like the world is coming to an end."
"Actually, it's just beginning."
"Slow down Shane, you're not making any sense."
"Jaycee, this is life and death! Please tell me you're going to the Aaron concert Saturday." he begged.
She laughed. "You must be on something Shane. You know that's my future baby daddy."
Suddenly there was an awkward silence.
"That's just it Jace. I think he is."
Aaron was pacing.
"Nick man, help! Maybe you can go ask around. Someone might know her."
Nick rolled his eyes.
"Man where do you think you're going to find time to do this? God man, think!"
Ignoring Nick, Aaron went to think for himself. Sitting on his bunk he held his head in his hands. Nick went back to his video game.
"I GOT IT! OH WHY HAVEN'T I THOUGHT OF THIS BEFORE?!"
Aaron went running towards Nick and tripped over his controller cord.
"Come on Aaron! Damn, what's your problem?" he asked, throwing down the controller, standing up and glaring at him.
"The phone book!"
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"Shane, you're crazy and I don't mean it in a good way." she said shaking her head at the phone.
"Listen to me. Come over. I have to show you something then maybe you'll see it." he hung up and readied himself.
"Aaron man, you're a moron."
"What? What! You couldn't think of it." he said getting angry
"And it took you TEN YEARS to think of it." Nick smirked
"It was right under your nose and everything."
"Instead of making fun of me GIVE ME THE F'ING PHONE SO I CAN CALL 411! Damn Nick, now I know whay they say you're dumb."
Shaking his head at Aaron, Nick threw a cell phone at narrowly missing his head. Giving Nick the finger, Aaron proceeded to call 411.
"Aaron wait, what if she's married?"
"Shit." he stopped in middial.
Banging on the door Jaycee stood impatiently.
"Shane! Open the damned door already!"
"Okay, God. I'm coming." he flung the door open and stood smirking.
"HOLY BLEEP SHANE!" she said standing there, her mouth slack.
Her shock was caused by Shane standing in front of her looking exactly like Aaron Carter when he cut his hair.
"You...Aaron...ugh..." she fainted dead away.
He had earlier in the day decided to cut his hair to prove a point to himself and see if he passed the acid test. And with flying colors, he passed.
"Jace? Jaycee! Wake up please!"
He kneeled next to her and shook her gently. She slowly opened her eyes.
"A-Aaron?"
"No, it's me Shane. Girl get up, you're making my stoop dirty." he said laughing as he helped her up.
"Shane I think you were right." she said passing out again.
"Dude, I don't think she is. I just have a feeling. We were very close, you know that." he said lowering his head and thinking about her.
"Aaron man, I'm sorry but you know this is like a million to one shot."
"I know Nick but I have to do this."
Picking up the phone again he dialed 411 and after asking, began the rest of his life.
"Damnit Jaycee!"
Shane was trying to carry her into the house when the phone started ringing. He managed to lift her onto the couch before running pell mell to the phone.
"Hello?" he said out of breath from running and trying to get Jaycee's semi conscious body into the house.
Hearing nothing he yelled "Yo dumbfucks stop calling. God." he said slamming down the phone and shaking his head.
Aaron dropped the phone; he didn't expect to actually talk to anyone. Heck, he didn't expect to be doing anything like this. Clicking the phone into off, he sat shaking and staring into space. Nick looked at Aaron and to the phone.
"Shit, now what? Sheesh."
Mumbling to himself he waved a hand in front of Aaron's face. Nothing.
"Aaron! Wake up!" he said snapping his fingers. Still nothing.
"Fine. Fine!"
He picked up the phone as Aaron finally snapped out of his 'coma' and went to the back and his bunk. Muffled crying was heard but nothing more.
"I'm going to get to the bottom of this." Nick thought
"I may be dumb but I care." he pressed redial
Ignoring the again ringing phone he got Jaycee a cold cloth for her head.
"Man what happened?" she asked groggily.
"Owww!"
She felt the bump on the back of her head where Shane had accidentally hit it on the coffee table trying to get her on the couch. At 5'11'' he was tall but not exactly Mr. Universe.
"Stop ringing, stop ringing." Jaycee held her banging head.
"Ow! Ow! Ow!!"
Shane picked up the phone.
"LISTEN YOU LITTLE PUNKS, I SAID STOP CALLING!"
"Wait! Don't hang up!" Nick implored Shane.
Shane stood with his mouth open "Who is this?"
He almost choked when he realized the voice.
"I'm...well...I'm Nick Carter. I'm looking for Sa'iyda, is she there?"
"I. She no that's my mom she's at work right now."
Shane sat down hard on the floor not noticing Jaycee's shoe now firmly wedged in his derriere.
"Well, let me explain why I'm calling."
Shane sat back on the floor, still not noticing the shoe wedged in his derriere. It was what he had always fantasized about.
"All right." he said softly.
"One question um, Nick is it?"
"Yep. Shoot, what was your name again?"
"Sh-Shane."
"Okay Shane, shoot." he said laughing at this small joke.
"Um, is Aaron there with you? I mean, it's a little weird you would like call us out of the blue."
He knew he was babbling but he was trying to see if his mom would come home early and be able to hear all this.
"He's in the back. Hold on a minute, I'll get him."
Jaycee looked at Shane.
"What's going on Shane?"
He only smiled at her.
"You'll see."
"Yo Aaron! Come on man, come out here."
Aaron grumbled and remained in his bunk, holding onto a picture of him and Sa'iyda taken before he had left that fateful day.
"Hold on Shane I'll see what's happening okay. Don't hang up!!"
"I won't man, don't worry."
The phone made a noise like it was being thrown down a little too hard and he moved away from his own phone, his ear in pain.
"AARON CHARLES CARTER, GET OFF YOUR ASS AND COME TO THE PHONE; YOUR SON IS ON IT!" he said loud enough for Shane and Jaycee to hear.
"What the hell did he just say?!" she screamed, almost falling off the sofa.
Shane smiled and held back tears.
"He said. He said, your son is on the phone. It's true. It's true." he said looking at her and crying.
"Nick I said go away. This isn't funny okay? Damn you know what else? Sometimes your jokes aren't funny, they hurt." he said rolling onto his side, ignoring Nick.
"Fuck you man this is not a fucking joke."
Nick started pulling him off the bunk and dragging him none to gracefully to the front of the bus.
"You could have fucking brought the phone to the fucking bunk." Aaron said rubbing his arm after Nick let go.
Smirking Nick said "You can thank me later."
"Hello." Aaron said none too nice.
"Um, hi." Shane said nervously.
"Who is this? I don't have a lot of time." Aaron waited impatiently.
"Is this Aaron?"
"I just said it was, what are you stupid?"
Shane took a big breath.
"Um, I'm your son. My name is Shane."
Aaron let out a breath that sounded like omgitstrue and sat down hard, the hand holding the phone shaking violently.
"Dad, my dad." Shane started crying over the phone. He couldn't talk.
"Shane! Where is your mom? We need to be together!"
"She's at work Aar-I mean, Dad."
Aaron sighed.
"Well somehow we need to see each other. It's been thirteen years...son."
"Well, I was going to sneak to your concert with my best girl friend and..."
"Listen, I'll send a car for you. Please, I'll do anything."
Shane sighed and looked at Jaycee.
"She has a car um, she's actually your biggest fan." Shane said laughing and feeling a little calmer.
"Well bring her. This is important son."
"I know. I know. I have an idea."
He proceeded to explain to Aaron how he could get his mom to see him without her having a freak out fit. After about ten minutes Aaron sighed hard.
"Do you think it will work Nick? I mean, the kid's pretty up on how his mom is."
"Of course man. It's only been her and Shane for like ever?"
"Well I hope for our sakes she will do what Shane thinks she will do.
"Shane? Shane Michael? Where are you damnit?"
She had three bags of groceries and needed help with them.
"Lord, where is that boy? Shane!"
Dropping the bags on the table, she went in search for him.
"If he's alseep, I'll kill him."
Walking upstairs and looking into his room, she found nothing.
"I told him we were going to clean the garage today. Little shit."
Spotting the computer was on, she saw he left something typed up on the screen.
"Why does he always leave this damned thing on? Hold up, what's this? Oh my God." she said sitting down hard on the chair. It was a note from Shane.
Listen Mom, I went with Jaycee to the Aaron show. I'll be home later.
"No, NO! Why now? Why today? she cried
She started berating herself. She should have been more honest with him. And how many times she told him not to stay with that girl.
"Damnit, I'll be damned if he goes anywhere with that tramp.
Shane sat nervously in Jaycee's car.
"I'm scared girl, I really am. I mean, what if he doesn't like me?"
"Shane stop okay? Damn, he's been looking for you and your mom for thirteen years! Lord, if that's not love then I don't know what is." she said pulling into the parking lot of the Hard Rock venue.
"Besides, what's not to love? You look just like him."
"Shut up. God, keep your hormones to yourself." he said punching her gently in the arm.
Sighing and getting out of the car, "this is it..." he thought, "destiny."
"One minute Aaron." Nick said coming back from the front stage.
"Is he here yet?" Aaron asked
"Rob the bodyguard said he'd let us know by hand signal if they are. Man don't worry. And besides, you gave them front row right? So just look for your twin. Imagine if you were one...ewww." Nick said laughing.
"Oh shut up Nick. We look alike."
"Yeah, but I'm better looking." Nick said running to avoid Aaron's flying fist.
Hearing the crowd shout, he knew his opening act just finished.
"Okay, here comes Stevie." Aaron said, slapping him a high five.
He high fived Nick as the emcee finished his opening presentation.
"Oh my Gawd Shane! Front row center! I think I'm gonna die. Oh my God! Oh my God!" Jaycee screamed as they made their way to the front.
"Wait! Wait, we have to talk to the body guard."
"Too late." she said as the house lights went down and the curtain went up.
"I'm going to kill him!" she yelled, driving faster than she ever thought possible.
She was alternating between tears and anger. She had gone online and found the venue of the day.
"AND WHY DOES IT HAVE TO BE SO GODAMN CLOSE!" sitting in traffic, she beat her steering wheel.
Aaron scanned the crowd while singing 'Aaron's Party (Come Get It)'. Jaycee screamed. This was one of her favorite songs and Shane laughed.
"Girl, you're crazy."
Aaron spotted them and laughed to himself. She was just as crazy as Shane described her. Moving left, he mauvered to them and leaned down, taking her hand. He held the mic to her face and let her do all the 'come get it's' with him. Shane looked into the face of his father.
"Wow..." he thought
All this time just wishing it as a fan, and now...he shook his head and came back to reality as Aaron ran offstage for a costume change.
"Sup bro? Did you see them?"
"Dude, how could I not? That girl is like louder than three stadiums put together."
Nick laughed and helped him into his white suit for 'Do You Remember'.
"Aaron, if you don't stop with the Krispy Kremes, you're not going to be able to fit into this suit much longer." Nick said, struggling to get it on him.
"Well, if you'd unbutton it first. Thank you!"
Aaron finally got into it and walked over to his piano. Nick stood watching.
"Oh my God..." he covered his mouth.
He got the signal from Rob. She was there.
On the phone the other day, Shane had devised a plan to get her to the concert and how they would have her actually stay there.
"Okay so, this is what I'm going to do. I know we are supposed to be doing spring cleaning so I'll conviently disappear. That will piss her off to no end and well, I have a habit of leaving the computer on so she'll of course be pissed about that."
"And it will have where you went right?"
"Well yeah."
"She gets pretty worked up about you."
They were glad they couldn't see each other blushing over the phone lines.
"And for the clencher...I'm bringing my friend I told you about Jaycee. She hates her to death."
"Okay, then if you think it will work little man."
"Oh Dad, trust me. This is going to be perfect."
She parked her car and stormed toward the entrance. All the ticket agents were on high alert for one piseed off looking person coming after the show started. It helped that they all had her picture as well.
"Excuse me. Um, I'm looking for my son." she said, going to the window after purchasing a ticket.
The woman behind the glass looked at her and then to the picture taped to the side of the window.
"Hold on just a second." she said and paged Rob.
"SHE'S HERE! SHE'S HERE!"
She smiled at her and got a 'duh' look in return.
"We've been expecting you."
"What? Huh?"
She was handed a VIP pass and a front row ticket.
"Go right on in." the woman said, giving her a big smile.
Shaking her head, she made her way through the screaming fans.
"Oh, it's Stevie Brock. He's a cute kid." she said, seeing a poster of him being sold at the front.
"Maybe if Shane's still alive later, I'll buy one for him."
She showed her ticket to yet another security guard/usher.
"Oh, it's you!"
"Yes it's me! God, why does everyone keep saying that?! What am I? Jesus or something? God, just show me where to go."
"I'll be glad to." he said taking her gently by the arm and leading her down to the front.
"Finally." she said looking for her seat number and glaring at the guard.
"7, 6, 5, 4 and 3. Here we are."
Looking up she was me with a pair of brown eyes.
"Hey Mom, you made it." Shane said smiling.
"SHANE MICHAEL...CARTER! WHAT THE-" she said looking around and seeing a sea of tiny, underage faces.
Swallowing the expletive, she sat down and looked at him. Thankfully Aaron was still in wardrobe change. Throught gritted teeth, she spit at him:
"You have a lot of explaining to do young man."
"I told you I don't want you hanging with that...that trollop!"
He smiled at her still.
"But Mom, it's an Aaron show."
"Um, excuse me. The last time I checked I'M the adult around here and you disobeyed me! And...and..." she was cut off by a loud smattering of applause and screaming.
Her mouth dropped as Aaron slowly made his way to a white piano and sat down. She hadn't noticed in her angry ramblings toward Shane. Shane slowly smiled at her, patted her knee and kissed her cheek.
"Enjoy this Mom. Life starts now."
Aaron did one last scan of the crowd. His breath caught in his throat and he fought back tears.
"I-" he said, his voice cracking
"I want to dedicate this next song to a very special person in the audience. It's been a very long time."
Shaking his head, he went back into his Aaron Carter stage persona.
"Where were we again? Oh, yes..." he said, launching into 'Do You Remember'.
He sang with his eyes closed to fight back the tears that threatened to break any second. He sang like his heart was going to break, which it was. And finally was done.
Running off stage, he was greeted by the sight that had haunted him for the past thirteen years. Sa'iyda was standing there alone with her arms out and tears running as freely as his were. Running to her, he felt her arms around him and he let loose and just stood with her and years of emotion drained from them.
Shane, Jaycee ad Nick stood in the wing watching them, emotion evident on their faces.
"We are a family Nick." Shane said, able to get out the words that had been a burden to him from before he could remember
"That you are Shane. That we are."