Chapter 5

The rest of the week with the guys was great. The interview went extremely well, the guys were happy with what I did and although I didn’t bring out any dirt, Eric was happy with what I got. When it came time for the guys to head home, you could see the sadness in all of us. I didn’t want to see Kevin leave. He had become an important part of my life in the last two weeks. But I knew that he had a job to do. They had been in contact with Fatima and knew what was expected of them.

The scene at the apartment was horrible. The guys didn’t want us coming to the airport, first of all because there were going to be a lot of fans there and they wouldn’t have the time to say goodbye to us. And secondly, they didn’t want their last glimpse of us to be sad. We made them promise that they would call us everyday and they promised us that they would still fly us down to Orlando for the first show in three months.

For the first couple of days after they left, we were pretty miserable. I managed to catch up on my shows, that was all that we did. I now had Hani and Ally hooked on all three. We forced ourselves to get up and do something productive. We looked through the newspaper and found a movie that we all wanted to see. So we got dressed up and went for dinner at Red Lobster and then to the movie.

I had another bought of sadness when Ally had to leave to go back home. She left a week before Hani amidst tears. The apartment was getting quieter every day. Ally called us when she got home and told her that there were a whole bunch of little gifts from AJ waiting for her. He had sent her just small little trinkets.

When it came time for Hani to leave, I was a mess. I hated to see them all go. But one by one they had all left. I was on my own again. After having people around me constantly for the last month, it was hard to get used to being alone. Kevin made it easier by calling me everyday. The rehearsals were going great. Every once in awhile I had to pinch myself and realize how lucky I was to be with Kevin.

In the beginning, I was a little nervous about being away from him. What if he found someone that was closer to him, that could travel with him? He had asked me one night on one of our marathon phone calls if I wanted to join him, but I told him that I couldn’t. I had a job to do and I had used up almost all of my vacation time, what little I had left I was going to use to go to the first concert.

Kevin understood everything though and couldn’t wait for me to come down. I had been talking with Ally every other day and Hani at least twice a week. She had all ready gotten her plane ticket from Nick and the time off work. She was going to be with him for a week. Ally was going to fly to Florida three days before the concert and spend five days with AJ. I was only able to get four days off work and would be flying down two days before the show. We all were getting excited.

It seemed to take an eternity to get here, but eventually the day arrived for me to leave. Hani was having a great time with Nick, Ally and AJ were lost in their own world. I just wanted to see Kevin. My flight left the Edmonton International Airport at seven am. I was flying to Toronto first with a one hour layover, hoping on a plane to New York and then directly to Florida. I had brought my CD player with me and all the CD’s that the guys had and let them take me away. I was not an avid flyer and was a little scared. Kevin assured me that there was nothing to it.

By the time that I got to New York I was fine. I quickly changed planes and realized that in a few hours I was going to see Kevin again. My heart fluttered with the anticipation. I turned the music up as loud as I could stand and closed my eyes. I must have been in a deep sleep, because the next thing that I knew the flight attendant was waking me. There was a security guard waiting to escort me off the plane.

“Have I done something wrong?” I asked as I gathered my things and stood up.

“Not at all.” He replied.

I followed him through the airport, first to the baggage claim so that I could collect my one bag and then to another area, where the security offices were. By the time that we got there, my heart was pounding. I was terrified that they were doing some kind of random search and they were going to go through all my things. When he opened the door, I saw the reason for it. Kevin was standing there talking with one of the other security people. He turned his head when he heard the door open and smiled when he saw me.

My knees went weak as I looked into those green eyes. “Kevin.” I whispered. I dropped my bag and ran over to him, throwing myself onto him. I hugged him tightly for everything that I was worth. “I missed you.” I said.

“Not half as much as what I missed you.” He mumbled into my ear as he nuzzled my neck. We just stood there in the security office holding one another before he spoke again. “Did I have you worried?”

“I was a little scared.” I confessed. “You never did tell me that you would meet me. I thought that they were doing some kind of random search.” I laughed.

“I wanted to meet you, but if I had waited out there, I would have been mobbed.” He explained.

“I figured that, but I thought that you would send a car for me.” I smiled as he lead me out of the airport to the parkade. “I am so excited about being here. I can’t wait for the show tomorrow. How are Hani and Ally?”

“They are fine. Ally is staying with AJ and loving every minute of it. Hani is staying with us, Nick comes over everyday at like ten and doesn’t leave until well after midnight.” Kevin laughed.

“Why doesn’t she just stay with Nick, or Nick stay with you guys?” I asked as Kevin took my bag and put it in the back of his 4-Runner.

He came over to my side and opened the door for me, “I don’t know. We offered Nick the guestroom downstairs, but he said that he was gonna stay at home. And Hani doesn’t feel comfortable staying with his family yet.”

“Sounds like you have a house full.” I commented. “Is there going to be room for me?”

“I will make room. You can have the guestroom across the hall from me, or you can sleep with me.” Kevin told me.

I reached across the console and took Kevin’s hand, “I don’t even have to think about it.”

We eased into a conversation as we drove to the house that Kevin, Brian and Howie shared. I was a little taken aback when he pulled up to a beautiful house, high on a hill. It was white stucco with grey trim. It was huge. You knew right away that someone important lived there. The outside was impeccable, I couldn’t wait to see the inside. Kevin pulled into the three-car garage and opened my door for me. We walked into the house through the garage, the site took my breath away.

The whole main floor was totally open. There was a kitchen to the right of the garage entrance and then from the kitchen, there was a step down to the living room. To the one side of the kitchen was a breakfast nook and on the other was the dining room. As Kevin took me upstairs, I saw that there was a small den at the front of the house. Right in front of the front door there was an enormous winding staircase. We went up the stairs and I saw that they had plenty of room. Howie’s room was at the top of the stairs on the right, with a closet next to it. Brian’s was across from that with the bathroom next to him. Kevin’s room was at the end of the hall, kitty corner to the guestroom that he offered as mine. Kevin stood in between the two doors wondering which room I was going to stay in. I looked around and even though I knew that I was going to stay with Kevin in his room, I walked into the guestroom. I could see the disappointment in his face.

“This is a beautiful house.” I commented as I looked around.

“Thank you. We pretty much decorated it ourselves.” Kevin replied.

“This is a nice room. There is one thing missing though.” I said trying to not give away that I was teasing him.

“I can’t imagine what it would be.” He started as he looked around.

“No, I think I will be more comfortable in another room. One that has you in it while I sleep.” I stated as though it was the most natural thing.

Kevin spun around to look at me and then once realizing that I was teasing him, he shook his finger at me. “You are horrible, you know that.” He joked as we walked to his room.

Kevin’s room was exactly what I had expected it to be. Dark colors, greens, blues and blacks, with a little bit of purple thrown in. He had a huge four poster bed in the middle of the room, with a desk off to the right. There sat his computer, where he had been sending me daily e-mails on top of our daily phone calls.

“I love this room.” I said. “It is so you.”

Kevin laughed, “Thank you I think.”

I walked up close to him, “That is a compliment.” I whispered as I pulled him down to me and kissed him. It was our first kiss since we parted three months ago and it was as sweet as I remembered.

After a few minutes, Kevin pulled back. “I better get you downstairs, everyone else is here.” He reached for my hand and led me out of the room.

We got downstairs and I saw that Nick had everyone watching him and Brian play some Nintendo. “Nick, is there a place that you don’t go without a Nintendo?” I said from behind them all.

Hani and Ally looked over and jumped up. We came together in a jumble of screams and hugs. “Women.” The guys all mumbled.

After we had said hello, we went to sit down. I made myself comfortable between Kevin’s legs as he was sitting on the floor. “Is this what you guys always do the night before a show?” I asked.

“The night before a tour starts, yes. This will be our last night at home for a few months. Tomorrow is going to be a day from hell.” Howie explained.

“So Brian, when do I get to meet Leighanne?” I wondered. She had been working when the guys went on their camping trip. I had spoken to her on the phone a few times when I called and she answered.

“She is at an audition today. She’ll be home later.” He said absentmindedly focusing on the game.

We had a casual evening since it would be the last one that the guys would have for a while. I was tired from my long day and decided around ten o’clock that I would go to bed. I said goodnight to everyone and headed up to Kevin’s room. He wasn’t tired, so I told him to just stay downstairs. There was no point in him going to bed if he wasn’t tired.

I got to Kevin’s room and just sat on the bed and looked around me. I was sitting in Kevin Richardson’s room. About to go to sleep in his bed. This had to be a dream, but when I pinched myself, it hurt so I knew that it wasn’t a dream. I quickly changed into my pajamas and crawled under the covers. It was so cozy. Just like Kevin. It wasn’t long until I fell asleep.

I didn’t feel Kevin come to bed and was amazed when I woke the next day and saw that it was after nine o’clock. I sat up and saw that Kevin was stretched out beside me. I marveled at how handsome he looked, his hair all messed up, his cheek squished against the pillow. I sat there just watching him for several minutes before I realized how badly I had to go to the bathroom.

I crawled out of bed, careful not to wake him and walked out into the hall. The early morning Florida sun streamed through the house. It sounded so peaceful, with everyone still sleeping. I walked to the bathroom and noticed that Hani was asleep in the guestroom with Nick. I smiled as I passed by. I did what I had to do and then went downstairs. Luckily I had grabbed my book and decided to settle myself into the den. Just as I was getting comfortable, I realized that I wanted a cup of tea. I headed into the kitchen and got the water going. I poked around for what I needed and decided that it looked like a beautiful day outside and I was going to sit outside. I finished making my tea and grabbed my book and headed for the patio doors. I unlocked it and pulled it open. That set the alarm off. It was a horrible sound, scaring me to death. I dropped my book and my tea mug, tea going everywhere. I stood rooted to the spot in shock.

Everyone came running. Kevin in his shorts reached me first, pulling me away from the window. Hani and Nick right behind him, Nick wearing shorts and a T-shirt. Howie was next in his shorts and Brian finished the pack in his sweats, with Leighanne not far behind him. He went over to the wall where the one of the control boxes was and shut the alarm off. Howie was all ready on the phone with the alarm company.

“I’m sorry.” I said quietly as tears started to stream down my face. “I didn’t even think of an alarm.” Kevin led me over to the kitchen table and sat me down. Brian started to clean up the broken mug and spilled tea. I jumped up and went to help him. “I’m sorry. Let me do it.” I cried as I reached for a piece of the broken mug. I caught the edge of it and managed to cut my finger.

Brian took my hands, “It’s okay. I’ll do it, just go relax.” He urged.

“Well, I am awake now.” Nick joked as he sat down at the table. “Are you okay Syd?”

“I’m fine. Just a little stunned. Who came up with that horrible sound?” I asked as Kevin bandaged my hand.

“The alarm company. We thought it would be good to keep people away.” Howie confessed.

“Yeah, but what about the people that are all ready in the house.” I laughed.

The guys had to be at the Orlando stadium that afternoon for a last rehearsal. I made it up to them by making breakfast for everyone. We basically just sat around the house for the morning and then headed to the stadium. Not very many people had found out about Hani, Ally and myself. So when we all got to the stadium, the reporters were going wild. Each wanting to get a picture of us and wanting to know who we were.

Everyone was shuffled inside and the guys took to the stage to do their thing. It gave us girls a chance to talk. Leighanne was away for the day doing a commercial, she was going to join us again just before the show.

“So how have the last few days been with Nick and AJ?” I asked Hani and Allyson.

“Fabulous.” They both answered.

“Nick is talking about coming to see me when they are done with this tour.” Hani said.

Ally looked at us, “AJ said the same thing. He said that the last three months have been hell. He called me like twice a day.”

“How did we get so lucky?” I wondered. We were sitting a few rows back from center stage and were talking quietly. I looked up at the stage and saw that Kevin was watching us. I smiled up at him, waving. “I am so in love.”

“We all are.” They agreed.

We watched the rest of the rehearsal quietly talking about the guys. Even after these last three months, we still had a hard time with the fact that we were actually with them. And more to the point that we were all around the world. It was hard to believe that one website brought us girls together because of the guys and then we lucked out and met them. And now look where we were. Dating them. It was more than we could ever have hoped for.

After the rehearsal the guys took us backstage and we had dinner at the commissary. Leighanne joined us and we made so much noise that people were wondering what was going on. Before we knew it, it was show time. The guys got ready and waited for the opening acts to finish and then Leighanne took us to where our seats would be. Front row center. They had changed the show considerably since the Millennium tour. They didn’t have the round stage as they did before. Nick had drawn characters of all the guys and had them blown up and put on a huge screen. The guys would be standing behind their character and then jump out. It was a wonderful opening. They launched into Larger Than Life.

The show was going great. The guys sounded fantastic, the dancing was awesome and the crowd was so hyped up, that at times it felt as though the building was going to fall. They had brought back their solos and when Brian came out first he came down to Leighanne and helped her up on stage. He sang a medley of That’s What She Said and I Will Be There. Howie came out after Brian and sang his heart out to the ladies in the audience. Nick was next and following Brian’s lead, he came and got Hani on stage. He sang his solo I Need You Tonight, when he was done he kissed her lightly and helped her down. AJ came out next and got Ally up on stage. He wowed her and the rest of the audience with his song that he used to do, Lay Down Beside Me. I wondered what Kevin would do when Ally was sitting back beside me.

He surprised everyone and came out wearing a suit. He came to me and helped me on stage and to sit on the stool that was waiting for me. He had been practicing the song that he wrote for Millennium, Back To Your Heart. He sounded so good. I had tears in my eyes when he was done. He hugged me tight and helped me back down.

We spent the rest of the show being amazed at the performance that they gave. When the show was over, we went back to the house and relaxed. The guys were leaving the following morning for the next city. We were going to travel with them that first day. I was leaving before the second show, Ally was leaving the next evening and Hani was leaving in the afternoon. The guys were wild when we got back to the house. They had a bunch of stored up energy and couldn’t seem to settle. I tried to stay up with them a while, but I wasn’t as used to that kind of energy, so I went to bed, leaving them all downstairs.

--> chapter 6 

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