Part 22
Sarah sauntered into the church office where she found Becca hunched over the music for the upcoming concert. She plopped down into the chair and said, "Have I ever told you how ugly you are when you’re working on music?"
Becca looked up somewhat dazed, "Huh?"
"You....you’re a crabby old bitch when you’re working on music and not enjoying life."
"Gee, with friends like you, I don’t need any enemies."
"You’ve already got one enemy, that should be enough for anybody."
"And just who would that be?" asked Becca irritably.
"YOURSELF! Have you taken a close look at yourself lately? You’re grouchy, you’re moody, you’re......well, Becca, you’re a BITCH! You’re making EVERYONE around you miserable too. Why don’t you STOP being so....so....how do I want to say this....STOP BEING SCARED TO LIVE LIFE! Nick loves you and he’s going to protect you. NONE of the guys wants to see us hurt and they would all do whatever it takes to protect us. God knows, they’ve ALL been by my side ever since Halloween."
Becca looked at her best friend with tears in her eyes. "I’m not as strong as you."
"Oh, yeah...I’m really strong. I started puking my guts up because I couldn’t decide whether I wanted the most wonderful man in the world by my side or if I wanted to be wild and reckless. That’s REALLY strong. Look, the guys are due back in New York in three days. Why don’t you go with me and surprise Nick? I’m sure he would love it."
"No, I can’t. I have an open call for back up singers next week and I need to be here. Maybe some other time."
"When? They leave for the tour in January. Are you going to keep finding excuses until you miss the chance to tell Nick that you love him and that you’re miserable without him?"
"It’s MY business if I do! What are you doing tomorrow?"
"I’m going to Howie’s parents’ house for Thanksgiving. He’s suppose to call while I’m there. Why don’t you come with me? Maybe Nick will be around and you can talk to him."
"I’ll go but not because I want to talk to Nick."
"Then why are you going?"
"To be with my stubborn best friend."
*********************
Sarah had tried desperately to get Becca to go with her to New York but she had refused. Now, as Sarah boarded the plane, all she could think about was seeing Howie again. She had missed him terribly and the last time she’d talked to him, she had hung up and cried herself to sleep. The counselors had called him too and told him that she had lost weight so she wasn’t really thrilled with the prospect of that confrontation but seeing him again outweighed her fear of what he was going to say.
Howie had pulled out all the stops for this trip. He had bought her a first class ticket and there would be a limo waiting for her at the airport. He’s also told her NOT to pack since he’d already bought her everything she would need while she was in New York. She had laughed when Kevin told her that Howie had had to buy two new suitcases to bring back all the clothes he’d bought for her which amazed her since they hadn’t spent more the a few hours in each city.
Sarah had thought she was going to the hotel first but when they pulled up in front of the MTV studios, she wasn’t shocked. There was a crowd of girls outside and when the limo pulled up, they went crazy. Obviously the guys weren’t there yet. Billy and Tony met the limo and escorted Sarah into the studios. Inside, she was given the royal treatment by Carson and the crew which included the best seat in the house, right beside where the guys would be sitting.
Just a few minutes later, everyone in the studio heard the crowd outside going crazy and on the monitor, Sarah saw the guys’ limo pulling up. Her heart started racing as she watched the guys getting out and Howie waved to the cameras and fans. That was her guy they were screaming for and she beamed with happiness.
Carson was standing beside her and asked, "When was the last time you saw him?"
"Just before they left for this tour. I’ve talked to him though."
The guys made their way into the studio to the screams of the crowd. They signed autographs, gave hugs and kisses, and talked to the fans as they worked their way to their seats. When Howie saw Sarah, his eyes lit up and he winked at her as he signed an autograph. Each of the guys spotted Sarah as well and they all gave her a hug before sitting down.
The show lasted an hour with each of the guys talking about the tour and what it had been like. Sarah couldn’t believe the scenes from Rio and laughed when they showed the guys in South Africa with the leopard. Nick was a riot with ‘That’s a big cat’ and Kevin’s ‘Listen to it purrin’.’.
Throughout the entire show, Howie and Sarah kept staring at each other and on the first commercial break, he leaned over to her giving her a kiss on the cheek. He whispered, "I love you."
After the show, Sarah watched the guys go to the green room and then waited for the crowd to thin out. Then she made her way to the room too. As she walked through the door, Nick grabbed her by the waist and spun her around.
"PUT ME DOWN, CARTER!" laughed Sarah.
Nick put her down and she hugged him. Then she gave Brian, AJ, and Kevin hugs too.
Howie was the last one and she practically jumped into his arms. Howie held her close for several minutes and then pulled away. Sarah saw the seriousness in his eyes and knew what was coming.
Kevin spoke first. "Sarah, you didn’t make it through the five days, did you?"
"You guys don’t waste any time do you?"
"This is serious, Sarah," said Brian. "What happened?"
They sat down, Sarah between Kevin and Howie, and she looked at the guys. "I couldn’t handle you guys being away. I tried, I really did," she said as the tears started.
Howie held her hand in his and said quietly, "Sarah, it’s not going to get any easier. What are we going to do?"
"I don’t know," she whispered. "I don’t know."
Kevin put his arm around her and said, "I think we’re going to have to look at that clinic, baby. You can’t starve yourself to death."
Sarah looked up at Kevin. "I’ve got almost two months before you guys leave again. Let me work on it and if I can’t do it, I’ll check myself in."
AJ said, "Sarah, you have got to stick with the program in order to get better. You know me. I’m not real big on following the rules but this could kill you and personally, I love you too damn much to lose you to this."
Nick, Brian, and Kevin echoed the same sentiments and Howie said, "Sarah, I’m NOT going to lose you to something as stupid as this. I love you and I don’t want to see you hurting yourself."
Sarah leaned against Howie and said, "I’m sorry I disappointed you guys."
"Sarah, you understand that we love you just like you were our own sister," said Kevin. Then looking at AJ, he said, "Don’t go there, ‘Bone’."
AJ and Sarah both laughed as Sarah said, "Yeah, I know, Kevin."
"We just want you to be happy and healthy."
"I know. I promise, I’ll try harder. Now can we please drop the serious stuff? When are you guys headed back to Orlando?"
"From here," said Kevin. "You and Howie can have your romantic weekend together," he said as he gave her a kiss on the cheek.
"Nick, I have an idea for you to see Becca and she will HAVE to see you. She’s having open auditions for back up singers for a Christmas recording she’s doing. Why don’t you try out?"
"When and where?"
Sarah gave Nick the information and then the guys said their good-byes to Howie and Sarah. They were headed to the airport while the couple was going to stay behind.
***********************************
In the limo, Howie put the privacy glass up and took Sarah in his arms. "God, I have missed you so much," he rasped as he ran his hands up her sides. Taking her face in his hands, he kissed her passionately, his tongue searching out every sensuous spot. As they kissed, Sarah ran her hand down to his crotch and caressed his cock through the material of his pants. Howie moaned into her mouth as she did this and moved one hand down to her waist.
Sarah pulled back and looked into Howie’s eyes. "I’ve missed the feel of your arms holding me, the warmth of your breath on my skin, your touch, the scent of your cologne...I’ve missed everything about you, ‘D’ and I want to show you just how much I’ve missed you."
With that, Sarah undid Howie’s pants and with his help, slid them off, freeing his hard cock. She took it into her mouth sucking and licking it like an ice cream cone. She cast her eyes up as she pleasured him seeing that he had leaned his head back on the seat. With one hand, she wove her fingers with his and held his hand.
Howie looked down to brush a stray strand of hair off her face. "That feels so good," he whispered.
"I intend for it to feel even better."
Sarah licked him , running her tongue around the ridge of his head and down the shaft to his balls. She carefully fondled his sack as she licked it causing Howie to gasp with pleasure.
"GOOD GOD!"
Sarah giggled, "You sound like AJ."
"If this is how he felt that night at Tabu, I understand why he wanted more! Where did you learn to do this?"
Sarah grinned sexily, "From AJ."
"Don’t stop, ‘Angel’," begged Howie. "You’re DAMN good."
"Not until I have EVERY last drop of you."
Sarah took his whole cock into her mouth and made love to him like that. She took him in and out, licking around the head and then down the shaft. She worked it like an ice cream cone until Howie didn’t think he could take any more. With one last, long suck, Howie erupted in Sarah’s mouth and she took every last drop.
Howie pulled her up into his arms, kissing her. "Angel, that was so good. I thought I was surprising you...but GOD!"
Sarah laughed softly, "I’m sure your surprises will be equally good. You’ve already done enough with the first class ticket and the limo and I know you’ve bought me clothes."
"Wait until you see the hotel," said Howie as he pointed to the hotel a block away.
Sarah looked around at the hotels and shops as Howie dressed again. The limo pulled up to a hotel and stopped. Howie took her hand in his, "When we get to the door, I want you to promise me you’ll close your eyes."
"Why?"
"Just do it, please, Angel," begged Howie pouting.
Sarah couldn’t resist him and said, "Okay."
The door was opened by the doorman and Howie helped Sarah out of the limo. A couple fans stopped them for autographs and Howie politely obliged them, introducing Sarah as he did.
At the door, Howie put his arm around Sarah’s waist and said, "You promised to close your eyes, ‘Angel’."
Sarah laughed, "Okay. Okay."
He led her carefully into the lobby talking to her as they went. "Not much farther. I promise, you’ll love it."
"What are you up to?"
"I just want to surprise you. I think you’ll like it," said Howie as they came to a stop. "Okay, here we are. You can open your eyes."
Sarah opened her eyes and was amazed by what she saw. The exterior of the hotel had looked like all the others in the city; a plain cement facade with sparse landscaping along the walkways. The interior, however, was an entirely different scenario. Once past the main desk, the low ceiling gave way to a ten story atrium filled with plants and running water. The guest suites lined the sides and the center was filled with winding brick paths and tiny streams.
Sarah wandered through the garden, her eyes wide with surprise. Every so often the brick would meander off to the side through dense shrubbery and from out of nowhere, a tiny wooden footbridge would appear to span the water. Low branches draped over tiny ponds filled with all manner of tropical fish and rustic wooden benches were tucked away in secluded nooks; perfect for lovers of all ages.
Sarah had wandered into the middle of the gardens and was standing on one of the little wooden bridges. Her eyes were wide with wonder as Howie stood watching her. ‘God, I love her so much,’ he thought. ‘She looks like a little girl on Christmas day getting her favorite doll and I’m the one who did it.’
Howie moved to her and nuzzled her neck. He whispered against her skin, "Do you like it?"
"Oh, ‘D’....I love it."
Sarah turned around in his arms and put her hands flat on his chest as she held her close to him. "I love seeing you like this. I want it to always be like this; I want you to always be this happy."
"As long as I have you, I will be."
Howie stepped back from her and reached in his pocket. "Sarah, before that night at Tabu, I was going to propose to you."
"Kevin told me. Howie, you aren’t...."
"No, not yet. One day though. We need to finish healing. You’re still punishing yourself for losing the baby and I can’t get past what I’ve done to you."
"You aren’t drinking, are you?"
"No, but I’m still holding on to it every time I see how thin you are or when I see the look of fear in your eyes. No, I want this weekend to help us heal....and the cruise too."
"It’s a good start."
Howie took Sarah’s hand in his and placed a ring on her finger; a small heart-shaped ring with both of their birthstones in the middle. "This is a promise, Sarah. A promise that I will always love you and you will always be the angel of my dreams; a promise that one day, you WILL be my wife and the mother of my children."
Sarah couldn’t help herself; the tears rolled down her cheeks as she stared at the ring on her finger and her hand in Howie’s. Howie reached up to wipe her tears and kissed her tenderly.
Sarah whispered, "Howie, I love you so much."
The couple stood in the middle of the gardens kissing until they heard the click of a camera. Howie turned to see an older couple who had obviously taken the picture.
The lady smiled, "I didn’t mean to interrupt you. You just look so happy and so in love."
Sarah rested her head on Howie’s shoulder as he held her by the waist. He spoke for the both of them. "It’s not a problem."
"I’d like to send you a copy of the picture."
Howie gave her his business card and then he led Sarah through the gardens and up to their room.
The couple spent the next few days together; making love, talking, Christmas shopping, and enjoying being together. They also spent a few days at Sarah’s parents’ house in Virginia where they shared Thanksgiving dinner with her family and they made plans for the Lupus cruise in December. They were well on their way to healing.