Part 223
When her sound check was over, Sarah started to head off still VERY angry with Kevin but was stopped by AJ.
"Tigger…wait up! I need to talk to you."
Sarah looked back as AJ ran to catch her. Her mood softened somewhat and as he joined her, she took his hand. "What’s up, Bone?"
"I wanted to talk to you….alone," said AJ looking around at all the stage hands, sound techs, and everyone else milling around.
"I’m headed to the bus. Come on." The two walked hand in hand through the backstage area as Sarah asked softly, "What’s up, Alex?"
"Would you mind riding with me tonight…to Boston?" asked AJ timidly. It was the first time he’d really called on her as his sponsor since he’d asked her and now he was somewhat scared that she’d tell him to go to hell. He knew what kind of memories his bus held for her.
Sarah had already anticipated what he was going to face going to Boston and was relieved that he had asked for help. "I’d be glad to ride with you, Alex."
"You can get D to ride with us too…if you aren’t comfortable being alone…with me on my bus."
"I’m past that, Alex," answered Sarah softly. "I’ll ask him."
"Cool. We can work on music. When are you headed to LA?"
Sarah’s mood darkened again as they stopped at the back doors of the venue. "I’m leaving on the eleventh. Danny is headed home for Kellie’s c-section on the thirteenth so I’m flying with him."
AJ smiled. "This is the first time you and Howie have been apart since you got married, isn’t it?"
Sarah pouted, "YES!!"
AJ pulled her into a hug. "It’ll be okay, ‘Tig’. It’s only for a few days and you’ll rejoin us in Ottawa."
"I know," she mumbled against his chest grateful that he couldn’t see her eyes. She knew if he could, he’d see something she did NOT want out. "Alex, can we talk?"
"I thought that’s what we were doing?" teased AJ.
"No…I need to get something off my chest…and I don’t want anyone, especially Howie, to know."
The two continued on to Howie’s bus where they settled onto the couch. By now, Sarah had tears in her eyes and AJ realized that there was more to the fact that it was the first time they’d been apart in three months.
"Sarah, there’s more to this, isn’t there?"
Softly, Sarah said, "Yeah…Toronto…."
It dawned on AJ then that Claudia was in Toronto and it hadn’t escaped any of the guys’ attention that Sarah had NEVER been to Toronto since she started dating Howie. He cupped her chin in his hand lifting her eyes to look at him. "Sarah, Howie has been over Claudia for a VERY long time now. Ever since the day he met you, its been you and only you."
"You know he’s going to see her?"
"You’re kidding?"
"No…she called him in San Antonio, said she wanted to see him when you guys came to Canada, and I told him to go ahead…have dinner with her. God…I MUST have been STUPID to tell him that."
AJ laughed softly, "No, not really. It sounds like something you’d do. Sarah, you’ve never been jealous of the girls in Howie’ life…fan or ex-girlfriend, which is amazing given what Russell did to you."
"Howie’s never made it a secret how he feels about me…or his fans. He’s got a good heart and everyone loves him because of it. I know I have nothing to worry about so WHY do I have this gnawing jealousy?"
AJ pulled Sarah to him and held her close. "Sarah, first off, you’re tired. I can see it in your eyes and this is EXACTLY how you reacted in Baton Rouge when you thought he was giving Becca so much attention. How much sleep did you get last night?"
Sarah shrugged her shoulders, "I don’t now, about three hours."
"That’s NOT enough, especially since you’re pregnant."
"I’m supposed to be getting some sleep now."
"Then take your beautiful butt back to the bed and get some sleep," said AJ as he pushed Sarah up off the couch. "I’ll tuck you in."
Sarah laughed, "Yes sir…Bone Daddy."
AJ laughed too and as they headed to the back of the bus, AJ put his hands on her shoulders to guide her. As they went, AJ said, "You know, your hormones are playing HELL with you right now too."
"You’re right on both accounts."
"But you really need to tell Howie how you feel. I’m sure he’ll call off dinner if you ask him to."
Laying down on the bed, Sarah yawned, "I know."
AJ pulled the covers over Sarah and sat on the edge of the bed beside her. "Get some sleep, Tigger."
Sarah put her hand on AJ’s and said, "Thank you."
Leaning over to give her a kiss on the forehead, "It’s the least I can do. I’ll see you at dinner."
AJ pulled the blinds and as he left, he looked back at her as she quickly drifted off to sleep. He smiled to himself thinking how lucky he was to have such a good friend and how lucky Howie was to have her as his wife. Quietly, he closed the door behind him and headed back in for sound checks.