Part 396
At the same time, as the guys headed to the underworld, Nick asked, "Have you got the roses?"
"Tommy got them and they’re in the underworld."
"What if she comes through here and sees them?" asked Kevin.
"She won’t. She’s avoiding the ‘underworld’ as much as possible. It’s all I could do to get her to go to the lifters last night and tonight. Besides, the roses are suppose to be in my locker."
"Why tonight, Howie?" asked Brian.
"And why THIS song?" added Nick.
AJ rolled his eyes as Howie smiled. "Tonight’s easy. To tell her how proud I am of her after all she’s been through and the song…it’s the one we do that melts her when she hears it."
"But you two did that duet tonight," protested Nick.
"That was Sarah…not me. Trust me, Nick. She needs this."
As the meteor shower raged above them, the guys took their spots on their lifters and Sarah rushed through the ‘underworld’ with Raoul close behind. Reaching Howie just seconds before he was to rise up, Sarah wrapped her arms around his waist.
"I thought you were putting Jesse to bed," whispered Howie.
"Becca’s doing it. You wanted me here."
Howie put his hands on the sides of her face kissing her as the cue from Chris came over his headset. "Raoul knows where I want you to sit. I love you, ‘Angel’."
Sarah stepped away and watched as all five guys rose through the floor. The noise from the crowd was deafening but it gave her a warm feeling. It was all for the five guys she loved dearly.
"Come on, Sarah," said Raoul putting his hand on her shoulder. "I need to get you to your seat."
Sarah followed Raoul up to the VIP seats where the fans that were there were excited to see her. Not only would they get the chance to talk to her but also they knew the guys would be paying extra special attention to their section. They weren’t to be disappointed either. All five guys made it a point to tease, flirt, and play with Sarah throughout the entire first set.
It was time for the first costume change and Sarah waited anxiously. This was one of her favorite parts of the show for two reasons. The songs they did in this set had so much meaning and they poured their hearts into the words. The costumes, their white suits, also made Sarah weak in the knees. Howie’s was very similar to what he wore for their wedding and every time she saw him in it, she thought about the happiest day of her life…the day he made her his wife.
Slowly, the guys rose out of the floor seated on stools and Sarah’s heart stopped. Each one held a rose in their hand; Howie had a white one and the other four were holding red roses. She knew exactly who the roses were for and why Howie had been so insistent on her watching the show.
As usual, Kevin spoke first. "This next song is special to all of us because our very own ‘Sweet D’ wrote it."
"It’s also special to us because of the lady he had in mind when he wrote it," said AJ. "When we dedicate songs, its usually to all of our fans."
"But tonight, we want to dedicate this song to that very special lady," continued Nick.
"She’s not just one of our opening acts but she’s also one of our best friends," added Brian.
"And my soul mate," grinned Howie as he walked towards where Sarah was sitting. "In so many ways every day, she shows the little things that makes her so beautiful to me and tonight, you got to see some of those little things; the courage it took for her to tell her story to you and her desire to help others so they don’t have to go through what she went through. She does so many things that make me proud to call her my wife."
Leaning over, Howie took her hand and helped her on stage. He kissed her tenderly which sent a collective ‘ahhhh’ through the audience and then led her to his stool. As she took a seat on it, he handed her the rose and the music began to play.
"You don’t run with the crowd, you go your own way, you don’t play after dark, you light up my day…"
As Howie held her hand, Brian sang, "Got your own kind of style, that sets you apart, Baby that’s why you captured my heart."
Howie moved closer to her, "I know sometimes you feel like you don’t fit in, and the world doesn’t know what you have within…."
Kevin, Nick, and Brian were around her now giving her their roses as Brian sang, "When I look at you, I see something rare, a rose that can grow anywhere…"
It didn’t matter how many times she saw them sing or for that matter, sang to her, Sarah never got over the feeling she had watching them. It was magical the feelings that they stirred in her seeing them pour their hearts into every word. And Howie…he melted her heart with one look and right now, she might as well have been a puddle.
As AJ sang, he took her hand, "You don’t know how you touched my life, Oh, in so many ways I just can’t describe, you taught me what love is supposed to be, you saw the little things that make you beautiful to me…"
Sarah was in tears as AJ told her with the song’s words just how much he loved her for all that she had done for him and as he handed her the rose, he smiled and wiped her tears for her. He leaned to her giving her a kiss as the others sang the chorus.
As the song ended, Howie slipped his arm around her, "You’re beautiful to me!"
His eyes and the words told her that he was past all that had happened to them. He was very much in love with her and she couldn’t love him more than right at that moment.