Part 486
"BASTARD!"
A picture of the couple appeared behind the reporter who said, "How do you explain the fact that he’s married with twins on the way?"
"Yeah, asshole! Explain THAT!"
Becca could see Sarah getting angrier by the second.
"A very elaborate cover created by their management. Mr. Dorough has to maintain a clean-cut image in order for their music to sell. They found a girl, paid her off, and she now poses as his girlfriend/wife. In exchange, the boys are backing her in a music career. As for the babies, that’s easy to explain. We’ve all heard the rumors that this girl was also involved with Mr. Richardson and Mr. McLean. I expect that one of them fathered this girl’s babies. How many events do you see Mr. Dorough attending with a date…other than his sister?"
Sparks shot from the television and then smoke began to billow out effectively silencing any more of the interview. Sarah had hurled the brass bookend on the table behind her at the television. Becca sat in stunned silence as Sarah began to rant and throw things around the room.
"What in the hell does he have to do to prove he’s not GAY? FUCK YOU PEARLMAN! You’re a bastard," and glass shattered against the wall behind where the TV was. Sarah had thrown a vase sitting on the table in front of her.
"Sarah, calm down," tried Becca.
"I WILL NOT CALM DOWN! DAMNIT! WHAT THE HELL? DO WE HAVE TO FUCK IN FRONT OF EVERYBODY? I KNOW…NEXT DAMN SHOW, HOWIE AND I WILL JUST DROP AND DO IT ON STAGE!! THAT SHOULD FUCKING PROVE HE’S NOT GAY!"
Becca was scared. She’d never seen Sarah this out of control so she quickly grabbed the phone and dialed Nick’s cell phone as Sarah continued her tirade.
Nick answered and could hear Sarah in the background along with breaking glass. "Bec, what the hell is going on?"
"Nick, you and Howie need to get back here NOW! Sarah is throwing one hell of a temper tantrum."
"We’re on the way, Bec."
Evidently Howie had taken the phone from Nick because the next voice Becca heard was his. "Becca, what is going on?"
"There was an interview with Pearlman…."
That and hearing Sarah in the background was enough. "Get Billy in there, Becca."
Becca hung up as Sarah slung a glass across the room and stood up. In a stern voice, Becca said, "SARAH! If you don’t STOP, I’m calling security."
"YOU CAN’T!" snarled Sarah. "Howie gave them time off!"
Billy had slipped into the room and grabbed Sarah’s arm as she tried to throw another glass. "But he didn’t give ME the time off! What the hell is your problem, Sarah?"
"Besides the world thinking my husband is GAY, YOU ARE MY PROBLEM!" snapped Sarah attempting to pull away from Billy’s grasp. "Let GO OF ME YOU OVER-GROWN GORILLA!"
Billy had obviously called Tommy and Raoul as they appeared in the room. As Sarah tried to pull away from Billy, Raoul wrapped his arms around her from behind.
"Sarah, stop it," he said calmly.
"FUCK YOU! YOU DIDN’T HEAR THAT ASSHOLE PEARLMAN CALLING HOWIE GAY!"
"Sarah, you know Howie isn’t gay and you know that Pearlman is just trying to make a dollar off of the Boys."
Sarah struggled against Raoul’s arms but quickly gave up realizing it was futile to try and get away. Angry tears burned trails down her cheeks as she melted into the big man’s arms. "Raoul, why? Why do they keep saying it?" she sobbed.
"They don’t know him like you do, Sarah."
"God, he’s so sweet and wonderful and he makes me happy!" cried Sarah as Raoul held her close. "Why can’t they just leave him alone?"
Stroking her hair, Raoul said in a soothing voice, "We all know that, ‘Shorty’. You two were made for each other. You know they go after him because he’s not going to start trouble."
Tommy looked at Becca. "I take it she was watching the interview?"
"Oh yeah!" snorted Becca.
Billy looked around the room at all the broken glass and the busted television. "Geez! What a mess! Where is Garrett?"
The sounds of Garrett screaming in the other room were finally heard. Becca left Sarah in Raoul’s arms crying and went to get her son.
As Becca disappeared into their room, Howie and Nick rushed through the open door. The destruction and mayhem they had heard on the phone lay in front of them stopping them in their tracks.
"HOLY SHIT!" muttered Nick under his breath.
Billy looked up and met Howie’s eyes. The look they exchanged told Howie that it hadn’t been good at all.
"Billy, get this cleaned up and pay the hotel for the damages," said Howie softly as he stared at his wife in Raoul’s arms.
"No problem."
"Where was Garrett?"
"In the bedroom. Becca’s with him now."
Turning to Nick, he said, "Go on and help Bec calm him. I’m sure he’s terrified by what happened."
"Are you sure? I mean, I’ve never seen Sarah quite like this before."
"I’m sure, Nick. I need some time. It’s been a long day with a lot of emotions and I need to calm her down."
"Good luck."
"Thanks." Howie watched Nick’s retreating figure as Tommy moved to stand beside him. "What did Pearlman say that set her off?"
"He said you were gay, he’d witnessed it firsthand, and that Sarah had been ‘bought’ off to cover for you," said Tommy. "Raoul and I were watching the interview ourselves when Billy called us."
"I want a copy of the tape. Was it on a local channel?"
"Yeah. Howie, the reporter did everything she could to defend you and Sarah but Pearlman…"
"Pearlman is out to make money any way he can. He can’t bleed us anymore but he can use his history with us. Get a copy of the tape and send it to Steve."
"On it, ‘Boss’." Tommy started out the door but looked back at Howie. "Is she gonna be okay?"
Howie looked at his wife. "Yeah, she’s gonna be fine. Go on."
Billy asked, "Are you?"
"As soon as I get her calm, yeah, I’ll be fine. Go on, Billy. Take care of this."
Alone save Raoul, Howie took a deep breath and moved over to the couch where Raoul sat holding Sarah. He sat beside them and reached over to brush Sarah’s hair back. "Angel?"
Sarah looked into Howie’s eyes and sobbed, "Howie!"
"Come here, ‘Angel’."
Howie held open his arms and she moved into them gratefully. Her sobs came as gasps for air shaking her body. Holding her close, he rocked her in his arms and spoke to her. "Angel, it’s gonna be okay. Just calm down and we’ll deal with this."
"You…. you…didn’t…hear him, Howie. He made…. Me….sound…and YOU!" choked out Sarah through the sobs.
"Tommy told me. Come on, you need to calm down before you get sick."
Billy reappeared at the door with hotel management and Raoul whispered, "’D’, Billy’s back."
Howie acknowledged him and said, "Sarah, come on. Let’s go to the bedroom so Billy can clean up in here."
Like a scared little child, Sarah clung to Howie, her face buried in his chest as her tears soaked his shirt. Howie stood with his arms around her, then scooped her up to carry her. She was barefooted and there was glass everywhere.