Chapter Eighteen

Saturday morning, Howie was a mess. He was awake at seven am, unable to go back to sleep, so he decided to get up and start the day. He showered, dressed, and went downstairs to feed Stinker. The happy little puppy followed him around the house as he wandered, looking for things that could give away his true identity before he could tell Lori.

Thankfully, he hadn’t unpacked any of his awards or trophies. They were safely stashed in his office closet, hidden behind several other boxes.

At nine am, he began preparing the food for the barbecue. The guys were all bringing something with them, but the steaks and burgers were up to him. Stinker nipped at his heels as he molded the beef into nice-sized patties.

“Sorry, girl. You can have some later, when these are cooked, okay?” he said, laughing.

The phone rang and he reached over to answer it.

“Hey, D, you’re up?” AJ asked.

“Yeah, I’ve been up for a few hours already.”

“Nervous, huh?”

“Uh huh.”

“Well, Amanda and I can come over a little early to help calm you down,” AJ offered.

“Oh God, would you? I feel like my head is about to explode!”

“Sure thing man, when’s everyone else coming?”

“Around noon. Lori should be here about quarter after, she’s got to run some errands first.”

“Okay, see you soon!”

“Thanks.”

They hung up and Howie breathed a sigh of relief, then burst into giggles.

AJ’s going to be my strength? I must be in big trouble!

Shaking his head, he went back to the food.

“All that’s left is your signature here, here, and here.”

Lori scrawled her name on the appropriate lines, anxious to get out of this stuffy office and on to Tony’s barbecue.

“Lori? Are you all right?” Ivan asked, taking the forms from her.

“I’m sorry?”

“You look like you’d rather be elsewhere.”

“Oh, well, I’m expected at a party this afternoon.”

“Ah. Well, we’re almost through. I’m glad you’ve come to a decision about the bank.”

“Me too.”

Lori was going to keep control over the bank, but she was appointing someone else to run it. This bank was the last thing she had that connected her to her father, and she wanted to keep it in the family.

Ivan tucked the papers into a folder and then smiled. “All done,” he said. “Oh, there’s one more thing.”

He opened a drawer and pulled out a thick manila envelope.

“This was in your father’s safety deposit box, which we emptied while you were gone. It’s addressed to you, and I have strict instructions to give it to you.”

“What is it?” Lori asked, taking the bulky package.

“I don’t know. I assume some personal affects, perhaps a final letter.”

Lori stared at the envelope for a moment, tears welling up in her eyes. She quickly blinked them away and nodded.

“Thank you, for all your help with this,” she said to Ivan.

“I hope that you’ll still keep in touch,” Ivan said. “I enjoy your company greatly.”

“I will, don’t worry.”

They stood up and Ivan escorted her to the door. They hugged, and then Lori left the building to head for home to change for Tony’s party.

The envelope sat on her passenger seat, calling to her to open it. She glanced at it frequently as she drove, wondering what secrets it held.

She arrived at her condo and hurried inside, taking it with her. She went straight to the room she’d designated as her office and set it on the desk. Curiosity nagged at her, begging her to be open it. But she knew that if she did now, it would affect her too hard and end up ruining her afternoon. No, she would wait until later.

The envelope was tucked deep into the filing cabinet. Satisfied it would be safe there, she went upstairs to change clothes.

She chose to dress simply, she didn’t want to appear like a stuck up European to Tony’s friends. When she was dressed and ready to go, she grabbed her purse and left, walking in the direction of Tony’s condo. Butterflies flapped nervously inside her stomach. She hoped Tony’s friends liked her. She hoped she liked them.

She hoped today wouldn’t be a complete disaster.

Howie looked out to the patio where Amanda sat lounging in a chair. She had assured him several times that she would say nothing to Lori about the Backstreet Boys until Howie told her, but Howie was still nervous. Not because he didn’t trust Amanda. No, he trusted her. It was himself he didn’t trust.

How could he possibly do this and not mess up? That was the question he had no answer to.

“Um, is this supposed to be runny?”

Howie turned to AJ, who was holding a bowl of red goop.

“What is it?” he asked, peering curiously at it.

AJ frowned. “I think it’s supposed to be jello.”

“Didn’t you put it in the fridge?”

“Yeah, but then. . . oh.”

“Oh, what?”

AJ blushed and quickly stuck the bowl in Howie’s fridge. “Erm, well, it was kinda hot in the truck on the way over here, and we didn’t put it in a cooler.”

Howie couldn’t help but laugh.

“It’s okay,” he said. “We’ll use it later.”

The doorbell rang, causing Howie to jump a foot in the air. He raced to the door and greeted Kevin, Kristin, Brian and Leighanne. They all hugged, passed him food and petted the puppy that was flying around their ankles.

“So where’s the lady of your life?” Brian asked, glancing around.

“She’s coming,” Howie said, walking with them to the kitchen. “AJ and Amanda are here already, help yourselves to chips, cookies, drinks. It’s all out on the patio.”

Brian picked up Stinker and followed Leighanne and Kristin as they headed out to say hi to Amanda, while Kevin lingered in the kitchen with Howie and AJ.

“Have you prepared what you’re going to say?” he asked Howie.

“Not really. I’m hoping the words will just come to me.”

Kevin leaned on the kitchen island and grabbed a sliced carrot. “If you need some help. . . “

“Thanks, but I need to do this myself.”

“Helloooo!”

Howie smiled and yelled back, “In here, Nickers!”

A moment later, Nick poked his head in the kitchen, a silly grin on his face.

“Hail, hail, the gang’s all here,” he said. “Sorry we’re late.”

“You’re not late,” Howie said, taking the cheesecake Mandy held out to him. “Hey, Mandy, you’re looking nice today.”

“Thanks, Howie,” she said, looking pointedly at Nick. “At least someone noticed.”

Nick rolled his eyes at Kevin and snatched a celery stick.

“Anyway, where’s Lori?” he asked.

“She’ll be here soon. She had some things to take care of first.”

Kevin discreetly exited the kitchen and went to join his wife. He liked Mandy. . . when she was having a good day. He worried today would not be a good day.

“Nick and Mandy are here,” he said softly, sitting down beside Kristin at the huge picnic table.

“I hope she doesn’t make trouble for Howie,” Kristin said. “Lori sounds like such a great woman for him.”

“As long as we don’t irritate Mandy,” Brian said, being sure to keep his voice low, “she’ll be fine.”

Leighanne snorted. “That girl needs to be taught some serious manners and perhaps, I don’t know, tact?”

Amanda agreed.

AJ, Nick, Mandy and Howie came outside a minute later, carrying platters of food and a cooler of drinks. They all sat down at the table and started talking. As Howie listened, his feeling of fear intensified ten times. The conversation was focused mainly on their new album, work.

Suddenly, he didn’t think he could do this.

“Um, guys? Guys!” he called, waving his hands in the air.

“What’s up, D?” AJ asked.

“I can’t do this.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, I can’t do this. This is a huge mistake, having you all here when I tell her. What will she think? She’ll be overwhelmed and it won’t work.”

“Finally, he realizes,” Mandy muttered. Nick nudged her in the side.

“Howie,” he said, “you can do this, man. We’re all here for you.”

AJ nodded. “We believe in you.”

“Thanks, but I-I can’t.” Howie shook his head emphatically. “No, I won’t tell her today. I’ll tell her in private, away from all of you. So please, just don’t say anything today, please?”

“I think you’re making a big mistake,” Nick said. “Just what exactly are we going to talk about?”

“I don’t know!” Howie cried, running a hand over his face. “Just, not the truth!”

“Tony?” came Lori’s tentative voice from inside.

He jerked so hard he nearly fell from his chair. Then he was on his feet, running towards the house.

“Not a word!” he hissed, before going inside.

Brian sighed. “Oh boy.”

Leighanne patted his arm.

“All right, so we’re all on our best behavior, correct?” Kevin said, eyeing each and every one of them, his gaze stopping on Mandy.

“What?” she demanded. “It’s his freakin’ neck that’s on the line, not ours.”

“Please, Manduh,” Nick said, taking her hand in his. “Be nice today.”