Chapter Thirty-seven

Amanda let out a shriek of pain and fell to the floor, holding her nose.

“You bitch!” she screamed.

Marcus and Brett helped her to stand, and AJ yelled for some ice. Casey and Myra sat completely still, staring in shock at Megan, who was shakily getting to her feet.

“Megan, what the hell is wrong?” AJ demanded, taking an ice pack from a frightened waitress and pressing it to Amanda’s face. When he got no response, he left Amanda in the capable hands of the bodyguards and circled the table to take Megan in his arms.

“She’s dead, AJ,” Megan whispered.

“What? Who’s dead?”

“Charlene.”

AJ froze. “Are you serious?”

“Clayton just called. There was some sort of car accident...she was pinned inside...she-she’s dead, AJ!” Megan exclaimed, her voice rising. “Omigod, my mother is dead!”

The last word had barely left her mouth when her eyes rolled back in her head and she was sliding to the floor.

“Jesus fuckin’ Christ,” AJ muttered, unable to believe that Megan’s mother could be gone. “Marc, call the hotel. Tell ‘em we’re coming back and to make sure we have a clear path inside.”

Marcus nodded and dialed the hotel, one arm still supporting Amanda. Casey finally moved from her seat and knelt on the floor beside Megan.

“AJ? What’s going on?” she asked, her voice trembling.

“It’s okay, Case, we’re going back to the hotel. Can you help me wake her up?”

Casey nodded and looked to her mother.

“Brett, take Amanda back. We’ll meet up later,” AJ ordered, shifting so he could lay Megan’s head in his lap.

“But she punched me, AJ!” Amanda cried. “For absolutely no reason!”

“Get her out of here!” AJ barked.

Brett nodded curtly, grabbed Amanda’s arm and dragged her away.

“Extra security will be waiting for us,” Marcus said to AJ, then turned to the crowd and began pushing them back. “Nothing to see here, folks, please back up and give us some room.”

Unable to get Megan to wake up, AJ lifted her and motioned for Marcus to lead the way to the car. Myra and Casey followed close behind. Halfway back to the hotel, Megan came around, tears spilling down her cheeks.

“AJ, what am I going to do?” she whispered, holding her head.

“Shh, we’ll figure something out. Just relax,” AJ said in a soothing tone, gently stroking her hair.

“I have to go to the funeral, I have to call Dana...”

“Megan, I’ll take care of it.”

Myra reached over and took Megan’s hand. “I’m so sorry, honey. Is there anything I can do for you?”

“Me too,” Casey piped up. “I can help too.”

Megan smiled at her friends.

They arrived back at the hotel and AJ helped her to walk inside. They went straight up to their floor, where Denise met them and wrapped Megan into a hug.

“Is it true?” she whispered.

“I’m afraid so,” Megan said. “I have so much to do, and I don’t know where to start.”

Myra ushered Casey towards their room to pack for their flight, giving Megan some space. Denise shooed AJ away and they went to Megan and AJ’s room to talk. Before closing the door, she asked her son to make the necessary arrangements. She got Megan a cool washcloth for her face, and settled her on the couch with a box of tissues, a blanket and a pillow.

“How do you feel about this?” she asked, sitting down beside Megan.

Megan shrugged. “I’m not sure. I’m shocked, and surprisingly...upset. I had always thought that the day she died would be the day I threw the biggest party, but now that it’s happened, I don’t know. I’m confused.”

“Would you like me to go with you?”

It was a beautiful suggestion, and Megan was deeply touched at her concern.

“Thanks, but no. I have to do this alone.”

“Are you sure? It would be no problem.”

“I’m sure, really.”

“All right, but if you change your mind, don’t hesitate to ask.”

Megan nodded. Suddenly she gasped, realizing what she’d done at the restaurant.

“I punched Amanda in the nose!” she exclaimed.

Denise’s mouth fought between smiling and frowning.

“You, uh, what?”

“She made a crack about someone dying, and I punched her. Oh God, I didn’t mean to!”

“I’m sure she’ll be just fine. Did you hit her very hard?”

Megan looked down at her knuckles. “I don’t think so. I can’t punch worth a shit anyway.”

A soft knock came at the door and Denise called for the person to enter. AJ poked his head inside cautiously before stepping all the way in.

“There’s a seat open on a flight out to Phoenix tonight at seven. You want it?” he asked.

Megan nodded, blowing her nose. “Yeah, I’ll take it.”

AJ put his phone to his ear and made the reservation. When he finished, he tucked the phone in his pocket and came over to sit on the couch.

“Do you want me to go with you?”

“You know you can’t. You have a show tonight.”

“The guys could handle it without me. It’s not like it can’t be done.”

“Right, and then tomorrow morning all the hate sites on the internet dedicated to me will have one more reason to want me gone. No, AJ, you’d better stay here,” Megan said, patting his hand. “I’ll be okay, I promise.”

“I can’t even come with you to the airport,” AJ said, his shoulders slumping.

Denise quietly left the room, leaving the couple to themselves. Megan hugged AJ tightly.

“Nothing bad will happen to me in Phoenix, not this time. She can’t hurt me anymore.”

“Are you glad she’s gone?”

Megan paused.

“I don’t know,” she answered honestly. “I was just telling your mother that I don’t know how I feel about this. Ask me in a couple of days.”

“I worry about you, Megs.”

“I know you do, and I find it very cute that you do, but I’m a big girl. I’ll be okay.”

“Promise me that if you have any problems at all, that you’ll call me. I don’t care when it is, you call me, got it?”

Megan mock saluted him. “Aye aye, Captain AJ.”

AJ rolled his eyes and kissed her.

“It was great seeing you again, Kevin,” Casey said, reaching up for a hug.

Kevin wrapped his arms around the young girl and kissed her forehead.

“Have a safe flight back, and give me a buzz sometime, all right?”

“Sure thing.”

Myra hugged him next, whispering in his ear, “Take care of her,” before letting go.

Kevin nodded in understanding. He knew he would do anything he could to keep Megan safe and happy, and if that meant letting AJ be the man in her life, so be it.

Casey and Myra made their way through the whole group, thanking them for letting them come and visit. Megan shifted her backpack on her shoulders and walked with AJ to the elevators. While Casey, Myra and Megan were headed to the airport, with Carlos as their chaperone, the guys were on their way to the arena to prepare for the night’s show.

“Call me later,” AJ said before kissing her on the lips. “I’ll be up.”

“Will do, and you’ve got my cell number and the number at Clayton’s, in case you need me. Have a good show.”

She said goodbye to the others, accepting their heartfelt condolences about her mother. When it came time to say goodbye to Kevin, she almost broke down.

“I wish I could make things better for you, Megan,” he said softly.

“It’s a nice idea.”

They hugged quickly and broke apart. Kevin fidgeted with his jacket zipper.

“Dana joining you in Phoenix?”

“Yeah. She’s flying out tomorrow to attend the funeral with me and settle things.”

“Say hi to her for me, okay?”

“Sure.”

Kevin nodded and followed everyone else. Down in the lobby, they split into two groups and went their separate ways. Kevin watched with envy as AJ and Megan shared one last kiss before leaving the hotel.