"Yeah, yeah." Nick opened the door and we walked in. Brian was laying down on a small couch. "What do you guys want? If you're here to convince me to apologize to Kari, forget it."
"Oh come on Brian." I sat down next to him. "Don't you think you acted a little rashly?"
"No," he replied stubbornly. "I did what I had to do."
"And what was that?" Nick asked.
"I had to end it. I really wanted us to be a family. How can we do that if she 'isn't ready to become a mother'?"
"You can be a family without kids Bri," I said softly.
"Then why do you need mine?"
I sighed in exasperation. "All right, this is the last time I'm gonna explain it to you. Kari is not ready to become a mother, and she is carrying twins. I am ready to become a mother, and am not pregnant. Doesn't it seem like a logical solution to you?"
"I guess so," Brian mumbled. He turned his back to us. "Now if you don't mind, I'm tired and want to go to sleep. I'll think about talking to Kari tomorrow."
Nick and I walked out of the room. "I'm going to make a phone call, why don't you talk to Kari?" Nick suggested.
"Who are you calling?" I asked suspiciously.
Nick grinned. "You'll see. Now get that fine butt of yours in that room and talk to your friend, I'll see you in a few."
I gave Nick a quick kiss before knocking on the door. "Kar, can I come in?"
"Sure, what the hell." I opened the door and saw that Kari was in the same position Brian had been in when Nick and I walked into his room.
"How are you feeling?" I asked as I took a seat next to her.
"Like a pregnant 18 year old who just lost her boyfriend," Kari answered glumly. "But other than that, I feel fine."
"I wouldn't worry about it Kari, Brian will come around. He was just shocked at first by your decision."
"No, he was beyond shocked. More like ready to kill me."
"He was upset," I said firmly. "People say stupid things when they're upset."
"Maybe, but he hasn't like, been in here to apologize yet. I'm starting to think that we're really through this time."
Howie's words echoed in my head. I hate to say it, but I think Brian really meant it this time. No, there was no way Brian was calling it quits, was there? I decided not to say anything else, for fear that I might upset Kari further. Luckily, Nick came bursting into the room.
"Hey girls, I have great news!" Nick said excitedly. "I just talked to my mother, and she wants the two of you to come and stay at my house during Kari's pregnancy."
"Nick that awesome!" Kari jumped up and hugged him tightly. "Thank you so much!"
"Don't thank me, thank my mom."
"But Nick, that means Kari and I have to leave the tour," I said, my face clouding with disappointment.
"No, that's my other good news. The tour is over. We're going to spend the next couple of months working on our new album. So that means I'll be home with you girls when the babies are born!"
"Nick that's great!" I hugged him. "So, when do we leave?"
"Oh, we leave today. The driver's bringing us to the airport so you better pack your stuff now."
"Okay!" Kari and I got out our suitcases and immediately started throwing things into them. Nick turned to leave, but then hesitated and turned back towards us. "What Nick?" I asked, busy digging for another suitcase.
"There's something I have to ask you." Nick turned me around and took my hand. "We've been together for only three months, but these three months have been the best time of my life. We started off really rocky, and worked our way up to a perfect relationship. I thought things couldn't get any better, but they will now." Nick got down on his knee and pulled a small box out of his pants pocket. "Amy, will you marry me?"
I was overwhelmed. Everything was happening so fast. I wanted so badly to say yes, but I couldn't. So I did the only thing I could do. I screamed. "OHMIGOD!!! OHMIGOD!!! OH-MI-GOD!!!!!"
Everyone except Brian came running into the room. "What happened?" Kevin and Nicole asked in unison.
"YES!!" I finally managed to get out. "Nick, I love you!"
"Yes what?" AJ asked, confused.
"They're getting married!" Kari said as she rushed forward to hug me.
Everyone congratulated us, complained about their broken ear drums, and then left the room.
A Little While Later
"I guess this is it," I said sadly as we all stood outside in front of the tour bus as we waited to go into the airport.
"Yeah, I guess so," Nicole sighed. "But we'll see you all again at the house warming party that Kevin and I are throwing in a few weeks."
Everyone looked about ready to walk into the airport, and Brian still hadn't said anything to Kari. "Don't you have anything to say to her?" I whispered to Brian, trying to drop a hint.
"No," Brian replied coldly. "If you all don't mind, I'm leaving now, I'm going to Kentucky to see my family. See you guys in a few weeks."
I saw Kari's once perky head drop as she saw Brian leaving. She was biting her lip to keep from crying, I could tell.
"We're going to be going too," Kevin said, referring to him and Nicole. "We've gotta go back to Nicole's house in Miami. I'll call you guys!" Nicole hugged Kari and I and then she and Kevin were gone.
"We're heading down to Orlando," Howie said about him and AJ. "We'll see you guys!" AJ and Howie walked through the gate.
"Well, I guess it's just us." Nick slid his arm around my waist.
"I'm going to miss that tour bus," Kari remarked as we walked through the airport.
"You are?" Nick asked, surprised. "But why? I hate that thing."
"Some of the best times of my life happened on the bus," Kari said sadly. "It's too bad none of them will ever happen again." Nick and I looked at each other. He opened his mouth to say something but I shook my head.
As we sat down in our seats on the plane, Kari began to cry.
"Kari, what's wrong?" I asked softly as I gave her a hug. "Things will get better, you'll see."
"No, they won't," Kari sobbed as she tried to control her overflowing tears. "I think this is the end of the road for me and Brian."
I just held on to Kari as she cried. She was my best friend, it was the least I could do. Eventually, she stopped crying and fell asleep.
"I will get those two back together," Nick vowed. "If it's the last thing I ever do!"