Chapter 8

"Kev, where are we?" a groggy voice whispered from behind me.

I lifted my eyes to the rearview mirror watching Brian wipe away the sleep from his eyes. "Hey, lazy, we're in Florida."

"Almost to Nick's house?"

"In about an hour."

"Good."

I glanced at the sleeping youth. "Yeah, it'll make him feel better."

"I hope so," Brian responded staring out the window.

"What are you looking at?"

"The sunrise. It almost looks the same as it is Kentucky in this big open space."

I nodded taking a quick glimpse. "It sure is beautiful."

"Yeah, you know what I miss?"

"What's that?"

"Watching the river."

I laughed. "You and I have the entire ocean to look at in Florida. Why would we miss the Ohio River?"

"You miss it, too?"

I blushed. "Yeah."

"Kev?"

"Yeah, Bri?"

"Please tell me we can go home for Christmas next month."

I tightened my grip on the steering wheel. I didn't care what Lou had in mind, I was going to be home for Christmas. "Yes, Brian, we're going back to Kentucky for Christmas. I promise."

"Good," he whispered.

I bit my lip. "You're real upset about Turkey Day, aren't you?"

"It's not your fault."

"I still feel bad."

"Look, Kev, as long as you promise not to cook something the day shouldn't be too bad."

I smirked. "Are you trying to tell me my cooking stinks?"

"No," he said simply. "I'm telling you your cooking sucks."

***************************

"Here we are!" I exclaimed happily as I pulled into Nick's driveway.

Brian glanced at his watch. "Wow, it's pretty early in the morning. You think they'll be up?"

I sighed. "With a kid as hyper as Nick's little brother- I could almost gurantee it."

I slipped off my belt. "I'll go get his stuff out of the trunk. Can you try to wake him up?"

"Sure," Brian agreed opening his car door.

I opened the trunk grabbing Nick's suitcase listening to their conversation.

"Nick...Nick...Get up," Brian pleaded.

"Five more minutes, Mom," Nick grumbled through his congested voice.

"Nick, you have to get up..."

"I don't wanna' go to school!" the blonde wailed still asleep. "I'm sick!"

"I know you're sick," Brian sighed. "That's why you need to get out of the cold car."

I laughed closing the trunk joining them. "Brian, there's an easy way to do this." I bent down at Nick's side patting his knee. "Kiddo, you're home."

Nick eyes opened in disbelief. "I'm home?"

I smiled. "Yeah, rugrat, you're home."

Nick stumbled out of the car, practically falling on his face to run to the door.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, buddy," I sighed catching his arm before he fell. "Slow down."

He coughed roughly. "I-I j-just," his words were cut off by the hacking cough.

I handed Brian the suitcase and Nick's stuffed animal. "Could you carry this?"

"Sure."

I bent down to Nick's level. "Hop on my back."

Now, was I administering piggyback rides....I was a singer or an amusement park?

Nick wrapped his arms around my neck allowing me to lift him up.

Brian rang the doorbell awaiting a reply.

The door opened. "Nick!" Mrs.Carter exclaimed. She hugged him tightly bringing me into the embracement. "Oh, baby, I was so worried!" she cried feeling his forehead as she covered his face with kisses. "Come in!" she encouraged leading us inside.

I sat Nick down by the couch. "There ya' go, little man."

"Nick!" a little voice sang running into the room.

Aaron pounced on his older brother making himself comfortable in his lap. "I missed you, Nick!"

"I missed you, too," Nick coughed hugging him tightly.

Mrs.Carter patted the couch. "Aaron, baby, sit here Nick's sick, honey."

"Nick's sick?" Aaron repeated with a frown feeling his brother's forehead.

I smiled watching the six-year-old attempt to care for his older brother.

Mrs.Carter stroked Nick's hair. "I wanna' take your temperature."

"Mom," he whined, "Kevin did enough of that to last a lifetime."

She sighed. "One more time won't hurt you."

"Nick!" a chorus of small cries called.

The other three bombarded into the area attacking their brother with hugs.

"Careful, Nick's sick!" Aaron shouted throwing his arms out to protect his borther.

Despite their noisy habits the family was truly caring of each other. Nick lifted youngest sister, Angel, into his lap kissing her brow. The second eldest child, BJ, sat on the floor at his side resting her head on his knee. But one child was missing.....

I felt a small tug on my pant leg. I looked down to see Nick's middle sister, Leslie, staring up at me with her huge blue eyes and brown hair a mess. "Come sit with us," the seven-year-old whispered.

"Well, I...um..."

"Please?" she asked extending her arms up to me.

I bent down lifting her into my arms. "Okay."

She looked over my shoulder. "You, too, Brian."

"Okay," he chuckled following us to the open couch on the other side of the room. Leslie rested in my lap playing with Nick's stuffed dog, while Aaron and Angel came over to play 'dog pile' on top of Brian.

Nick's mother returned holding the thremometer. "Here we go."

Nick's eyes searched the room. "Mom?"

"Yes?"

"Where's Dad?"

She frowned stroking his flushed cheek. "Oh, baby, he's at work. He'll be home soon though, okay?"

"Okay," Nick whispered in disappointment.

"Let's take your temperature," she instructed sliding the thermometer under his tongue. She lifted up his leg slipping off his shoes. "Why don't you just get comfortable and lye down on the couch, all right? Mama's here now." She turned to her daughter tugging gently on her blonde ponytail. "BJ, would you go get Nick a blanket?"

"Sure, Mommy."

Mrs.Carter finished with Nick's shoes and reached over to help him slide out of his coat. She paused running her fingers over the green fleece coat. "Where did this come from?"

Brian stared at me helplessly as he became speechless.

I cleared my throat. "Well, um, you see...I had some shopping to."

"Shopping to do?" she repeated raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, Christmas shopping and if you spent a certain amount of money you got a coat for free because they were overstocked, but the only sizes they had left were small. So, I just gave it to Nick." I laughed. "It's obviously too little for me."

She stared at me, her eyes showing regret but also thankfulness. "That was very kind of you."

I shrugged. "No, big deal."

The thermometer sounded distracting her attention. She removed the object. "100.6. Well, young man it looks like the only place you're going to be today is in bed."

"I'm fine."

She smirked patting his hand. "Sure, you are, sweetie." She turned to the other children. "You guys take it easy on Nick."

"Sure we will!" Aaron exclaimed hugging my cousin. "Besides, Brian's more fun to pick on anyway!"

"I'll get you for that!" Brian chuckled tickling the child's belly.

Mrs.Carter sighed. "Well, I guess I'll go start breakfast."

I faced Brian. "We should get going."

"No! I want you to stay, please?" Aaron begged.

"I wish you'd stay as well," his mother echoed.

"We don't want to impose," I stated.

"Oh, honey, I normally feed seven people a night, you two won't impose, trust me." She looked us up and down. "Besides, you two are much too thin. You both need a good hearty meal that didn't come from a frozen box. I'm making biscuits, scrambled eggs, hashbrowns and bacon to celebrate having Nicky home."

Brian's eyes lit up. "Real food?!!!! Kevin, she's going to give us real food! Please let us stay!"

I shook my head at his crazy behavior. "All right, but let me help you at least, Mrs.Carter."

Brian wrinkled his nose. "Be careful he can't cook."

"Thank you for the warning, Brian."

I lifted Leslie off my lap setting her down gently against the couch cushions. Then, I followed Mrs.Carter into the kitchen.

"How can I help?" I asked.

She stood in front the refridgerator pulling out the needed items. "Well, I suppose you could put the hashbrowns and biscuits on the pan for me."

I smiled. "You're making sure to leave me with the already prepared items."

"Well, Brian never lies so you must be a bad cook."

"Yeah, basically," I admitted.

"Kevin..." she whispered as she open the package of bacon. "I wanted to thank you."

"Thank me?"

"For being so good to Nick, getting him that coat, taking care of him when he was ill. You've been good to all of my children and I truly appreciate it. It's nice to know you're going to watch out of him on the road when I can't be there."

"It's nothing much."

"Yes, it is. You're a special boy. Take my daughter, Leslie, for example: Leslie hardly talks to anyone, but yet she likes you. She feels safe near you, you're a remarkable young man and I'm sure you've made your family very proud."

I took a deep breath. "You really think I've made my family proud?" I paused. "All of my family?"

She nodded. "I don't think you did, I know you did."

***********************

"Howie? Howie, you home?" I called out as I unlocked the door to the small apartment the three of us shared.

Brian shut the door. "Maybe he went to see his parents."

"Yeah, maybe."

Being in the empty apartment seemed so depressing. I shrugged. "We might as well unpack."

Brian rolled his eyes. "Why bother it's not like we'll be here long enough for it to matter."

I sighed, I couldn't argue with the true.

The door opened suddenly Howie emerging with AJ behind him. "Glad you guys are back!" he smiled giving Brian a hug.

I set down my suitcase. "Hey, guys."

AJ plopped down on the couch making himself at home. "Your trip okay?"

"It was fine," I replied. I turned to Howie. "How'd the meeting go with that management company?"

"We got signed," he said slowly.

Brian's eyes widened. "We did?"

He nodded. "Yeah, the Wrights signed us. They managed New Kids on the Block."

"New Kids on the Block?" Brian and I repeated in unison as we grimaced.

"Who cares," AJ breathed. "Their daughter Marissa is hot as hell and she has a thing for me!"

I raised an eyebrow. "Obviously, the girl has mental problems."

"Hey!" AJ pouted crossing his arms.

"Do they seem like the real deal?" Brian pondered.

Howie nodded. "Yeah, they seem pretty nice. Especially, the lady."

"What about her husband?"

He shrugged. "He's okay."

Brian smiled at me. "Maybe things are looking up."

"Yeah maybe."

AJ stood. "Well, I'm bored. You guys wanna' shoot some hoops?"

"Sure," Howie and Brian chorused.

"You comin', Kev?" Brian asked as they opened the door.

I shook my head. "Nah, I got a phone call to make. You guys go ahead."

I lifted the phone into my hand dialing slowly waiting for the long process to be complete.

"Hello?"

A smile spread across my face. "Mama?"

"Kevin!" she whispered. "Oh, pumpkin, it's good to hear your voice!"

"It's good to hear yours', Mama."

"How are you and Brian?"

"Brian's doin' okay."

"And you?"

"I'm...I'm all right."

She sighed. "That doesn't sound very convincing."

"Well, I....I can't come home for Thanksgiving."

"Oh," my mother whispered tears obviously near.

"Oh, please, don't cry, Mama!"

"No, no, sweetie, I'm not. I'll just miss you, but I know it's for your career and everything will work out in the end."

I ran a hand through my hair. "Yeah, I guess it will."

"What's wrong, baby?"

"I'm just so confused, Mama."

"About what?"

"Everything. I've just been second-guessing everything, Mama. Is something wrong with me? Heck, this girl in met in a store knew more about me than I did! Should I be worried?"

"Honey, I'd be worried if you didn't act this way."

"What?"

"You're human. You have to think about your decisions in life, you're not a computer that has the right answer in a few seconds."

"I just miss you so much, Mom."

"I miss you too, but I don't want you to be here when a part of you is wishing you were back in Florida. It's better for you to stay there and wait it out."

I took a deep breath. "I love you."

"I love you, too, pumpkin."

I sighed. "I better go now, Mama, long distance cost an arm and leg."

"Yes, it does. You stay strong, Kevin, just like you always have been. Just let time tell you the answers, you'll have them soon enough."

"Bye, Mama," I whispered returning the phone to its original position. Somehow, I felt relieved; it's amazing how a mother's voice could be the cure to so many wounds. I then grabbed my suitcase making my way to the bedroom.

I set the luggage on my bed noticing a letter resting on my pillow. I smiled reading the return address. I ripped it open anxiously awaiting to read it's contents.

Kevin,

Life at sea is not for me.....Do you have any idea how nauseating it is to dance on a ship? One crazy wave and the entire dance truope falls, suddenly the routine has become quite a popular comedy. I'll be happy when I start with the Rockettes in New York, it will be so nice to speak to someone without their body swaying to and fro with motion. I hope everything is going well in the group.

I know things can get annoying, but just remember the guys are kinda' like your brothers. You can't help but love them no matter what. I'll see you soon!

Love,

Kristin

I glanced at the photo she had enclosed. Her blonde hair blowing the breeze and her dark eyes shimmering in the sunlight. I was truly a lucky man. I grinned remembering Cricket had also referred to the group as my 'brothers'. I was happy to know Cricket would finally have a friend once Kristin reached New York, and Kristin would no longer be seasick. It was the perfect situation for both of them. I placed her photo on my bedstand and began to unpack.

I lifted the top glancing the through the items seperating them. I lifted the ornament I had purchased. I set the piece beside Kristin's picture. They were the first things I wanted to wake up to in the morning: a wonderful memory and a beautiful future of what was to come. I paused glancing at the novel I still hadn't finished. I looked out the window to see my bandmates still playing basketball contently, I might as well finish the few pages I had left.

I pulled myself on to the mattress clutching the book in my hand. "One Alone," I muttered reading the title aloud.

Questions. So many questions. Questions drumming against my skull awaiting an answer. But what was the answer? And did I even want to take the time to find out?

Life was easier if lived in seclusion. No compromising, no sharing- everything your own way. No one had to understand me, and I didn't have to understand them. And that's the way I prefered it. I wanted to live my life alone. I was one alone.......

I rubbed my forehead as I found the ending. "Strange," I whispered.

"Yo, Kev! Kev!" a raspy voice called running through the house. "Oh, there you are!" AJ said as he stood in the doorway. "Howie's going down to the pet store to get Brian a turtle, he figured you'd want to take part in the decision."

"Yeah," I answered. "If I let you three go you'll come back with every animal in the damn place."

"Nah," AJ laughed. "Not even Brian couldn't love a snake- nastyass things."

"Well, let's go," I said sitting up.

"Hey, Kev?" the teen whispered.

"Yeah?"

He fidgeted about. "Well, um, you know Thanksgiving is coming. And well, it's just gonna' be me, Mom and my grandparents. They always end up makin' too much food, so then, I end up givin' it to my dog. Then, he normally gets really bad gas and it reaks for days..." He blushed. "Anyway, I knew you and Brian would be alone and my family and I would really like you to stay with us."

I stared at the novel I held in my hands. One Alone.....

"AJ, I just need...."

His expression fell. "Well, you don't have to come if you don't want to."

I stood. "It's not that, I just need to know what time we need to be there."

I tossed the novel into the trash can as AJ spoke. I may have had many unanswered questions in my life, but there was one thing I did know. I didn't want to be alone.

THE END