Chapter 5
"Mommy, are you sure we're close enough?"
"Angel, we're twelve inches away from the stage-that's close enough."
Aaron bounced around in his seat. "When are they gonna' start?!"
Mrs.Carter pushed him down gently. "In a few minutes, baby, sit still."
I shook my head. Memo to self: do not have children-have puppies. At least they don't bounce in chairs and you don't feel obilgated to take them everywhere.
"Kevin?"
I turned my view away from the Carter twins to my cousin. "Yeah, Bri?"
"Why is Leslie gawking at me?"
"She has a thing for you, Rok."
"WHAT? She's what.....six?"
"Ten."
"Still."
"Just smile or wave," I said through a clenched grin.
"Oh....um...yeah." Brian spun around and gave her a little wink. "How was that?"
Leslie blushed waving back to him rapidly. "Hi, Brian!"
I chuckled. "I'd say that worked."
Nick came up to me. "Why do we have to do this? We already have fame in Europe. Isn't that good enough?"
"Apparently not," I grumbled half-way agreeing with the teen.
AJ joined us sipping a milkshake. "What's up?"
"AJ!" I fumed. "Get that out of your mouth! Milk doesn't help before a performance!"
"Calm down, old timer. I was thirsty!"
"Thristy? Okay." I pulled Nick's water bottle from his grasp. "Here! Drink up-enjoy!"
"Hey! That was mine!"
I rolled my eyes. "Sharing is caring!"
"Well, I don't care!"
"Neither do I!"
"Come on, guys," Brian pleaded, "just relax." He straightened his collar.
"Where's Howie to referee between you guys?"
AJ sat the water down. "I don't know."
I ran my hands through my hair, attempting desperately not to yank it out.
"Okay.....Howie WILL be here! Don't worry!" Don't worry? What was I saying?
Nick's eyes widened. "We can't go on without Howie!"
AJ snickered. "Sure we can- we have the cute one, the boy next-door, the rebel and the older man-what more do we need?"
I lifted my head. "The Latino that hits the painfully high notes none of us can reach."
"Oh," AJ mumbled,"good point."
It was then that I saw Lou Pearlman approaching us. Damnit, couldn't Big Poppa go away for one damn minute?
"Hi boys, where's Howie?"
Everyone turned to me. Why does the mature always have to bail someone's ass out? "Um....he had ...to-"
"Shit!"
Shit? Out of the things Nick could've said- he chose 'shit'?
Lou's tiny eyes squinted in his round face. "Excuse me?"
Brian cleared his throat. "He had to use the restroom and well be back momentarily."
That a boy Brian! Use that Kentucky charm! Maybe he did sound like an answering service..but that was beside the point.
"Oh," the man chuckled his multiple chins quivering, "you had me worried."
I smiled. "Everything is under control. As a matter of fact we were just...."
"HOWIE!" AJ acclaimed as our falsetto entered from behind. "Glad your back from the restroom. Feeling better?"
Howie glanced at us confused. "Better?"
Brian grinned. "Oh, come on, Howie. Give it up. We all get nervous sometimes and the stomach just doesn't agree, huh?"
"Um....damn straight," Howie muttered playing along.
Lou smiled. "Well, onto the performance!"
I wiped the sweat from my brow- why were we so intimidated my a short, fat man? Hell, if he did get pissed all of five of us could out run him.
We loaded the stage as the announcer began. "Now, ladies and gentleman, without futher ado- the Backstreet Boys!"
*********************
Needless to say, minus the scare we had suffered before going on we had a very successful show. I slipped on my jacket happy to see Kristin joining me.
"Hey," I whispered granting her a small kiss.
"Hey, yourself. I'm so proud of you. You were so good up there."
"Well, I've got to admit the view from the stage of a certain blonde was quite breath taking."
"Oh, smooth, Richardson," she replied leaning into me for a meaningful lip accquaintance.
"KEVIN!" Aaron shouted tugging at my pant leg. "I'm hungry and Mommy said you were taking us home!"
"I'm what?"
"Taking us home!" Aaron flashed Kristin a pitiful pout. "I'm so hungry!"
She bent down stroking his cheek. "Oh, you poor baby! Come on, Kristin will get you something to eat." She boosted the small boy into her arms facing me. "Let's get him some food."
What? That little turd just stole MY girlfriend! "Yes, dear."
Kristin gazed into the child's eyes. "Do you want to ride with me and we'll grab some dinner?"
"Yeah! Angel, too?"
"Of course, Angel too." She set him on the ground. "Go get her."
"What have you done?!"
"I'm getting the kid some dinner. What's wrong with that?"
"Wrong? You've helped the little monster start his own empire against me!"
"Oh, Kevin, you're being ricidulous!"
"I AM NOT!"
"Stop whining."
I crossed my arms. "I do not whine!"
"Yes, you do and you're doing it right now!"
"Humph!"
Aaron returned with Angel at his side. "We're ready!"
Kristin gripped her car keys. "Okay, let's go!"
I groaned as Leslie, BJ, Nick, AJ and Brian filed behind me. "What are AJ and Brian doing here?" I asked staring directly at Nick.
He rose his hands in defense. "Hey! Don't look at me-it was them!" he declared pointing at his younger sisters.
I faced BJ. "What's going on?"
"Leslie and I invited them to dinner."
"Why?"
"To be polite."
"To be polite? Whatever-just march to the car."
"March?" Brian repeated lifting Leslie onto his back.
"You heard me!"
AJ looked at me as BJ wrapped her arms around him. "What are you a drill sergeant?"
"After this night-I'm sure I'll be pretty close to it. Ten, hut!"