After a long dinner with Ali, we had headed to a nearby pool hall for a couple of games. We had teamed up and totally sharked a group of guys before getting bored and heading back to the hotel. I head straight to my room. Brian isn’t here and I wonder where he is. I sit down on the bed and dial his cell. I was a little pissed that he hadn’t told me what the problem was before but I guess there’s just some things I have no business knowing. Hanging out with the guys so long has made me feel like a member I guess. And I’m not. I’m just a girlfriend. Nothing wrong with that at all. After a few rings, Brian answers. He sounds tired of everything.
“Hey, it’s me. Where are ya?” I say as non-confrontational as I can.
“Oh hey baby,” he replies quietly. “I’m with Nick. We gotta sort some stuff out.”
“BAD stuff?” I ask cautiously.
“I’ll tell you about it when I get back. I promise.”
“It’s ok. I don’t need to know,” I tell him. “Just get back huh?”
“Of course I will. Don’t worry. I love you,” he hangs up and I put the phone down.
Just what the hell is going on? I know it’s none of my business but these guys are my best friends, plus I have the overwhelming curiosity of a journalist. I decide to head to Ali’s room and see if she has any ideas. I pull on my boots and head to the door. I step out into the corridor and almost walk into Kevin. Howie is a little behind him.
”Oh Kevin, hey.”
“Hey,” he steadies me a little. “You goin’ somewhere?”
“Uh yeah, Ali’s room.”
“Good. Do me a favour? Stay there awhile.”
“Uh, sure…” I agree and he smiles.
“Thanks Jade.”
“Bye,” I walk on to the stairwell. I can’t resist looking behind me. Kevin and Howie are standing by AJ’s door. He has the room next to mine. I take the stairs up to Ali’s room and bang on her door.
“Hey, where’s the fire?” she answers.
“Apparently in AJ’s room,” I reply walking into hers. “Something is SERIOUSLY up.”
“Yeah?” she sounds intrigued and sits opposite me.
“Ok, you know how Brian wanted Kevin and Nick before?”
“And wouldn’t tell us anything? Yeah, drove me half crazy.”
“Me too,” I admit. “Well, I called him and he’s someplace with Nick – taking care of STUFF,” I emphasise the last word and Ali’s eyes widen. “So I figured I’d come see you and I leave my room, and there’s Kevin and Howie. Both lookin’ real serious and Kevin tells me to stay up here with you. So I agree and they went to AJ’s room…”
“Which is next to yours so obviously there’s something they don’t want you to hear,” she finishes and I nod.
“Exactly.”
“It’s gotta be the drinking,” she decides after a heavy pause.
“Gotta be.”
“Poor AJ.”
Kevin checks that Jade has gone before turning back to an uncomfortable Howie.
“You GOTTA do this with me bro,” he tells him. “AJ respects you. I’m always gettin’ on his back about stuff and you never do. So if you back me up here, it might make him think a little.”
“Ok,” Howie nods. “Let’s do it.”
“Ok,” Kevin takes a deep breath and then knocks on the door. There’s no reply so he knocks harder.
“Who is it?” AJ yells.
“Kevin and Howie,” Kevin yells back.
“Fuck off!”
“AJ!” Kevin bangs hard on the door and then tries the handle. “Open this door right now or I bust it open! I MEAN it!”
“Ooh, I’m scared,” comes the response.
“Right. Stand back Howie,” Kevin takes a few steps back from the door.
“You’re not SERIOUSLY…” Howie starts but then sees the look on Kevin’s face and steps back quickly.
Kevin takes a deep breath, runs up and kicks the door. It takes him a couple tries but the lock finally gives way and he bursts into the room. AJ is against the far wall looking shocked as hell, the three girls still on the bed.
“Get OUT!” Kevin tells them.
“Uh,” they scramble off the bed and out of the door.
“You busted the door!” AJ says shocked.
“I told ya I would,” Kevin says. “What the FUCK are you doing?!”
“Uh, I’m standing against the wall cos some mad fucker just busted my door down,” AJ recovers a little.
“I meant with your life generally,” Kevin says. “Nick broke his fucking HAND!”
“I didn’t do it.”
“You did! He just wanted to get through to you AJ! We all do. You are scaring me so much right now.”
“It’s really broken?” AJ asks, sinking down onto the floor.
“We think so,” Howie says softly. He walks across to sit by AJ. “What’s goin’ on bro?”
“I don’t know,” AJ whispers.
“AJ,” Kevin walks across and kneels in front of his friend. “You’re an alcoholic and you need help. And I wish I could give it to you but I can’t. Only YOU can do that.”
“I can’t do anything,” AJ says.
“You CAN,” Kevin states firmly. “You are such a strong guy. You just got a little astray lately, but you can make it right. We’ll take a little time off.”
“We will?” AJ looks at him. “But the tour…”
“Fuck the tour! You’re way more important AJ. People will understand. I promise you that. All you gotta do is tell me you need that time and that you’re gonna do something with it.”
“I hurt Nick…” AJ suddenly starts to cry and Howie wraps an arm around him. “He just got so mad and I wanted to say he was right but I just couldn’t and then… His damn hand…”
“Nick is fine,” Howie tells him. “All he wants is for you to be fine.”
“Oh God,” AJ cries in Howie’s arms. Kevin lays his hands gently on AJ’s legs and sits watching him for a long while. Finally, AJ looks up into Kevin’s eyes. “I need that time.”
“You got it bro.”