Chapter 31

“So, with recent events, do you really think we are near the end?” Nick asked Brian as they sat down in Brian’s hotel room to eat lunch.

“You know, I hate to say it, but this is the best I have felt in a long time.  When those girls came up to us at the amusement park, it felt like the good ole days.  It had been such a long time since we had that kind of response from our fans.  Maybe our down time was good…and maybe the media was wrong about us.” Brian replied, with a smile.

“Yeah, you are right…it sure felt good.  Let’s hope that it stays that way.” Nick stated, feeling overwhelming happiness from everything.

“Sometimes I wonder what God really wants from us.” Sighed Brian.

“He wants us to be happy, remember?  You are the one who has all that faith, just trust him, and you will see that everything will be fine. God had reasons for everything that happens to us.  I am faithful that he is picking the right path in life for us.” Nick replied softly.

“Hey Nick?” his best friend questioned.

“Yeah Brian?”

“Since when did that little boy deep down inside of you grow up and become all-knowing?” Brian mused.

“When I realized that the only thing that I thought was important to me was slowly slipping away.” He answered with sadness in his eyes.

“And what was that?”

“Heather.” Nick closed his eyes and leaned back on the bed, trying to picture her face.  “I had no choice but to grow up and learn to live each day knowing that God was watching out for me.  Even in my darkest times.” He replied thoughfully.

“Nick…no matter what happens, just know that I am always there for you.  You were never alone, and you never will be.” Brian said as he watching Nick brush away a warm tear from his cheek.

“Thanks, Frick.  I know that I have you and the guys, plus I have my beautiful daughter, and an awesome girlfriend to fall on.  I made that promise to Heather, to find happiness…”

“Well Nick, Heather would be proud.” Brian said with a smile as they got up to go and find out what the other guys were up to.

As they walked to hallway to the others rooms, flashes of the most recent events in their lives played out.

***

It was only a few weeks away from the end of the first leg of the tour.  Things were certainly “looking” better for them, but Brian had that nagging feeling that something still wasn’t right.  The record sales were very low, and it didn’t seem to be getting any better.  Yes, the fans were still around, but the sales and the charts were poor.  Unfortunately, Brian and the others knew that the sales and the charts were more important than the fans thought.  They were unable to hang on to a top five spot on TRL.  Their singles barely got into the Top 50 hit singles, and they had little to no press.  Even the “teenie” magazines were leaving them out.

But, if only they could be reborn, then they could survive.  Each of them got more involved with the charities.  Management thought that it would help bring good publicity their way, so, every opportunity they had to get in the spotlight, they did.   They made more appearances on tv talk shows, as well as MTV.  It would take a while to get back to the number one spot, but, if they stuck with their beliefs and worked hard, they could do it.

Although their careers seemed a bit shaky, the Boys continued to live their lives as normal.  There were other things that seemed more important to them lately, and most of it was totally unrelated to Backstreet Boys.  It seemed as if they were starting to mellow out a bit, and take life in stride.  The five of them were content on letting fate decide what would happen, rather than beat themselves up about the past.  It wasn’t the first time they had gotten themselves into trouble, and it certainly wouldn’t be the last.  Just when they thought that everyone had forgotten them, they released Millennium.  And in May of 1999, they were back with a bang and it seemed as if they had never been away.  So, why should they be worried this time?

If fate was to play out like all the rest of the times, then things would work out for the better, and the Backstreet Boys would be just fine.  The fans were there, they had no doubt about that, but the stories that circulated about them in the media made them a bit weary.  But, as usual, the five of them were content on living their lives, and nothing was going to stop that.

AJ and Howie had started hitting the clubs, trying to make as much outta their lives as possible.  Kat usually hung around with Leighanne and Liz when Howie went out.  She wasn’t really the party type of girl, and even though she was engaged to Howie, they had made a great pact between the two of them.  Kat and Howie though had decided on a date for their wedding, and all the arrangements were in place.  It was just a matter of fixing the few minor details, and it was done.

Dee and Kevin had been doing their best to spend every waking moment they could together.  Things had been rough for a while, and Kevin had felt bad for dragging his wife into business problems.  Management had been running the Boys ragged, yet, Kevin managed to keep himself sane, as well as the rest of the Boys.  Kevin normally was the stronghold of the group, and the others typically looked up to him for guidance.  So, it wasn’t unusual to have one of them in his hotel room every night asking him for advice.  It was something that Dee had grown used to, and accepted.  She was happy that her husband had the ability to keep order and calm the others so easily.  As she recalled, only a year ago, Kevin had been the one that seemed to fall apart easily.  He had been hurt by many things, and now he was determined to put all that behind him, and live his life.  And with that, his life included his wife, his friends, and possibly a child soon.

Brian and Leighanne had still not spread the word about her pregnancy.  It was too soon.  Brian was so afraid that things would turn out the way it had before.  He knew in his heart that he couldn’t lose another baby.  The idea of it almost killed him, and if it were to really happen, he knew that would be the death of him.  Leighanne was doing fine, and was able to hide it easily and nobody was the wiser to it.  But, sooner or later, the news would be broken, and the hearts of his four best friends and brothers would be melting.  The thought of another BSB baby was overwhelming, yet exciting all the same.

Nick and Liz spent much of their time reading from the journal that Heather had left behind.  In fact, Nick was making the most out of the time the two had to be together.  He was suddenly determined to find out everything he could about Heather.  Afterall, it was Liz’s turn to live up to the promise she made her best friend.   Katie and Nick took great pride in listening to the silly stories that she had to tell.  Nick was normally shocked by the stories, insisting that Heather would “never have done that.”

Everyone seemed to be returning back to normal.  At least what each of them considered normal.  But life was becoming a bit easier for them, and they had all hoped that things would stay that way.  Little did they know, life was about to take a different turn, one that none of them would ever see coming.  As Nick and Brian said, have faith, because God knew what he wanted.  It was only a matter of time before the guys would know what that was.
 

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