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Chapter 43
“Thanks Remo. Stories seem to travel fast.”
“Faster than you know. Kat what’s going on?”
“Nothing inappropriate if that’s what you are asking. Remo don’t tell you believe this crap.”
“Well it was strange, what with you not calling and everything.”
“Remo I called. I never got Nick. I always got Patty.”
“Really? Hmmm…well Nick doesn’t know that.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well…” Remo was interrupted.
“Katrina? What are you doing here,” asked Patty Johnson, the production assistant on the tour.
“Where’s Nick,” asked Katrina.
“The guys are in a press conference right now.”
“Where at?”
“In the arena, but you can’t go out there.”
“Watch me,” hissed Katrina as she pushed past the other woman.
Remo caught up with her and said, “This way.”
“Thanks Remo.”
Remo lead her through the corridors and to the entrance of the arena. She could see the guys surrounded by press. Kat decided to not make her presence known until after the press were done. Suddenly, Patty was standing by her.
“You didn’t have leave me standing there,” snipped Patty.
“Do you have Nick’s phone,” asked Kat.
“Yes,” replied Patty, then mentally kicked herself.
“May I have it?”
“Nick gave it to me, so I will hang on to it.”
“Patty, we’ve met only once, on the day you all left to start this tour. Let me re-introduce myself. I’m Katrina Morgan, the fiancée of Nick Carter. I believe that entitles me to have his phone. I suggest you give it to me. I want his phone, so give it to me.”
“You can’t talk to me like that,” said a shocked Patty.
Kat leveled a gaze at the woman before her and said, “Patty give me the phone or I will be forced to become a bitch. You can’t handle me in bitch mode.”
The woman looked from Kat to Remo and back at Kat. Kat took a step toward her, prompting Patty to reach in her pocket and produce Nick’s phone.
“Smart girl. Now go away,” stated Katrina, annunciating the words clearly.
Patty disappeared and Katrina went back to watching the press conference. Nick looked tired and unhappy. As the interview wound down, Brian spotted Katrina. He did not acknowledge it. He didn’t want the reporters pouncing. Also he didn’t what them witnessing Nick’s first reaction to seeing her. Brian had spent the last month trying to help Nick make sense of why she hadn’t called and the stories circulating about Kat and Puffy. Nick had stayed strong until the picture’s showed up. Brian didn’t think Kat had betrayed his best friend, but he was quickly becoming a minority. Nick was very confused, which allowed room for doubt. Brian realized the reporters were going to exit using the doorway Kat was standing in. He caught Remo’s eye and that was all it took for the bodyguard to understand. He pulled Kat out of the doorway and around the corner. He explained about the press. Kat was grateful he had spared her an assault by them.
After all the reporters cleared out. Kat walked into the arena. The guys were doing their soundcheck with the band. They were running through “It’s Gotta Be You.” AJ was singing, but stopped when he saw her. He was beside Tommy, the keyboard player, who followed his gaze to rest on Kat. He fumbled what he was playing. Nick spun around from his side of the stage to rag on the two men for messing up. Nick looked past them and saw Katrina. The smile left his face. In five seconds, everything came to a screeching halt. Brian tried to break the tension.
“Kat you’re here! How was your flight?”
Kat replied her eyes never leaving Nick, “Long. I couldn’t get here fast enough. Hello Nick.”
“Hi,” said Nick in a monotone voice.
“OK everybody, break time,” said Kevin.
If things had not be so serious, Kat would have laughed at how fast the place cleared out. She walked toward the stage. Nick had not moved. She wasn’t even sure if he was breathing.
“Nick,” started Kat.
“Go home Kat,” interrupted Nick
He stalked off the stage. Kat stood there for a moment and let it all sink in. Turning she followed him. She made it to the corridor in time to see Nick turn left at the end of the hall. She followed. Finally, she caught up to him in the green room.
“Nick can we go somewhere and talk?”
“Katrina there is nothing to talk about.”
“The hell there isn’t! You listen to me Nick Carter. I just flew 12 hours to get to you. I don’t know what you think is going on.”
“Yeah right,” muttered AJ.
“You stay out of this AJ. Now Nick I wanted to talk to you in private, but you won’t do that, so here goes. Everyone get comfy cause the show is starting. I can’t believe you think Sean and I are capable of this crap.”
“What am I suppose to think Kat? You are all over everything with him. You don’t call me. It’s been two fucking months Katrina. You tell me what to think.”
“No you believe whatever you want. If you truly knew me, then there would be no doubt. I guess I was wrong about you. I don’t give a fuck what anyone else thinks, including everyone in this room. I only care about you and what you think. Now I know. So you know what? Here take your ring. I don’t want it anymore,” she screamed as she pulled the ring off her finger and handed it to him. “Take it Nick. Fine here Brian you hold it for him.”
Kat took Nick’s phone out of her pocket and called information then the airport. She spoke with Sean’s pilot and asked him to wait for her. She would be there within the hour to fly home with him. Hanging up the phone, she tossed it to Nick.
“By the way, Nick I did call you, several times. You can ask Patty, because I left a message with her each time. Folks, it’s been… well anyway, have great lives.”
With that Kat grabbed her bags from Remo and walked out of the silent room. She kept it together until she was safely on the plane. She didn’t want to give the fans and the reporters any ammo against her, Nick, Sean…anyone. She cried all the way back to New York. She then caught a flight to Orlando. Melissa was at the airport.
“So what happened?”
“I don’t have a wedding to plan for, but I do have packing to do.”
“Katrina.”
“Melissa I can’t right now. Let’s get my bags and go ho…to Nick’s.”
The second Katrina saw the doggies she began to sob. She couldn’t believe this was happening. Her life with Nick was over. Melissa called her Mom. Katrina disappeared into the bedroom with the dogs. She cried herself to sleep.
She woke the next morning and it took a moment for the memories to flood back. She cried when they did. The dogs forced her to get up and let them out. Once up, she took a shower. Leaving a note for Melissa, Kat went out to get boxes. Melissa finally cornered her when she arrived home. They talked. Melissa was concerned because her sister had shutdown. She was being logical, unemotional, and rational. This was the way things were, so accept it. In other words, she was suppressing her emotions. By evening, Kat had everything packed and was sitting with Melissa on the patio.
“Lissa can I ask a favor?”
“Sure.”
“Will you continue to stay here and watch the puppies like planned?”
“I guess. Kat where are you going?”
“I called Beth while I was out. I’m going to stay with her until I can find a place.”
“Katrina! Are you moving to New York?”
“It only makes sense Melissa. The magazine’s home base is there. I will be working more. Besides, would you want to listen to dad say I told you so?”
“No, but New York? Aren’t you even going to try and work this out with Nick.”
“Lis there is nothing to workout. Nick hasn’t even called.”
“But Kat…”
“No Melissa. Obviously Nick believes what is being said. There is nothing I can do. Thanks for staying here with the little guys.”
“Of course. When are you leaving?”
“In the morning.”
The taxi pulled up at the back entrance of the venue. Katrina paid the driver and grabbed her bags. She was not prepared for the reception she got from the fans standing near the buses. They began hurling insults at her. Luckily Remo had stepped outside to check on the crowd and spotted her. He ushered her into the building quickly.
