*~Caroline Marie Dorough*~

~*Story Tidbits*~
Title:Caroline Marie Dorough
Rating:G
Author:Jackie
E-mail:jgon5692@aol.com
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My name is Caroline Marie Dorough. My parents are Howard and Jacqueline Dorough. You might remember my dad, he was part of the most successful band in history the Backstreet Boys. It was back on my mom's 23rd birthday my dad first met mom. She was attending the University of Florida when she met Aunt Angie and they became friends. My mom was attending the University getting her Business Administration Degree. She wanted to go home for Thanksgiving but couldn't. What ended up happening was that she spend Thanksgiving with my dad and his family. It turned out for the best. Thanksgiving was the first time they met. My dad got home from a meeting with the groups management company which was based out in California. He came home sometimes in the afternoon and was surprised to see my mom. My mom and Aunt Polly were in the backyard, hanging out, talking and when my dad came home, my Aunt Polly got a look in her eyes. The look that my parents were meant to be. From that day on, everyone tried to set them up. The funny thing is this. My parents were born three years, three months and three days apart. There is this song my dad's second album called," I Want It That Way", that is 3:33. That became their wedding song. But this is how they met. Like I said they met on Thanksgiving. It was then, that my father knew he was in love with my mom. Not in love but interested in her. The only thing keeping them apart was my dad's girlfriend at the time. Her name was Claudia. She lived in Canada but was from Europe. Actually she was from Sweden. Claudia was a model and fell in love with my dad. No one knows how they met but only the guys. My mom didn't tell me nor did she knew. But let's just say two years after they met my parents got married.
On April 25, 2001
my mom became Mrs. Howard Dwaine Dorough. Since she was engaged to a Backstreet Boys their wedding wasn't just simple. At the time the group was out my dad had alot of security. From their first date to their wedding everything was hetic. Everywhere she went mom had to be careful, she had to watch out and for one thing she had to have bodyguards everywhere she went. All my mom wanted to do was to plan her wedding. She just wanted a simple wedding with just family and friends but it didn't turn out that way. From what I know and seen the wedding was beautiful. Since they were Catholic they had a BIG Catholic wedding. My mom's wedding dress was so beautiful. Her dress was made in the Philippines by her aunt. Her hair down and curly w/natural color make up. The wedding dress was all white w/sleeves. The train was about 1 1/2 ft and had everything she ever wanted. My mom had shown me pictures of them before,during and after the wedding. My parents were in front of friends and family. I have a picture of my parents taken in the gazebo and the look in their eyes said it all. She had told me that while they were dancing for the first time as husband and wife my father told her something. She had told me that he said that he knew Aunt Caroline was watching over them and that she was there for them. She was there for guidance and support. When he told her that tears were in her eyes and my father wiped them away. Two more beautiful events happened. The day I was born and when my little brother Brandon was born.
I was born March 3,2005
almost four years after they got married. My dad had gotten back from the Asian Tour the day I was born. My mom was in labor for more than 20 hours and I finally came out. Since dad was on his way home and mom was in the hospital, Uncle John was in the delivery room with her. I was born to Howard and Jacqueline Dorough. Uncle John said that when I came out my mom had tears in her eyes. With my uncle by her side she named me after my later Aunt Caroline Dorough Cochran. My late Aunt Caroline died from the diease call Lupus.
On September 12, 1998
she lost the battle and died in North Carolina. By her side was her husband, her children, my Grandparents Hoke and Paula, Uncle John, Aunt Polly and Angie. My dad didn't continue with the tour US Tour because he wanted to be with her before she died. After she died, he set up a Lupus Foundation under her name called Caroline Cochran Lupus Fund. It raises money to do more research on Lupus. I had seen dad working on the foundation on his days off. Since I was curious at the age of nine, I had gone into their computer and saw the website dad had been working on. It had dad as the Foundation President, Angelia Herring as the Vice President/Executive Director, then there was the Board of Directors which had Hoke D. Dorough, Paula F Dorough, John D Dorough and Pollyanna Dorough. As you can see my dad had his family running the foundation. Whenever my dad was home, mom was the happiest because everyone was home. She had love working on the Foundation because she felt like this is her way to know dad's sister. When I was born she knew that Caroline was send down by God. I saw a picture of my aunt when she was young. My grandmother says I look like her and she was right. By the time I turned five, my brother Brandon Nickolas Dorough was born. He was born two weeks before dad's birthday.
He was born on August 11, 2010.
I never really liked my brother because for five years I was the only child, the little girl who had daddy wrapped around her finger, who would get anything until Brandon was born. There is a funny story behind his name. His middle name came from my Uncle Nick and we don't know where Brandon came from. But I never saw my dad any prouder. Not only does he have a daughter but a son. I remember one summer when we both had no school, we went on tour with dad. It was a reunion tour that Uncle Brian and Uncle Nick had put together. It would be the first time in awhile since everyone saw Brandon. One person that was happy to see him was Uncle Nick. The BSB had a 20 state tour that included New York, California and Canada. We had a blast, but one night I heard mom crying and dad apologizing. We were in Canada for their concert, mom had decided to go shopping while dad went to the venue. As she was shopping she came upon dad's ex-girlfriend Claudia. I don't know what happened but mom gathere up our things and we left. Before leaving she had talked to Aunt Amanda and Uncle AJ. Then she left letters for everyone at the desk, well except for dad. Before I knew it we were back home, but this time Brandon and I went to visit out grandparents out in Arizona and mom flew back to Orlando. We had spend a couple of weeks in Arizona. I was laying in bed one night in my mom's old room. I looked around her room and saw my dad on the wall. She also had pictures of the other guys on her wall but looking straight ahead my dad was on the wall. I imagined what my mom was thinking everynight when she fell asleep and when she woke up. I couldn't sleep one night and turned on her computer. I explored her computer and found pictures of my dad and the guys. I finally saw a picture of Claudia and thought she was pretty. I started to read some of her stories she had written and noticed that she had a talent for writing. I was looking through her other stuff on the computer and found something interesting. She had gotten emails from a guy from other group. The guy was JC Chasez from 'N Sync. The letters he had written to my mom were sweet and I had gotten tears in my eyes. I kept reading what he had written to her and saw the card she had send him. I was looking for an explanation on what happened between them but nothing. The last letter she recieved was 11/26/99. The day after her birthday. It looked like my mom and her two bestfriends went to see them in concert before going back to school. I had seen the card that went with the gift she had send him. From reading the card and the letters it seemed like she was really in love with him. I wanted to know what happened between my mom and him. Why she didn't pursue him more and more. Brandon woke up around three and wanted to know what was going on. I had shown him what I had found. I had shown the emails and the card my mom had recieved. I finally shown him the picture of Claudia. We both wanted to know what happened between mom and this guy. We kept searching and looking but nothing. Around six we went back to sleep. Mom called grandma to let us know how everything went and they should be home in a few more days. My grandmother told me that mom and dad were in some needed vacation. Through out the years my parents were busy. My mom was busy with the foundation and my dad with is real estate company. Eventhough they were busy mom and dad made time for us. I remember one Christmas where it was unbelieveable. Mom hadn't been home for along time and missed two her bestfriends. She had missed Aunt Jennie and Jenny. Since the reunion tour Uncle Nick and Aunt Jenny moved back to California while Uncle Kevin and Aunt Jennie moved to Kentucky. Mom called them almost everyday and kept them in touch with what happened. On Christmas day everyone gathered at our house. Dad had said he needed to get mom her gift and he did. There was a knock on the door and Brandon went to answer it. When he opened the door Uncle Nick, Aunt Jenny, Aunt Jennie and Uncle Kevin were waiting. My mom went to the door and found them. When the three of them saw eachother there were tears in the eyes. Everyone wanted to see the commotion and joining them were Aunt Leighanne and Amanda. For the first time in 5 years after the reunion tour the Backstreet Boys were under one roof. For the rest of the nights they were telling stories and watching old vidoes. My mom looked at my dad and whispered, " I LOVE YOU." It was during Brandon's first year in high school when my dad died. He was coming home from a client's house and was on his way to meet my mom for dinner. When he was about a block or two away from the resturant he got killed. There was a young man who just turned 21 and was out drinking with his friends. They missed the light or stop, I forgot what the police reports said but my dad was killed head on. It wasn't until an hour later when Uncle Nick and Brian went to look for her. They were with Aunt Jenny and Leighanne. But it was up to them and the police to tell her that dad had gotten killed. I was attending the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. My roommate had woke me up because I had a phone call. The call was from Brandon to let me know that dad got killed in an accident. I took the next flight home to be with my family. When I got home I saw a sight of my mom that I never saw. My mom was in denial and didn't want to believe the reports. But with the police and everyone there she had to believe it. It wasn't until the day of the funeral I finally saw my mom lost it. I finally saw my mom cry and lost control. For the next few weeks my mom was in a state of deep depression. She didn't know what to do or what to wear. Mom didn't want to come out of bed and everyone started to become worried. I decided to finish school up in North Carolina. I talked to my Aunt enny and Jennie because I was so worried. They had told me a story on mom and dad. It started back in Tucson, Arizona and the year was 1998. Mom and Aunt Jennie met at work called American Home Furnishings. They were both working in the Credit Department. It was May of that same year Aunt Jenny came to work. She was the one who introduced mom to the Backstreet Boys. At first she liked Uncle Brian but something happened fell in love someone else from another group then my dad. She finally realized that she was in love with my dad and that was the reason why it's really hard on my mom. It was really hard for my mom to lose her first love. My dad was and always been her first love. That was the reason why my mom was in a stage of depression for along time. It took her about three months to get over the death of my dad. Now she had to face the future without my dad. Everyone say that my mom is a strong lady but I know. I know my mom is not going to get over it. My mom never found anyone like dad. One day my mom had decided to put my dad's wedding ring in a jewlery. Along with the ring was another piece of jewlry which was a watch. I had asked my mom what the watch is about. She had told me that it belonged to my dad and she was going to give it to Brandon. That was the night I never saw my mom lose it before. I never saw her look like that and never realized that it was hurting. It hurted her to lose her companion, husband and her bestfriend. My mom cried like there was no tomorrow and it started to tear me up because there wasn't anything I could do. Nothing to help bring my dad back. She had told me something that I never expect to hear. She wanted to visit the young man that took my father away. She wanted to let him see how it was like for Brandon not have a father and not to see what it was going to be like. She wanted him to realize what he did and how it was going to effect Brandon. The next day with Brandon, mom, Uncle John, Aunt Polly and I went to the prison. We went to visit the young man who took my father. When I saw him I saw alittle boy. He had a face of a man but his eyes I saw him as alittle boy. Alittle boy who was afraid, who took another life. He looked at Brandon and saw what he had done. He looked at everyone and then at my mom. My mom looked at him and didn't do anything. She didn't do anything but cry. My Uncle John handed the young man a letter. A letter that was written by his daughter. Brandon looked at him and knodded, I looked at him and couldn't believe it. Aunt Polly and mom left the room and waited outside. When they got outside I heard my mom ask why. When we left I asked my Uncle what the letter consisted. He had told me that my cousin wrote him a letter. The letter asking him why he look her uncle away? Why he had to kill someone so perfect and so sweet? That she had forgive him for what happened and hope that he learned from this mistake. I learned from this incident. I learned that no matter what happens God has a plan for us and maybe taking my dad and us visiting this guy was part of the plan. About a year later I met and fell in love with my fiancee. I met and fell in love with a young man name Jake Paulson. I met Jake through my bestfriend Tiana Carter. Tiana and Jake were in the same Math class and at one of her parties introduced us to eachother. I had a very nice time talking to him and getting to know him. After that night we started to see eachother and one thing led to another as they say the rest is history. Jake and I were also like my parents. Three years, three months and three days apart. We announced our engagement on Brandon's birthday and my mom had tears in her eyes. She had them for two reasons. One was because I finally found someone to love for me and the other was because it was a week before's dad's birthday. The first birthday without my dad. My mom excused herself and went up to her room. I followed my mom up to her room and found her. She was sitting on her bed and was looking through her jewlery box. A few minutes later she handed me a small box and I opened it. She had told me that it was from my dad. It was from my dad for my late Aunt Caroline. I opened it up and saw a locket. It was a heartshape locket and inside was a picture of my parents. I started to cry and forgot how my dad looked. Looking at this picture I realized that my dad wasn't long gone but still in my heart. I was told later that night that my father died on
September 12, 2024
. It was exactly 26 years to the day my late Aunt Caroline died. Spooky? She told me to get Jake and Brandon because she had an announcement to make. I went to get them and we gathered back up in the bedroom. When we got up there she made the announcement that changed my future. She had decided to hand Sweet D. Corporation, over to me while the Caroline Cochran Lupus Fund over to Jake and Brandon. I got my degree in Real Estate to be like my dad and Jake and Brandon was working at the Fund for several years. My mom had decided to was time for her to take it easy to enjoy life as if it was your last day. She wanted to stay home and to enjoy what she missed. Mom called a board meeting for both business and was going to make the announcement of the changes. The next day my mom called the Board Meeting for the foundation and announced that Brandon and Jake were now head of the Fund and at the Corporation she did the same. No one was surprised to the announcement. She had decided to sell some of her stock to the family and decided to hold about 85% of each of the business. I heard her tell Aunt Angie what she was doing with the 85%. She was going to put it in a stock portfolio and was going to give it to her future grandchildren. Was doing this so her grandchilren could remember what kind of grandfather they had. Along with the portfolio was some family heirlooms to give to them. Now a year later, I stand in front of a mirror looking at myself. By my side was Rebecca Anne Richardson and Tiana Renee Carter, my two bestfriends and behind me my mother. What am I doing? Well today I'm going to marry the man of my dreams. Behind my mom I saw someone. Someone who I hadn't seen in a long time. I saw the ghost of my dad smiling. I got tears in my ears and looked at my locket. I held it really tight and began to cry. Becca and Tiana left my mom and I alone. I turned around and we both started to cry. We both realized that I was getting married on the same day my parents did. They got married 30 years ago and at the same time. While hugging her I told my mom that I saw dad behind her smiling and his hand was on her right shoulder. I looked at my mom and started to cry. There was a knock on the door and Brandon came in. My mom had her kids in the same room. She looked at the both of us and started to cry more and then we all looked at eachother in mirror.The look in my mom's eyes said it all. I could tell that she was proud of the both of us and was proud to see how we grown and how much Brandon looked like dad. I realized that there was two generations of Doroughs in the room but one was missing. My mom and brother left so I could have a moment to myself and I talked to my dad before heading out. I told him, " Dad its me. Today I marry the man of my dreams. I marry someone like you. I don't know if I did right in your eyes and with mom just raising the two of us I think she did right. Now I stand here today asking for guidance and for support. Just like you did 30 years ago on your wedding day and when you talked to Aunt Caroline. Dad, I love you and you will always me in my heart." While I saying that I started to cry and Brandon walked in. I fixed my makeup and went took the path to a happy marriage. About two years later I had a baby boy. My husand and I agreed to this name Howard Dwaine Paulson. My son was born August 22, 2031. It was 58 years ago, Howard Dwaine Dorough was born to Hoke and Paula Dorough. We named him after my father and my mom was happy. My mom was seriously ill when I had my little boy and about a few months later my mom passed away. She died in her sleep and died peacefully. We both knew that our parents were together again and are watching over us as learn from life. Three years after my mom died, I had a baby girl.
Jacqueline Dorough Paulson was born to us on November 25, 2033.
It was 57 years ago, Jacqueline Agaceta Gonzales, was born to Cleto and Teresita Gonzales. When I look into my kids eyes I see my parents and I realize how lucky I am. I realized how lucky I was to have lived the life I have with my parents. I have alot of memories to show my kids and Brandon's. In about ten years, I promised my mom this. When it was time for a reunion for both Brandon and I, I will show them to their grandchildren. I would. I look at everyone and realized what kind of live we lead and what kind of legacy my parents left behind. As what my dad put in his thank you's in their Millenium album, " I know that you are now in a better place, watching over all of us as our Guardian Angel. I love you and miss you dearly." Those were some of the words my dad said about my Aunt Caroline and now I know he meant those words. I was out in the patio when Brandon came out. I look at him and realize that everyday he looks like dad. We both realzied that our parents left behind alot of love and understanding.
THE END