She still couldn’t believe she had agreed to stay married to Nick. She did lov-liked him a lot, but she could not be married to him, not yet. She just couldn’t say no when he asked her to give there marriage a try. So, far there were no troubles but they were bound to happen. It was too soon for them to tie the knot. She sighed heavily as she sat on plush couch.
“Mrs. Carter what are you so worried about?” asked a cheerful and quirky Nick. He took a seat besides her and gave her a peck on the lips.
“Nick, we need to talk,” she told him as she faced him. She had to do the right thing; she smiled and spoke again, “I think we should file an annulment.”
“What, why? I thought we had already agreed to give this marriage a try.” He looked at her and tried to read her. Why was she doing this now, he had always felt like she was hiding something. But what?
She stood up and with tears threatening to come out she spoke, “because Nick, I am not ready to be in another marriage. Especially when….I –“ she paused and looked into his beautiful blue eyes. Those beautiful blue eyes that were turning darker with the sadness she was causing right at that moment. “I don’t think I can love you, like you deserve to be loved.” She wiped away her tears and turned to walk away.
He felt his heart stop as he heard her tell him why. He just couldn’t let it go; he was willing to take risks. He saw her turn to walk away, instantly he stood up and grabbed her by the arm. “No, don’t walk away. I knew that since the first time I kissed you on the bus, I knew that it was going to be hard for you. I know that it will be hard for you to forget your ex-husband, you loved him. But, I am willing to have only the little piece of your heart you are willing to give me. With just that little piece I will win the rest of your heart. I know I am not like him, but I will be a good different I will make you fall in love with me. Rose give yourself that chance, I will do my best to be the most caring husband available.” He kissed her tenderly and held on to her like she was all he had. He also couldn’t handle another media interrogation about the annulment or to be compared to what Britney had done. He genuinely willing to give this marriage a try it was not like he didn’t have feelings or Rose.
His words kept running through her head as she felt his lips on hers. He was so adorable; he was showing her the romantic side of Nick. He was prince charming, with the blue eyes and everything. Well except for the horse, but he could get one if wanted to. Those words made her stomach flutter, could she do this? Could she fall in love with Nick? “Ok Nick, please understand me and be patient with me. I will need time and patience. It’s not because I am not attracted to you, because I am. I just have some issues to workout, but I will try really hard to be a good wife to and hopefully with time I will love you like you deserve.
************
“How many years has my father tended to your family? So please don’t tell me that your ok with what you’ve done,” said Joel Brown as he looked as his patient. Joel was a third generation doctor in his family and since he was young, he would always remember his father talk about Mark McDonald, his best friend and patient. Now Mark was his patient and his health was not good, his dialysis was no longer enough. “Mark your hopes are not high, if we can’t find a kidney for you soon you will – look your kidneys is starting to show problems due to your diabetes problems…your having acute renal failure.” he looked at the elder man sitting down just digesting what he was saying.
“You can say it Joel, if I don’t find a kidney I die,” he said subtly. He had hidden his illness from everyone except Luisa; she was the confidant of the McDonald’s family. Two years ago he had gotten the news from Joel’s father and his best friend. It felt like only yesterday he had gotten that horrible news. He was doing well with the dialysis, but he knew that sooner or later it would stop working for him. He had tried to find a kidney but, there were so many kids and other people ahead of him in the List. That List, that life giving list, he had thought about telling Rose about it but, they were always arguing so he preferred to keep it to himself. He deserved every bit of the anger and anguish he felt toward himself. He was the one that had cause the distancing between him and his only daughter. He had gone so low, that he had tried to force her into an arranged marriage and even worse he had taken her off his will. He had disowned her, all because of his vanity and greediness. What had happened to him? Joel was right; he should make peace with Rose. Before it was too late, he needed to find her and ask for her forgiveness. But at the same time his pride just wouldn’t let him.
***********
Everything was going smooth per say, but AJ was not the same with her. He was different and she felt horrible, but why was he so mad about her decision? She felt someone behind her and wiped away her tears.
“Hey could you do me a favor?” he asked her as he noticed her wiping her face. She looked unhappy and he knew why. “Are you ok, or do you want to talk? I will gladly listen.”
“NO, its ok Kevin I was just remembering my past. I miss my nana and I just miss my friends.” She tried to play it off, she just hope Kevin would fall for it.
“Ok, if you say so,” he said as he looked at her questioningly. “Well I needed you to make arrangements for me for AJ’s Birthday. We want to make a big bad ass birthday for him, he deserves it. You can call Sarah for help and any questions you have you can ask me or the rest of the guys but, what ever you do you don’t tell AJ! I think we should do it in Orlando this year.” He smiled at her as he finished his sentence.
“What are we doing in Orlando?” asked AJ as he came in the same room Kevin and Rose were in.
“Uhm, well Kristen and I are planning our anniversary party; we want to do it in Orlando this year. I was asking Rose to please help me find a place for it,” lied Kevin as he looked at Rose, who was very quiet at that moment.
“Ok, but your anniversary isn’t till June,” said AJ looking a little curious
“Its better to plan early, besides it’s a surprise actually, Kristen doesn’t even know about it yet. Anyways I have to go, I have a lot to do, Rose remember what I told you,” he smiled at her and with that he left.
“Ok,” she told him as she saw him walk away. She was now alone with him. She could feel him staring at her she finally turned around and faced him. “Do you need anything?” she asked him in a hurt tone.
“I came to apologize for my weird behavior lately. I am an idiot and I guess I kind of got jealous because of Nick, I mean not because you married him or that kind of way. It was more because now you would spending more time with him since well you know, and that meant I wouldn’t get to spend enough time with you. And – well I would miss the long talks we had.” He smiled at her as he saw her face turn slight red.
“Its ok, I am still trying to get comfortable with this and I guess it all went to fast. But, to tell you the truth, we really stop having those talks since I got out of the hospital AJ,” she said that to him instead of admitting to him that since he had gone back with Sarah he had completely stop having those conversations with her.
“I know and I guess I have no right in thinking that you are only my friend. I really am happy for you and Nick.” He didn’t even believe it himself but, what could he say to her? Dump Nick and be his mistress? He was just a big confusion lately, but if true be told he was feeling something more than friendship for Rose. “Are you happy?”
She was surprised by his question. Why did he want to know that for? “I am, Nick is an incredible man and husband, I am the one that is lacking. I guess I just need time, to forget…-,” she quieted down as she realized she was talking to the one she must forget.
He looked at her and felt bad, all this time he was mad about her and Nick. He had forgotten the promise he had made her. He was her friend and he hadn’t been that lately, and it looked like she needed it. He walked up to her and forcing his own will not to kiss her, he gave her a hug. A hug that he could turn into something more, but he couldn’t do that to her, Nick, or Sarah. Sarah, why wasn’t he missing Sarah like he thought he would?
**********
If she could describe the past weeks she wouldn’t be able to. It was chaotic and very tiring. Christmas was her favorite time of the year but, at this moment it didn’t even felt like Christmas. She looked at the beautiful lights that adorned the huge Christmas tree in her suite. This would be the last concert and they would get a good break before heading to Europe for tour.
She was happy with the great friends she had made, and she had to admit she was starting to feel attached to Nick. He was so sweet and very affectionate. She was starting to get comfortable with him; he didn’t push anything on her and was super attentive to her. She was starting to miss him if he was gone for more than expected. She was making progress, she was thinking less of AJ in a romantic way, but sometimes she could see his sad face. It broke her heart to see him like that; she had noticed that when he talked to Sarah on the phone they only seemed to argue. It was something very odd, because she had seen how they were in the beginning. She was interrupted from her thinking by Nick’s lips on her neck, “Hey, I thought you were at the meeting with the guys.”
“Yeah, I was but Howie didn’t show up,” he said as he turned her around to face him. “So they postponed it, till they can get a hold of him, it’s weird for Howie to not show up.” In fact it was hard to believe it, he was now worried. “Maybe I should go see if he’s ok, I am worried. Maybe he is really sick,” he said with a worried expression on his face.
“Wow, Howie not showing up to a meeting is very weird. I think you should go and check on him,” she gave a little push toward the door.
*********
“Jason! What do you mean you don’t know what happened to him? You were the in charge of him,”said Kevin as he looked around Howie’s empty suite. “Where the hell is Howie? He never leaves without security anywhere.” He sighed and looked at Jason again.
“Kev, man I swear he never told me anything about going out,” said Jason Howie’s body guard.
“He’s been acting a little weird lately too,” said Brian who was in the room also.
“Yeah, sure has always on the phone talking very quietly and discreetly. I bet that has do to with this,” said Nick as he took a seat on the plush couch.
“I don’t know but we need to find him, lets just hope he’s ok,” said AJ. “I have called him over 20 times and have not gotten an answer.”
“Ok, enough we will give him till six to show up and if he doesn’t show up by then, I will alert the authorities about his disappearance!” said a very stressed Johnny.
Chapter End Notes:
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