Chapter 9

            “How fast is he going?” Leigh-Anne asked as they tried to follow AJ’s rental car.

“He’s twenty over the speed limit.” Brian sighed as he kept the proper pace.  “I’m just glad he waited until we hit Aunt Anne’s street and didn’t rip through the city like this.”

“He missed her.” Leigh-Anne replied with a light smile.

AJ looked in his review mirror and lightly smirked as he saw just a little bit of Brian’s car in the dust being kicked up by his car.  He tried to go slow but his brain knew the harder his foot pushed onto the gas peddle, the quicker he would get too her.  It had been twelve days since she left and all he wanted to do was hold her.  His foot relaxed as he saw the house come into sight and he couldn’t help but smile.  Pulling into the driveway, he had barely put the car into park as he undid his seatbelt.  Quickly he pulled the keys from the ignition and opened the door.

“Dude you better hope Kevin didn’t see you flying down the road.” Brian said as he got out of his car.  AJ was about to reply when he heard the side door open and he turned to see who it was.  Another smile broke across his face when he saw Chelsea running down the porch steps.  She didn’t stop running until she reached him and then she leaped into his arms.  He was ready for it too, bracing himself and catching her.

“I missed you so much.” She whispered as her arms wrapped around him tighter.

“I missed you too babe.” He told her as she pulled away. They kissed and both ignored Brian’s moaning as he walked by.  “So who’s all here?”

“Not Tim and Jerald, they left a couple of days ago.” She told him as she took his hand.  He looked down at it for a moment and lightly smiled, his hand no longer feeling empty.  “They’re pretty mad, Dr. Adenhall was not impressed when he found out what happened and the fact the boys went against his advice.”

“So no more injunction?” AJ asked.

“Nope and I’ve been told from now on to only listen to him, even if there’s another injunction.” She told him as they walked up the porch stairs. 

“Noted.” AJ said with a nod and Chelsea lightly smiled.  “So you have anything planned today?” He asked.

“Just spending it with you.” She told him as they walked into the house.

“Don’t think I didn’t see the dust coming up from your car when you pulled in.” Kevin said interrupting them.

“Sorry, just wanted to get here.” AJ said with a shrug.  Kevin laughed and hugged him, then took his seat back on the couch.

“Well I’m glad you did, if I had to wait any longer I think Anne was going to kick me to the back porch.” She told him and they both laughed as she lead him upstairs.

“How fast was he going?” Kevin asked when they disappeared up the stairs.

“Not fast at all.” Leigh-Anne said.

“About twenty over the limit.” Brian said at the same time.  They both looked at each other and then Leigh-Anne rolled her eyes.

“I’ll give them their time and then I’m kicking his ass.” Kevin sighed.

            “So what did you do while I was gone?” AJ asked as he sat down on the edge of the bed.

“Besides fight with Tim and Gerald?” She said as she sat down beside him.

“Yeah besides that.” AJ said as he turned and faced her.

“Anne and I went out to see Mom, went shopping, she basically did everything to keep me away from the guys.” Rayne said with a shrug.  “What about you what did you do?”

“Sleep, sing, eat, rinse and repeat.” AJ said with an exhausted smiled. When he looked at her he noticed she didn’t even smile.  Sitting up he put his fingers under her chin and turned her to look at him.  “What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Just tired.” She said looking away.

“Tired? Like I need to take a nap tired or the hell with everything tired?” He asked.

“Somewhere in between?” She said as she squished her nose a little.  AJ sighed and then pulled himself back against the headboard. 

“Come here.” He said as he motioned for her to join him.  Slowly she made her way over lying between his legs, her head resting on his chest, one arm slipped under his back.

“So why are you tired, is it just the boys?” AJ asked.

“Maybe, I dunno, it’s just that I’m tired of trying to prove to them that I know what I want.” She said as they lied there.  “They don’t want me to rush anything with you, but they’re rushing me in everything else.  Figure out what I want to do, go back to school, find a job, whatever.  They just don’t see or care about what I went through, I feel…” She stopped searching for her words.

“You feel what hun?” AJ asked.

“I feel trapped again.” She sighed.  “I want to get out, I don’t want to sit here and hide in this house.  I want to move on but it seems the only way I can do that is to find a damn career.”  She then sat up and looked at him. “They want me to be apart of life as long as it’s not with you but, my Mom’s gone, my friends barely remember me, the only life I have is with you.”

“But you have Anne, Kevin and even his brothers.”

“But they don’t make me feel normal, they make me feel worse, they make me remember what it was like with Dad because they want me here, no where else, all I’m missing is the ankle chain.” She sighed.

“Chelsea.” AJ frowned.

“Well it’s true.” She said sitting up. “I feel like this isn’t my home anymore.”

He sat up and gently kissed her cheek, then pulled her into a hug.  At first he noticed she didn’t return it, and then slowly she wrapped her arms around his back.  AJ didn’t know what to do for her; he wished Kevin’s brothers would back off.  He understood being protective of her but they were starting to take things to far.

“I wish I could stay longer.” He said with a sigh.

“It’s ok, I know you have things to do.” Chelsea said as she pulled away.  “How did your other shows go?” She asked.

“ah, good, good they went good.” AJ said nodding.  His voice showing a sign of a lie but it wasn’t they all went really well, it’s just that there was one show that stood out.  “My Dad showed up at the Paris show.”

“Your Dad?” Chelsea replied her voice trailing off.

“Yeah, he was standing outside in line, some fans who came to the meet n greet told me he was out there.” AJ said his mind flashing back when he heard the girls telling him.  “I got security to bring him in.”

“And?” Chelsea said as she put her hand over his.

“We just talked a bit, he wished me luck, I didn’t really have time to talk it was almost show time.” He said as he wrapped his fingers around her hand.

“Did you sing Sincerely Yours?” She asked.

“Almost didn’t, almost pulled it from the line up but I sung it.” He said as he looked at her.  “After the show he said he had to go, he had an early flight, said he was proud of me, we hugged and then he left.”  He told her.

“He came, he heard it, now you just have to let it sink in. He may need to hear it a few more times.” She said with a light smile.

“Yeah” AJ said with a small nod.  Chelsea smiled back at him as he brushed her bangs behind her ear.  As they softly kissed AJ’s mind began to remember how much he missed her and not when she was “dead” but just the past couple of weeks.  Finding it hard to fall asleep without her beside him, waking up and realizing she wasn’t there.  They pulled away and he thought about how much he was going to miss her when he had to go back to California and begin rehearsals for the South Africa tour.

A knock at the door broke him from his thoughts as Chelsea stood up from the bed to answer it.  “Hey man.” He said when he saw Kevin at the door. 

“You guys hungry?” Kevin asked.

“Starving.” AJ said as he stood up.

“Well let’s go out and grab something to eat.” Kevin said to the two of them.  Chelsea and AJ both agreed and followed him out the door.

June 8th 2008

            I’m home now, this place always feels weird after I come home from being on tour. So empty.  Things went well on tour, they went well for my solo shows.  I had a talk with Kevin on my way home.  Him and his family flew back with me since he had some sort of Movie thing he had to look into, I’m not sure.  I still hope he’ll change his mind, but I doubt it.  Anyways he told met that him and Kristin have been talking and they are thinking of asking Chelsea to move in with them if she wants.  It will be a change from Kentucky and she will be closer to me.  I’m fucking ecstatic about the idea.  They said they will talk to her about it when Kevin knows more about that Movie he will be filming.  Anyways I need to get some food and say hello to some friends, let them know I’m back. Like always, See ya!

            Chelsea sat in the middle of the living room floor.  Anne was across from her in the chair she always sat in watching the late night news.  She brought her legs together and stretched out touching her toes.  Slowly she had started to get back into gymnastics, nothing major just things she would do out in the blue grass fields by herself, helping her relax.  She pulled herself up as Anne walked past her to answer the phone that was ringing. 

Pulling her legs apart she stretched out in front of her again, this time her hands slowly creeping across the floor.  She could feel her muscles pulling on her back, pulling under her legs, but she breathed through it and slowly sat back up.

“Oh my god Kevin is he ok?” She heard Anne gasp and she turned around.  Chelsea’s face fell in puzzlement as she looked at Anne’s solemn expression.  Anne didn’t say anything more but her body language spoke volumes.  She closed her eyes and put her hand on the table and just nodded.  Chelsea’s heart started to race, something was wrong with Mason.  She waited anxiously until Anne was on the phone.

“What’s wrong, is it Mason, is he ok?” She said as Anne hung up the phone.

“Mason is fine darling.” Anne said as she walked over and sat down on the couch. 

“Then what’s wrong, is it Kevin?” She said confused; maybe she heard the conversation wrong. Chelsea stood up and sat down beside Anne.

“No, no Kevin is fine.” Anne said.  “It’s Alex.”

Chelsea couldn’t speak, her heart started beating at a racers pace, her hands began to sweat and her body was so tense it started to ache. 

“He was in an accident.” Anne said slowly.

“What kind of accident?” Chelsea asked her voice weak and shaking.

“He was at an intersection, he was stopped at a Red light, Kevin said.” Anne began to tell her.  “Someone rear ended him and his car was pushed into the on coming traffic and..” Anne paused and closed her eyes.  “He was T-boned on his side; he’s in critical condition right now.”

“No.” Chelsea said standing up.  “No, no I don’t wanna hear this.”

“Chelsea” Anne said quickly as she stood up and went after her but Chelsea didn’t get very far as she collapsed by the stairs crying.  She screamed and pounded her fist against the floor, her anger exploded from her.  Anne’s arms wrapped around her and she leaned into her crying, whimpering.  “He’ll be ok Chelsea, he’s not going to leave you after getting you back.”