LEAVING

Julie stretched out her muscles, very much looking like a cat. Alex had already gotten out of bed and was drying from his shower. He laughed when he watched her. His chest tightened every time he looked at her. She was his little angel, in so many ways. She had been the one to save him when he was about to fall. She had come to him pure, and her heart belonged only to him. She was a miracle.

“Good morning, babe.”
“Mmm,” she moaned out. “Morning.” Her voice was barely a whisper.
“Did I wake you?” he asked as he started to get dressed.
“No. I normally don’t sleep this late.” Julie looked over at the clock. It was already 10:30. She stretched again, watching him get dressed. “It’s too bad you’re putting your clothes on,” she said as she pulled her t-shirt over her head and dropped it over the side of the bed and on to the floor.

AJ looked at Julie, her breasts bared to him. She slid off the bed, and headed to the bathroom. He stood there, watching her move, a very sexy shake in her hips meant to tease him. She turned on the shower and looked over her shoulder at him. Her smile melted him.

She stared into his eyes and she slipped her panties off. He felt himself stirring, but knew they had things to do. He stood his ground, knowing that if he took even one step towards her, he would be undone. He let out a deep throated growl. Julie laughed and stepped into the shower.

AJ finished getting dressed and with great restraint, walked out of the bedroom. He went on a search for Julie’s suitcase. He found it in a storage room in her basement. By the time he was back upstairs with it she had finished her shower and was dressed. He was grateful she was dressed. They had a lot to do to get her ready to leave in just a few hours. He didn’t have the time he needed to fully satisfy them both.

Julie smiled at Alex when he brought her suitcase to her. She had seen the hungry look in his eyes before she had showered. It warmed her heart when she thought about what he had done. He was looking out for her. She had not even started packing. And they only had five hours until they had to leave.

They worked together to get her suitcase packed. Julie didn’t want him to see everything she had, so she sent him to the kitchen to make his famous eggs he had told her about. Brian’s wife had taught him to make scrambled eggs with cream cheese instead of butter. She knew that would keep him busy while she got her theme outfits packed.

Luckily, she had hoped to go on the cruise and already had pieces put together. She was most looking forward to 80’s night. She had a wig packed to go with the outfit, so he would have no clue it was her.

Julie glanced at her Mickey Mouse pajamas Alex had put in her pile of things to add. She slipped in the navy nighty as well.
AJ called to her, letting her know the eggs were ready. She quickly closed the suitcase, not wanting him to see what she had packed. She just needed to add her toiletries and her hot rollers. But she would be using them after breakfast, so she kept the suitcase sitting on the bed.

KATE: How about lunch before we go?
JULIE: Sounds like a plan. Any suggestions?
KATE: Somewhere simple, but sit down
JULIE: Chili’s is on the way. Say 2pm?
KATE: Sounds good.

Julie read the texts to AJ as they worked together to clean the dishes. She didn’t want to have to worry about anything like dirty dishes when she got home from the cruise.

“So what is the plan?” she asked, watching him watching her through the mirrors reflection while she did her make up.
“The plan?”
“Yeah. The cruise doesn’t leave port until 4pm on Friday, so when do we head Miami? And what are we gonna do in LA?”
He laughed at her questions.
“Well, we, being us guys, have to be there for the pre-cruise party Thursday night, so we need to be in Miami that morning. By the time we get in to LA, even with the time change, it’s gonna be late. But tomorrow, I thought I would try to take you down to the beach.”

Julie felt her heart tighten. She had been working hard on her swimming, overcoming her fear of having her head under water, but waves and undertow, that was another story.

She finished her make up and took her rollers out, letting the curls cascade down her back. She was trying to get the rollers and things in her bag, but AJ kept trying to look over her shoulder at what she was trying so hard to hide. But Julie managed to get it all in there without him getting a glance.

Soon enough, they were on their way the Kate’s house. AJ let Julie drive, since they had more than one stop and he wanted to chat with Nick. He wouldn’t tell Julie what he wanted to talk about, but she didn’t push it. Kate walked out first, just a small carry on in her hands, along with her purse. Nick was carrying her two suitcases. One was rather large, the other was average size he had his own bag slung over his shoulder with the shoulder strap. AJ jumped out of the Escalade to help Nick. When Kate was moving to open the back door, AJ commented for her to sit up front. She looked at Julie confused. She just shrugging her shoulders, indicating she had no clue either.

Julie drove to the Chili’s restaurant just a few miles from her place. Nick and AJ had talked in hushed tones the way there. The girls didn’t want to seem like they were eavesdropping, even though they wanted to know what was going on, so they talked about who was caring for their animals while they were gone. Unfortunately, the guys were too quiet, and they couldn’t get any information.

Julie pulled into a parking spot right at the front of Chili’s. The place was mostly empty, as the lunch rush had come and gone and the dinner rush was almost three hours away.

The hostess looked at them with

interest, as if she recognized them, yet couldn’t place them. She took them to a booth and let them know their server would be with them shortly.
Just a moment later, a thirty something carrot red headed woman stepped up and asked them what they wanted to drink. She did a double take, looking back and forth at the two guys.

“Woh. I totally just saw you guys, like four months ago, in Kansas City.”
AJ just smiled his wicked grin at her.
“I hope you enjoyed the show.”
“Um, yeah. We were a little envious of the girls that got pulled up stage, but, oh well.” It was then that she looked at the Kate and Julie. “So this is why you guys are in Omaha? The girls you pulled on stage that night?” She sounded excited, rather than upset, which Julie expected.

Nick nodded to the woman before he looked over at Kate. He took her hand.
“I would like to tell you that you are the first person to meet my girlfriend, Kate.” Kate snapped her head to look at him. Fear and shock spread across her face.
“Wow.” She turned to look at Kate. “It’s nice to meet you. So, what can I get you to drink?”
The woman took their drink orders and left to look over the menu. Kate turned to Nick, worried.
“Why did you tell her! I thought we were gonna wait until the cruise is over?”
Nick took her hand and kissed the back of her knuckles. “Babe. I don’t think she twitters, and if I had to guess I would say she is not going on the cruise. And look at it this way; she knows you are a fan, from the same show she was at. So now she will think that there is a chance for any girl, herself included, to be able to date a BackStreet Boy. All I was doing was exactly what you wanted. Giving her a special encounter.”

The server was very friendly and helpful the rest of their time there. She was respectful and didn’t bother them unless it appeared they might need something. Nick was more than glad to leave her a nice tip.

They piled back into the Escalade and Julie drove them to the airport. Once they arrived, they all agreed that it would be easiest to unload the bags at the front door before AJ returned the Escalade. Julie, Kate and Nick wrestled the baggage inside to check in for their flights.
They were all flying Continental Airlines, so that made it easier to get them all to the same place.

AJ and Julie’s flight would be going through Houston and left at 6:05pm. They would be getting into L.A. at 11:30 pm. Julie was tired just thinking about it. Nick and Kate’s flight didn’t leave until 6:30 pm and they were going through Chicago. They would arrive in Nashville at 10:30 pm. Julie was grateful that Kate would get in early enough. The baby made her tired some days.

Nick and Kate had just gotten their bags checked and tickets in hand when AJ joined them. Being first class, they got through the lines rather quickly. It also didn't hurt that it was as small airport, so security was a breeze.

They were already boarding for AJ and Julie’s flight, but they waited until the last minute to get into line. Julie kept asking Kate if she had everything and told her to call her as soon as she got in Nashville safely.

“If you need me, for any reason at all, call me. I may be a few states away, but if things go bad, I will drive all night to kick anyone ass who make you cry.” Julie was still looking out for Kate, even though she had Nick by her side.
He smiled at Julie as he put an arm around Kate’s shoulder.
“Don’t worry. I will personally beat the shit out of any one of my family members if they make her cry. She is in good hands.”
Julie hugged them both before she and Alex turned to get on their plane.
Kate and Nick moved closer to their gate to wait for boarding. It didn't take long for them to begin boarding.

interest, as if she recognized them, yet couldn’t place them. She took them to a booth and let them know their server would be with them shortly.
Just a moment later, a thirty something carrot red headed woman stepped up and asked them what they wanted to drink. She did a double take, looking back and forth at the two guys.

“Woh. I totally just saw you guys, like four months ago, in Kansas City.”
AJ just smiled his wicked grin at her.
“I hope you enjoyed the show.”
“Um, yeah. We were a little envious of the girls that got pulled up stage, but, oh well.” It was then that she looked at the Kate and Julie. “So this is why you guys are in Omaha? The girls you pulled on stage that night?” She sounded excited, rather than upset, which Julie expected.

Nick nodded to the woman before he looked over at Kate. He took her hand.
“I would like to tell you that you are the first person to meet my girlfriend, Kate.” Kate snapped her head to look at him. Fear and shock spread across her face.
“Wow.” She turned to look at Kate. “It’s nice to meet you. So, what can I get you to drink?”
The woman took their drink orders and left to look over the menu. Kate turned to Nick, worried.
“Why did you tell her! I thought we were gonna wait until the cruise is over?”
Nick took her hand and kissed the back of her knuckles. “Babe. I don’t think she twitters, and if I had to guess I would say she is not going on the cruise. And look at it this way; she knows you are a fan, from the same show she was at. So now she will think that there is a chance for any girl, herself included, to be able to date a BackStreet Boy. All I was doing was exactly what you wanted. Giving her a special encounter.”

The server was very friendly and helpful the rest of their time there. She was respectful and didn’t bother them unless it appeared they might need something. Nick was more than glad to leave her a nice tip.

They piled back into the Escalade and Julie drove them to the airport. Once they arrived, they all agreed that it would be easiest to unload the bags at the front door before AJ returned the Escalade. Julie, Kate and Nick wrestled the baggage inside to check in for their flights.
They were all flying Continental Airlines, so that made it easier to get them all to the same place.

AJ and Julie’s flight would be going through Houston and left at 6:05pm. They would be getting into L.A. at 11:30 pm. Julie was tired just thinking about it. Nick and Kate’s flight didn’t leave until 6:30 pm and they were going through Chicago. They would arrive in Nashville at 10:30 pm. Julie was grateful that Kate would get in early enough. The baby made her tired some days.

Nick and Kate had just gotten their bags checked and tickets in hand when AJ joined them. Being first class, they got through the lines rather quickly. It also didn't hurt that it was as small airport, so security was a breeze.

They were already boarding for AJ and Julie’s flight, but they waited until the last minute to get into line. Julie kept asking Kate if she had everything and told her to call her as soon as she got in Nashville safely.

“If you need me, for any reason at all, call me. I may be a few states away, but if things go bad, I will drive all night to kick anyone ass who make you cry.” Julie was still looking out for Kate, even though she had Nick by her side.
He smiled at Julie as he put an arm around Kate’s shoulder.
“Don’t worry. I will personally beat the shit out of any one of my family members if they make her cry. She is in good hands.”
Julie hugged them both before she and Alex turned to get on their plane.
Kate and Nick moved closer to their gate to wait for boarding. It didn't take long for them to begin boarding.