It had felt so good to finally be able to tell the guys whatīs been on his mind for so long. He spilled his guts about how bad heīd felt all the time and they had listened, not saying anything bad. Brian had hugged him while he talked and this made him feel both loved and safe for the first time in such a long time. He told them about how Lou had pressed him about his weight. Told them about the ghosts that he had to battle all the time and that heīd been tricked in taking that health drink. The more he talked, the better he felt.
AJ and Kevin were getting more and more worked up, each in their own individual way. Brian was upset too..but he was biting his feelings back so that Nick wouldnīt see them. Howie just looked sad. "How could they do this?" Brian asked when Nick was finished for now telling about Lou and the diet pills and about the hospital stay. For various reasons heīd left out the fact that heīd been overeating for some time. Fact was that it was enough to tell for now and he was starting to get more and more tired. The headache and dizziness were coming in waves, closer each time and the pain was sometimes so bad that he had to double over. But the guys were there for him.
Throughout the flight Nick's condition worsened. The ice that Kevin had placed on his forehead in a wet towel did nothing for his fever but making him even colder. His fever continued to rise in a steady pace and it was getting dangerously high. There was still a searing pain in his back as well as lower stomach and sometimes it was so intense that it made him double over. He was alternating between hot and cold and the dizziness sometimes became so blinding that he didnīt know if it was up or down. The migraine was also bad and to that came the nausea. Heīd dry heaved whatever was left in his stomach, which wasnīt much since all he had was a little water. AS if his body had decided to give him the highest amount of torture wet coughs wracked his body, making it hard to breath.
But through all of this Nick still felt good. Mentally. It had felt like the burden that heīd carried for so long was finally starting to lessen and he could feel his friends being there for him. Helping him. Guiding him through his pain.
But the best of all was that he wasnīt alone anymore. He had his brothers.
Praying to God heīd wished that the pain would be taken away. He wasnīt religious like Brian or Howie but still believed that there was a higher force that he could pray to when he was in trouble. Just like he did right now. But nothing happened and instead he felt so miserable that he felt like crying. Why wasnīt God listening to him? What evil had he done to end up in a situation like this? Why was he being this sick? Could it really be because of the dieting? Those small diet pills! His thoughts were so jumbled that they made little sense. His brain felt so hot that he feared that it would explode. The guys were swooning around him and he got to sit on Kevin's seat so he would be close to the aisle in case he had to run to the bathroom or was feeling faint. Nick thought that it had another purpose too. This was they could all gather around him, asking all kinds of strange questions that he was too tired to answer.
"Howīs he doing?" It was Johnny and Lou that had taken the time to come and see how their "teenage poster boy" was doing.
"How do you think heīs doing?" sneered Brian, still upset over the story Nick had told earlier. Turning to Lou he continued, "Why do you care?"
The manager looked a bit surprised but said nothing as Howie comfortable interrupted him.
"This is no good." Heīd just felt on Nick's forehead, "The ice and Tylenol isnīt helping much. He's really burning up and we canīt do anything to lower the temperature." There was a frown. "I wish we had something so we could measure how high his temp is."
"Like that would do him any good," Brian snorted. Surprised the rest of the men looked at Brian, who was getting more and more irritated over that the manager just standing there watching. "What he needs is to go to a hospital. Not us trying to take care of things..Nick is seriously sick.."
The teen could hear how worried his friend was and he wanted to do everything to calm him down, but his mouth wouldnīt cooperate together with his brain. He wanted to tell them all that he wasnīt as sick as he looked. All he would need was a few hours of sleep and then he would be just as good as new again. Deep inside he knew that he was just fooling himself with thinking these thoughts but heīd prayed so hard to get better and sure God wouldnīt let him down? Would he?
Another bout of wet coughs shook his body and he could hear Kevin talking softly to him in a distance. Then his older brother rubbed his back in small circles, just like his own mom used to do when he was little and sick. This motion made him calm down.
But Brian wasnīt just as calm and he and Howie were getting into a heated discussion over Nick's condition. "Thatīs what Iīm trying to tell you.." Howie stared when Brian interrupted him.
"Like we didnīt know that before!"
"Shesh B'rok..lay off Dīs back. He's just as concerned as you are and itīs not his fault that Nicky is this damned sick!" AJ, who was getting sick and tired of them all fighting over the wrong reasons butted in for his older friend. "This really sucks but there ís not much we can do until we land." Looking at his watch he continued, "Itīs only two hours left..Tops."
"Yeah but what if he gets even worse?" The words had done little to calm Brian down. "He is having trouble breathing." Suddenly the anger was directed towards the two managers who had watched the scenario in silence. Pointing to Lou he said, trying hard to level his temper, "This is all YOUR fault!"
"Huh..Come again Littrell?" Lou looked at him, challenging while Johnny did his best to get his boss to ignore the younger man.
"Itīs your fault that he has gotten this sick. If it wasnīt for you being on his case all the time since we started this tour. Itīs you that have messed up his head by keeping on calling him fat!"
"Oh I have not!" Lou smiled smugly, "You Brian and you.." He pointed at the rest of the men, "have done a good job at this. You were on his case all the time about eating junk food..I just added my own comments to this since we are living in a free country." The manager set his hard eyes into Brian's.
Before any of the men had a chance to say anything Johnny cut in, "Youīre all upset over all of this and you donīt know what youīre saying." His vain attempt to get peace was getting unnoticed.
"NO!" Brian said loud and clear getting the rest of the passengers around them looking at them with curious eyes. Yet he didnīt care. This story had been held down in the bag far too long and it was time to drag up their dirty laundry. "Youīre the one responsible for getting him discharged against doctors orders."
"Littrell I donīt know where youīre getting such an obscure idea from." The fat manager smiled at the passengers before explaining, "It was Nick's own idea to leave the hospital. Not mine. I think youīre giving too little credit to Carter to make his own decisions. He's nearly an adult, 18 years old, not some kind of kid that has to be babied all of the time." Looking at Nick he continued, "Ainīt that right son?"
Mutley Nick nodded. He always got such an unsure feeling when the manager spoke to him. And even though he knew that Lou was lying blue to him there was not much he could do to object. The manager still had too much power on him.
This move clearly satisfied the manager who smiled contempt. "See even Carter is agreeing to all of this. As a matter of fact I tried to talk his stubborn ass out of leaving the hospital." He chuckled lightly as putting on a show for the rest of the passengers, "But did it work? NO. Does Nick ever listen? NOOO."
Now AJ was getting just as pissed as Brian. "Oh yeah and you think he was responsible too for taking that "health drink" that you served that nearly had him crapping his pants at that awards show?"
Nick blushed. Why did AJ always have to be so blunt with words?
Lou's face darkened a shade, "I donīt know what youīre talking about boy!"
"Oh yeah and what about those diet pills huh? You donīt know about them either?" Now it was Brian's turn to step in.
The passengers watched the men intensely. This was better than the boring movie with Clint Eastwood in the headset. This was better than any day soap that run on the network. This was life entertainment on the highest degree.
Nick wasnīt as happy. Paling he listened to Brian and AJ spilling the beans over his secrets. Why were they all dragging up this to the manager in a situation like this? Couldnīt they see that it was only going to make it worse? Not only for him but for the rest of the guys too.
"That wasnīt the story Nick told us." Brian shot out, his eyes gleaming with anger.
"Really? What lies did the boy make up this time?"
Nick wanted to tell them all to stop but his headache was so bad that he couldnīt think clear. That combined with the wheezing sounds in his chest made him want to curl up into a ball..and die. Kevin most have sensed this. "Thatīs it..try and get some rest." The tall man was unnaturally quiet. He was watching the dispute that went on between the management and Brian and AJ but for once he didnīt add anything to it.
AJ was a different story. "If you think that weīre so stupid that we gonna tell you what he said, you better rethink." His grin made the manager see red.
"You better wipe off that smug grin from your face." Lou was not just a little upset, "Weīre in public and I donīt wanna hear anything more off this nonsense."
Brian happy that AJ was supporting him, opened his mouth to voice his opinion when a southern drawl filled the cabin. "As much as I would like to state what I think about what went on with Nick these past months I think itīs not the proper time nor place to do so."
Kevin was trying to rescue what was left of the evidence that they had been presented with earlier on. He was sure that the management would be in for a big surprise the day they sued them and as things were going it looked like they had build a pretty solid case too. Pearlman and his gang would be sued for neglecting Nicks and the rest of the guys health and refusing hospital care. They would also sue the management for stealing the money that they had the right to have. It was a long story that lead up to a contract. Even if that had been on his mind lately Kevin's priority was to make sure that Nick got the medical care that he needed. No money could be that important. But after that was settled he was set to call up his lawyer friend to give away even more details. But for now he didnīt want the men to suspect anything. "Í donīt like the way things are going with Nicky and we need to concentrate on that instead." He was doing his best to divert the management into other thoughts.
Apparently it succeeded since Johnny was the one to pick up the thread.
There was a frown on the black manager's forehead. This situation was starting to get out of hand. He didnīt like it better than any of the guys, but Lou had his neck in such a tight grip and there were nothing he could do to get out of the snarl. His previous affairs with the hookers over at Hugh Heffners mansion wouldnīt look good in pubic, neither would the IRS hunting him for years of neglecting taxes. Even though all of this happened years ago he didnīt think for once that Lou wouldnīt drag all of this up if he turned against his boss. Donna, his wife that for once had been invisible during this tour, had very expensive habits and he knew that if Lou pulled the threads to his mighty powerful business associates he would be gone in a jiffy. With not even a nickel in the bank and if things came to worst he could be rattling bars for several years too.
Johnny knew better than to have Mr. Pearlman as his enemy since heīd seen men with his own eyes being crushed like cockroaches under the obsessed managers thumb. He just hoped that the guys were wiser than that and that they realized that battling Lou would be like battling the whole firm. Hell it wasnīt for nothing it was called The firm either. If they chose to go against Lou he also knew that they would be in for a fight unlike anything that they had ever saw. Heīd liked the guys even if they sometimes had a habit off driving him to madness, especially Nick. But he didnīt want to see them hurt and had objected widely against the methods Lou was using to get his "investment" to where he wanted them. On his bank account. But truth was that there were very little Johnny could do to prevent this. All he could do was watch.
"Kevinīs right. Lets talk with the personal aboard and see if there is any doctor that can take a look at him. This is starting to sound much more serious than I first thought." He shifted uncomfortable when Lou stared at him, but said nothing in return.
"Oh yeah..very smart there..and how do you think weīre going to do that? For Fucks sake weīre on a freaking plane in the middle off the ocean..if you havenīt forgotten!" AJ was mildly put irritated over the black managers stupid speech.
Now it was Howie's turn to speak. "I know Bone. Youīre right. You are all right but I think we canīt wait with the treatment since its starting to sound like heīs got water in his lungs." Taken a good look at the pale teen who had his eyes closed he shivered slightly. Nick looked practically dead and the way he was breathing heavily was the only indication that he was alive. "If it is what I think it is he will have even harder to breath as the times passes!"
"And what is your medical opinion then? Doctor Dourogh," Lou added sarcastically.
Ignoring this comment Howie said, "I donīt know but I do remember that the German doctor said that Nick had problems with his kidneys. That makes me think that maybe he is having a kidney failure." Upon hearing this being mentioned there were a loud gasp in the cabin, all but Lou whose face first turned red before he chuckled.
"Did anyone tell you that youīre having the wildest imagination Dourogh? Kidney failure you gotta be kidding me." The manager tried to sound like was taking lightly on it all but his face was giving it away. He was seriously disturbed over this situation. What would Nicks parents say if this turned out to be true? Ok he thought he had a pretty good hand with Nicks mother since she was nothing but money hungry and could sell her own kids for success. But Nick's dad wasnīt as easy to handle. Deep inside Lou's mind desperately tried to work up a plan. A strategy. Seeing the passengers look at him with a trace of disgust on their faces he quickly changed his approach. "You might be right," he slapped Howie on his shoulder. "As soon as we land I will make sure that he will go into the hospital for a check up. And thatīs a promise." After that he smiled widely to the passengers that still watched them like they watched a soap opera.
"And why would you care so much now? Is it because your "poster boy" your "investment" could be in danger." Brian snarled. "I didnīt see you act this concern when he was sick as a dog during this tour. Not once."
"Brian, that was uncalled for!" Kevin shot his cousin a look.
Looking a bit confused Brian stuttered, "Kev why do you defend them when you know.." He stopped when Kevin gesture towards the very interested and curious passengers that were doing their best to hear what the men were half whispering about with harsh voices.
"Oh." He stopped his actions. Kev was right. There were no need for the whole world to hear about their problems although he suspected heīd told too much already. Fortunately they wasnīt that famous that the Paparazzi would follow them. Still they could go home and be a bit incognito. It was getting harder each year but still it was possible.
That moment Lou chose to play the "Good Daddy". "Richardson is right. You need to calm down Son. Itīs not good for your heart to be this worked up and we donīt need another Backstreet Boy that will end up at the hospital." He smiled briefly at Brian the friendliness didnīt reach his eyes. "We need to look at this situation in a mature way and making up lies doesnīt help Nicky right now. You if anyone should know that Brian!" His tone was soft but there were also a hidden threat.
"Iīm not lying and please donīt come and act like you care all off the sudden."
Lou's _expression was at first like he was going to slap the younger man in his face, but open seeing the frown on one of the passengers and not wanting anything about dispute come into public or even worse the media he said in a sweetly soft voice, dripping with sugar, "Son you know thatīs not right. Iīm your big Daddy and I if anyone would do nothing to hurt you."
AJ felt ready to barf! "DADDY? MY ASS!" He got an eye from Kevin but added with disgust, "Donīt come and try to tell us that kind off bullshit. All you care is about the money. You were the one that twisted his mind into thinking he was an fat ass and then tricked him into eating all that crap. Not to mention that you have arranged for B to wait with his heart surgery. In my book that isnīt helping at all." He stopped short when he noticed the other men's annoyed expressions. Shit! Biting his lip he thought heīd said too much again.
The manager had paled visible as did his smile. "McLean I think youīve said enough already." Turning to Brian he said in a voice he was trying hard to steady, "What have you told them about the surgery? I thought I made it clear that this was strictly between you and me. I wasnīt doing it for my own pleasure..I was doing it so.." He stopped briefly, looking at each and everyone of them, "none of you would get out of business. Because if you havenīt realized it before I can get you out this fast," he snapped with his fingers to state his point," if I make one call! Therefore I suggest that you rethink what youīre going to say. Twice. And also that you donīt butt into other peoples business." With that he ended the conversation abruptly, "This matter have been discussed far too long and if you have anything to add we can talk about it at my office. Until then I suggest that you make sure that Nick gets the help that is needed!" With those words the manager turned on his heels, saying dramatically to the surprised passengers that didnīt know where to look, "Shows over people!" With that he walked briskly away.
All of the men, Johnny included, stared at the angry managers back and then at each other. It was like all the air had popped out off the men, like a balloon. Nobody said anything since it had all got ugly all of a sudden.
Had they heard wrong or did Lou Pearlman make a threat to them all?
