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Chapter 18 It Better Be A Promise

***Rich’s Point Of View***      

                The night of Hurricane Irene seemed like one messed up dream but the morning after I woke up in a hospital room resting my head on Heather’s stomach. She was lying in the bed. I looked over at the other bed and saw Kalie laying in there and Nick, who looked sleep deprived, was staring at his fiancé.

                He noticed that I was awake and asked, “Do you think it worked?”

                I shrugged, “We’ll find out when they wake up. I just still can’t wrap my head around all of this. It seems too much like a nightmare.”

                “Well it was real dude. I know out of the two of us I’m the one who believes in this supernatural stuff but it actually happened last night.”

                “I believe in the supernatural too.”

                Nick was shocked, “Seriously?”

                “Seriously,” Heather answered for me.

                I looked at her with my mouth agape in surprise but she continued, “He’s part Native American. His grandmother taught him the ways of her people and he grew up believing all of the stories she told. I did too. Some people started mocking him when he told the stories. As he grew up he stopped telling the stories so the teasing would stop. The only one he would tell the stories to was me because he knew how fascinated I was by them.”

                I grinned, “Welcome back.”

                She didn’t answer me.

                “You’re still mad at me aren’t you?” my voice dropped.

                She only looked at me; no words left her lips.

                “Why are you still mad at him Heather?” Kalie asked after hearing my voice.

                “Thank God you’re awake!” Nick breathed out then kissed Kalie’s hand.              

                Heather didn’t have time to answer Kalie because Michelle, Crystal, Dan, Chris, Kelshie, Jess, Melina, Carly, the Backstreet Dancers, and the rest of Backstreet and their wives all walked in excited to see that the girls were finally awake.

                “Well good morning sleepy head,” Kelshie greeted Heather.

                “Morning,” she replied as Kelshie pushed past me and hugged her best friend.

                “We were so worried about you!” Jess exclaimed.

                “The one who was worried the most was Kelshie,” Carly commented giving Heather a hug.

                She laughed as Melina took her turn hugging her, “Is that true? Since when did you become the worry wart?”

                “What can I say Hermie? I didn’t know if you were really upset after fighting with Rich like that.”              

                “You and Rich had a fight?!” Heather’s sister’s voice came from the doorway.

                “Hey Steph,” Heather breathed out.

                Stephanie rushed over and pulled Heather into a suffocating bear hug, “Are you ok?! Rich called me last night and told me what happened. I couldn’t get here until now because all the roads were closed.”

                “It’s ok Steph. I’m fine. I just needed some rest that’s all.”

                “And did I hear right that you and Rich had a fight last night?”

                Heather didn’t respond. She just raised her eyebrows in a pissed off manor.     

                “I wouldn’t call it a fight per say,” Jess said. “We don’t know what it was.”

                “He slammed a door in her face,” Kelshie informed Stephanie.

                “HE WHAT?!” Stephanie looked at me and raised her hand to smack me.

                “Don’t you dare!” Heather grabbed her hand just before it made contact with my face.

                “Why did you stop her?” I asked in a near whisper.

                “Yeah why did you stop her?” Kelshie asked astonished. “He deserved that! And wait…
she looked at me and shook her head after realizing I had asked the first question, “Why were you the one to ask that first?”

                I looked at her and replied simply, “Because I agree with you.” I looked back at Heather, “I did deserve that slap. I was a complete jerk last night.”

                “What made you become like that?”

                I looked into her eyes and I could see the hurt she held in them. The entire room fell silent as I took a deep breath in and collected my thoughts.

                “Heather I acted that way because I was jealous.”

                “Of what?” she asked with what seemed like a mixture of anger and surprise in her voice.

                “I was jealous of Backstreet, especially Nick. Well actually the way you were reacting to meeting them. At first I was happy to see you so excited but then when you actually met Nick it felt like you didn’t even know I existed anymore. It’s like you forgot about me.”

                “Rich, you know how much I love Backstreet.”

                “I know. And I also know that I was the one who promised you that I introduce you to your favorite singers.”

                “But you also know how much I love you.”

                “It wasn’t right of me to slam that door in your face and treat you like that. I really am sorry.”

                “You’re forgiven Rich. Although I don’t approve of the way you acted while you were jealous it’s good to know you still get jealous.”

                “When I found out that you were pushed out in that storm I panicked. I didn’t want to lose you. I never want to lose you.”

                “I guess you didn’t hear me. I forgive you. I really do. Just next time, tell me when you’re jealous and I’ll do my best to tone my excitement down. Now come here and give me a kiss.” She smiled as I leaned closer to her.

                “I really am sorry Violet,” I whispered so only she could hear.

                “Just shut up and kiss me,” she looked into my eyes and smirked.

                “That was the quickest make up I have ever seen,” Kelshie said.

                Heather and I chuckled.

                “I guess we’re just fast like that,” Heather winked.

                “Oh I did not need to hear that,” Carly said.

                Melina giggled, Kelshie and Stephanie just shook their heads and Jess laughed her ass off.

                “I can see you’re feeling better,” I smiled at my girlfriend.

                She squeezed my hand, “I’m feeling a lot better and I want to go home. I want to sleep in my own bed with the Puppies curled up next to me.”

                “What about your boyfriend cuddling with you too?”

                She ran her fingers through my hair, “Duh!” She stuck her tongue out at me and I laughed.

                Shortly after a doctor came in to check both Kalie and Heather and he cleared them to go home. Just before the girls started to collect their things, Backstreet’s tour manager Jen came in.

                “I am so happy to see you two are awake!” Jen hugged Kalie then Heather.

                Heather looked a little confused. She had only met Jen once before when I got gotten the job as Backstreet’s DJ but she wasn’t close with Jen like I was.

                “I’m sorry Heather you’re probably thinking that I’m a crazy woman but I’m just so relieved that you are both okay.”

                “We are all relieved too,” Michelle spoke up.

                After introducing Jen to Heather’s Backstreet Buds and her sister, Jen announced, “Due to last night’s completely crazy events the show could be rescheduled as long as the Boys and the dancers are up to it. Especially you Kalie.”

                “Well do you want to make up the show?” Kalie looked at the Backstreet Boys.

                “We all discussed it last night when we found out that you were safely in the hospital,” Brian said. “We are willing to make up the show for our fans as long as you want to Kalie.”

                “Let’s do it,” she answered cheerfully.

                “Are you sure?” Nick sounded concerned.

                “Kaos, you know how much I love to perform. And I know how much you four and the other dancers love to put on a show.”

                “Ok babe. As long as you’re sure.”

                “Alright then,” Jen said, “I’ll schedule this in as most likely the last tour date of This Is Us.”

                “Sounds good to me,” Nick smirked holding Kalie’s hand, “We’ve got five more shows including the make-up then we’ll have all the time in the world to plan a wedding.”

                “Sounds awesome to me,” Kalie smiled back at him.

                “Awe,” Heather looked over at them. “I better get an invite after what we went through together last night,” she joked.

                Kalie laughed but answered seriously, “Oh trust me you will! Nick and I were going to invite you even before we met you because we’re pretty close to DJ Lani…”

                “Please call me Rich,” I said graciously.

                Kalie nodded, “Because we’re pretty close to Rich, but definitely after meeting you last night and what we went through out in Hurricane Irene I would be so thrilled if you are there. And the Backstreet Buds are invited too.”

                “Awe you are too sweet!” Melina said.

                The girls’ visitors slowly walked out as the girls started to pack their things, which were only the wet clothes they had on when they came into the hospital. Someone, I forgot who, went back to the hotel to get them clean clothes to change into.

                As we were waiting for the clean clothes and the release paper work, Heather asked Kalie a few questions about what she wanted for her wedding and she, Kalie, and Nick started talking cheerfully about the future big day. I just sat on the bed behind Heather quietly with my arms wrapped around her waist. All the talk about the wedding made me think; mainly about Heather and how I almost lost her.

                The conversation stopped and Heather looked back at me after signing the paper work, “What’s the matter babe?”

                “I’m just feeling a little jealous again.”

                She furrowed her brow in surprise, “Why? What has made you so jealous this time?”

                “Not what, who.”

                “Alright then, who are you jealous of?”

                “Nick.”

                “Still?!” she spat at me in a hushed voice so Kalie and Nick couldn’t hear.

                “It’s just that Nick gets to marry his dream girl and not to mention his biggest fan. I wish I had a fan like Kalie.”

                Heather placed her hands on my face and made me look into her gorgeous brown eyes, “Don’t be jealous, be happy for him. And honey, you do have a fan like that. You’re looking right at her. I’ll be the greatest fan of your life and that’s a promise.”

                “It better be a promise,” I winked at her and she giggled.

                We leaned in closer for a kiss but Steph walked in with a change of clothes for Heather and said, “Go get changed and we’ll be on our way home. I’m sure you don’t want to stay in this room for another minute.”

                “You got that right,” she replied. She took the clothes from her sister then leaned closer to me again, “And I can’t wait to go home with you baby.”

                I smiled, relieved that I had my Violet back.                                  

Chapter End Notes:

This not the end of the Kalie Heather saga! Check out the follow up The Perfect Song!