Chapter 3

            “Thank you Liverpool, we love you and goodnight!” Aj said as he gave a wave to the screaming crowed and then blew them a kiss.  The guys slowly walked off the stage waving and saying their goodbyes.  Aj was the first one down the stairs and the first one into their change room.

“Someone’s in a rush.” Howie said as Aj disappeared into the showers.

“He has a date.” Brian said raising his eyebrows.

“Ooh.” Howie smiled.

“But it’s a surprise so when Chelsea gets here zip it.” Brian said as he moved his fingers across his lips in a zipping motion.

“Where are they going?” Nick asked as he grabbed a clean pair of clothes.

“Dunno.” Brian shrugged. “Alex just told me they were going out, it was a surprise, so don’t tell her and if Kevin called looking that’s what I was suppose to tell him.”

“Anyone else notice the change in him?” Howie asked.

“Huh?” Nick and Brian said looking at him confused.

“When was the last time he’s snapped at someone, I mean not Chelsea related?  When was the last time he walked around in a huff?” Howie said to them.

“Oh I noticed that.” Nick said as he headed to the showers.  “You’d have to be blind not to.”

“I thought that girl was going to pee her pants.” Chelsea said laughing as Leigh B, Leigh Anne and Chelsea walked into the room.

“Wait till you meet the ones that do.” Leigh B smiled.

“You boys aren’t ready yet? I’m tired.” Leigh Anne sighed as she sat down on the couch.

“I am.” Aj said as he walked out rubbing the towel around in his hair.

“You won’t do me any good.” She pouted.

“You could ride back with us?” Chelsea said.

“No” Aj said quickly before Leigh Anne could even answer.

“No?” Chelsea said looking at him confused.

“Yeah, cause uh, she’s tired and I’m starving.” Aj said.

“You’re always starving.” Chelsea laughed as she stood up.

They said goodbye to everyone and walked out of the dressing room.  Aj’s body guard was standing outside waiting and followed them as they walked down the hall to the car lot.  When Chelsea went to head towards the van Aj took her hand and nodded to their right.

“This way.” He said as he walked her over to a black limo.

“This is for us?” She asked confused.

“Yep.” Aj said as he opened the door for her.  “Thanks man.” He said as he looked at Q.

“Have fun.” Q nodded as Aj got in and he closed the door.

“What’s going on?” Chelsea asked as the limo backed up.

“We’re going to go eat.” He said as he sat back.

“What are you up too?” She asked as she turned on the seat facing him.

“Nothing.” He replied as he looked at her. 

“You suck at lying.” Chelsea frowned at him.

“Yeah” He nodded.  She smiled at him and then started laughing.  “How ya feeling?” He asked as he took a piece of her hair in his fingers and started to play with it.

“Good” She said. 

“Have you felt sick at all?” He asked as she slid over and laid back against him.

“A little this afternoon but I lied down like the doctors said and I’ve felt fine ever since.” Chelsea said as he lightly kissed her on the head.

“That’s good.” Aj nodded.  “Are you having fun?”

“Yeah” She replied with a smile.  “Wish I could have seen it when Kevin was around.”

“You didn’t miss anything special.” Aj said as she looked up at him and started laughing.

The two sat in the back of the limo, Aj holding her as they drove through the old English city.  When he felt the limo start to slow he looked out the tinted window.  On his right were old buildings tightly sitting side by side, on his left was a park, and he smiled as he slowly sat up.

“Are we here?” Chelsea asked when the limo stopped.

“Yep.” Aj said as the driver got out of the car and walked over to Chelsea’s door.  When he opened it she climbed out and waited for Aj to come out too. 

“Where’s the restaurant?” She asked as he stood up and thanked the driver.

“Who said we were going to a restaurant?” Aj said as he put his bag over his shoulder and took her hand.

“I’m confused.” She said looking at him as they started walking towards the Park.

“Good.” He smiled at her.

“You are up to something.” She said as she raised an eyebrow at him.  He didn’t say anything and kept looking forward.  They walked along the stone pebble path that was lit up by the street lamps. 

“This place reminds me of the Park from Mary Poppins.” Aj said looking around.

“It does doesn’t it.” She agreed. 

“Hey look.” Aj said pointing over a play area.

“What?” She asked looking to where he was pointing.  He walked her over to the play structure and held out a swing for her.  “Really?”

“Sit” Aj said rolling his eyes as she walked up to him.

“Ok” She said giggling as she turned around and sat down.  Aj sat in the swing next too her but sat on his swing so he was facing her.

“Remember the last time we were in a Park together?” Aj asked as he lightly swung back and forth, not far just the length of his legs.

            “I do” She smiled.  “You were so nervous.” She lightly laughed.

“I was a dork.” He laughed.

“You were not.” She said looking at him as he rocked in his swing.  “You were just nervous.” He lightly smiled as he looked down at the hole that had been dug out from all the kids swinging and dragging their feet. “You’re kind, generous, caring, smart, and so talented.  You’ve done things people never do, only in dreams, even those stupid kids from High School but you still believe them?” She asked and he stopped rocking and looked at her. 

“I did until I met you.” He said.  “But then you were gone and it got harder to believe, a lot of things got harder.”

“I’m sorry.” She as she took his hand.

“You have nothing to be sorry for.” Aj told her.

            “It just seemed like you went through a lot of stuff alone.” She said.  “What about your Mom?”

“Ma?” Aj said beginning to not like where this was going.  “Well she um, she… you know was taking care of my grandparents and she spent a lot of time helping us with the group when we fired Johnny and Donna and… can we not, I mean it’s a really long story and maybe another time ok?”

“Ok” Chelsea said but she was a little confused on his answer.

“Can I ask you something, like about what happened when you were with your dad?” He asked knowing she might not want to talk about it today.

“I guess.” She said not wanting to talk about that time but it was Aj.

“What happened to your ring?” He asked her. She looked down at her middle finger and lightly smiled at it, then her face when blank.

“I lost it.” She said as she looked at him with a frown.

“Lost it?” He said confused.

“When I woke up from when he took me from Kentucky, I still had it on; I didn’t want him taking it from me so I took it off.  I would hide it in my pillow case, in my clothes, most of the time I just held onto it.” She told him.  “Then one morning I woke up and it was gone, I don’t know if I dropped it in my sleep or if he came in and finally saw it.  I looked all over but I couldn’t’ find it and it’s not like it could have gone far.”

“I don’t know what I would of done if I didn’t have the ring in the beginning.” She told him.  “I was scared and alone, I would just lie there on the mattress staring at your name on the inside.” She said as a tear dripped down her cheek.  He scooted his swing beside her and slipped his arms behind her as he pulled her into a hug.

“Do you remember what I told you that night in the park?” He asked.

“When you gave me the ring?” She asked slowly pulling away and he nodded.  “You told me that no matter what you’d always be there, you’d always love me, and that the ring was a symbol of that.” He smiled that she had remembered what he had said word for word, at least he thinks so, he couldn’t even remember.  He then reached into his pocket and pulled out a small leather box and held it in front of her.

“Take it.” He said with a soft smile as she looked at him confused.  With hesitation she took the box from his hand and the lifted the top, opening it.  She lightly gasp when she saw the small silver ring sitting on a velvet pillow. 

“Alex is this?” She said a little shocked.

“It’s your ring.” He said.  “Well not the old one it’s a new one to replace the old one.” He said as she took the ring out of the box.  “See.” He said as he pointed to the inside. “My name right there.” He then picked up the ring in his fingers and took her hand in his other hand.  “And it means exactly the same thing.” He told her and then he slipped the ring on her middle finger.  “That’s better.” He lightly smiled.  Chelsea smiled back at him as he wiped the tear from her cheek and rested his hand on the back of her neck.

“It looks just like it.” Chelsea said as she looked down at her finger.

“Looks better cause it’s not silver, it’s white gold now.” He told her.

“So is this why we came out here?” She asked with a light smile.

“Yeah” He admitted with a nod.  “Also just to get away, so many people around and even now I’m still use to it being just me and you.”

Chelsea smiled at him knowing what he meant, the secret they kept all those years ago.  She was glad to be here with him with all of them, to be out doing stuff, but she still had problems handling the crowds of people. Not just the fans, the crew, the staff, and the security.  The only place you could really be alone was in your hotel room and even then someone always ended up knocking, wanting something. 

Chelsea stood up from her swing and Aj looked at her confused.  She carefully sat down across his lap and laid her head on his shoulder, resting her forehead gently against his neck.  Chelsea wrapped her arms around his waist as he leaned back a little and started to rock the swing again.

“Can we stay here for a little bit?” She asked as they slowly rocked back and forth.

“As long as you want too.” He said as he lightly kissed her on the forehead.