Chapter 2

            The next morning Heather woke up to her normal routine. She pushed back the covers and slammed her alarm clock off. The dogs followed her down stairs and she fed them breakfast then she fed herself. After they finished eating and Heather dressed herself, she clipped on the dogs’ leashes and they headed out for their usual half hour walk. When they got back Heather changed into her work clothes then she and the dogs hopped into her car to head to work.

            She pulled into the animal shelter’s parking lot about 15 minutes later. The Puppies followed her into the shelter and greeted the other workers as their owner did too.

Heather’s first task of the day was to feed the dogs and cats she was assigned to. The last three dogs she fed where her favorites. The first one was an older Basset Hound named Ebenezer. He was gray around his muzzle and was getting up in years but he had a lot of energy for an older dog and he loved to play fetch and run around with the other dogs. The second one was Tuffy. She was a medium sized pit bull mix that was as sweet as sugar. She loved people and other animals and didn’t have a mean bone in her body. Heather fell in love with her from the moment she first saw the all white dog with one blue eye and the other one green. And last but not least Heather took care of a very young Doberman pinscher puppy who she nicknamed Pinch. Heather had never seen a Doberman pinscher like him before; he was a silvery gray color with tan paws. He was rescued from a puppy mill and Heather worked very hard with him. She even trained him a few basic commands and even house trained him. Heather had soft spots in her heart for Ebenezer and Tuffy too because they had been at the shelter the longest. They were rescued from a hoarder where they lived in horrible conditions and were neglected. Heather became attached to these three dogs and vowed that if any of them didn’t find loving homes she would adopt them herself. She was relieved she worked at a no-kill shelter because she’d hate to see such loving dogs go to waste.

“I hope you guys get good homes today,” she said after feeding them. Ebenezer was leaning against his cage door and Heather rubbed his head before heading back to the main lobby. Ebenezer always had to be patted before he ate.

            Heather did over see some adoptions that day but they were mostly cats and kittens that got forever homes. She was starting to think that her three favorite dogs were going to go home with her after all. The shift change came quickly for her as she collected her dogs and packed them into the car. Before she started the car she dashed back into the shelter. She had to see her three favorites before she left.

            “Bye guys! I’m going to miss you,” she patted each of her three favorites before walking back to her car.

            “Heather, have a good time down the shore!” she turned around to see her friend Rose wave to her from behind the counter.

            “Thanks! Oh can I ask you a favor Rose?”

            “I already said that I would take over your row for you.”

            “No I knew that I was going to ask if you could call me if anything happens to my favs.”

            “Oh of course. And I’ll call you before I let them get adopted too.”

            “Thanks Rose. I’ll see ya when I get back.”

            “See ya.”

            Heather hopped back in her car and drove off to the vet’s office. The appointment went smoothly being a normal checkup and Heather and the Puppies were out in no time. She made her way home and dropped off the Puppies. Before she ran back out to the car she grabbed a sign she had made a few days prior and her CD bag then sprinted out of the house.

            On her way to the airport she kept her calm as she sang along to the songs she knew on the radio even though she was overly excited to see her “blood sister” from Germany.

            She parked her car then grabbed her home made “welcome” sign as she headed for the pickup area. Heather was nearly shaking with excitement as the passengers started to depart the plane that journeyed from Germany to Newark Airport.

            “I hope she’ll find me quickly! Although I don’t think she can miss me!” Heather said in her head. “I can’t wait to see Melina!”

            As Heather looked at the different faces coming off the plane she heard a familiar German voice call out, “Is that my American blood sister I see holding a sign with my name on it?!”

            “Is that my German blood sister Melina?!”

            “AHH IT IS! HEATHER!”

            “MELINA!”

            The girls rushed toward each other and gave each other an excited hug.

            “Oh it’s so good to see you again!” Heather exclaimed.

            “I know! Oh I’m so excited to finally be in America!”

            Heather and Melina met about two years ago on the Backstreet fanclub when they started talking to each other randomly. They soon found out that they had a lot in common besides being BSB fans. Their conversations continued on facebook then later on a web cam and soon they were making plans to meet face to face. They started calling each other “blood sisters” because of how much they had in common. Heather flew out to Germany a year after their first on line conversation to meet her “blood sister” face to face and spend two weeks with her. They even went to one of BSB’s concerts during the Unbreakable tour while Heather stayed in Germany. Now it was Melina’s turn to visit her “blood sister”.

            “You look so good Heather! And you lost weight am I right?”

            “Yes I did. Thanks for noticing. You look amazing too!”

            “Thank you. I love the sign you made for me!”

            “Well it’s just my way of saying welcome to the USA. And it’s yours to keep.”

            “Awe thank you! I love this picture of the two of us,” Melina smiled at the picture posted on the sign. It was of her and Heather waiting to get into the Unbreakable concert.

            “I do too!”

            “I didn’t realize this but we have the same hair and eye color,” Melina commented studying the picture. “We look alike!”

            “Maybe we are sisters after all!” Heather laughed then Melina joined in.

            “So what is my first adventure in America?”

            “Well first we have to get your bags from luggage claim.”

            “No we don’t, all of my bags were with me on the plane.”

            “Oh then your first adventure will be getting out of this crowded airport and find where I parked my car.”

            Melina giggled, “That sounds like fun.”

            “I promise we’ll have more fun than just finding my car. Oh by the way do you like dogs?”

            “I love dogs!”

            “Good because I have three at home.”

            “I know. I saw your pictures on facebook remember?”

            “Oh yeah I forgot about that.”

            Heather showed Melina to her car and once they hit the road Melina couldn’t stop looking out the window.

            “I’m telling you right now there are prettier places to see in New Jersey.”

            “But still,” Melina started as she continued to marvel out the window, “I’m in New Jersey!”

            About a half hour later Heather showed Melina into her house and she was greeted excitedly by Hunter first, then Lacey and finally Shep cautiously sniffed Melina’s hand then wagged his tail and gave her a doggy smile.

            “Your dogs are even cuter in person!” Melina wore a huge grin on her face as she petted the Puppies and they kissed her hands and face.

            “They’re really good dogs. You’ll probably fall in love with them by the first week of your visit.”

            “Oh I already love them!”

            Heather chuckled then asked, “What would you like for dinner?”

            “I have been wanting your macaroni and cheese ever since I bought the plane tickets.”  

            “Alright then mac and cheese it is. Here let me show you into the living room and show you how to turn on the TV. You can watch whatever you want while I make dinner.”

            Once Heather finished cooking she set up the TV tables and dished out healthy portions of the macaroni and cheese. After dinner they had enough time for each girl to take showers before they packed up the car. At exactly eight o’clock Heather rolled out the drive way and headed South.

            “Ok I think we’ve heard this song for the third time now,” Heather commented when she got tired of listening to the radio. “Did you bring the first Backstreet Boys CD?”

            “Yes I did!” Melina pulled it out of her bag and loaded it in the CD player. “I also brought three copies for you and your two friends.”

            “Oh thank you! You didn’t have to do that.”

            “Yes I did. I know that you guys don’t have the very first CD and now your collection is complete.”

            “Awe thank you so much! You don’t know how hard I have been looking for this CD.”

            “I know. It’s rare even in Germany.”

            “Wow I thought it would be more available over by you.”

            “No actually the Chapter Hits is the most available.”

            “It’s the same here actually.”

            Melina started singing along with the CD. Heather didn’t remember much of the very first BSB album because she never heard it before until she met Melina in Germany. So instead of singing along she listened to Melina sing. She smiled as she remembered singing with Melina before and after the Unbreakable show.

            “What are you smiling at?” Melina asked when she noticed the huge grin on Heather’s face.

            “I’m just remembering how much fun we had singing together,” Heather replied. “You have such a pretty voice! I missed it!”

            “Awe thank you! And I was hoping that you would remember these songs because I miss your voice! You’re better than I am.”

            “No I am not!” Heather protested. “You are the one with the better voice.”

            “If you say so. But I really want to hear you sing again.”

            “Don’t worry sis. I’ll sing once we listen to something I know by heart.” Heather smiled at her “blood sister” and Melina smiled back then continued singing.

            At exactly 9:30 Heather and Melina pulled into the other Heather’s drive way.

            Heather just got out of the driver’s seat when she was ambushed from her side.

            “You’re finally here! I missed you so much Hermie!”

            Heather looked down at the other Heather who was gripping her best friend’s side tightly.

            “I missed you too Kelshie! I’m way too excited!” Hermie exclaimed. Once they hugged regularly Hermie placed her arm around Kelshie’s shoulders and guided her around the car, “Melina this is Heather. Heather this is Melina.”

            “It’s nice to meet you Heather but it’s going to be confusing to tell the difference between the two Heathers,” Melina shook Kelshie’s hand.

            “Oh there’s a simple solution to that problem. You can call me Kelshie and her Hermie,” Kelshie said kindly.

            Melina laughed lightly, “That will work for me.”

            “You brought the Puppies right?” Kelshie asked Hermie.

            Hermie opened the car door and the Puppies jumped out and rushed at Kelshie.

            “Hi Puppies!” Kelshie squealed. Kelshie was probably the biggest animal lover Hermie knew. The dogs knew Kelshie was an animal lover and they got so excited when they saw her. She also spoiled them with little treats so they were expecting the treats.

            “Come on inside,” Kelshie picked up Hunter and started to lead Hermie and Melina into the house, Lacy and Shep followed. “Jess is waiting inside for you. And she’s very excited to meet you Melina and so am I. It’s always good to meet other BSB fans.”

            “And I’m very excited to meet the both of you too. I’m so happy to be in America.”

            “Well we are happy to have you here.”

            “Guess whose here Jess!” Kelshie announced when the three girls stepped into the living room.

            “Hermie!” Jess screamed and ran out of the kitchen toward her best friend.

            “Jess!” Hermie screamed back and embraced Jess then introduced her to Melina.

            “Welcome to New Jersey Melina. I hope you like it here,” Jess said after shaking Melina’s hand.

            Melina smiled, “I already like it here and I’m very glad to finally meet you and Kelshie. Heather has told me a lot about you."

            “So you know we’re crazy?” Kelshie asked.

            Melina didn’t know how to reply so she looked at Hermie.

            She chuckled, “Yes she knows we are all crazy but she doesn’t believe me.”

            “Oh honey,” Jess placed a hand on Melina’s shoulder, “once you spend one night with us you’ll believe Hermie. It only takes one night to figure out the three of us.”

            “You guys sound like a lot of fun,” Melina grinned widely.

            “We are!” both Heather’s answered together.

            “Did you guys have dinner?” Kelshie asked. “I made pierogies.”

            “Did you leave any for us? I know how many pierogies you can eat in one setting,” Hermie raised an eyebrow at the hostess.

            “I cooked two big bags this time so there is more than enough for the both of you. I was good this time,” Kelshie stuck her tongue out. Kelshie was known for eating 20 pierogies during one dinner. Hermie’s record was 6 and a salad.

            “Haha you were good for once. But we already had dinner before we left, unless you’re hungry now Melina?”

            “No I’m full thank you.”

            “Ok then, let me give you a tour of the house and then we’ll get your bags from the car,” Kelshie said.

            “I’ll finish the cake,” Jess commented.

            “Cake?” Hermie questioned.

            “We are celebrating BSB’s victory yesterday,” Jess replied.

            Melina looked confused, “BSB’s victory?”        

            Hermie cleared the air for her, “I Want It That Way got number three on a countdown of 100 greatest songs from the 90’s.”

            “Really?! That’s awesome!”

            “And I baked a cake to celebrate,” Jess added. “Plus I have been craving cake lately.”

            Kelshie gave Hermie and Melina a quick tour of her new shore house then helped them bring in their bags as Jess decorated the cake. Baking was Jess’s specialty. She always made cookies or cupcakes for her best friends’ birthdays or just for fun. She was also very artistic and her decorating skills were unmatched.

            After Melina and Hermie changed into their pajamas, the four girls sat down to tall glasses of milk, big pieces of cake and a movie in Kelshie’s dream movie room. Kelshie was a movie fanatic and she always dreamed of having a room specifically for movies with few windows and plenty of space for all of her movies. This movie room looked like a mini theater with beanbag chairs, couches, and comfy armchairs.

            As the movie started to end Hermie’s eye lids were becoming heavy so she pulled her purple diary out of her bag and started writing:

            “Dear Violet,

            I can’t believe how excited Melina is to be here in America! I wasn’t even as excited as she is now to meet her in Germany. She can’t stop smiling and already is starting to bond with Jess and Kelshie and it’s just the first day! I’ll bet money that by the end of our concert experience they’ll become quick best friends with her like I have. Then she’ll have three American blood sisters instead of just one! Jess made one of her famous chocolate cakes to celebrate BSB’s victory on Greatest 90’s Songs. As always the cake was delicious! Melina couldn’t believe Jess’s baking skills and said it was one of the best she has ever tasted. Now we’re watching a movie, yeah I know we are all at Kelshie’s house, watching numerous movies come with the territory. Melina and I are so tired right now! Kelshie told Melina that if she falls asleep during a movie she’s going to wake up with silly string on her face. Kelshie always jokes around with her guests like that. I reassured Melina that Kelshie didn’t even know how to use a can of silly string. I thought Jess was going to fall off the couch because she was laughing so hard and Kelshie’s face went red as she whacked me with a pillow. But seriously Kelshie would let Melina off the hook until she gets used to our time schedule. Actually she is having an easier time with staying awake then I am. My eyelids feel like they are made of lead so I am going to end my entry here before I fall asleep.

            I’ll write more later, HMH. Two weeks til the concert!”