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Part 2
Chapter 4

Paula Abdul‘s “Cold Hearted Snake” piped through the ceiling speakers of the restaurant on the main floor of the hotel they were staying in. The “five hardest working kids in show biz” had found time to sit down for a meal before rushing off to their next engagement.
“What’s wrong Joe? You look like something is troubling you.” Jonathan, the eldest of the five observed.
Joseph McIntyre, the youngest of the group, picked at his food and sighed. “I’m just tired, I guess.” He pushed his plate away and slouched down in his seat. “I need sleep.”
“Oh good,” Donnie Wahlberg, the crazy one, said as he dropped down in the booth beside Joe. “Then you won’t feel left out if we go to the club without you tonight.”
Joe rolled his eyes. “No, actually tonight I will be thankful that I am not old enough to go to the club with you. I am going to go to bed and sleep for three days.”
Donnie shook his head. “Nope, can’t do that! We got a photo shoot tomorrow at six.”
“Six a.m. in the morning?” Joe exclaimed. “Who’s idea was that?”
“I’ll give you one guess.” Jonathan said flatly.
“Dick!” Joe, Jordan and Danny groaned in unison. Just then, the waitress appeared to take their orders.
“Hi, have you all decided on your orders?” She asked with a friendly smile. Jon watched her as she took orders from the rest of the group. Her long blond hair was pulled back into a tight french braid. She had a pert mouth that broke into a quick smile as she spoke with Joe and Donnie. She wore dark black stockings, a black mini-skirt and a white button-up shirt – same as every other waitress in the place. Jon squinted to read the name on her badge. She turned her hazel eyes towards him. “And what can I get for you?”
“Athena.” Jonathan replied, immediately liking the name and the woman it belonged to.

“What?”
Jonathan blinked and focussed in on Martin staring back at him. “Oh, sorry. I was just thinking.”
Martin grinned. “Yes, Ms. Charlemagne is worth the thought.” He replied.
“Yeah, I’ll have to call her secretary and set up a meeting tomorrow.”
“Oh,” replied Martin, “I thought you were having other kinds of thoughts.”
Jonathan laughed. It sounded forced, even to his own ears. Luckily, Martin didn’t pick up on it. “I’m not that much like you, Martin. I don’t chase every skirt that crosses my path.” At that Martin laughed heartily. “Oh yes, I forgot. Are you still with that redhead? What was her name?”
“Kelly-Ann.” Jonathan replied. “No. Things didn’t work between us.”
Martin nodded. “Well, you are going to spend the next three months between here and home, working long nights and maybe even some weekends. It is probably just as well that they didn’t work out between you two. You don’t really have time for a personal life right now.”
Jonathan sighed. “Gee thanks Martin. That makes me feel so much better.”
Martin laughed again. “On the other hand, Ms. Charlemagne is very nice looking, although a little stand-offish. I bet she will be nice company for those all night work sessions.”
Jonathan mused. “Yeah, whatever, Martin.”

~*~

Someone yelled impatiently down the hall. Jon broke his mouth away from Athena and turned his head. “Yeah! I’m coming!” he shouted. Athena grinned. “You’d better go. They’ve already begun the countdown.” She heard the booming of the band through the concrete walls.
Jonathan bent to give her one more kiss. “I’ll be back before you know it.”
“I can’t wait.” Athena replied as Jon tore off down the corridor to the group waiting behind stage. The dull roar of the fans’ screams grew louder. Athena watched on a monitor as Jon took the stage with his four friends. She loved to watch him move, loved to watch him dance. Seeing his hips sway to the music in those tight black jeans made her hope that ‘before you know it’ was much sooner than she expected.

“Athena?” Kade’s voice shook her from her reverie. She turned to him and wondered why he was looking at her so strangely. “Daxon has called you four times.”
Athena shook her head. “Oh, sorry.” She stood from the couch and padded down the hallway. Inside the small bedroom at the end of the hall Daxon was sitting on his bed in his pyjamas. When Athena came around the corner, he held his arms out for her. “I needed you to tuck me in.”
Athena took him into her arms and pulled back the quilt.
“Sorry, Dax. I wasn’t listening.” Athena replied and turned her full attention to her little boy, leaving her earlier reverie forgotten.