[ - ]
Table of Contents [Report This]
Printer Chapter or Story Microsoft Word Chapter or Story
- Text Size +
They all stood as the service began. It was a full church family, friends and fans alike all there to morn the loss of a close friend. Kevin sat next to his mother as she cried at the loss of her only daughter. Everyone sat quietly with the exception of the soft sobs from the women and even a few men. Kevin himself was having a hard time holding his emotions in check as tears rolled down his cheeks. He listened to the minister talk about his sister. He watched as people he had seen Karen with from time to time, her closest friends from home crying as they listened to the minister talk about the life Karen had lead and then doing a final prayer. Music began and to AJ’s and Kevin’s surprise Nick stood with Brian singing Show me the meaning of being lonely. AJ stood and walked over and began to sing as Howie joined him finally Kevin made his way there and sang. His final farewell to his sister and for some reason he smiled enough to know that she was watching him.







Kevin stood alone looking at the headstone, reaching down he cleared off some leaves that had gathered over it.
~~ Karen Ann Richardson ~~
Beloved Daughter, friend, lover and sister for all who will miss her. She is still watching us.
Born October 3, 1971 Died October 22 2003
God has a new Angel.

Kevin looked at the small inscription and ran his finger over the angel that was on the headstone. He had even paid extra to have a large angel statue over the grave it’s hands upward with a dove in it’s hand.
“ Daddy what are we doing here?” The little girl asked standing near Kevin.
” Karen this is your aunt Karen. She died before you where born. She’s your name sake honey.” Kevin said looking at his daughter. Her brilliant green eyes shine with unshed tears. She had heard so much about the Aunt she had never met.
“ How long ago Daddy?”
“ Six years baby girl six years. I met your mommy a few months after the funeral. She helped me threw my loss of my sister.” Kevin said looking towards his wife. She smiled and held the small baby boy close in her arms. He couldn’t have been happier. His heart still ached with the loss of his sister but he knew she was watching over him and his family. AJ had never married but had dated but no one would ever replace Karen in his heart and Kevin knew that. It had been six years since the day they had lost Karen and his world had come crashing down.
“ Come on Kevin, Alex is getting cold.”
“ Coming Jessie.” Kevin said looking at his wife. He smiled at her and took his daughters hand and led her back towards the car.
“ Don’t you have a concert in a few days daddy?” Karen asked.
“ Yeah honey I do. How about we go visit uncle Alex and see how he’s doing today?” Kevin said looking at his wife.
“ That sounds good. We haven’t seen him in a while.” Jessica said leading her family towards the limo that was waiting.





AJ walked around his house alone as usual. He couldn’t find anyone that made him smile like Karen had done. He still had pictures of them around the house. But like his mother had said he had moved on with his life.
“ Hey Alex where is the suit case?”
“ In the closet Morgan.” AJ yelled up the stairs. He had found someone to fill his heart but not like Karen had and Morgan knew what kind of relationship he had had with Karen and she knew she wasn’t going to replace the woman but she knew that AJ loved her none the less.
“ Kevin and the others will be here soon wont they?” Morgan asked as she came down the stairs with the suitcase.
“ Yeah they will be. I have a concert in a few days. Our first concert since the new album came out.”
“ Yeah, it was nice you guys dedicated this one to Karen.” Morgan said kissing his cheek.
“ It was Nick’s idea really. But it was sweet. Thank you for being so supportive.” AJ said turning around and facing her, her long red hair and deep blue eyes where so much different than Karen’s deep green ones and dark black hair. So much difference and yet the same love of life.
“ I want to ask you something.” AJ said looking at her. Morgan looked at him a small hint of worry in her eyes. AJ smiled and kissed her lips and then rushed upstairs without saying another word. Morgan sat there on the edge of the couch wondering what he was thinking about. AJ bounded back down the stairs and dropped down in front of her with a smile on his face. A true smile not something he was faking for the cameras like he had for the last six years but an honest to god smile.
“ What are you smiling about?” Morgan asked as he held her hands in his. His fingers softly moving over her fingers, he dropped to one knee and looked into her eyes as he pulled a small velvet box from his pocket.
Morgan Ashley Scott will you marry me?” AJ asked looking at her. Morgan’s eyes filled with tears as she looked at him.
“ Yes, I’ll marry you. Are you sure?” She asked looking at him. AJ nodded and placed the ring on her finger.
“ I’ve never been more sure in my life. And I know Karen approves.” AJ said with a huge smile on his face. Tears of joy and sadness rolled down his cheeks. Morgan pulled AJ into her arms and kissed his lips.
“ I love you Alex.” She said holding him in her arms, she felt him weeping but she knew that it was all right.
“ I am going to go and change. The guys will be here soon. Then we can go out to dinner.” AJ said rushing from the room. Morgan looked around the room and smiled. Pictures of her and AJ together mingled among the pictures of him and Karen. He had said that he could take them down if they made her uncomfortable but she said no, she didn’t mind having Karen’s pictures up. She knew that his heart still belonged to her and she didn’t want to take that away from him.
“ You looked so happy and free. I only hope I can make him as happy as you did.” Morgan said touching a picture of Karen and AJ. She smiled when she heard a knock at the door, stepping over the puppies that roamed the house.
“ Hey there Morgan I didn’t think you’d be here tonight.” Kevin said hugging her as she stepped aside to let him and his family in.
“ Yep. I moved in weeks ago. Didn’t Alex tell you?” Morgan said hugging Jennifer.
“ Actually I didn’t ask.” Kevin said as he led Karen into the room. AJ come bouncing down the stairs with a huge smile on his face.
“ Hey Alex what’s got you so happy?” Jennifer asked looking at her friend.
“ Should I tell them baby?” AJ asked as he wrapped his arms around Morgan from behind.
“ Sure.” Morgan smiled.
“ I asked Morgan to marry me.” AJ said looking at Kevin for approval. Kevin smiled and shook AJ’s hand.
“ Congrats man.” Kevin said pulling AJ in a warm hug. “ Karen would be proud of you.” Kevin whispered in AJ’s ear.
“ I know.” AJ said hugging him tighter.
“ Uncle Alex is getting married?” Karen asked looking up at AJ.
“ Yep. How do you feel about that?” AJ asked looking into the soft green eyes of Kevin’s daughter.
“ I think it’s great Uncle Alex. She makes you happy. Daddy went to visit Aunt Karen today.” Karen said looking at him. AJ’s smile disappeared for a split second as he looked at the little girl.
“ Really that’s good honey. I hope it was a good visit.”
“ Yeah daddy put some flowers down for Aunt Karen. He told me again that I am named after her.” Karen said with a smile.
“ You are. Your Karen Ann Richardson the second. Come on let’s get ready to go for dinner I bet your hungry?” AJ said kissing her soft pink cheek.
“ Yep.”
“ So am I.”
“ Uncle Nick.” Karen squeeled with glee as Nick and Candy walked into the house. AJ smiled as his younger friend had entered with his girlfriend. Behind him was Howie with his wife Melissa and then Brian with his wife Leighanne.
“ Seems we are all here.” Kevin said with a smile.
“ Happy birthday cousin.” Brian said hugging Kevin.
“ Thanks.” Kevin said.
“ You guys excited about our concert?” Nick asked picking up Karen and hugging her.
“ Yeah it’s going to be good to be on the stage again.” Kevin said “ The fans are loving our 10th album. God can you believe it it’s been 16 years since we started?” Kevin said looking at everyone.
“ Yeah we can. And are we going to do another album?” Brian asked. Brian had been so proud that each of them had released their own solo albums and still where able do several more Backstreet album. They where a big family and helping each other out when needed.
“ Yeah I love doing this. I say we keep doing this till we can’t do this anymore. How about it old man?” AJ asked looking at Kevin.
“ Sounds good to me.” Kevin said a distant look in his eyes. He was celebrating his 37th birthday that year and would have celebrated it with his sister had she not died. But he knew that she was in heaven looking down at him and smiling. So very proud of everything they had accomplished. The awards they had won since her death and the albums that they had come out with. Everything brought about with the emotion of the death of someone close.