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Behind the Lime Light - Chapter 18

"No messages?"

Brian turned on his cell phone again after they were done with their short stage performance. They were standing outside in the hall since Johnny had made it perfectly clear that no cell phones were allowed in the dining area.

"No. Nothing." The twenty one year old shook his head. "That portiere has left me a message though, saying that he got Kevin up and that Mr Richardson will take care of things." He sighed, rubbing his hand tiredly over his eyes. "You would at least think that Kev would call, but nope!" There was a disappointed expression on his face.

"He's prolly just pissed that you called that guy and asked him to wake him up and all." AJ said being as comforting as he could be. "But don’t worry, I spoke to Johnny and he said that we won’t be here for long." He grinned widely. "Then you can go back to the hotel and spend your night with a pukey Nicky. Sounds like loads of fun, huh?"

Brian glared back. "It’s not Nick’s fault that he is sick again. He can’t help it you know."

"Yeah." But admit it; it’s getting kind of old. He catching every damn bug there is on this universe."

"It’s the tight schedule we have. "We never get time to stop and relax anymore and this leads to those viruses that can’t be beat down."

"Yeah I think you’re right. Johnny and Lou, especially Lou is running us too damned hard like we’re some kind of animals."

Before Brian had a chance to comment Howie barged in. "There you are! Johnny has been looking for you." Noticing his friend’s gloomy faces he added, "Why are you standing out here all alone? What are you talking about?"

Looking at each other Brian and AJ said in unison," Nick!" It was like the name explained it all.

"Oh." Howie went silent. "What did he do now?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?" The Latino looked confused. "Then why are you two standing out here in the hallway? Johnny wants us back inside again. He says that we’re going to wrap it up soon but until then we have duties to tend to. Obligations."

AJ muttered in disgust, "Those damned obligations." He was really in a mood. Turning to Brian he asked, "So you’re gonna call him or not?"

Brian shrugged. "I don’t know."

"I think you should."

"Call who? What’s up with all of you tonight?" Howie looked confused, shaking his head. "Come on let’s get back inside."

" Kevin. That’s who we’re calling." AJ explained. "Listen D. Rok called this guy who would wake Kevin up since he was still passed out and then B wanted him to go and check on Kaos you know. In case he was still sick and all." He paused briefly. "And now we’re waiting for Kev to call in."

"Uh huh." Howie looked like he’d understood about half of it since AJ had a habit of talking fast as always. "Did he call then?"

AJ shook his head like he thought the older man was nothing but stupid while Brian sighed. "Nope. And there were no messages either." "Oh." Howie thought for a while before he said in a false, cheerful tone. "B look at it from this side. No calls and no messages are good news."

"Huh?"

"Kaos is probably still asleep and knowing Kevin he didn’t think it was necessary to call in and disturb us." He looked pleased with his own answer. "Yes that has to be it!"

"Maybe or he is still passed out." AJ sputtered, receiving a dark eye from his friend.

Ignoring AJ´s last comment Howie turned to Brian, "Besides you turned your phone off so how would you know that he hasn’t tried calling you?" Putting his arm around his friends shoulder he added, "Come on buddy let’s get back inside again. Don’t you worry. I’m sure thing’s will turn up just fine."

"'k." Brian was about to follow D when his cell phone broke the silence. Instantly everyone looked at the phone, almost like it was something devious and no one wanted to pick it up.

"You’re going to answer or what?" AJ asked when Brian had stared at it long enough. "It might be Kevin!"

Nodding the Kentuckian clicked his cell phone open. "Brian here."

"B it’s me. Kevin." His cousin’s dark voice boomed on the other line. "I need to talk to Johnny. Can you put him on for me? It’s urgent.

"Kevin! Why didn’t you call earlier?" Brian burst out, accusations evident in his tone.

"I really don’t have time to talk right now." He sounded stressed. "Just get Johnny for me. Ok?"

Ignoring his friend’s request he went on, "You’re still at the hotel? How’s Nick? Did you get to talk to him?" The questions were many. Brian could hear someone talking in the background. "Who’s there with you? A girl?" Nothing surprised him anymore concerning his cousin. Not after that drunk stunt he pulled earlier on.

"No!" Kevin snapped. ”It’s not a girl. I´m..I´m in an ambulance." A gasp could be heard from his cousin when he added quickly, "Nick spiked a rather high fever so I’m taking him to the hospital."

"Oh no. Is he all right?" Brian knew that the words sounded dumb, after all his friend was taking their little brother to the hospital but he had to know that it wasn’t something serious. The others looked his way, waiting for some kind of news.

Ignoring the last question Kevin went on. "I need to talk to Johnny since he is the one in charge of him. Can you put him on for me? Now?" This time he pleaded.

"Is he all right? Is it bad?" Brian repeated, still in shock. The words only spiked more curiosity from his friends and when AJ mouthed, "What is it?" but Brian chooses to ignore it.

"He’s as ok as he can be under these circumstances and to answer your second question; the doctor thinks it might be meningitis." Kevin sounded at once very tired and Brian noticed that there was not much trace from his previous drunkenness.

"What? You sure?" Brian’s tone went shrill.

"Ye..Oh I don’t know." His cousin acted stressed again. "Listen I really can’t talk right now. We’re soon at the hospital and I have to follow Nicky inside so can you go and get Johnny for me?" He paused before booming, "NOW. IT´S URGENT!!! This time it was more of a demand than a request.

"Ok." The younger man turned to Howie who was waiting together with AJ anxiously for an answer. "D can you get Johnny for me? Kevin wants to talk to him and he says it’s urgent."

"What is it? Something serious?" AJ cut in but Brian shook his head.

"I can’t say right now but I’ll tell you guys later. For now just go and get him." "But..but."Howie started when Brian interrupted him.

”Stop asking so many questions. I told you it was urgent didn’t I?" He looked at Howie. ”Hurry up, I’ll explain later." It had to be either the tone in his younger friend’s voice or his expression in his eyes that made the Latino realise the seriousness since he went inside to get the manager without further questioning.

AJ on the other hand felt inclined to know what was going on. "B what’s up with you? Something happened with Nick? Why does Kev wanna speak to Johnny? What’s so urgent?"

Brian held up a hand. "Not now Bone."

Returning back to his talk with Kevin his cousin instantly asked him,”You got a hold of Johnny for me?"

"No. Not yet."

There was a loud groan on the other line. "Brian I don’t have time for this."

"D is getting him." Brian said before he continued. "So tell me about Nick. What happened? How is he? Is he conscious?" Upon mentioning that last word AJ raised his eyebrows. It was clear that it bothered him not knowing what went on with his little bro. Brian had a hard time talking. It felt like his words stocked up in his throat but still he had to find out how bad it was. How sick Nick was.

"Listen Bri I can’t talk right now. We’ve arrived at the hospital now and I have to follow Nick inside. But ask Johnny to call me at the..at... hell I don’t know where we are... hold on." He disappeared.

Brian bit his nails, nervously. This was a habit he had when things were getting too stressed out or he was nervous about something. Like right now. He could hear his cousin asking something to the drivers and it felt like an eternity before he came back.

"Tell Johnny to call me at Quebec General Hospital. OK? I gotta go." Then he hung, leaving Brian standing there. Shocked.

AJ was the one to get his thoughts back in track. ”What happened? Tell me!" The rebel urged, shaking his arm. "What’s up with Nick?"

"He..he... For some reason the words were stocked up in his throat, leaving him with a hard time talking. "Kevin is on his way to the hospital."

"Oh shit!" The younger mans face fell. "Is it bad?"

"I don’t know." Brian rubbed his temples, fending off an impending headache. "But Kevin told me that the doctor thought he might have meningitis."

"Man." There was a brief pause when AJ took in the words. "Meningitis you say? Isn’t that something you die from?"

"Not sure but..but I..I guess you can do that. Yes." Brian ran his had through his hair, suddenly feeling very tired. Drained. The news came like a slap in the face. Violent and unexpected.

AJ thought for a moment before he said. "Did Kev say what hospital they went to?"

"Mmm." Brian nodded. "Why?"

"'cause we gotta get to them." The rebel looked like he had the greatest idea all of a sudden. ”Let’s get a cab!"

"You’re crazy! We can’t do that!" Brian objected when Howie returned, Johnny in a tow. The black manager looked nothing but pleased.

"What the hell does this mean Littrell and McLean?" Why are you standing out here like two idiots when you are supposed to be inside entertaining the dinner guests? Don’t you know by now that this is a job and you can’t just skip work because you feel like it?" The manager barked.

"Nick’s at the hospital." AJ spat before Johnny had a chance to say anything more.

"What?" Johnny looked like he didn’t believe his ears and neither did Howie. "If that’s your idea of a joke McLean it’s not funny."

"It’s not a joke." Brian said slowly," Jay is telling the truth. Kevin just called from an ambulance and he is taking Nick to the hospital."

"The hospital?" Johnny boomed. "What kind of crap is that? Because of a flu bug?"

"No." Brian shook his head. "They spoke to a doctor and.."

Johnny interrupted him. "What you’re saying boy? Did Richardson call a doctor? Who gave him that kind of permission?" The manager was very upset now. Muttering he went on, "That costs plenty of money and I wonder how he thought we can afford to pay that." "If you paid attention to what B is trying to say here and not interrupting all the time you would know why Nick is going to a hospital." AJ was also very upset too.

Johnny glared at him, and then turned his attention back to Brian. "Ok spill it. What happened?"

"Yes," Howie piped up. "Why is Nick at the hospital?"

"His got meningitis!"

"What? What does he have?" The manger boomed.

"You heard me; He's got that disease, right B?" AJ turned towards his friend.

"Yes. At least that is what the doctor thinks it can be." His voice was quiet as he spoke. "It’s kind of bad. I think."

Once Johnny had taken in the news he said to them. "Ok this is what we will do. I’ll call down to the hospital like you said Kevin wanted me to do and meanwhile you guys go back to the hotel...”

"The hotel why?" AJ asked in surprise.

"Yes why? I want to go to the hospital too." Brian sounded like a small kid. Johnny shook his head.

"No I don’t want that much attention over this. Maybe it’s nothing, just a flu bug and then it’s unnecessary that media and the fans finds out. Therefore I would like us to keep a low profile until we know for sure what Nick is suffering from and meanwhile I will try and sort some things out." "Sort what out?" This time it was AJ who interrupted.

"God why do you guys keep interrupting me all the time?" Johnny sighed. It was clear that the news he just received was not what he needed right now, not when they were about to tour in Canada, and he was as always trying to work out a solution. "Anyway like I said before you two interrupted me," he stopped and looked at Howie, "You have something to say too? Then spill it!"

The Latino looked surprised while defending himself. "No, No."He shook his head. "I have nothing to say."

"Good then maybe you can let me go on with my plans...”

"Yeah..Yeah," AJ urged him only to receive a hard stare from the rest of the boys. The manager looked like he was going to stop once again when he changed his mind.

"This is how we do it. You guys go back to the hotel, I call in and then if things are not any better we go down to the hospital. But for now we will have a low profile. Don’t say anything at the dinner table. Ok?" He glared at the three young men. "Any objections?"

"No." They all shook their heads. But deep inside they wanted nothing more than go to the hospital to see how Nick was doing and it bothered them that they had work to do first.

"Fine! Then let’s all go back inside and finish this dinner and remember. Low key." With that the manager walked into the ballroom again leaving the rest of the guys outside.

"Bullshit." AJ said once Johnny was out of view. "He can’t rule our life’s beside it will take too long before we get to see Nick and I wanna go down to that hospital now." Looking at Brian who seemed down he said, "Let’s skip this crap and get a cab instead." Placing his arm around Brian’s shoulder he urged, "Come on buddy, and let’s go."> Howie´s eyes widened. "You can’t do that!"

"Oh yeah?" AJ challenged. "And who’s gonna stop me? You? Johnny?" He laughed. "Well he can kiss my ass!" Before Howie had a chance to object his both friends they were out of the building. Brian, too numb to think straight, just followed AJ´s hunches and before he knew it he was whisked inside a waiting cab.

After AJ and Howie had a quick debate they decided that the Latino would go back inside and explain their hasty departure with that Brian was not feeling well and they were going back to the hotel. They all knew that neither Johnny nor the dinner guests would be pleased but they really didn’t have much choice. The reason why Howie was the one selected to go back and talk to the manager was mostly because he had a good hand with everyone in the management and he could calm them down, especially Johnny. "Where are you heading?" The cab driver asked once they had closed the door.

"To the hospital!" AJ was the one taking charge.

The hefty cabdriver chuckled. "Which one? There are several."

"Oh shit!" Turning to Brian he asked, "Rok where was it? Where did they go?"

Brian who had been sitting mostly quiet, thinking about all the worst thoughts in his mind mumbled, "I think it was Quebec General Hospital or something."

"Ok. You’re not from around here, are you?"

"Nope we’re American’s," AJ said proudly. "From Florida to be exact."

"That sounds pretty nice to me." The cab driver chuckled. "I’ll bet it’s better than the cold weather we’re having over here." "Can we please go now?" Brian groaned when he thought that the conversation between the cabdriver and AJ had been taking much too long. He was also afraid that Johnny would come bursting out from the entrance when he found out that they had ditched him.

"You got it!" With that the driver started the car and to Brian’s relief they headed for the hospital.