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Chapter 43:

Nastasia was currently in a deep heated discussion with Kevin, AJ and Nick about playing street basketball. Howie decided to let Nastasia be alone with them for now (even though she had been with them non-stop). He carefully walked from where the bunks were to the seats in the front where Denise was playing with Alexandria and Chase. Brian and Lauren were in the back playing a game.

" Dada! " Alexandria exclaimed as soon as she saw her father and began crawling over to him anxiously.

"Hey sweetheart." Howie laughed as he immediatly scooped up his child, holding her tight while giving her tons of kisses. Denise laughed as Howie sat down next to her on the seats, Chase was playing her a game of cards.

" Hey Uncle Howie! Wanna play? " Chase asked as he slapped down his cards and grinned up at his grandmother. " I win! "

" How do you win? " Denise laughed.

" Because! I win! "

"Sounds like AJ." Howie chuckled as he sat down, balancing little Alexandria in his lap. She let loose a round of giggles. An extremely happy child, like her mother.

" Very much, " Denise laughed as Chase struggled to shuffle the cards, a few dropping on the floor and him picking them back up.

" Play again grammy? " Chase asked, his brown eyes shining up at her.

"Play you? But you always win!" Denise laughed.

" Because I'm da master! " Chase giggled.

"Should we just call him AJ Junior?" Howie asked as Alexandria giggled again, her bright green eyes hopeful and alert. Her mother's had been downcasted and fairly dreary lately, he wished he knew what was wrong with her.

" If he keeps this up, we should, " Denise laughed as her grandson dealt the cards very sloppy.

"Grammy! Bad job!" Chase scolded as Howie rolled his eyes.

" What about me? I thought I was gonna play? " Howie asked.

" You didn't say you want to, so, now you can't, so ha! " Chase joked and stuck his tongue out playfully.

Alexandria looked at Chase sticking out his tongue and automatically did the same thing. Releasing a sarcastic laugh, surprising Howie and Denise both.

"Now that was a Stazzie move." Denise laughed.

" She's too much like her mother, " Howie mumbled, not realizing it.

"What's that supposed to mean sweetie?" Denise asked, confusion spreading across her dark eyes. Chase even stopped a moment to glance at his uncle.

" She's an exact copy of her mother, only smaller and younger. "

"Why do I have a feeling there's something else that's plaguing you?" Denise asked, "I could always tell when Staz was in trouble, AJ's words always had double meanings then..."

" Then what? " Howie asked suddenly.

"Nothing..." Denise answered, wanting to change the subject. "Lexie, come here sweetheart. Grammy has your teddybear."

" No Denise, then what? " Howie asked, feeling anger well within him, not towards Denise, but toward the fact that it seemed like everyone was keeping something from him, some forbidden secret.

"Sweetheart, it's nothing. I swear." Denise answered softly.

" Fine, whatever, " Howie sighed as he ran a hand over his face.

"What is the matter?" Denise asked, upset that she couldn't tell him anything. But it was Nastasia's place to tell him, not her. She was also worried about Howie. He seemed to be down and depressed about something, which she figured happened to do with Nastasia.

" Nothing, " Howie answered, not wanting to look up at her.

"Howard Dwaine, please. I'm the mother of your wife. I know when's somethings up. Why can't you talk to me?" Denise asked in a calm tone.

" Shouldn't I be asking you the same thing? " Howie asked, a hurtful look on his face as he stood up and handed Alexandria over to her. He began to walk away.

"Howie, don't." Denise called to him. Not completely understanding what he said.

Howie ignored her and walked towards the bunk area to go lay down. He suddenly felt the need to be alone, not wanting to see anyone. His heart was aching, he only wanted answers, and not even Denise would give him any. And he knew she knew something.

*****

"Look, I'm telling you pansies that checkin' is all right in street b-ball!" Nastasia laughed as Kevin groaned. Nastasia perked up from her heated discussion with the guys to see Denise walk over with Alexandria. She looked a little upset, which worried Nastasia. "Is Lexie fussy?" She asked softly.

" No, " Denise answered. " Actually, it's Howie. I'm kind of worried about him... "

"What's the matter?" Nastasia asked, worry increasing in her voice. After the suicide attack she became extremely worried about Howie. But he would never tell her what's up with him.

" I'm not quite sure, that's the thing. I was just talking with him a few minutes ago, then he began to look a little depressed about something. When I tried to question him why he was upset, he wouldn't say. He just walked away without saying a word. "

"Can we say PMS?" AJ asked with a smirk.

" Alex! " Denise scolded, glaring at her son.

"WHAT?!" AJ asked with an innocent smile.

Nastasia rolled her eyes as she slapped AJ. "Bad JJ! Bad!" She scolded with Denise.

" Damn woman, you're becoming abusive, " A.J joked.

"That's not funny." Nastasia whispered softly, her eyes downcasting. She gave a hurt look at AJ and stood up, cradling Alexandria in her arms, she walked away.

At first, A.J didn't realize what had just upset Nastasia, but then it hit him and he knew he shouldn't have said it. Kevin and Nick looked on in confusion, but from the silence that began to grow, the subject was dismissed.

*****

" C'mon Bri Bear! That wasn't fair! " Lauren laughed as she glared playfully at Brian who just gave her an innocent smile. " You cheat so badly! "

" I do not! " Brian protested.

" You do too! No wonder Nick is such a bad sport when he plays with you. "

" I don't cheat and Nick just can't play games worth beans, " Brian laughed.

" Well, you got a point there, " Lauren giggled. She smiled as she watched Brian play a round by himself determindly. These were the times she really enjoyed spending with him. When they just hung out.

Out of nowhere, Lauren's cellphone rang and she jumped at the sound. Brian whipped his cellphone out of his pocket, but after realizing it wasn't his that was ringing, he laughed sheepishly.

" I think it's your cell that's ringing. "

Lauren absentmindedly reached over to the couch where her cellphone was laying and picked it up. " Hello? "

" Lauren? "

She nearly dropped the phone when she heard the voice. She clearly recognized it and it scared her. After Brian excused himself from the room silently, she sat down on the couch.

" Hello? "

" Yeah? " she asked, her voice barely audible.

" Lauren, it's Devon. "

' Like I didn't know that stupid, ' she thought cruely with a laugh. " I know... "

" Finally, I've gotten ahold of you. It's been forever since the last time we've talk. How have you been? " Devon asked cheerfully, eager to make conversation.

" I've been ok, " Lauren answered, her mind wandering off. It was all too wierd. She had just been talking to Brian about Devon not too long before and now he called her. What were the chances? " Um...y-yourself? "

" I've been quite well. My job is going great. Hey, I saw you got married, to what's his name? "

" A.J... "

" Yeah A.J. I thought you guys broke up after - "

" Well we got back together, " Lauren snapped unexpectedly.

" Sorry, I didn't mean it like that. But congradulations though. "

" Yeah... "

" Well, I came across their tour schedule on entertainment tonight last night and I sorta figured you would be on tour with them. "

" Yeah, I am. "

" You're supposed to be coming to New York after Atlanta, right? "

" Yes, the last time I heard... "

" Well, since it's been a while, how about we get together? For good times sake? "

Lauren wanted to scream at him no, she had no desire to see him, let alone really have a friendship with him, because she knew somehow it would probably result in the destruction of her and A.J's marraige, but she didn't have the heart to be a bitch. He was only trying to be a friend, even though she had shut him out of her life all these years.

" Lauren? "

" What? "

" When the tour gets to New York, could we get together? "

Just then A.J popped his head into the back room, causing Lauren to jump again.

" I gotta go. Bye, " she said quickly and hung up the phone.

" Who was that? " A.J asked as he walked into the room and pulled her up into his arms.

" Nobody, " Lauren lied.

" It had to of been somebody. I know you weren't talking to yourself. "

" It was the wrong number. "

" Really... "

" Yeah, wrong number. Didn't know who it was, " Lauren lied quickly, not wanting to tell him who it really was.