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Chapter 10: Sticky situations


To Brian the next two days passed by in a blur. The flu Baylee suffered from before now really had laid its hand on Brian. But there was no way of getting ill right now. He couldn't accept that. That would have added fuel to their fire. So Brian simply took some painkillers to make the headache go away and pretend like nothing was wrong with him. Until now this had been working out fine.

Marc hadn't called so far and Brian didn't know what to this about this. Was this good? He also hadn't heard anything from their management so far, but he had the uncomfortable feeling that something was going on.

He barely had any time to spend with Leighanne or Baylee since now Hanson had kicked into action and had made sure that his schedule was completely packed. This `new´ responsibilities in public relations major sucked.

Brian had never liked Hanson. But now he hated him, with a passion. Not only that Hanson seemed to love nothing more than tying him up in an inhuman schedule, he also had a great time trying to push Brian’s buttons. Nowadays this was easy to be done.

Thankfully the others were also pretty busy now that the video shoot came nearer and the show needed to be changed due to that. He was glad when another day passed with nothing happening, but this constant feeling of being hunted almost made him go sicker than this stupid flu. He would carry on service Hanson as long as they left his family alone.

Now he walked up to his room exhausted, wanting nothing more than to shower and spent some time with his family when his cell phone rang. He picked up not checking the caller ID since he expected Marc to call.

But it wasn't Marc. It was Johnny Wright.

“Hello Brian, this is Johnny. How are things going?” Johnny asked on the other side.

Immediately a picture popped up in Brian's bed. Johnny at his bedside, barely one week after the surgery. `Just checking´, and making sure that Brian wouldn't forget to be up again in seven weeks from now on because then the concert in Charlotte was due and there was no way of cancelling it or do it without him.

“Brian, are you there?”

“Yeah, yeah sorry. I just had to find my room key. What's up?” Brian tried to be gentle.

“Just checking how thing are going…” Johnny replied. He had never done this before. So much for being gentle.

“Yeah right, Johnny. Everything is fine. So what is it that you really want?” He sounded harsh by now.

“Okay, if you want it that way.” Johnny also skipped the gentle part. “Next Sunday, which was off so far, there´ll be a huge meeting with complete management and all. In Paris. You´ll get order were exactly it takes place. Hope you'll be there in person this time. I think you know what it's about? But added to this you'll guys get new contracts, now that you became this successful again… I'll expect you there. Make sure you’re on time. And Brian…” he trailed off.

“What?” Brian spat.

“…keep Bristol out of this business!” with that he had hung up.

“Fuck you!” Brian hissed into the phone, but of cause Johnny hadn't been able to hear that.

New contracts? And how did he know about Marc? Suddenly everything made sense. Johnny noticed or had been informed that his lawyer was investigating on his contract. Maybe he even knew which facts Marc had looked up in first place. There was a way, a gap in their contract allowing him whether to take along whom ever he wanted or to quit out of some reasons. And Johnny knew this. And now he wanted to fill this gap by offering new contracts. Not only offering, probably the management would force them to accept the new contracts. Brian knew they could as long as they were with better conditions for the five of them.

Brian wanted to scream. This was more than unfair; this was beyond everything the management had put them through so far.

Brian realized that he was still standing in front of his hotel room key card in his hands. Suddenly he felt that, if he would see his wife and his son right now, he would break down. He put his key back in his pocket and left for the elevator again. He had the plan to go down to the bar to have a drink and think bout everything before he would go back to Leighanne.

He looked at his watch. 9.00 p.m. Baylee maybe was already in bed nevertheless, so he pushed the button for the first floor and went to the bar.

Not many people were around, which he was thankful for. He pushed the cap he had been wearing the whole day deeper into his way and made his way over to a table in the far corner.

He sat down scanning the room. That was something he got used to over the years. There was absolutely no sign of a reporter or anybody else who shouldn't see a Backstreet Boy sitting in the hotel bar.

When the waiter came he ordered a beer. He wasn't a heavy drinker. He remembered getting really drunk once with AJ at his room in the hotel. He had had a fight with his girlfriend of that time. How long was that ago? Almost ten years now? Time had gone by quickly.

After that experience he usually stayed away from alcohol. He sometimes had some beers with his brother or his brothers-in-law, but normally nothing more. Seeing one of his best friends suffering from that stuff had made him realize that it was more that a drink for adults.

Brian received his beer and looked at it trying to think of a way out of his fucked-up situation. Suddenly he heard a familiar voice.

“Is this seat already taken?” AJ asked in his specific way.

“Would you take a `No´ for an answer?” Brian asked without taking his gaze from the glass.

AJ sat down “What do you think?”

Brian didn't reply.

“Did you have a phone call from Johnny?” AJ looked at his friend. He felt compassion for him. He looked sick, like he had done days before.

Brian nodded, now drinking from his beer.

“Bri, when was the last time you slept?” AJ was concerned.

Brian shrugged his shoulders. He kept drinking.

“It won't help, ya know?” AJ looked as Brian finished his glass.

Brian looked up. Tears were in his eyes as he looked at his friend.

“Leave me, AJ.” Then he buried his head in his arms and simply let the ears flow.