[ - ]
Table of Contents [Report This]
Printer Chapter or Story Microsoft Word Chapter or Story
- Text Size +
Part I Chapter 24

Win’s job for Red took her the greater part of the day. She wanted to be back to “Federline Follies” by seven, but that didn’t look like it was going to happen. AJ had sulked all day without Win to take his mind off his troubles. Not only had she still not answered him about going home to meet his mother, but she was out the entire day working, and he was worried about a talk he had agreed to do for a school about drug addiction.
It had been five years since AJ had mentioned his stay in rehab, since his public announcements of staying sober, of being burned at the MTV awards by that smart mouth comic. The first time he had brought it up was with Win, he’d never talked to his mother or grandfather about it, the guys, their manager, not even his later girlfriends did he tell. He never thought about it. Those were two months he did not want to rehash. Those days were off limits to the public, his friends, family, even to himself, until he met Win. She’d been through much of what he had, and she could still carry a smile on her face. She’d been through even more than he had, at least he had a family to fall back on, and enough money to be independent and quite comfortable. Win had lived in the streets for seven years. Yet she could walk and talk among people she didn’t even know two months ago and feel at home, while he, felt like strangers with the boys he’d grown up with, now the men he considered his brothers. Win walked around, studying the eyes of others, always laughing, engaging in conversations, he hid behind his glasses and under his hats, shielding his face, his expressions and his thoughts.
Anniversaries of when he finally kicked the habits of cocaine and alcohol rolled around and depressed him. He thought of those last uses with bitterness. It reminded him of all the stupid, hurtful, irresponsible, humiliating, irreversible things he’d done while stoned out of his mind or drunk to the point of falling over. He was ashamed, so ashamed of what he’d done.
How could he march out onto a stage in front of five hundred high school students, as if he were a hero because he, an over-pampered, self centered, rich, asshole, who, had been addicted to cocaine and alcohol and was rich enough to go into a fancy rehabilitation clinic and come back out “cured”? Well he wasn’t cured, and he was no hero. And there was no way in hell he was going out onto a stage to talk about the two months he’d spent fighting to keep himself away from the bottle to deaden his pain. He knew, deep down inside, that if he could get his hand on one drop, he’d go back to his old ways, and he was sure, that this time, he wouldn’t return.
Looking back on the day he had agreed to speak at the school he realized that he really didn’t make the decision. It was the day after Win told him she’d taken drugs as well. In a mad moment, where he wasn’t thinking, he’d agreed to do it, emphatically so. Now he was dead set against it. Now no one could change his mind, not even Win would be able to put him into it.
By the end of the day, AJ had gotten himself so nervous that he was sick. His stomach hurt so bad he could little think of any thing else. After the few appearances they made that morning AJ went right back to his room and stayed there. He was not going out tonight, he just felt too sick and he missed Win.
At around seven thirty Win rushed up to AJ’s room when she heard he was sick. He answered the door, barely able to walk, he saw her worried face.
“I’m okay beautiful, really, oh wait, no I’m not.” AJ said quickly putting a hand over his mouth. He tried to run to the bathroom but tripped and fell to the floor. Win rushed and helped him up to the bathroom where he got sick. He felt Win’s hand on his back as his stomach convulsed so hard it hurt.
When he finally emerged from the toilet bowl he found he also thrown up on his shirt.
“God, I haven’t been this sick since the last time I was drunk, no wonder I gave it up,” he said miserably as his head swam.
“Here rinse your mouth out,” he heard as a cup of water was pushed gently into his hand. He did so, spitting the water out and flushing the toilet. He tried to stand, but he couldn’t.
“Hold on there cowboy, here, take this off.” He felt like a little kid again as Win pulled his shirt off over his head, but he was too weak to do much.
“Lets get you cleaned up.” Apparently not only had he vomited on his shirt, but his pants as well, and the floor. Win washed his face off, and used a clean cloth to press cool water on his face, wrists and the back of his neck.
“Okay boy, we’re gonna put you to bed.” She said pulling one of his arms over her shoulder, and putting another hand on his chest as she lifted him off the floor. AJ pushed up and felt her lifting him and walking towards the bed. She sat him on the edge gently and helped him change out of his clothes with vomit and into some pajama pants. She helped him tenderly lay down and went back to clean up the bathroom and grab a garbage can to place beside the bed. Win also brought a glass of water with her and a clean cloth.
Win went to the opposite side of the bed she’d placed AJ on and climbed in, sitting against the headboard. AJ climbed into her lap and laid his head on her legs, closing his eyes as she stroked his hair.
“I thought you had to do something for Red.” He mumbled.
“Never you mind, you just rest, I’m here now.” She replied, her other hand finding his and gently rubbing his fingers as they clutched at her knee. She was no fool, she was not leaving him, not now. Times like these are what cement people together.
“I’m glad you’re here.” He said with closed eyes.
“Shh, just go to sleep.” He spoke no more, but every once in a while she felt his body tighten up from the nervousness that he might get sick again. She calmly stroked his hair and sang a few notes until she was sure he was asleep.
“The time has come, for you my love, to hold me now, the time has come, for us to dance so close, upon the stars, near and far, my dear one, now close your eyes, please don’t lose your way, open your heart and see that time has stayed, for us, my love.”