Ring…ring…ring…

“Whoever the hell this is better have a damn good reason for calling me this early on my day off,” I mumbled into the phone, half-asleep.

“Mel, it’s Roger,” my boss said into the phone. I didn’t even have to hear another word to know why he was calling.

I sighed, beginning to drag myself out of bed. “I’ll be there in 20,” I said, hanging up.

It wasn’t rare for the station to call me on my days off, asking me to come in for a special interview or event. I had been at a concert, broadcasting until 2 in the morning the previous night, and had spent the next 2 hours recording the voice track for my morning show. Normally, I didn’t voice track my show, but Roger gave me the go-ahead since I had covered last night’s concert at the last minute AND managed to score an impromptu interview with the artist, Kelly Clarkson. Even though I was supposed to have the morning off, I loved my job and was willing to come in whenever they needed me. That was probably the reason they continued to call me for these assignments. Well… that and the fact that I was the best writer/interviewer the station had.

Ten minutes later, I was showered and in my car, heading toward the station. As soon as I was parked, I jumped out of the car, rushing into the building, searching through my purse for the keys to my office. I probably should have been watching where I was going because the next thing I knew, I was on my ass, dazed and trying to figure out how I ended up on the floor.

“Oh my God! I’m SO sorry!” a male voice apologized, bending down to help me gather the spilled contents of my purse.

“Thanks, but it’s not your fault. I really should have been paying attention,” I laughed, trying to get my stuff as quickly as possible.

The stranger laughed as well. “Mel! What are you doing here? I thought it was your day off!” my friend and co-worker, John, asked, walking up and offering me a hand.

“Roger called me in,” I laughed, causing John to shake his head at me.

I turned to the stranger, a gasp leaving my lips when I saw his face for the first time. His face pretty much mirrored mine, shock written all over our expressions.

“Mel? Melanie Davis?” he asked.

“Brian! What are you doing here?” I asked, not believing my eyes.

“I should be asking you the same question!”

“I work here. I’m the host of the morning show,” I explained, still staring at him like he was a figment of my imagination.

“Oh. I always told you, you could do it,” he smiled.

“Yeah, you did,” I smiled back.

I jumped as I felt something vibrate against my hip. Realizing it was my cell phone, I pulled it out, seeing my boss’ name on the caller ID. “Shit! Brian, I’m sorry, but I have to go,” I sighed, regrettably.

I had almost forgotten John was there until he spoke up. “I’ll walk with you!”

“Wait! First, can you tell me where to find Roger Hammond?” Brian asked, glancing at a piece of paper he pulled out of his pocket.

“Yeah… sure… no problem,” I agreed, giving him a strange look as I tried to figure out why he was looking for Roger.

When we reached Production Studio A, I knocked softly, waiting for Roger to open the door. “Brian! Mel! I see you two have met,” Roger greeted, leading us both into the room.

“Umm… yeah,” I nodded, turning to acknowledge Brian briefly before returning my attention to Roger. “What’s going on?” I asked, getting straight to the point.

“Brian asked to come in and address some of the rumors about AJ’s relapse and what has been going on,” Roger half-questioned, looking at Brian, who nodded his affirmation.

“Oh. Why do you need me, then?” I asked.

Roger sighed, acting like it was the most obvious answer in the world. “You’re the best we’ve got for improv. We didn’t have time to prep anyone.”

I just nodded, knowing he was right. “Ok.”

I quickly made my way into the booth, getting ready and set up for the interview.

I waited until Brian was situated before turning to the producer, Austin, waiting for his signal to come in.

When he nodded at me, I started talking. “The Backstreet Boys just finished the North American leg of the Black and Blue Tour, and already gossip magazines are abuzz with Backstreet news. Some say Nick Carter’s solo album has caused a rift in the group. Others talk of a possible relapse for the resident bad-boy, AJ McLean. We are lucky enough to have an expert in all things Backstreet in the studio this morning to help us sort fact from fiction, Brian Littrell. Thank you for coming, Brian.”

“I was happy to come,” Brian smiled. “Plus, I think it’s necessary for the group’s survival for me to clear up some of the confusion.”

“Well then, let’s clear out some of this garbage. Fact or fiction: Nick Carter’s solo album has caused a rift in the group?”

“That’s 100% fiction. All of us are extremely proud of Nick, and we give him our full support on his solo endeavors. It’s something he has been thinking about doing for a long time, and we’re so happy that he finally has the opportunity to follow through.” I could tell Brian wasn’t being completely honest, but I was NOT about to call him out on the air.

“So then, is this the end of the Backstreet Boys?” I asked.

“Not by a long shot. We’re all take some much-needed time off, but we are very much still a group. I promise, this is not the end. There WILL be another Backstreet Boys album sometime in the future,” Brian promised. It amazed me how much he had changed. When Mr. Turner had first mentioned that Brian could make a living with his voice, Brian had just laughed it off, not taking it seriously. But to see him now, to see how much he loved his job, it was like looking at a different person.

“I can still remember a time when you scoffed at the idea of singing for a living,” I laughed, causing Brian to smile fondly at the memory. “When Mr. Turner first suggested it, you thought he was crazy. A lot has changed over the years, I see.”

“I remember. We used to joke about it all the time,” Brian reminisced.

“Fact or fiction: Tates Creek High has decided to name their new auditorium after you?” I asked, laughing quietly at Brian’s scrunched up nose.

“Fiction. I didn’t even know that rumor was out there,” he admitted. “Sometimes people come up with the most random stuff, and it’s hard to keep up with everything the media is saying about us. I usually just try to brush it off, but being a celebrity is like being popular in high school; everybody is trying to get the latest scoop, and it spreads quickly.”

“Fact or fiction: AJ McLean has relapsed after being treated for alcohol addiction last year?”

“Fact.” Brian’s face turned somber, as I saw him struggling to keep control. “It’s hard watching one of my friends go through something like this, but knowing that there is nothing you can do. He has to do it on his own, or else it will never last. I just hate not being able to help him through this. No matter what, AJ has all of our support, and we love him very much. We know that he can do it.”

“AJ has the support of millions around the world, but I’m sure he feels blessed to know that his best friends are there for him, even through his time of trouble,” I comforted, grasping Brian’s hand on he table as a sign of support.

We continued the interview for another 10 minutes, but Brian decided to stick around until the end of the show, bantering back and forth with me like we used to do in high school. At the end of the show, Roger came in, a mischievous grin spread across his face. “What?” I asked, suspiciously.

Roger turned to Brian, addressing him and ignoring me completely. “Brian, can I speak to you for a second?”

Brian stared at Roger, nodding and following him into the production studio. I watched them with a keen eye, trying to decipher what was being said, but to no avail. Finally, I saw Brian and Roger shake hands before making their way back into the booth.

“Mel, Brian’s going to be your new Friday morning co-host! The listeners are going to love your history and chemistry!” Roger exclaimed, obviously excited.

“You want HIM to be my WHAT?” I exclaimed.

“While Brian and the Boys are on hiatus, he’s going to join you on Friday mornings as your special co-host,” Roger explained, giving me a look that said, ‘I’m your boss, so don’t argue with me.’

I just gave them both a blank look before finally sighing in defeat. “Alright.”

“Good,” Roger said, heading for the door, but turning back for one last instruction. “Mel, take him to lunch on the expense account and explain everything to him.”

I nodded, turning to Brian, wondering what I had just gotten myself into.