Chapter 13
AJ could hear someone calling him but he wasn’t sure where it was coming from. Slowly he opened his eyes and the blurry image of a person in front of him started to come into focus. It was Chelsea and he smiled tiredly at her.
“Hey” He mumbled.
“Alex we fell asleep and your phone is ringing” She said as she sat up.
“Huh?” He said confused as he looked around. He saw the dresser, the TV sitting in the TV cupboard, and the small coffee table in front of them. As he sat up he remembered they had come to a hotel, got a room, ordered food and started talking, they must have fallen asleep on couch.
His phone rang again and he reached into his pocket and pulled it out. Looking at the name that came up on the display, he frowned when he saw it was Kevin. With a sigh he flipped his phone open and answered the call.
“Hello?”
“Where the hell are you?” Kevin said anxiously.
“Relax dude, we just went to a hotel to talk, had something to eat and we fell asleep, we’re on our way now ok?” AJ said as Chelsea got up from the couch.
“Just get here.” Kevin said with a sigh and then hung up the phone.
“What time is it?” AJ asked as Chelsea handed him his hoody.
“Almost 2 am” She replied as she held the door open for him. He grabbed the key card and walked out of the room. They hurried down the hall and took the elevator down to the hotel lobby. AJ handed over the key card, checked out of the room and then walked Chelsea to Kevin’s car.
“Are you sure about what we talked about, your going to have one hell of a fight on your hands.” AJ said as they turned onto the road leading out of the city to Anne’s place.
“Yes.” Chelsea said as he quickly looked at her. “As long as you’re ok with it.”
“The only one I’m worried about is Kevin and Anne, if they’re fine with it, then I don’t care what the other two have to say.” AJ said with a light smile. Chelsea lightly smiled back at him as he looked back towards the road.
It wasn’t long until they pulled into the Richardson driveway and they both saw Kevin sitting on the front porch. Chelsea flashed him a ‘here we go’ smile and climbed out of the front seat.
“I need you to go inside and talk to mom.” Kevin said to Chelsea as they walked up to him.
“She’s not mad is she?” Chelsea asked.
“No.” Kevin shook his head. “She just wants to see you.” Chelsea lightly nodded and AJ watched her leave the porch and walk into the house.
“I hope you’re not to mad, we went somewhere private to talk and I guess we fell asleep.”
“Naw dude I’m not mad, I knew she was ok.” Kevin said as he sat down on the swing.
“Then why do you have that look on your face.” AJ said as he stood where he was.
“Tim and Jerald are the ones that are mad. They’re mad that Mom and I let her go out with you.”
“What? Why?” AJ asked confused.
“They’re worried that because of everything she’s been through, she’ll attach herself to you.”
“So..” AJ said with a light shrug.
“They’re worried you’re going to hurt her.” Kevin said looking at him.
“Hurt her how?” but as he said the words his memories of past girlfriends flashed through his mind. “That’s not fare.” AJ said defensively.
“They have a point man.” Kevin said. AJ stared at him, dumb founded.
“Ok first again not fare, second, she’s different.” AJ said pointing back to the house. “And third who says that anything is going to happen?”
“You don’t want it too?” Kevin asked.
“Well..” But before he could say anything a loud banging sound was heard from inside the house, then some yelling. Kevin and AJ stopped their conversation and headed into the house.
“What’s going on?” Kevin asked.
“This, this is your fault.” Tim said pointing to AJ.
“Me, what the hell did I do?” AJ explained shock.
“You put those idea’s into her head.” Jerald snapped.
“Idea’s, what idea?” Kevin asked.
“What are you talking about?” AJ said still confused.
“The idea of her going to California to live with you?” Tim shouted.
“What?” Kevin said looking at AJ.
“Whoa whoa whoa.” AJ said throwing up his hands. “She’s not going to be living with me.” AJ explained. “She wants to go for the week, see my shows, hang out relax and not think about what she’s been through, what’s so wrong with that?”
“Nothing, but when you’re trying to get into her pants.” Tim snapped.
“Hey!” Kevin shouted to Tim.
“Fuck you asshole.” AJ snapped at Tim.
“HEY!” Kevin shouted snapping his head to AJ. “And you.” He said looking at Tim. “Need to back off, she was the one that wanted him out here, remember?”
“No I’m not, I am sorry Kevin but I will not stand here and let him lead her on.” Tim said pointing to AJ. “Sure she wants him out here, the last thing she knows is what they had when she was 16 but he is supposed to be mature enough to not go there.” AJ sighed, then he laughed lightly.
“oh, now he’s laughing.” Jerald said as he sat back in his chair.
“You’re fucking right I am.” AJ said as he looked at Kevin and his brothers.
“Alex.” Kevin said towards the swearing.
“You’re mom’s not here.” AJ said quickly, and then he looked back at Kevin’s two brothers. “You two sit there and judge me all you want, everyone is always thinking they fucking know what’s going on with me, it’s nothing new too me but I will not tolerate you acting like I’m here to get laid.”
“Do I care about her? Yes. I am here because she asked me to be here, not you, not Anne, and not Kevin, it was her. None of us know what she went through; none of us do, so for right now, I’m willing to let her decide what she wants to do.”
“She needs to be with doctors.” Jerald said.
“Really? What are they going to tell her, what are they going to do for her? They can’t erase her memory.” AJ said angrily. “They can’t make the past 13 years just go away, she was locked in a room alone, going from state to state, house to house, god knows what else, you’re not going to be able to fix this over night.”
“Where is she now?” Kevin asked.
“She took off into the kitchen, mom went after her.” Jerald nodded to the kitchen door.
“You need to go back to Cali alone.” Tim said standing up and walking over to the front window. “She doesn’t know what she wants, she’s confused, and she’s been through so much, she needs to be with doctors so she can move past this.”
“What about you Alex?” Jerald said and AJ looked at him. “Can you really handle all of this, you have so much going on, your shows, the group, you’re solo, this week she got lucky but in a month can you just drop everything and come out here?”
“No.” AJ said. “But we also don’t know how she’s going to be in a month either. Look I really don’t care what any of you have to say to me, for me right now, it’s about her, and she told me she doesn’t want to go to the doctors yet, so I’m not pushing her.”
“Did she tell you this tonight while you two talked?” Tim asked sarcastically. “It seems she was pretty open with you, were you as open with her?”
“What does that mean?”
“Well did you tell her about your drinking, the drugs.”
“Tim.” AJ heard Kevin say.
“The od’s, the woman, the woman you hurt.” Tim continued ignoring Kevin.
“Tim.” Kevin said sternly and it distracted AJ enough that he looked at him
“The people you hurt, Kevin included.” Tim said. “Does she know how many times you’ve actually cheated on the woman you loved?” Tim said putting up his fingers and making a quoting motion. “You probably cheated on her when you were 16.”
“Timothy!” Anne said angrily and it made everyone but Kevin jump. AJ looked over to the kitchen door and saw Anne and Chelsea standing there staring at Tim. He knew now why Kevin was trying to get him to shut up. “I expected better of you, now you and Jerald into the kitchen, Kevin you and I are going upstairs.”
“What? I’m not done..” Tim was interrupted.
“You are now.” Anne said angrily too him. “Now get.” She snapped throwing her arm out to the kitchen door and AJ watched two grown men turn into 5 year olds as their mother punished them. When the two were in the kitchen Anne headed up the stairs and Kevin followed behind her.
“Well that went well.” AJ sighed as he sat on the couch. He looked up when Chelsea walked passed him and sat on the couch next to him.
“I’m going to stay here.” Chelsea said quietly.
“Is this what you want?” AJ asked wondering if all of this was the reason for her changing her mind.
“No” She said quietly. “But maybe I don’t know what I want; maybe I don’t know what is best for me right now.”
“Chels.” AJ said not really sure what to say.
“You should get some sleep, only a couple of hours before you have to leave.” She said as she stood up. “Thanks for coming out.”
“I can stay up, I prefer to sleep on the plane, less time spent thinking about crashing.” He said trying to joke a little.
“It’s ok, I need to get up with Anne in the morning, we’re going to the University Medical Center.”
“Wait Chels, if you don’t want..” She turned around and stopped him.
“It’s ok Alex really.” She said with a light smile but he knew that smile, it was her I’ll just deal with it smile. “Good luck at your shows, or break a leg, or whatever they say.” She smiled and then headed into the kitchen. He heard her go up the back stairs and sighed as he sat down on the couch. When he heard a creek from the stairs in the living room he looked up and saw Kevin walking down.
“Are you ok?” Kevin asked.
“No, no I’m not.” AJ said. “You guys are making her do something she doesn’t want to do.”
“She may not want to Alex but she needs to.” Kevin said.
“But right now, tomorrow?” AJ asked. “Can’t you guys give her some time?”
“The FBI doctors said the sooner she gets it out the better.”
“That doctor is not Chelsea; I don’t see how making her go over everything, talk about everything, relive everything is going to help her right now. I’m not saying never ever and I know she’s not either, she’s just saying not right now.” AJ snapped.
“Are you mad that we’re making her go to the University or are you mad she’s not going to Cali?” Kevin asked. AJ sat staring at the carpet, Kevin’s words playing in his head.
“She is going through some major shit Kevin, the last thing that’s going to help her is being pushed into something she doesn’t want to do.” AJ said as he stood up and walked over to the stairs, he then stopped and looked back at Kevin. “And that, that is something I know a little bit about but whatever man, I’ll go back to Cali, I’ll go do my shows, I’ll sleep around, and I’ll be what ever it is people think I am.” He said as he turned back around and walked up the stairs. “No better than the fucking fans sometimes.” He mumbled up the stairs.
