An Illicit Gentleman II

                                       Chapter Thirty-Eight

            “Wow he’s on time today.” Howie said with a smile as AJ walked into the meeting room.

            “Eve must have driven him.” Nick spoke up.  The guys started laughing, well Howie and Nick did, Brian just sat there quietly.  AJ didn’t say anything as he sat down.  Truth is he hadn’t said much since he had the talk with Eve.  Even though she told him not to worry he couldn’t help it.  She was going to reveal some dark stuff to people who didn’t even know her all because of him.

“Everything ok man?” Nick asked.

“Just got a lot on my mind.” AJ said as he took a deep breath.

“Did they find something out?” Howie asked.

“No, nothing new, it’s not that, it’s just Eve told me last night she wants to do an interview.” AJ said and he caught Brian’s head snapping up.

“Seriously?” Nick replied.  “Why?”

“She wants to get rid of the people outside the house; she wants to get people out of our business because she wants to start looking into adoption.” AJ told them.

“Adoption, really?” Howie said with a smile and AJ nodded.

“That’s awesome dude.” Nick said as he sat back.

“It’s just not fare that she would have to open up to people about something she can barely talk to me about.” AJ said.  “I don’t want her doing it just to appease the magazines.”

“Well your way wasn’t working.” Brian mumbled.

“Whatever prick.” AJ mumbled back.

“I think she’s being smart about it, god knows how long it’s going to take with the past you two have.” Brian said with a sigh.

“What the hell does that mean?” AJ asked even though he pretty much knew.

“That was uncalled for Bri.” Howie said as he looked from AJ to Brian.

“Hey I’m just saying the people at the adoption agency will look into their past, an alcoholic, drug addicted stripper and a drug addicted alcoholic singer.” Brian told them.

“That was like eight fucking years ago.” AJ snapped.

“And what about last night?” Brian asked.  “You think they are gonna let you adopt a kid when the two of you have your sex exploits all over those magazines.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” AJ asked confused.

“What are you talking about?” Both Nick and Howie asked as they looked at Brian.

“You don’t know?” Brian asked.  “Seems here our newlywed couple decided to do it in the kitchen last night.”

“How the hell…” AJ said still really confused.

“Close the curtains next time, especially since you have thirty photographers outside your house.” Brian snapped.

“No way.” Nick snickered.  “I gotta get to a store.” He said standing up.

“Sit down!” Howie yelled at him and then he looked at Brian.  “What are you talking about?”

“It’s in all the rag mags, a picture of AJ and Eve having sex up against the fridge.”

“Eww, I’m not eating at your place again until you have the kitchen sterilized.” Nick joked.

“Shut up!” AJ snapped at him.  He then quickly reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone.

“Calling Eve?” Howie asked.

“She’s on her way to the supermarket.” AJ said as he pressed the quick dial button.

“Shitty.” Nick frowned.  The thought of Eve walking into the store and seeing them on every rack made his chest hurt.  He waited and waited but she didn’t pick up.

“Damn it.” He mumbled as he ended the call.  Just then Mike walked into the room and looked at AJ.  “Don’t you even fucking start.” AJ said quickly reading the look on the man’s face.

“Alex you had thirty something cameras outside your house.” Mike sighed.

“Out front they are supposed to be out front, they’re not allowed in the mountains.  The mountains my back door faces.” AJ said defensively.  “Besides you said you wanted publicity for the new album.” Nick snickered and tried to cover it up.

“AJ” Brian sighed.

“Actually it would work great with your solo isn’t that what Crazy Love is sorta about?” Nick replied with a smile.

“Honestly you two.” Howie piped up.  “Want me to tell Eve you had this conversation?” He asked looking at AJ.

“Fine” AJ replied getting the point.  “I’m going to try calling her again. God she’s probably in the store by now.”

“Umm.” Nick said and AJ looked up at him as his eyes slowly looked around. 

“What?” Howie asked what everyone else was thinking.

“Someone wanna call Kevin?” Nick said to them.

“Fuck!” AJ yelled as his head hit the table.

“What?” Everyone asked.

“My Mom.” AJ whined.

Eve drove down the street as she looked in the rearview mirror and sighed when she didn’t see the Paparazzi cars behind her.  They had followed her and AJ to the office building; they must have decided to stay with him.  She looked back into the mirror when something caught her eye and her eyebrows frowned when she saw a car following behind her a little too closely.

“Nice, I get the straggler.” Eve sighed as she stepped on the gas a little but as she looked back up she noticed the car also sped up.  Just then her cell phone rang and she reached down into her bag and pulled it out.  As she went to hit the answer button something hit the back of her car and she dropped her phone, grabbed the wheel and kept the car in control.  “What the hell asshole.” Eve yelled as she looked in her mirror and pressed on the break to stop but the car behind her bumped her again.

Eve started to panic a little and stepped on the gas, she was confused on why this person was following her.  As Eve kept driving the person kept following her, she turned off the main streets and circled around, she drove all over the town to try and shake the car and soon they were on the highway outside of Malibu.  Eve tried reaching down to get her phone to call the police but her seat belt was keeping her from reaching it.  Then as she felt the hard plastic against her finger tips the car jerked forward making her hand slip on the wheel and pulling the car to the right.  She tried sitting up and gaining control but when the car hit the guard rail it went up on two tires and flipped over.  Eve felt her head hit something and a sharp pain ripped through her skull, then everything went black. 

When she opened her eyes again she saw her cell lighting up, it was ringing but she couldn’t hear it.  She tried to move her head but it hurt too much.  A shadow came over her and she looked up as someone knelt down beside her.  She went to talk but as she breathed in her chest erupted in pain and she started to cough and wheeze.  A dark cloud drifted over her eyes as the pain in her chest kept her from breathing and she slowly started to pass out. 

Her eyes fluttered open and for a moment she saw a white light and then someone in a mask standing over her.  She could breathe again but the object in her mouth told her she wasn’t doing it on her own.  The man standing over her pulled the masked down and his lips moved but no sound came from them.  Eve tried looking beside her but the neck brace prevented her from moving and she wasn’t even sure she could turn her head, she was so tired.  Her eyes slowly drifted around her and she saw the hustle and bustle of the nurses.  She was in a hospital room and she was starting to get confused on why it was so quiet.

 Something caught her eye and she looked over at the doctor, he was holding a piece of paper.  “Can you read this blink once for yes twice for no?” Eve read and blinked.  The Doctor wrote something down and then flipped the paper to her again.  “Can you hear me?” He asked and she blinked twice.  Again he wrote something down and turned the paper to her. “Can you hear anything, rumbling, mumbles?” and she blinked twice again.  The Doctor looked at the nurse on the other side of the bed and said something and then the nurse left the room.

Eve looked back at the Doctor she was now starting to worry, why couldn’t she hear anything.  Again the Doctor wrote something down and showed it to her.  “This could be temporary; we’ll know more from your MRI.”

Eve looked at the Doctor with panic, temporary but there was a chance that it could be permanent? The pain in her chest started to come back as she tried to get her breath.  The Doctor tried to calm her; gently holding her down by the shoulders but that made it worse she was feeling boxed in enough as it was.  She didn’t have to hear to know the Doctor was telling her to calm down but she couldn’t.  He told her there was a possibility she could be deaf, permanently.  She wasn’t sure if it was the panic state she was in or if they gave her something but she felt her eyes getting heavy and then she passed back out.