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Chapter 75

“What are you doing?” Kris sat down next to Howie and glanced at his lap top screen
.
“I’m looking through a virtual yearbook from my high school days. When you click on the names, it gives you the info to some people, whatever they want posted.”

“Hey, that’s a cool idea.”

“There were a lot of people that I lost contact with that I would love to get to know again.”

“You mean, so they could freak out that they know a Backstreet Boy?”

“Aren’t you funny?” Howie rolled his yes at her but grinned. “We do have friends outside of the group.”

“Oh, I know that. I met a couple of AJ’s the other night.” AJ lifted his head up from the hand he was holding and looked up.

“Oh, Bob and Susie. She’s about ready to pop too. Dang, could you imagine popping out 3 kids at one time?” Leigh threw her cards down on the table and wrinkled her brows.

“No thanks. James was enough. Though my baby boy is adorable.”

“Thanks to me you know.” Leigh rolled her eyes as she looked at Howie.

“You had help in making that child.” He just beamed at her than went back to what he was doing. “Are you finding anything there sweetie?”

“A few people. I also see that a few people past away. That’s so sad when you think about how old we are.”

“Woah, we are buddy? You are almost the oldest of the group. So don’t give me that crap.” AJ dealt another hand than looked at Leigh as she stared into space. “Leigh, are you in?” That cause Howie to lift his head, his brows snapping together as he stared at his wife.

“Leigh, honey, what are you staring at?”

“Huh?” Leigh shook her head and looked at AJ than at D. “I’m sorry, what did you ask?” AJ glanced at D who only shrugged.

“Well, I asked if you were in and D asked if you were alright?”

“Oh, yeah, I’m fine. Sorry, I got lost in my own thoughts.” Leigh picked up her cards and looked at them, than sat them back down.

“What is it, Leigh?” Kris asked, finally getting up from the couch and walking over to her.

“Hmm? Oh, I don’t know. Maybe it’s nothing.” Howie sat his lap top aside and walked over to her as well.

“I’m not buying that. Something is clicking in that mind of yours.” Leigh looked at the three other people who were staring at her.

“Okay, fine. You know how Resa was questioning how Julie could have gotten that info that she did?”

“Yeah. What about it?” AJ sat down his own cards, even more curious about what Leigh was getting at.

“I think, in a random conversation with her, when the whole talk was about her, I thought Terri said she knew Julie.” AJ leaned back in his hair chair and looked at Leigh.

“Knew how?”

“I’m trying to remember. Somehow through her past. When she meet her at that party, that wasn’t the first time. Though, why she hid it, I’m not sure.”

“Through her past? You don’t recall how?”

“That’s what I’ve been trying to think about.”

“Is it possible they went to school together? High school? Maybe college?”

“No. Terri didn’t go to college. And Julie is six years older than Terri.” AJ pulled Kris on his lap as he finished answering her.

“No she’s not. Julie is only a year older than Terri.” All eyes turned to look at Leigh.

“Wait, are you telling me that Terri lied to Nick about her age? That she is actually 38?”

“I don’t know babe, what she told Nick.”

“Leigh, Nick told all of us that she was only 33. I can’t imagine that he would lie to all of us! What would be the point? It’s not like we don’t date older women.”

“I couldn’t tell you AJ. I just know that she told me that was actually 38. I even saw her passport and you know you can’t lie on that.” AJ glanced at D than at Kris, all three of them grinning and nearly tripping over each other to grab Howie’s laptop.

“Sweetheart, you are the greatest! You just gave us the biggest clue. And certainly something we never would have figured out.”

“Not if she’s going around and lying to people. I don’t get it though. Why tell Nick a lie?” Kris tilted her head as she sat down on the other side of AJ, placing her arm on his shoulder.

“Terri thought Nick wouldn’t be interested in her if she told him the truth. There’s a lot she hasn’t told him. And it was never my place to tell. Than again, I kinda thought anyone was better than Theresa. I honestly thought they were so wrong for each other. But the more I watched them, the more I felt they needed to be a family again.” Howie looked up at her and smiled as she sat beside him. “Things change.”

“They do. Now, the question…”

“No, Julie graduated from a high school out in California. Oh, damn…” AJ thought that over, snapping his fingers as he tried to remember. “Um, oh, yeah, Northside High. It’s just outside LA.” Howie glanced at AJ.

“Terri said that she hadn’t lived in California until recently, when she landed the doctors office job.”

“Well, I know that’s not true. She’s a true Californian blonde and there is no way in hell she can deny that one.” AJ stated, shaking his head at Howie.

“What the hell is the truth with this woman? And better yet, what the hell does Nick really know about her?” D asked, his eyes glued back on his laptop.

“I’m guessing nothing if all she told him was lies.”

“You are right baby.” AJ kissed her cheek than turned to look at D’s laptop.

“Found it! Northside High School. Now, Julie graduated in 1972, so….” Howie trailed off as he zoomed in on a picture in the yearbook. Everyone gasped as they clearly saw Terri and Julie in a hug with the caption underneath it that read ‘one goes far, one stays local, but best friends forever!’.