Twenty Six

~ Fort Lauderdale, FL, Day Two, Concert One ~

The boys inevitably always freak out just before the first show of a tour. Not that I blame them, but you’d think that after doing so many concerts it wouldn’t turn into such a big deal each time that a new tour began. Nevertheless it did, and it was pretty amusing to anyone watching.

Kevin paced around in his leather backstage biting on his bottom lip refusing to talk to anyone. Howie kept crossing himself and praying. Brian too said a prayer here and there but mostly walked around dribbling a basketball and warming up his voice. AJ couldn’t sit still and resorted to smoking again promising me that he’d stop again after the first concert. And Nick, who was the least frazzled of the bunch, ran around terrorizing everyone playing jokes on them.

I meanwhile watched and captured the moment on film. For the first few nights of the tour I planned on staying backstage and taking pictures from the sidelines since that was a view that most fans wouldn’t ever have the opportunity to see. Then, as we moved on to the next city I’d focus more on getting shots from the audience’s level. As the time ticked away and show time neared, the anxiety level rose and I couldn’t help but go Protective Mama on them all. I handed my camera to Marcus who I’d been standing with and smiled. "Okay boys… group meeting over here…" I yelled waving all of them over toward me. Just like well-trained puppies they all sauntered over and stood around me waiting for me to talk. I smiled at the looks on their faces and held my hands out, "Come on…" With AJ on one side of me and Kevin on the other we all joined hands and formed a circle. I looked at them all admiringly and smiled, "Damn, you all look good in black leather…" They all laughed which was one of my goals and I grinned. "Now, it’s time for the first of many Mama Kel lectures on this tour."

"I was wondering when we’d get one…" Howie laughed.

I stuck my tongue out at him and then elbowed Kevin before he could make a comment about my tongue, "So… what can I say to my boys?" I shook my head, "You have come so far in the time that we’ve all been together. I can’t tell you how proud I am of this show you’re about to put on. I know that you’ve all been beating yourselves up worrying about the concert, but I can tell you this… Even if you fall on your ass and forget your lines, the fans will still love you and so will I."

"Oh thanks, Kel…" Brian laughed.

"Welcome…" I grinned. "Seriously though. You’ve worked amazingly hard, and now it’s time for the fun part. It’s time for the fans to give you that feeling in the pit of your stomach that builds up into your heart and makes everything great. Don’t worry about getting it perfect, just go out there and give those fans the best you can. Show them how much you love them and how much they mean to you. Then when you’re done… we party!"

The group laughed again and AJ spoke up, "She’s right. Let’s do this for the fans."

"And for ourselves…" Brian added.

"Exactly…" I smiled. "I love you guys…"

"We love you too…"

I stuck my tongue out again and laughed, "You better!"

"You know what I’m thinking?" Nick asked.

"What, sweetie?" I smiled.

"Group hug!" he yelled out and we all laughed as we closed in for a six person hug giggling and squealing until we were all on the floor and Marcus was snapping pictures of the scene with my camera.

~~~~~

"The sound was bad…" Kevin mumbled as we all sat around his room dissecting the concert. Kristen was there too, she’d joined us earlier that afternoon and was massaging his shoulders.

"Not your fault…" I smiled and Kristen smiled at me in return.

"I know but it still pisses me off."

"What doesn’t piss you off, Kevin?" Nick muttered and I nudged his head with my hand as I got up to refill my glass with water.

"Be nice…" I said quietly to him and smiled. I looked at Kevin as I passed him, "It wasn’t that bad, honey, just kind of choppy during the first two songs. The fans are busy screaming their loudest at that point anyway and didn’t miss anything. By the third song it was fine. Tomorrow will be better."

I sat back down and AJ put his head in my lap as Kevin shook his head, "Do you always have to be so positive?"

"Better that then grumpy…" I grinned and made a kissy face at him.

I smiled down at AJ and ran my fingers through his hair as he spoke, "I think it went pretty well considering it was the first one. We’ve had worse first concerts before…"

Brian laughed, "And you didn’t lose your pants this time, Kev…"

We all laughed and Kevin cracked a smile.  On the first night of the last tour Kevin had experienced quite the wardrobe malfunction as during the first song his pants that had been designed to rip away for easy costume changes had ripped open and given everyone a sneak of his underoos.  Kristen kissed his cheek, "I think the fans would have enjoyed that though…"

"Heck yeah," I smiled. "As a matter of fact, Kev, can you lose your pants tomorrow night? I could make some big bucks on those pictures alone."

"You could sell them on the Internet for a hundred bucks a piece easy…" Howie laughed.

"A hundred? More like two or three hundred," Brian laughed. "Kev’s got a nice ass…"

"When did it turn into pick on Kevin night?" Kevin whined making us all laugh.

"When you decided to piss and moan about everything even though we had a good show…" Nick laughed and then flinched in anticipation of me smacking him in the head again. I didn’t do it though and just smiled at him until he looked away and then did it.

We all laughed, "You should know better than to turn your head on her man… Never look away!" AJ giggled.

"Yeah, yeah…" Nick groaned as he rubbed his head.

"Hell, even I learned that a long time ago…" Howie said from the floor where he was laying on his back looking at the ceiling.

I laughed, "I used to beat up Howie all of the time… he’s learned pretty well though haven’t you, D?"

"Yup yup…"

Kristen smiled, "How come you guys don’t listen to me like you listen to Kel?"

"Kel’s been around a lot longer, baby…" Kevin explained. "I mean you’ve been around almost as long, but she’s been more hands on with the five of us."

"Do you know how perverted that sounds?" AJ laughed.

"AJ!" I groaned.

"What?" he giggled. "It does… you’ve been hands on with us?"

I rolled my eyes and Kevin grinned at me, "Go ahead and say it… I know it’s killing you not to."

He smiled, "What? You mean calling you The Original Backstreet Slut?"

I shook my head, "I’ll never live it down…"

"Nope…" he smiled.

It was Kristen’s turn to smack Kevin in the back of the head, "Be nice, Kev…"

I laughed and grinned at her, "Gotta behave when the wifey is around!"

"Yeah, yeah… and I think it’s time for some husband and wife time…" he smiled and kissed Kristen’s neck. "Y’all can get out now…"

"Oh lord they’re at it again let’s go…" Brian groaned as he got up. "Who wants to go down to the bar?"

"I’m with ya…" Howie said from the floor and sat up.

"Me too…" Nick said and reached a hand out to help Howie up from the floor.

"Kel… AJ?" Brian asked.

I shook my head no, "I’m whipped, but if you want to go, Age, feel free. I’m going to go back to the room and crash though…"

AJ sat up and took my hand in his as he stood up looking at Brian, "I’m joining my girlie… maybe next time."

Howie and Nick looked at each other and laughed, "Whipped…"

I smiled at them, "He may be whipped, but you know you wish you were too…" I kissed each of them on the cheek, "Night, boys…"