Seeing Ghosts
Chapter 6
By Dottie
Copyright 2015
After feeding the kids and putting them down to sleep on the second bed in the room, Kevin orders a room service dinner for himself and Chealyn. As they wait for their dinner to arrive, Kevin pulls her into his arms and holds her close. "Sweetheart, I don't know what to say...they are amazing. So smart and so funny. I never dreamed I'd be a father. Tonight has been...incredible."
She smiles, leaning closer to him. "I wish I could have brought them to you...when they were born."
He covers her lips with his fingertips. "Don't. No regrets, I have none. You're safe, they are safe, and we're together."
She lifts her hand to move his, leaning closer to kiss his lips. When they part, she whispers, “Kevin.”
He pulls her close and they snuggle. She drinks in the feel of his body next to hers, looking at the bed where her children are peacefully sleeping. In a few hours, this will all be a memory for her. One she will cherish.
One week later…
It’s the day before Christmas and Chealyn is settling into a small cottage in upstate Maine. It’s cold and snowy and the world looks like a winter wonderland. But inside Chealyn’s heart, the world is a desolate, lonely place.
When she sleeps, and it’s not much, she dreams about her children. About Kevin. About how she abandoned them. She usually wakes up hearing DJ calling out for her. Or Sophie whimpering in the dark and her heart breaks all over again when she realizes it was only a dream.
Every day starts the same way. A call from Grant. Sawyer was released and from what Grant told her, he’s using every available means to hunt down Chealyn. They didn’t give her a new identity yet. They didn’t feel this one had been compromised so the only thing they’ve done is relocate her. For now.
She makes herself a cup of hot cocoa and turns on the news. Her world tilts into nothingness as the leading news story penetrates the fog of her depression. “Kevin Richardson, oldest member of the Backstreet Boys, is presumed dead.”
Her cup hits the floor and her feet are burnt by the scalding liquid but she doesn’t feel it. She turns up the television and listens as the reporter continues with the story.
“MSNBC has learned that the light plane that dropped off the radar last night was carrying Kevin Richardson, a member of one of the biggest boy bands of all time, the Backstreet Boys. The plane disappeared somewhere over the mountains of Kentucky and a search is underway. Right now, the only word coming from the Backstreet Boys camp is that Kevin was flying home to Kentucky to spend Christmas with his family. It’s also been reported there were five other people on the plane. The pilot and co-pilot, Richardson’s bodyguard and two small children. No report as of yet who the children belong to or why they were in Richardson’s custody. The Backstreet Boys as of yet have not made a statement. We’ll keep you informed as the story develops.”
Chealyn drops to the floor sobbing. She wails at the top of her lungs, “WHY? Why them? Why not take me instead?”
Her unanswered questions echo in the stillness. She falls over, curling into a ball and sobbing. It’s her fault. It’s all her fault. She clutches the locket around her neck, her heart breaking for her children and the man she loves. She killed them. She killed them all.
Alpharetta, Georgia
Nick Carter sits despondent in Brian’s front room as they all try to deal with the shock of Kevin’s death. AJ is sitting beside him, sobbing. Brian and Howie are talking with their manager, Jen, trying to figure out the best way to handle the press. Nick shivers, but not from cold. He knows more about this than any of them, but how does he tell them?
Brian comes into the room. “We can’t figure out who those kids were.”
In a shaky voice, Nick whispers, “They were Kevin’s kids, Rok. His son and daughter.”
AJ sits up as Brian drops on a chair across from Nick. “WHAT?”
Nick sighs. “Kevin didn’t want anyone to know. I promised to keep it quiet until he figured out…”
Howie walks closer to Nick. “Figured out what Nick?”
Sniffling, Nick says, “I guess it doesn’t matter now. Kevin…when he was away from the group…he was in love. Her name was Elena.”
Brian’s brow furrowed. “He never mentioned a girl to me.”
Nick shakes his head. “He couldn’t. Just as they were getting serious, she…she testified against some really heavy dudes and the government put her into witness protection. He…he hadn’t seen her for over two years.”
AJ sits up agitated. “What the fuck does that have to do with those kids Nick? What makes them his?”
Nick turns on AJ and snaps, “If you’ll shut up I’ll tell you!” When AJ slumps back, Nick mutters, “I’m sorry…I just…this is hard.”
Brian leans closer, lacing his fingers together. “Just tell us Nick.”
Standing, Nick moves to Brian’s desk and picks up a picture of them when the group first hit it big. “He saw her in Chicago. She worked for the doctor Kevin found for me when I got sick. They…she met with him later that day to tell him that when she left, she was pregnant. She wanted him to take the kids and protect them because she had to move again, I guess because Kevin saw her and recognized her. Then she just disappeared.”
AJ lowers his head, fresh tears streaming down his face. “Oh my God…she doesn’t know, does she?”
Nick shrugs. “If she’s got a television wherever the hell they took her, she’ll know.” Turning to their manager, he says, “Jen, we have to get in touch with the marshal service. I don’t know what we can or can’t say. I don’t want to put Elena’s life in any more danger because we fucked up and said the wrong thing.”
Jen nods. “Yes…you’re right; I’ll make a few calls.” She hiccups, walking over to Nick to hug him. “I’m so glad he stayed in Chicago with you Nick. That he had you to talk to or we wouldn’t know…”
Nick hugs her tightly, tears streaming down his face. “He was so happy about those kids. He knew why she ran. He knew she was trying to protect them. He was sad, but if you could have seen him with DJ and Sophie...even in that short week, Kevin said his life was whole. He wanted Elena back, but he understood why she couldn’t stay. He called them the greatest gift she ever gave him…aside from her love.”
Howie speaks up in a hoarse whisper, “Whatever we do, we have to make sure this Elena knows how he felt. Somehow.”
Jen nods. “I’ll go make some calls. For now, all of you just stay in and don’t talk to ANYONE. We have to do this right. For Kevin and for the woman he loved.”
Chapter End Notes:
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