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Over the next few weeks the two of them fell into a routine. She’d be up to wake him up for his appointments and rehearsals with the guys and to make him breakfast. She started at first just making him breakfast but then it stretched to where she’d sit down and eat with him. Eventually he started waking up on his own and that kind of worried him, he’d never been known as a morning person but he was becoming one.

Kaetlyn stood in her bathroom brushing her teeth, wondering what to do. It was her scheduled day off and she had already spent a few of them learning the layout of Orlando. She honestly couldn’t just wait to curl up with a good book and listen to the latest country song on the radio. She had been there long enough that she could find her way to the nearest bookstore or even content herself with one of the many books in her car.

She was rinsing her mouth out when she remembered that Nick had a meeting today and she found it rather odd that he wasn’t up yet. Carefully she replaced the toothbrush and left the pool house pulling her hair back in a ponytail.

Something was wrong, she could tell that the minute she set foot in his house. The dishes were there but then again that was her job. The table was exactly as she had left it the night before, right down to the place setting she had set for Nick’s dinner.

Then she heard it. The terrible sound that had plagued her for most of her childhood, she quickened her pace until she was nearly running. She skidded to a stop in front of the bathroom door and threw it open. Sighing, the sight in front of her confirmed her suspicions.

Efficiently she retrieved a washcloth and wetted it. Silently waiting knowing that he wouldn’t be going to his meeting or whatever it was he had to do. “Do a little too much partying last night?”

Nick groaned and laid his head on the cool toilet seat. He wasn’t up to any inquisitions since he felt like he would be catching on fire anytime soon. He felt a trickle of sweat slide down his back and the feeling of it gave him the chills.

Kaetlyn watched closely and moved to wipe his mouth off. When her hand touched his forehead, she jerked it back. Dear lord, he was burning up with fever. “Do you have to throw up again?”

Nick tried standing up but fell down and answered her question by throwing up all over her outfit. “I’m sorry. I’ll buy you a new one.”

“It’s not that big of a deal. Come on let’s get you in bed.” She slipped an arm around his waist while he rested one of his a crossed her shoulders. Together they got him standing up, she staggered a little bit under his weight but soon gained her balance.

As she was laying him on his bed she told him, “We have to bring your fever down. I’m going to get some cool cloths. I need you to take your shirt off can you do that while I get the cloths or do you need help?”

“I can do it. What is wrong with me?”

Kaetlyn smiled soothingly, “It’s just the flu. What meeting do you have this morning? I’ll go and take notes after I get you settled.”

“No I need to go. This is about the tour and they’ll need my opinion. My throat hurts, I ache. I hate meetings.”

“That’s exactly why you need to stay here. What time does the meeting start?” She asked laying a cool rag on his forehead.

“Ten. When did you become such a mother hen?” He closed his eyes and listened to her mutter under her breath about what she should take. In fact to him she had the most soothing voice he’d ever heard, then again that could have been the fever talking.

“Nick your shirt ok?” She said leaving the room hurriedly.

He sat up and struggled to take it off, and finally he did as she was coming back in the room. All he wanted to do was curl up into a ball and go to sleep, why did she keep prodding at him? His muscles tightened when the cool rag touched his skin. “Go away. Don’t touch me.”

“Quit being a baby. This’ll help. Oh by the way. Next week I’m taking two days off. There all done. I’ll go get you a bucket and some crackers.”

As soon as she left his eyes drifted shut and he slept.

************************************************************
Where was he? Kevin asked himself, Nick was always late but an hour late? That was just ridiculous. He was going to kill him, Johnny was ready to help. So when the door opened everyone looked up poised and ready to start yelling.

Needless to say they were all shocked at the sound of heels clicking on the tiled floor. A woman appeared a dark red tote bag thrown over her shoulder, garnet studded earrings in and wearing a faded to light red, almost pink, sundress. The shoes were short heels in red.

“May we help you?” Johnny asked as she walked forward pulling a notebook, pen and a tape recorder out of the tote.

She smiled. “I’m here in Nick’s place for the meeting.”

Everyone in the room groaned, “Where is he?”

“At home sleeping, I’m afraid he has the flu. I was told the meeting started at ten and it is now quarter past eleven. May we begin gentlemen?” She sat down and crossed her legs, her foot tapping impatiently.

“Miss… Are you covering for him?”

“My name is Kaetlyn Giambelli and I know for a fact that Nick has the flu. He was burning up with fever. Now unless you would like to relocate this meeting into his bedroom and risk all of you catching what he has I would suggest we start.” Her voice never rose, but stayed cool and crisp.


“Johnny,” Howie said peacefully, “We might as well start. So Nick couldn’t make it at least he sent someone to take notes. That’s a start.”

Everyone nodded and looked at Johnny as he started to explain. Kaetlyn rapidly wrote everything they said in shorthand, she even added suggestions every now and then.

There was a knock on the door in the middle of the meeting and had Johnny saying, “Come in.”

In walked the head of translators, “Mr. Wright we have a problem someone from Japan just called and there is a problem with the venue that you booked. Apparently it’s booked the same day for someone else; also the translators are unavailable to travel with you.”

Johnny sighed and rubbed his temples. Things were not going right and it was driving him insane. Now what were they going to do? They needed a translator. He watched Kaetlyn raise a hand, “Yes Miss Giambelli?”

“Do you know the name of the person that called?” She asked timidly.

“A Mrs. Zhang.”

She nodded. “May I speak with her? I believe my father had some doings with her before.”

“You speak Japanese?” Aj asked impressed. Maybe the girl had some brains after all.

“Yes, I also know French, German, Danish, Spanish, and Russian.” She said standing up to follow the guy out the door. “I can learn any language in an hour or less, as long as I had a list of words that needed to be translated.”

The group watched her go, leaving the tape recorder whirring. Kevin was the first to speak, “Can we hire her? Do you think she’s telling the truth about Nick?”

Brian nodded. “She was. Nick wasn’t looking real great yesterday and I agree with you can we hire her? I mean Nick has been on-time lately and it’s because of her.”

“We could try but I’m not making any promises when it comes to that. She would be good to have a long. Hand me her notes,” Johnny said suddenly.

Howie was the one sitting closest to her slid the notebook acrossed the table to him. Johnny picked it up and instantly assumed that God had sent them an angel. “This is written in shorthand. I can‘t believe it. There aren’t many people that can do that anymore.”

Aj took the notes out of Johnny’s hands. “It’s like she’s some sort of secretary machine. Wonder what she did before coming here.”