“Maybe I should go look for him,” Brian suggested leaning forward and placing his elbows on his knees. Squeezing his eyes shut he let out a long breath and looked back at the others, “One of us should don’t you think?”
“Where would we start looking?” Howie’s brown eyes were filled with concern.
“He could be anywhere by now.” They all turned to look at AJ and they knew he was right. He shrugged and leaned back against the cushions of the sofa, “But I bet he’s back at the hotel, lying on the bed just staring at the ceiling. Or playing a game. I doubt he left LA.”
“I dunno Jay,” Brian’s voice was doubtful, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen him like that before. He’s really hurt and angry and I think—”
“Look, I know that he’s pissed at me, but I don’t want you to think that I did any of this to get back at Nick. As much as he pisses me off, I would never intentionally hurt him. But I love Bianca. There’s nothing I can do to change the way I feel about her and I don’t think we made a mistake by getting married.”
“AJ, we know how you feel about Bianca,” Howie quickly replied before anyone had the chance. “You don’t have to explain what you did or why and we aren’t blaming you for any of this, so you don’t have to feel like you should explain yourself to us.”
“Howie’s right,” Kevin spoke for the first time. “I think Nick just needs some time to calm down and then maybe you two can sit down and have a civil conversation about all of this.”
“Sure and pigs will fly out of your ass,” AJ mumbled under his breath.
“Come on guys, let’s get going. Nick is obviously not going to come back here so there’s no reason for us to stay,” Kevin said ignoring AJ’s comment all together.
“You did what??”
Bianca jerked the phone away from her ear at the sound of Holly’s shrill voice, “Do you think you could be a little less ear splitting, Holly? I said AJ and I got married over the weekend.”
“I cannot believe you just up and got married!” Holly’s voice was dramatic.
“Well, it’s not like we planned a huge ceremony. I mean, we just decided to do it on a whim,” Bianca felt herself sigh. Checking to see if she could switch lanes, she quickly did so and focused her attention back on the road in front of her. “It was something that just kinda… happened. I can’t even explain it, Holly, but I don’t regret it for one minute.” Glancing down at the plain gold band shining on her slender finger, Bianca smiled widely. She still couldn’t believe it.
“Well, you know I love AJ to death and all,” Holly began sounding a little nervous.
“But?” Bianca asked expectantly.
“But do you really think it was a good idea to just up and get married after being apart for almost a year? And Bean, let’s be honest don’t you remember why you didn’t work out the first time?”
Bianca was growing angry at where the conversation was headed. “Why don’t you tell me what’s really on your mind, Holly.”
“Okay, well… what I’m getting at is… well, do you think you’re really ready for this? I mean, the reason it didn’t work out in the first place was because you weren’t entirely over Nick. And Bianca, you never really went through that grieving process.”
Bianca drove in a stunned silence trying to let her friend’s words sink in. Finally, she was able to find her voice. “I didn’t need to grieve, Holly. I’m over Nick, okay? If I had known you felt this way, I wouldn’t have bothered to tell you about it.”
“Wait, Bean, you’re taking this the wrong way. I don’t mean that I’m not happy for you and AJ, it’s just that—”
She quickly interrupted Holly, “Look, I’ve gotta go. Driving in Los Angeles isn’t easy, add talking on a cell phone to the equation and you’ve got one dangerous mixture,” Bianca tried to sound chipper.
“Just wait a second Bianca,” Holly said.
Bianca cut her off again. “Bye.” Flipping her cell phone closed, Bianca tossed it into the back seat of her rental car and pushed her sunglasses a little further up on her nose.
I AM over him, she thought with a huff and pressed the gas pedal down further. The California sun was lowering quickly in the sky and she didn’t have much time to get where she needed to be.
“You’re sure she won’t be here until 7?”
“Positive, man.”
“Good. Then I have some time to elaborate a little,” he grinned.
Kevin stopped outside his hotel room when he saw a note was taped to his door. Not Brianna again, he thought heavily. He didn’t know how much more he could handle today. With the group falling apart and his heart shattered into a thousand pieces, he thought this might be the straw that would break the camel’s back. Not giving the folded paper a second thought, he ripped it from the door and slipped his key into the lock and let himself into the dark room. Tossing the room key along with the wadded paper onto the table by the sofa, he kept walking toward his bedroom. He needed a hot shower and maybe a stiff drink.
Half an hour later, Kevin emerged from his bathroom in a cloud of steam feeling much better than he had earlier. He had finally decided against turning to alcohol for comfort because he knew all too well that it wouldn’t do any good. Instead he sat in an overstuffed chair and propped his feet on the table positioned between the sofa and the television. Rubbing his tired eyes, he made a quick survey of the room; the wad of paper caught his eye more than once. The more he sat in the chair, the more the mystery note seemed to daunt him. He could almost hear it saying, “C’mon Kev, you know you’re dying to read me…”
Finally, feeling as if he might go crazy if he didn’t find out what was scribbled on the paper, Kevin stood up and snatched the ball of paper from the table. Upon opening the note, he didn’t recognize the handwriting. It definitely wasn’t Brianna’s and he didn’t know who might have left this taped to his door. Maybe the person who left it, made a mistake? Closer inspection once again proved him wrong, it was definitely addressed to him: Mr. Kevin Scott Richardson. Realizing that he could not stall any longer, Kevin began to slowly read over the words that were neatly written on the page:
Mr. Kevin Scott Richardson,
I’ve been trying to track you down for some time now, but you are quite an elusive man. That mystery was something that definitely attracted me to you the first time we met a few years back. I know you must be wondering why I’m leaving this letter now, but I’ve realized that I should have left it long ago. I would much rather discuss the matter in person if you don’t mind. If you don’t, please meet me at the address below at 8:30 tonight. If not, I can’t say that I blame you. Hope to see you soon.
Tara Wellman
Reading over the address penned in the same cursive handwriting, he only had one question floating through his mind. Who the hell is Tara Wellman?
Bianca entered the revolving glass doors of the recording studio in a hurry. She was going to be late if she didn’t hurry. She took the elevator to the fourth floor then made her way down the long corridor taking a left at the end of the hall. Just as she was nearing the studio, she could hear the faint sounds of a beautiful song playing. Stepping into the doorway of the studio, the song got louder.
Part of you will live in me
Way down deep inside my heart
The days keep coming without fail
A new wind is gonna find your sail
That's where your journey starts
You'll find better love
Strong as it ever was
Deep as the river runs
Warm as the morning sun
Please remember me
Looking around, she spotted a figure sitting stooped over in a chair. Their body was shaking with unrelenting sobs, but Bianca could just make out the sound of their voice mixing with the voice on the radio. It was such a heart wrenching sight…
We're gonna keep on coming back for more
'Cause we don't ever wanna stop
Out in this brave new world you seek
Oh the valleys and the peaks
And I can see you on the top
You'll find better love
Strong as it ever was
Deep as the river runs
Warm as the morning sun
Please remember me
She watched as the figure, obviously a man, raked a hand through his hair and took a breath. He’d clearly been through something awful and needed comforting, but Bianca knew she wasn’t meant to be here. Though this person was hurting, she felt like an intruder to a very private moment. The lyrics were enough to tell her that. But still… she couldn’t make herself leave.
When the snow falls high outside your door
Late at night when you're not sleepin'
And moonlight falls across your floor
When I can't hurt you anymore
You'll find better love
Strong as it ever was
Deep as the river runs
Warm as the morning sun
Please remember me
Please remember me*
She took a quiet step inside the door and waited to see if he would realize someone was there with him. She could hear him weeping more clearly now, and he was almost familiar to her though she still couldn’t see his face because of the darkness and his posture. She felt her own eyes mist over as he feebly sang the last few lines of the song and the music faded leaving nothing but this poor man’s anguish. Bianca took another step forward then another, getting closer to the grief-stricken man. She knew that he could hear her footsteps now without the music, but she didn’t care. She was compelled to comfort him. Placing a hand softly on his shoulder she waited for him to speak first.
“I, uh, heard some news today I wasn’t expecting,” his voice cracked as another sob racked his body.
“I’m so sorry,” she whispered blinking back her tears.
“Expect the unexpected, right?” Nick looked up at her through his tears. When she pulled him in to comfort him, he didn’t protest.
* “Please Remember Me” by Tim McGraw
