Chapter 21

Once they got inside the venue, Andrea and Annie were escorted to one of the dressing rooms; ignorant to what they would see when they walked in. There were two large tables covered with what must have been every single request the boys had given to the venue.

“What do they need so much stuff for?” Andrea asked, bewildered. There was enough food to feed an army and enough bottled water and beverages to sink a ship.

“A perk to headlining a show,” said Kevin as he entered the room behind them. “It’s always too much stuff, but the people that work here get whatever we don’t take, so at least it doesn’t get wasted.” He smiled at the wide-eyed expressions on both the girls’ faces. How cute they are, he thought to himself as he walked over to a table and grabbed a plate of food. I love being around people that don’t live like we do, it’s so refreshing.

“If you guys are hungry, dig in. Please, help yourselves,” Brian said as he, Leighanne and Baylee walked into the room to get some food. “There is more than enough here, as you can see.” He grabbed a plate and walked down the table, placing whatever Baylee pointed to onto the plate.

Andrea watched Baylee very intently. Leighanne noticed her staring at her son and got an uneasy feeling. She walked up to Brian with a worried look on her face. “Why is she looking at him like that?” she asked in an offensive tone. “Do you see what I mean? She is just staring at him like he’s an alien or something!” Although she had started her comment very quietly, the exasperation she felt took her over and when she stopped talking, she realized she had been almost yelling. Everyone in the room heard what she said.

Andrea felt very embarrassed for watching Baylee so closely and for Leighanne catching her and pointing it out to everyone else. “Excuse me,” Andrea said with tears in her eyes. She turned and ran out of the room, almost knocking over Nick and AJ who were walking into the room at that moment.

“Andrea!” Nick called as she ran past him. She kept going, not even hearing him. Nick look at everyone standing in the room, their eyes bulging out of their heads and vacant expressions on their faces. Leighanne had her hand over her eyes, trying to cover her face from him. “What in the h*ll happened?” Nick asked, fuming, his eyes focused directly on Leighanne. She did not answer him, no one did. “WHAT IN THE HELL HAPPENED?” he asked, shouting this time.

“Nick,” Leighanne started, slowly removing her hand from her face. “She was staring at Baylee again, just like yesterday. It’s really creepy and she makes me nervous. Do you know anything about her? I mean how do you know she’s not crazy or something? I don’t want strange people around my son.”

Nick was irate by this point and about to jump all over Leighanne, but Annie beat him to it. “How dare you,” Annie said seething. Her face was beet red and she looked like she was about to spit fire. She opened her mouth to continue, but Brian stepped up to take control of the situation. He did not approve or appreciate how Leighanne had acted and what she had said, but he was not about to leave his wife hanging out to dry.

“I don’t think Leigh meant to upset anybody, she was just trying to protect our son,” he started, but Nick cut him off.

“She didn’t need to protect him from anything,” Nick said pointing his finger at Leighanne. “Andrea wasn’t doing anything wrong and she would never do anything to hurt Baylee. She loves kids!” He was trying to defend Andrea with every ounce of his being. “You are just so insecure that you think anyone that pays attention to your kid is trying to take him away! You think anyone that you didn’t grow up with or bring into our little group yourself is strange or psychotic. News flash Barbie, this isn’t ‘Leighanne’s world’, it’s not always going to be the way you want it to be!” Nick was completely shouting at this point.

“Nick, that’s enough,” Kevin said, stepping between him and Leighanne. He was sure that last comment of Nick’s would push her over the edge and she would lunge at him, but that didn’t happen. Her expression softened, knowing that if Nick was this passionate about the situation and speaking with that much conviction, there must be more than she knew about Andrea.

“I am sorry,” she said quietly, taking her hands off Baylee’s ears. She had covered them so the yelling wouldn’t be quite so loud. Brian put his arm around his wife’s shoulder to comfort her. She was trying to figure out the right thing to say so she didn’t offend anybody again. “I didn’t mean to upset her, or anyone else.” She looked down and her hands and noticed they were shaking. She quickly put them into her pants pockets. “Why-I mean what-I-I-I don’t know how to ask this, so I’m just going to,” she said stammering and stuttering. “What is her deal? If she likes kids, why does she act so strange around him,” she asked, looking down at Baylee.

“That’s really none of your business,” Annie jumped in, trying her hardest to protect her cousin’s privacy. “If she wanted you to know, you would.” Annie glared at Leighanne, deciding she was not going to let her off the hook that easily. A skimpy little apology followed by a really bitchy question was not enough for her. “And why are you even attempting to apologize to us, you did not insult or embarrass any of us.” AJ walked over and put his hand on Annie’s arm, trying to get her to calm down a little.

“I know you are upset,” he whispered in her ear, “but Leighanne is used to things being her way. She isn’t used to having other woman on tour with her and holding her accountable for the things she does.” AJ gave Annie a peck on the cheek. “Maybe you should go find Andrea and see if she’s okay,” he suggested to Annie, looking at Leighanne out of the corner of his eye.

Annie nodded her head and left the room, without taking her eyes off Leighanne until she was out the door. “God, the nerve of that bitch,” Annie muttered under her breath as she went looking for Andrea.

Once Annie had left the room, AJ turned his focus to Leighanne. “That was probably one of the coldest, cruelest things you’ve done, without even knowing it,” he said with slanted eyes and gritted teeth. “You have hurt that poor girl more than you can possibly know and if I were you, I would go try and make it right. Then maybe, just maybe you will find out why everyone is so upset with you and why your comments are so out of line.”

Leighanne, Brian, Kevin and Howie stood there, looking at AJ, trying to figure out what he was saying. They had no idea what Nick, AJ, and Annie were so upset about, they did not know the story. Instead of trying to argue and find out what he was talking about, Leighanne conceded and walked out the door to find Andrea and Annie.

“What is going on man?” Brian asked, after his wife left the room.

“Yeah, what Leighanne said was rude, but how was it cruel?” Howie asked, his curiosity peaked.

“Andrea had two kids, and a husband for that matter. They were killed in a car accident last Thanksgiving,” Nick said somberly, hoping Andrea wouldn’t be upset with him for telling them. “Baylee was the same age as her son, they were born on the same day actually, and..”

“Oh my God, I had no idea,” Brian said softly, not meaning to cut Nick off. He felt so sorry for Andrea, and ashamed of the way his wife had treated her. “Nick, I’m sorry, if Leigh had known all that, she would have never…”

“I know Bri, I know,” said Nick before Brian could finish. He bent down to Baylee’s level and looked him tenderly in the eyes. “Hey little man, I’m sorry I yelled so loud at your mommy. The lady she was talking about though is very nice, and she likes kids a whole lot, so be nice to her, okay?” Baylee looked up at “Uncle Nick” and smiled at him.

“I know she’s nice, I can tell when people are nice. She doesn’t look mean,” Baylee responded, trying to sound very grownup and wise. “She has curly hair, girls with curly hair aren’t mean.”

Everyone started laughing and Nick held out his hand for Baylee to give him a five. “That’s right little man, she isn’t mean.”

Nick wanted to go check on the ladies and see how they were doing, but Kevin deterred him. “They need to work this out on their own. You know woman, they are probably talking about shopping and cooking by now, or something like that. I’m sure they will be back soon.”

The guys got their plates of food and sat down to eat and relax before the sound check. Fifteen minutes later they had all finished eating, but the girls were still nowhere to be seen.