Part 23: ************************************************************************** "Thank you for flying..." Brian droned out the voice that came over the intercom as he pushed his way through the crowd getting off the plane. Frankly he didn't care about the comments of 'What a rude man,' or 'hey buddy no shoving'. Nick pulled the phone out of Lis' hand, "He's going up there and you can't do anything." "I can tell her." "No you're not." "Yes I am. She deserves to know..." "To know what? Look Lis they need to sort this out themselves. Would you have wanted E to barge in here and give you a rundown on all the reasons why she didn't think I could cheat on you?" Lis crossed her arms, "Nicky this is different, when Shan called last night she couldn't even talk." "Lissy I'm telling you to stay out of it." Quietly Brian shut the bedroom door with a soft thud and smiled seeing Shan sound asleep in bed. He slowly walked over and knelt beside the bed, running his fingers through her hair. She stirred a little and rolled towards him as her eyes opened, seeing him there her eyes widened and she sat up in bed. "Get out." she hissed. "Not till we talk." "I don't have any reasons to talk to you. Now get out before we wake up your parents." "I don't care, let them wake up." "Shan I can explain..." "Explain? I don't need an explanation I can see everything with my own two eyes." "What are you talking about?" he asked as she moved passed him. She pulled the envelope out of the dresser drawer and threw it at him, "Don't think there's much explanation needed for those. What is it, group infidelity year? First Nick and now you?" Brian stared down at the pictures of him and Cassie in the hotel room. "How...what...when did you get these?" "Yesterday up here. Apparently they were sent to the house." "Shan this isn't what it looks like..." he said walking over to where she stood in the corner. "Really? Well I guess you weren't in too much of a compromising position. That came about five minutes later I guess huh?" "Look at me Shan that's not what it looks like. Let me explain..." "Uh huh, no that's more than enough of an explanation." He grabbed her shoulders and forced her to sit on the bed. "That woman...Cassie...she's my first wife..." Shan's eyes widened. "WHAT?" "I was married before...we were both nineteen and it lasted less than a year. Lou made us keep it hush hush so no one ever really knew about it. We were married in a small courthouse here in Kentucky and we were divorced in the same place." Shan sat there frozen just staring blindly ahead as she listened to her husband's voice. "Apparently not much of a divorce if your still meeting her in hotel rooms." Brian winced at her words, "Uhm honey..." her glare caused him to rephrase his words, "Shan, there's a possibility that me and Cassie's divorce never went through. Which would make our marriage null and void..." "You're still married to this...this..." He nodded slowly, "I've got someone looking over all the paperwork. I'm sure the divorce went through the first time." "Get away from me..." she said as her body started to shake. When Brian made no attempt to move she stood up and walked as far away from the bed as possible with Brian hot on her heels. "I said get away from me!" she yelled. "Shannon I love you, please listen to me. This doesn't change anything, if its true I'll divorce Cassie and you and I can get married all over again." She looked at him with cold eyes and blasted him with a right hook sending him stumbling backwards. "Stay the hell away from me Brian Littrell!!" Calmly she opened the bedroom door and walked out leaving Brian sprawled on the floor rubbing his face where she'd hit him. "Brian?" his mother asked, peeking inside the room. "Its okay ma," he smiled weakly at her. "Just a little argument." Alec packed her bags as she talked to herself, if Kevin wasn't going to look into this situation she sure would. She packed the envelope into her carryon and set it near the bedroom door. As soon as she could get a flight she was gone. The ringing phone caused Howie to jump as he sat in his home office flipping through his magazine. His eyes stayed on the phone as it rang a fourth and a fifth time, hesitantly he reached out and picked it up. "Dorough." "Howard, how nice of you to answer." Howie grimaced as he recognized the voice. "It is my line." "True, but you never know maybe you had it changed. Have you thought of when might be a good time to discuss things?" "There's nothing left to discuss Lou." "Oh but I think there is...it seems I've had some more proof fall into my lap so to speak. Thought maybe you'd like to see it before it was shown to you by the authorities as their building a case against you." Howie rested his head against his hand, silently cursing ever getting involved with this man, no man was too good of a term, this monster. "When are you free Lou?" "For you Howard my calender is wide open." Howie swallowed the lump in his throat and opened his daytimer, that afternoon was out he and Ty were going to the doctor's. "Tomorrow?" "Perfect. Around lunch?" "Yeah sure." "I'll see you at my office then Howie. Have a nice day." Lou said and hung the phone up. Ten minutes later Ty walked into the room, growing worried as she saw Howie's appearance. He was pale and staring blankly at the phone which he was still holding with one hand. "D?" she asked, starting to think he needed the doctor's appointment more than her. He shook his head and his eyes drifted over to his wife. "Ty...didn't hear you come in." "I don't doubt that. You're staring off into space...did something happen? I thought I heard the phone." "Nothing. Just uh thinking back I guess." he walked over and gave her a hug, "I guess I'll go change real quick and we'll get going okay?" "Sure." she said as he pulled back. "D are sure your all right?" "I am now." he kissed her forehead and smiled, "Meet you downstairs in five." he promised as he left the room.