Part 230
There was a knock at the door but Howie pulled the covers over his head in an effort to block out the sound. He had just gotten to sleep after having had a long night without Sarah. It was the first time since they’d been married that they’d had to be apart and he had grown quite accustomed to the feel of her body next to his and no matter where they were, as long as he had her beside him, he slept peacefully. The harder he tried to ignore the knocking, the louder and more persistent it became. Reluctantly, Howie got up and made his way to the door sleepily.
AJ burst into the room babbling something. To Howie, being exhausted, AJ was making no sense what so ever. "Have you seen it? What were you doing? What took you so long to answer the door? Man, you need to cut on the television!"
Howie mumbled as he climbed back into bed, "All I want to do is sleep, Bone. It was a LONG and LONELY night."
"HOW the hell can you sleep with what’s going on? Man…it’s horrible," continued AJ in his rapid babbling as he cut on the television.
"What’s going on?" asked Howie as he rolled over to see the television.
"Two planes flew into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center and another one into the Pentagon. It’s horrible," said AJ as he plopped down on Howie’s bed. "Time was Sarah’s flight anyway and was Jesse with her?"
Watching the television, Howie answered, "The flight was scheduled to take off around eight and Chelsea took Jess to Virginia to visit with the Taylors…for Mr. Taylor’s birthday. Why do you want to know?"
AJ never answered, as he grew silent listening to the reporter on television. He was telling that the first tower had collapsed.
Howie realized that AJ had purposely tuned him out and he kicked AJ,
"Why did you ask what time her flight left?"
AJ looked at him as the reporter said, "The two hijacked flights that hit the World Trade Center are believed to have originated in Boston. One was destined for San Francisco and the other Los Angeles."
The two men looked at each other and Howie shook his head, "There are dozens of flights leaving the Boston area every day bound for Los Angeles. It can’t be her flight."
"I hope you’re right. When are Kevin, Brian, and Nick supposed to be
here?
"Not sure. I thought they’d have been here by now."
"According to the news, the border has been shut down. I wonder if
they’ll make it up here. Maybe they’ll know something."
Howie mumbled, "Maybe."
Howie’s heart was in his throat as he feared the worst. He knew without being told that it was Sarah’s flight but he prayed she’d missed it for some reason. Ever since finding out she was pregnant, they were late for A LOT of things because she was sick no matter what time of day it was. He could only hope that that was the case now.
AJ and Howie spent the morning watching the news; neither one saying anything. Several times, Howie tried calling Sarah’s cell phone but got the same response, ‘The user you are dialing is either unavailable or out of range’. He also tried calling the airlines but was unable to get through there either. It was all so frustrating not being able to reach her and it only served to increase his fear and concern.
Around two that afternoon, Nick and Becca arrived. As they made their way to their room, they ran into AJ who was coming out of his room headed back to Howie’s.
"It’s ABOUT time you two got here!" said AJ. "Howie and I have been worried."
"Man, it’s crazy at the border. They wouldn’t let the bus across," said Nick. "They said four planes went down this morning. What’s going on? We’ve only heard bits and pieces."
"How did you get here?"
"Jive sent a car for us. Kevin and Brian are behind us," said Nick.
"Did you see Sarah before you left by any chance?"
Becca noted the urgency in AJ’s voice and said cautiously, "We saw her saying good-bye to Howie last night. Should we have seen her?"
"It would have been nice. Come on to Howie’s room and we’ll explain."
"Let us at least get into our room," said Nick.
"We’ll be there shortly," said Becca who was becoming concerned by the look on AJ’s face and the tone of his voice.
AJ returned to Howie’s room where he found Howie on the phone. Tears were streaming down his face, the first sign AJ had had all morning that Howie was worried and it alarmed him.
When Howie hung up, AJ asked, "Who was that?"
Wiping the tears with the back of his hand, Howie said, "Management. Dinner is being served at the arena and there’s a meeting of EVERYONE before."
"About what?"
"I don’t know but I would assume about what’s going on back home," said Howie.
"What’s up with the tears? Have you heard something?"
"I tried the hotel and got through. Sarah checked out…in time to have caught her flight this morning."
AJ said softly, "D, you gotta have faith. After all you’ve been through, there’s no way she’s gone."
Howie looked at AJ. Both men were desperate to believe that Sarah was safe but as the day had worn on, more and more signs pointed to Sarah having been on the flight.
There was a knock at the door and then Nick and Becca joined them. "Hey, D, aren’t you gonna get dressed? It’s not like Sarah’s here or anything."
With that comment, Howie turned away to hide the tears and AJ snarled, "You can be so blonde sometimes."
"Wha’d I say?" whined Nick.
Without turning around, Howie told them that Sarah had been booked on the flight to LA that had hit the first tower in New York.
"NO!" The impact of Howie’s words hit Becca like the planes hitting the towers. She had just seen Sarah less than twelve hours ago and she’d been so happy. Becca’s first thoughts were of Sarah and the babies she was carrying. Howie and Sarah had been so excited when they’d found out for sure that Sarah was carrying twins and now it was never to be. There were so many things she’d never see Sarah doing again like playing basketball with Brian and Nick, dancing with Kevin backstage, chasing AJ around with silly string or a squirt gun, or the way she lit up when Howie would find her in the audience and make faces at her or sign to her that he loved her. She had lost her best friend and there was no going looking for her the way Sarah had come in search of her.
Becca wanted to cry but tears wouldn’t come. She looked at Howie as he stared out the window searching for some clue that Sarah was NOT on that plane. She turned to AJ who was staring helplessly at the television. Finally, she leaned against Nick and he held her close, stroking her hair.
AJ reached to the television turning up the volume as they all saw Sarah’s picture appear on the screen. "Reports are now saying that Sarah Dorough, wife of Backstreet Boy Howie Dorough, along with Backstreet crew member Daniel Lee and bodyguard Raoul Sanchez were on the flight bound for Los Angeles that slammed into the first tower. At this time, Mr. Dorough and the management for the Backstreet Boys are unavailable for comment or confirmation on this information."
Howie slammed his fist into the television cutting it off as he growled, "DAMN THEM!"
AJ asked softly, "What if Jesse hears this?"
Nick asked, "Have you called the airlines to see if she actually got on
the plane?"
"I can’t get through. I need to call Chelsea and make sure she keeps
Jesse away from the radio and televisions," responded Howie as he reached
for the phone.
Becca whispered softly, "Nick, I’m going back to our room."
All three men looked at Becca who was pale. Nick said, "Okay, baby. I’m coming with you."
"NO…. I need some time alone."
Becca, now due any day, struggled to get up off the couch and needed Nick’s
help. Sarah had just been teasing her the other night about how she waddled
rather than walked these days and Nick didn’t have to work out any longer
because he had to lift her.
With Becca gone, Howie collapsed on the bed and reached under his pillow for the small Pooh Bear and the picture of Sarah on their wedding day as he said softly, "Please, Angel, give me a sign. Let me know that you’re okay."
Nick hung around for a while with AJ, giving Becca time alone, but eventually left. Howie had fallen asleep with the picture of Sarah and the Pooh Bear over his heart and AJ sat beside him on the bed watching the news.