Part 282
Before the show started, Kevin pulled Howie away from the group leaving Sarah to talk to AJ and Nick.
"What’s wrong, Kevin?"
"That’s what I was gonna ask you. Sarah wasn’t herself during sound checks or dinner. Did you guys have a fight?"
"No, we’re fine. I guess it’s just everything that’s happened. She’s having a tough time dealing with it."
"We all are, Howie," said Kevin sullenly. "Is there anything
we can do for her?"
"Just don’t push her. If she wants to change something, let her."
"No problem."
"Hey, you two," said Sarah as she wrapped her arms around Howie’s waist. "People are gonna start pairing you two in fan fics if you keep THIS up."
Kevin laughed, "Howie’s better than Nick ANY DAY!"
"I’ll agree with you on THAT," laughed Sarah. "What ARE you two talking about anyway?"
"You," answered Howie.
"Good topic…I think. Who’s introducing me?"
"I get the honors tonight, Angel. That’s why we changed the order of the songs with our duet first."
"I was wondering about that," purred Sarah as she kissed him.
Howie returned the kiss slipping his tongue between her lips to touch her eagerly awaiting tongue. As they kissed, their hands wandered freely and Nick began to time them.
"How long, Nick?" asked Kevin.
"Going on a minute and a half…damn…don’t they need air or something?"
Without breaking the kiss, Howie flipped them both off causing everyone to laugh.
The couple separated only when Jeff called from the stage doors, "Let’s get on with the show."
"Dayum! You two should be really keep that in the privacy of your own bedroom," sneered Nick. "SOME of us can’t get any!"
"DON’T LOOK!" shot Howie. "Come on, Angel…time to sing."
Howie led Sarah to the ‘underworld’, gave her a kiss, and went up to introduce her.
************
All five guys had decided to watch Sarah’s set for various reasons. Nick was concerned while Brian was with Jesse watching. AJ and Kevin wanted to see the crowds’ reaction while Howie simply wanted to watch his wife. The crowd never saw what they did though. Sarah’s performance was not up to her normal standards. She was missing her marks, forgetting lyrics, and not hitting the notes that normally came easy to her. Several times they saw her waver as if she were going to fall but then catch herself.
Howie watched, terrified of what could happen. All the signs were there. Sarah was pushing herself and it was about to catch up with her. It was a downward spiral and he prayed to god that the price wasn’t going to be too high.
The other four watched Howie and saw the fear in his eyes.
Brian nudged Kevin. "Maybe Sarah shouldn’t do our show," he whispered.
"I was thinking the same thing."
Nick and AJ overheard the two and Nick offered, "She’s exhausted. Howie said she hasn’t slept much in the last four days."
"We need to stick together on this," said AJ. "When she comes off, all four of us need to confront her and NOT back down."
"Howie’s gonna be ticked if we do," said Nick.
"We talk to him FIRST. He’s the only one who’s gonna be able to get through to her," said Kevin. He moved to where Howie stood watching and put his hand on Howie’s shoulder. "We need to talk."
"Sarah’s getting ready to come off."
"I know. This is important."
Howie looked at his four ‘brothers’ and saw they meant business. "Okay…Billy, tell Sarah I’ll meet her in my dressing room."
"Sure, D."
Howie followed the others to the green room where Nick closed the door behind them and leaned against it to keep others out.
"What’s going on, Kevin?" asked Howie.
"We don’t want Sarah going on with us tonight," said Kevin flatly.
All four of them were expecting an explosion but to their surprise, Howie sighed with relief. "I was trying to figure out a way myself to tell her. She’s exhausted and I don’t think she can make it through our show."
"Then you’ll support us when we tell her?" asked Kevin.
"Hell yes!! Guys, I’m scared."
"You know it’s gonna make her furious?" pointed out AJ.
"She’ll get over it," said Howie. "Her health and the babies are more important. Guys…Thanks."
"Nothing to thank us for," said Brian.
"We’ve gotta tell Fatima first," said Kevin.
The five men went to find Fatima to tell her that Sarah wasn’t going on with them but that wasn’t to happen. As soon as Kevin told her the news, Fatima shut him down. There was no way around it…. Sarah HAD to go on whether they liked it or not.
**************
Before taking their places on their risers, Kevin whispered to Howie, "Keep an eye on her and if you see anything wrong, make her leave…even if you have to stop in the middle of a song."
"You know it."
"We’ve all got our earpieces set so we can hear each other."
Sarah walked by Howie with the other dancers and Howie grabbed her hand pulling her to him. "I…."
Seeing the concern in his eyes, Sarah said irritably, "Don’t say it, Howard."
"All I was gonna say is I love you," responded Howie hurt.
Tearfully, Sarah pressed against him and whispered, "I love you too, D."
Howie brushed her hair back out of her face. "Go take your place, Angel. If you need me, just let me know."
"I always need you," she replied and gave him a quick kiss.
The meteor shower had begun as Nick looked over at Howie and saw him wipe the tears away. Knowing that there was no way anyone other than the five of them could hear, he said into his mic, "She’ll be okay."
Howie looked over at him and smiled weakly.
**************
Throughout the entire show, Howie was completely distracted by his wife when she was on stage with him. Several times he caught her missing a step or wavering like she was going to fall but not once did she give up. Whenever a chance provided, he would go to her and take her hand lacing his fingers with hers or put his arm around her waist.
The end of the show finally came and Howie felt like he could breath again. Sarah had made it through the show without too many problems and she only had ‘The Call’ to do now. Surely she could get through that.
Sarah faced Howie at one part of the song and he saw it…he saw that she was pushing herself to get through. There were tears in her eyes and she was pale, even with the makeup. ‘God,’ he thought. ‘She’s not gonna make it.’
Sarah was in pain and wanted to collapse but she was trying desperately to hold it together. There was no way she was gonna pass out on stage in front of thousands of fans and be headline news for MTV tomorrow.
Dropping through the stage, Howie said into his mic for the sound crew to hear, "Somebody get Sarah OFF that damn stage…NOW."
Nick looked over at Howie, "Is she okay?"
All five guys had heard Howie and looked over as Nick asked about Sarah. They
saw Howie shake his head ‘no’ and as they rose up out of the stage, they
each said a prayer.