Part 361
As they passed through the doors, Sarah spotted David leaning against the equipment boxes smoking a cigarette talking to the other ‘toaster’ operators. Howie was coming in the back doors with the other guys and security in tow. Jeff, Christine, and Tony, all of management, were coming out of the green room. All the people necessary were in one central place.
Sarah took a deep breath to steady her. ‘God, how many times can I do this? It’s like every time I turn around, there’s something or someone standing there to smack me in the face. And how much more can Howie take?’
Howie saw Sarah and he had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. He had to grab AJ’s arm to steady himself.
AJ looked at him and saw how pale Howie was. Looking in the same direction as Howie, he saw it too. Softly, he said, "Kevin, something’s seriously wrong."
Kevin and Brian had been deep in conversation and he now looked up to see Sarah wearing Howie’s sweats and traces of blood around her mouth. "What in the hell happened?"
AJ watched Howie moving to Sarah as he said, "I’ve seen that look in Sarah’s eyes before, Kevin….in Nashville."
Howie rushed to Sarah and took her in his arms. Wiping the blood from her lip with the tissue she had, he asked, "Angel, what happened?"
Looking at David, she said coolly, "He happened."
Howie looked over his shoulder at David who gave him an evil smile. Turning back, "Sarah, please. Tell me he didn’t!"
David sneered, "Go ahead…’Princess’. Tell them."
Howie cringed hearing David call Sarah ‘Princess’. He knew it had been what Russell called her.
"Tell us what, Sarah?" asked Kevin as the other three joined them. "What happened?"
Sarah moved out of Howie’s arms to square off with David. She held on to Howie’s hand though for strength as he stood beside her. "You’re fired!’
Jeff spoke up, "Sarah, we can’t afford to fire everybody who says something to piss you off or looks at you wrong."
David laughed, "You can’t get rid of me!"
AJ spoke up, "Jeff, Sarah doesn’t get like this just because somebody said or did something to piss her off. Look at her, she’s got blood on her face and her lips are swollen. Look at the bruises on her wrists too."
It all began to come together and a silent rage felt by everyone present erupted as Raoul grabbed David by the throat slamming him against the wall. As he pounded David’s head against the wall, he growled, "You filthy bastard! How does it feel to be defenseless?"
Ben, Todd, and Carlos tried desperately to pull Raoul off David very aware that Raoul intended to kill him, not that they didn’t want to themselves but knowing it would cause even more problems. Unfortunately, Raoul had a death grip on David and they were unsuccessful.
"NO ONE IS GOING TO HURT SARAH AND GET AWAY WITH IT!"
Unable to physically pull Raoul off, the three tried to reason with him.
"Raoul, stop! Let him go!" urged Ben.
"You’ve hurt him enough," said Todd. "Let him go."
"You’re killing him, Raoul," said Carlos calmly. "You don’t need a murder wrap on you."
No one was getting through to Raoul and Sarah knew she was the only one who could. Putting her hand on his back, she said calmly, "Raoul, he’s NOT worth it. Let him go."
Looking down at Sarah, Raoul’s anger dissipated. Letting David go, he said, "I’m sorry, Sarah. I’m suppose to protect you."
"You had no way of knowing, Raoul. None of us did."
Howie put his hands on Sarah’s shoulders as he said, "She’s right, Raoul. There was no way of knowing."
Carlos and Todd now had David to keep control of him as Jeff asked, "Sarah, exactly what happened?"
Sarah looked at Jeff in disbelief. "He raped me, you asshole!"
"I had to hear it from you, Sarah," said Jeff calmly knowing that she was upset.
AJ asked sarcastically, "Is THAT enough grounds to fire him?"
Embarrassed that he’d had to put Sarah through this, he said, "Yeah, it’s enough."
Sarah added, "Jeff, he threatened to tell the press about what happened between AJ and me in Nashville and the ‘sharing’."
Kevin groaned, "How did he know about THAT?"
Brian spoke up, "Nick let it slip in Detroit…when he and Howie were
arguing."
Sarah looked up at Howie with questions in her eyes.
"Later, ‘Angel’," whispered Howie.
Christine returned, "The authorities have been called."
Hoarsely, David said, "I’ll destroy you…ALL of you."
Raoul started after him again but Sarah stopped him, ""NO! Raoul!!"
Todd and Carlos continued to restrain David as Kevin spoke menacingly, "You won’t say a word."
"And who’s gonna stop me?" taunted David. "You? Or her fag husband? Maybe the tattooed freak? You’re all just jealous. I showed her what a real man was, how a REAL man could satisfy her."
Howie tried to stop Sarah but her anger flared again. "A MAN! You call yourself a MAN?" she seethed getting in his face. "A man doesn’t have to FORCE himself on a woman."
David sneered, "Princess, you know you liked it. Come on, tell them. Tell them how you use to BEG Russell to tie you up and fuck you! How you begged for more when he stopped."
Flesh against flesh rang out as Sarah slapped David. "I NEVER asked for what that animal did to me. You’re as sick as he was! You disgust me. Get him out of my sight."
The police had arrived by now and Howie said, "Sarah, the police are here. Let them get to him."
"I get one phone call. You know who I think I’ll call?"
"You do and I’ll…."
"You’ll what? How are you going to stop me?" Laughing, David said, "You can’t! NONE of you can stop me from destroying you!"
Sarah looked to Howie helplessly. He pulled her to him and she buried her face in his chest as silent tears streamed down her cheeks. Howie stroked her hair as he held her feeling the tears as they fell on his shirt.
Softly, Howie said, "Clear everyone out of here. AJ, take Sarah to the bus."
Kevin asked, "What are you gonna do, ‘D’?"
"I want to talk to him….alone."
Sarah was terrified of Howie being alone with David. She looked up, "NO!"
"Shh, I’ll be okay, ‘Angel’. Go on. Let AJ take you to the bus. When I finish, we’ll go to the hospital and make sure you’re okay."
Raoul spoke up, "Sarah, I’ll stay with Howie."
Sarah looked to him now and back at Howie. "Be careful, please."
"I will be, Angel. Go on now. I’ll be there in a few minutes."
Reluctantly, Sarah started to leave but stopped and looked back at David. In her hand was the twenty he’d thrown at her. She went back to him now and slapped it against his chest. "You can KEEP this. You’re gonna need it on the unemployment line."
Howie gave her a tender kiss on the forehead and watched as AJ put his arm around Sarah leading her out to the bus. When they were out the door, he turned back to Raoul and Carlos. "Take him in my dressing room."
Kevin asked, "What are going to do, Howie?"
"Make him an offer he can’t refuse," said Howie tiredly. "We need to do damage control. This CAN NOT get out."
"I agree. While you’re talking to him, I’ll have Jeff round everyone up."
"Thanks."
"Howie, are you okay?"
Howie shook his head and laughed desperately, "Okay? How am I supposed to be okay? Sarah’s past just reared its head AGAIN. When do we get to just be a happily married couple raising our children together doing what we love?"
Kevin put his hand on Howie’s shoulder. "You’ll make it, ‘D’. I know you two have had MORE than your share of obstacles but you know what they say, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger and you two are strong."
Brian was there too and said, "You’ve got your faith, Howie. It’ll get you through this together."
Howie turned to go in his dressing room but stopped when he heard Jesse sing out, "DADDY!"
Looking towards the doors, he saw her running for him followed by Nick and Becca. He scooped her up in his arms as she hugged him tight!
"Hey, ‘Princess’!" greeted Howie as he gave her a kiss.
As Nick and Becca joined them, Nick saw the anger in Kevin’s eyes and thought for sure it was directed at him, "Look, I’m really sorry we’re late. There was…"
Howie cut him off saying, "Don’t worry about it, Nick. Do me a favor, guys. Watch Jesse for me."
Confused, Nick said, "Sure, no problem."
Brian spoke up, "Howie, don’t worry about her. I’ll take care of her."
"Go on, D. We’ve got Jesse," said Kevin.
"Thanks. Jess, mind your uncles."
"Yes sir."
As the door closed behind Howie, Nick asked, "What the hell is going on?"
Becca was looking around spotting the Canadian police and she noticed that Sarah and AJ were missing. "Is Sarah in Howie’s dressing room?"
"No, she’s on the bus with AJ," answered Kevin. "Brian, why don’t you take Jesse to play while I explain to Nick and Becca?"
"Sure. Come on, Jess! Let’s go see what Krystal is up to!"
There was complete and utter silence as Brian walked off hand in hand with Jesse. Once she was out of earshot, Nick tried again.
"Kevin, what the hell is going on?"
Kevin was silent, trying to find words to explain what had happened.
Becca tried next. "Kevin, you're scaring me. Please tell me what's wrong."
"It's Sarah, Becca." Kevin ran a hand over his face, still not wanting to have to do this.
"Oh God!" Becca exclaimed. "Something's happened to Sarah? Kevin please, just tell me. I have to go to her-"
As she would have turned to flee, Kevin wrapped his hand around her arm, pulling her back. "Bec, you can't go yet. She'll be okay, I promise, but right now you need to stay out here."
"Kevin, just tell us," Nick said quietly, the fear knotting his stomach.
"Sarah was raped."
Becca swayed on her feet and might have hit the ground had it not been for Kevin and Nick's quick reflexes.
"NO!" Becca burst into tears, doubling over and sobbing. "Not again, oh god, not again!"
"Becca, she'll be all right," Kevin soothed. "AJ is with her and-"
"Who did this?" Nick's face was set in an angry mask and his hands were balled into fists as Kevin held his wife.
"The new guy, David."
"David… you mean-"
"Danny's replacement."
"That sonofabitch. I'll kill him."
"Get in line," Kevin sneered. "And besides, it gets worse."
"Worse?" Becca whimpered, wiping her nose. "Dear god, how?"
"Turns out he was one of Russell's buddies from back in Florida. It appears that he took this job to get close to Sarah and finish off what Russell had taunted him with all those years ago." Kevin paused again, knowing they had to hear the entire story.
"Kevin, I know you," Nick said. "There's more to it."
Kevin sighed. "Yeah, Nick, I'm afraid there is. He threatened Sarah that if she went to the authorities, he'd make public all the other shit we've been keeping quiet."
"Like what?"
"The fact that AJ raped her last summer, the fact that he and Howie and I were all involved with her at the same time, all that shit about us 'sharing' her."
Nick's face was white as a sheet. "But how did he-"
Kevin looked him right in the eye. "He was there, Nick. He overheard your argument with Howie and every word you said to him."
"Nick?" Becca turned to Nick, and the look on his face was almost as frightening as what they'd just learned.
"This is my fault," he choked out. "All this is my fault."
"Nick you can't blame yourself for this," Becca said, noticing that Kevin did nothing to refute what Nick had said. "Kevin, it's NOT his fault! Other people heard it too, and THEY didn't decide to rape my best friend."
"Becca, it’s pointless to get into this right now." Kevin looked gently at her, all the while carefully avoiding looking at Nick.
"I need to see her. Please? Kevin, please."
Cautiously, Lisa approached the three, Fiona standing a respectable distance back. "I'm sorry to interrupt. Is there any news?"
"Not yet," Kevin answered, then seeing Fiona, he motioned her closer.
Becca had nothing to say to her, other than to tell her to keep away from her husband, but now wasn't the time or the place, so she pointedly ignored her.
"Thanks, Fiona," Kevin said gently.
"I didn't do much," she shrugged.
"Fiona," Lisa interrupted, "you found her. You found her and got help. That's a lot."
Becca looked directly at Fiona for the first time, seeing the truth in what Lisa had said. "Thank you," she said graciously.
"Becca, I'm sorry about-" Fiona began, but Becca cut her off.
"Not now. Another time, but not now; right now I need to see Sarah."
"Becca, we'll watch Garrett for you," Lisa offered. "Kevin, take her on out to the bus."
Kevin nodded, and started off toward the loading dock, Becca right behind him, but Nick remained where he was.
"Nick? Come on," Becca said, stopping and turning around.
"Bec, I can't," he whispered. "This is my fault, I can't go out there."
"Nick, please, I need you. Please do this for me," she begged.
Kevin looked at him, a steely look that implied he needed to suck it up for a change and be a man. It seemed he was issuing his own challenge. You say you're grown up? Prove it.
Nick said nothing. He simply took Becca's hand and followed Kevin to Sarah's bus.