Part 444
The minute Howie stepped on stage with Sarah and told Kevin he would be doing the opening number with her as usual, EVERYONE in the venue-girlfriends, the other guys, the band, and the sound and light crew for ‘Nsync-knew Kevin wasn’t happy. He hadn’t exploded yet but now as the couple worked through the song, he sat with his arms crossed glaring at them. His foul mood effectively cut off the usual catcalls that were normal whenever Howie and Sarah did this number.
As the music ended, Kevin growled, "This is ridiculous, Howard! You should NOT be doing this with her."
With his arms around Sarah, Howie said calmly, "You’re her producer, Kevin…NOT her manager. It’s not up to you to make decisions about her shows."
"If that’s the way you want it, FINE! DO NOT ask my opinion anymore about her career," snapped Kevin.
That floored Sarah. She valued Kevin’s opinion just as much as Howie’s. "STOP arguing, you two," spoke up Sarah. "Kevin, please, don’t be mad but see MY side of it. I WANT Howie up here. It’s my signature….you know, Sweet D introducing his Angel."
Kevin softened seeing the scared look in her eyes. He knew this was coming, now all he had to do was get her to admit why she was so scared. "Baby, come on. What’s up with all this?"
"I’m scared, Kevin! For five years, Russell told me how bad I was," started Sarah in a shaky voice. "That I’d NEVER amount to anything as a singer. By my senior year in college, he had me convinced to the point that I gave up singing completely."
Becca started to say, "But you…"
"Blamed it on Jesse. An easy out. The final straw was when he and his friends booed me after I did the National Anthem at a local softball game and I didn’t sing again until that Christmas party for the kids at the Youth Center."
"’Tigger’, you’ve proven beyond a doubt that you’re good. Our
fans love you."
"And you were awesome opening for AC," added Nick.
Sarah looked at her friends. They were trying so hard to get her past this and she wanted to believe them but it was hard to dismiss the ‘put downs’ she’d endured from Russell for so long.
Brian spoke up now. "Sarah, you’re thinking that our fans and to a certain degree, Aaron’s fans, love you because your Howie’s wife, but you’re wrong. BECAUSE you’re Howie’s wife, they are going to be tougher on you than any other audience, expecting more. Take tonight and prove to yourself beyond a shadow of a doubt what the five of us and Becca have known all along."
"I should do this without Howie?"
"Yeah, ‘Angel’…you should," answered Howie knowing that they were getting through to her. "As much as I love singing with you, tonight isn’t the right time."
Sarah looked over her shoulder at him. "You set me up, didn’t you?"
Howie smirked, "Sorta. ‘Angel’, I love you, very much, and I know you’re nervous but you’ve performed with me on last year’s cruise, at ‘Tabu’, and all the other places. You’ve got ‘Mook’ and the rest of the band backing you up and we’ll all be in the audience watching. You’re gonna be fine."
Kevin looked over Howie’s shoulder at ‘Mook’ and nodded his head. "Baby, I knew you’d be nervous so I have a surprise for you. Lisa, Fi, Nikki, and Fatima rode with the band up here and they’re gonna be onstage with you."
Howie let go of Sarah so that she could hug Kevin. She whispered as he held her close, "Thank you, ‘Boo’."
Howie and Kevin exchanged knowing glances as she hugged Kevin. They had BOTH known from the minute they’d told Johnny she’d do this that Sarah’s nerves would get the better of her. They had worked this entire thing out with the exception of the others being there but that had worked to their advantage too.
Sarah finished rehearsing with the band and the dancers as everyone sat around watching and talking. She was definitely ready now for this and listened intently to everything the guys had to tell her.