Part 532

The sound of the eager, expectant crowd was getting louder by the minute as everyone began to gather backstage before the show.

"Well, you certainly seem to be feeling better," Becca grinned as she watched Sarah practically bounce from one foot to the other. "I don’t suppose Howie had anything to do with that?"

"Yep!" she giggled.

Becca laughed again, shaking her head at Sarah’s predictability.

Sarah started to make a smart retort, but saw that Becca’s mind had begun to wander, and her eyes had lost some of the sparkle that had been there just seconds ago. "Bec, it’s not that much longer. I know how hard it is to wait and those beaches or islands are still gonna be waiting for you."

"It’ll be the dead of winter by the time we even get back." Becca sighed as she looked away.

Oops, Sarah thought. Nick must have finally told her about the delays in returning to Florida. "Bec-"

"By the time we finish with the tour extensions, special appearances and everything…"

"Sis you don’t have to be back home for it to be special, you know. Just being together is what counts most."

"I know, Sarah. Nick told me about not going back home right away, and I tried to make him see that it didn’t matter to me."

"But it does."

"But it shouldn’t, and I hope he believed me."

Sarah rolled her eyes. "Bec-"

"Trust me, I know it will be special, and I plan to take you up on your offer to take Garrett for the night."

"On one condition."

"Only one?" Becca snorted.

"Details, girl. I want ALL the juicy details."

"Sarah, I’m shocked. You really want to know about the special thing Nick does with his tongue and his teeth and the way he-"

"NO! Never mind!" Sarah had her hands over her ears trying to block out the details of Nick and Becca’s sex life.

Becca laughed as she tried to pry Sarah’s hands away from her ears. "Yo! Sis! You’re on!"

The crowd erupted into enthusiastic applause and cheers as Sarah continued to giggle. "That’s me! See ya out there in a few, sis!" And with that she bounded onto the stage and launched into her first number.

Becca watched, standing anxiously in the wings and wiping her sweaty palms on her dress. It was such a paradox- her palms were soaked and yet she shivered in the cool backstage air.

"Bec, it’s gonna be fine." Nick put his hands on her shoulders and began to rub the tension out of the tight muscles.

"Yeah … I guess …"

"Silly woman," Nick laughed. "We practiced, you practiced, you and Sarah practiced-"

"Stop it," Becca laughed. "I didn’t say I was feeling particularly rational, you know. Come on, come wait with me."

Nick knew her ritual by heart, and he stepped over a set of bulky power cables to a quiet spot just behind the curtain. "Come here," he said quietly, holding out his hand and pulling Becca close. He sighed as she rested her forehead against his chest and as her arms went around his waist he closed his eyes. In the silence and the warmth of each others’ arms, they each said prayer: for strength, for a good performance, but mostly for gratitude. The last two days had felt like an eternity and here they were, past it all and still in one piece.

Becca leaned back and looked up at Nick. "Thanks," she whispered with a smile.

"Any time," he answered, and kissed the tip of her nose.

"You ready?" Kevin asked Becca as he slapped Nick on the back.

"As ready as I’ll ever be, just like every other time," Becca grimaced.

"Butterflies?" Brian chuckled.

"Eagles," Becca quipped. "Nick, what if I throw up on stage?"

"Bec, that’s not gonna happen. Go on now, you just missed your cue."

"Oh my god …" She shot the guys a look, as if they were to blame for her distraction, and went to join Sarah on stage.

"Is she always this bad?" Kevin was laughing as he watched Nick watching Becca.

"Nah, I think it’s just all the stuff from the last couple of days is getting to her. I’m really proud of her, Kev."

"We all are, Nick. She’s been through and handled a lot more than any of us ever gave her credit for."

Nick smiled, and looked at Kevin. "Remember the first night we met?"

"And she tripped on the carpet? I thought she was gonna melt into a puddle right there in front of us." He looked at the _expression in Nick’s eyes and smiled. "That was ‘it’ for you, wasn’t it?"

"Yep. Hook, line and sinker. When it happens, you just know it."

"Yeah, you do," Kevin sighed with a smile.

Without missing a beat Nick asked, "So how is Lynne?"

"Fine. I talked to her-" Trapped. Dammit, that little shit had caught him red-handed. Or, red ‘faced’ as the case seemed to be.

Nick smirked. "Tell her Bec and I said hello when you talk to her tonight."

"Tell ‘who’ hello?" Becca asked as she came off the stage to the sound of thunderous applause.

"Lynne," Nick grinned.

"Oh, yes, please do! Tell her I miss her." Becca saw there was something going on between the two men, but didn’t have time to sort it out.

"Come on you guys, you need to get down below before Sarah finishes," Brian reminded them.

"Make sure she gets back up here," Becca said, for possibly the hundredth time in the past two hours.

"We will! We will! Now get moving." Brian pushed them all toward the ladder that led down below to the ‘underground’.

Fiona met her with a hairbrush and base powder and lipstick, and quickly helped her repair her ‘face’ before taking her place on the lift.

"How do I look?" she asked Nick, her eyes wide with fright.

"Beautiful, Bec. You’re gonna be awesome." He leaned in to kiss her, but was pulled roughly back by Fiona.

"Do NOT mess up her makeup, Carter. Save it for after the song." She menacingly waved a makeup brush at him and he backed way with his hands in the air.

"Don’t hurt me! Please! I have a wife and a kid-"

Becca giggled, and hearing the sound, Nick winked at Fi. "Thanks," he whispered.

"Any time, now go powder YOUR nose, Carter."

"Aww, I was kinda hopin’ YOU’D do it for me," he begged, batting his eyes helplessly.

"I think not, blondie. You’re off limits to me, remember?" she grinned.

"Damn the luck," he mumbled, shaking his head. "Briiiiannnnn ….. C’mere!"

Part 533       Index