Part 70
"Nick, am I doing the right thing?" Becca asked for the hundredth time since being escorted backstage by Billy.
"Bec, you have to get it over with. The wedding is day after tomorrow and I KNOW you, if you don't talk to her now it's going to ruin everything."
"What do I say?" she whispered.
"I can't tell you that, baby. Just let your heart guide you and you'll be fine. Here she comes." He gently turned her toward Sarah who looked even more apprehensive than Becca did.
There was an awkward silence as the two women faced each other and it was obvious to everyone present that the wounds were still fresh and still hurting. Neither one spoke as they faced off.
Finally Howie cleared his throat, and it snapped Sarah out of her daze.
"Becca, I want to apologize for what I did last night," she offered in a small voice.
Becca said nothing, quite content to watch her squirm.
"I'm sorry, I really am. The things I said to you were uncalled for and –" She paused, fumbling for coherence. "And I betrayed a confidence…"
Becca's quiet reply was much worse than any angry outburst could have been. "Yes, you did, Sarah. You hurt me and you hurt Nick."
"I said-"
"Sorry? Again? Like it's going to make it go away this time? Like every OTHER time you've fucked up and messed around in my life?" Becca's voice was rising, and they were drawing a crowd.
"What?!" Sarah was aghast. Not only that her apology hadn't been accepted without question, but also the fact that Becca was actually raising her voice at her. In public!
"I've done nothing but be there for you, Sarah. I took you in when you left Russell; I listened to your twisted stories about whatever the hell went on last year with Kevin and AJ; I held your sorry ass when you lost your baby and then kept the guys from killing each other in the waiting room."
"Becca!" Sarah was shocked.
"Damn it, I love you. You're my best fucking FRIEND for chrissakes, but you couldn't keep your mouth shut for ONCE?"
Nick was moving toward Becca, but Howie stopped him with a hand on his arm. "Let her go, Nick, it'll be good for BOTH of them," he said quietly.
Sarah started to speak, but Becca was faster.
"Don't even go there, Sarah. I know, I'm a colossal screw-up, too. I mean, look at me - I’m the poster child for dysfunction, but I'm trying to fix it. And I've never once betrayed a confidence where you were concerned. Did you even once stop to think what your little confession could have done? I'm thankful to God that Nick loves me like he does, or there might not have been a wedding to attend on Sunday."
Sarah blanched as AJ muttered, "Don't hold back, Bec."
Kevin shoved him away with a nasty look.
For the first time anyone could remember, Sarah was speechless. She had no response, because everything Becca had said was the truth. A single tear rolled down her face.
Becca sighed, her anger suddenly vanishing as quickly as it had flared. "I love you, Sarah, but you scare me."
"Why?" she whispered.
"The drinking … the partying …"
"Bec, it was only one night."
"That's all it takes. One night. I saw what you were like before and where you ended up and I can't stand by silently and watch it happen again. Don't do this to yourself. God, Sarah, don't do this to Howie. He loves you and you have your whole lives before you. Don't screw it up."
Nick had come to stand behind Becca, and Howie had done the same with Sarah.
"Billy needs to get you to your seat, baby. You sure you want to be down front?" Nick hugged her protectively.
Sarah was dumbfounded. "You're sitting out front? What about the reporters?"
"I'm tired of hiding, Sarah. In two days it will all be public knowledge anyway, so I might as well get to watch from the good seats."
"Becca-"
"Just let it go Sarah. Stop apologizing and fix what's wrong."
"Time to go!" Billy boomed. "Shake your assets, ladies, these boys have a show to do."
Becca giggled as Sarah just shook her head.
"Billy," Sarah said, "have you forgotten that this woman is the one who once told you to piss off? And then you DID?"
"Hell no, she scares the shit out me," he said. '"But YOU on the other hand … get a move on!"
Nick and Howie watched their women head to the front row, seemingly all right for the time being, but both wondered if it was really over. Heading for the ‘underworld’ to take their places on their 'toasters', AJ slapped Nick on the back.
"Remind me to never fuck with your woman again, Kaos. When the hell did she grow balls?"
Nick laughed. "They were there all the time, J, It just took the right moment for them to show up."
"Well, we can still pick on YOU," Kevin retorted, "because we know YOU don’t have any."
"Asshole … watch your back onstage tonight, you never know …."
Kevin deadpanned, "Nick, I have two words for you: sea grass."
AJ howled, knowing that Nick would have to find another time and place for revenge.