As the lights went out, a single pale blue spotlight hovered over the figure sitting at the piano. Her head was down, tiny tendrils of curls shielded her face from view as she began to stroke the piano keys. The crowd was hushed as her angelic voice echoed throughout the room.

Howie’s eyes were completely fixated on her as she sang. He was hoping to find something, anything to contradict Kevin’s belief that this girl was actually Kristina. Of course, part of him wanted to believe that she was still alive, that for whatever reason she had not contacted him and one day he would be able to wrap his arms around her once again. The more sensible side of him knew that she would never allow her mother to suffer in that way, to think that her only daughter was dead and buried, to visit her grave site weekly with fresh flowers, weeping sadly. No, it couldn’t be Kristina because he knew that she was too caring to allow that to happen!

The words to the song she was singing held him against his will, painful memories threatening to send him rushing out the front door and away from all that he remembered. And then, she lifted her head just enough to smile as she finished the song.

The painful realization hit him hard; the voice within his lump filled throat screamed. "It can’t be!"

Kevin turned his attention away from her; his gaze fixed on Howie, a worried look on his face.

"Its Kristina, isn’t it, ‘D’?" he said.

The look on Howie’s face frightened Kevin. He had a visibly sad look in eyes, but yet they held a hunger at the same time. It was if she were singing directly to him, about him, about their relationship and it gave Kevin cold chills.

"I…no..No..it can’t be," he stammered. Every beat of his heart echoed throughout his head like a bass drum.

"And I will remember you / Will you remember me? / Don't let your life pass you by / Weep not for the memories"

The spotlight faded and the room darkened once again. At first he was unsure if it was actually the club darkening or if it was his head silencing him for thinking that it was possible she was alive. But then, the band began to play a more upbeat Latin sound as the stage lights came back on, revealing her standing there, a smirk upon her face. As she ripped off the long skirt she was wearing, to reveal a shorter black miniskirt, she began to salsa.

People were moving closer to the stage and he could barely see her. He moved forward, needing to get closer, as the second song continued.

Fiona was smiling, oblivious as to what was going on with Howie. She was so cute that Kevin wanted to pull her close to him and kiss her passionately, be he couldn’t. He had to focus on ‘D’.

"Fi, sweetie. Could you excuse me for a minute?" he shouted over the music.

"Sure!" she said as she began to sway her hips to and fro.

He smiled at her and then turned to find that Howie had disappeared before his very eyes and within just a matter of a few seconds at that. "DAMN!" he shouted, but no one heard him as he began to make his way through the crowd.

Howie moved closer to the stage, his eyes mesmerized by her movements. The way she swayed her hips sexily reminded him of the way Kris used to tease him when she wanted to go dancing.

By chance Kevin saw him, a far away look in his eyes as he wandered aimlessly towards the stage. Thankfully Kris had not seen him, YET! Kevin put his hand on Howie’s shoulder and shouted over the music.

"- Hey bro, I don’t think you want her to see you in the crowd while she’s performing. It wouldn’t be good for her or the club."

He stared blankly at Kevin for a moment before walking away. Kevin followed, realizing he was probably going to his office for a little quiet time. Shutting the door behind them, Howie poured himself a drink and guzzled it quickly before pouring a second one.

"You need to go easy on that stuff, ‘D’. You need a clear head right now!"

Howie’s face was drained of its normal caramel coloring and Kevin felt as if he were partly to blame. After all, he had called him and told him that he needed to come back into town, only to drudge up the memories that haunted him.

"Need a clear head? Oh no! What I need is to get loaded, get back on that plane and head back to LA."

Running his hands through his hair, Kevin sighed heavily. Talking him through this was going to be difficult.

"I know that you have a lot of questions, ‘D’ and you are probably angry, but give her a chance to explain. I’m sure there is a good reason as to why she faked this whole thing," he said hoping to calm him a little.

"Why should I care? She broke my heart, she broke her mother’s heart and now she’s out partying it up while we suffer thinking she’s dead! How unfair is that, Kevin?"

His anger was understandable, but Kevin could tell that he was still in love with her as tears pooled and threatened to spill down his face. He hoped that ‘D’ would soften once Kristina stood within a few feet of him.

"Just talk to her, find out what she has to say. Please ‘D’! I saw her reaction yesterday when John mentioned us, and her eyes were desperate. She was scared!"

He smirked. "Yeah, scared of getting busted!"

"C’Mon ‘D’. You said it yourself…Kristina is very caring and she must have had a really good reason for it all. For God’s sake just talk to her, even if it’s just for your piece of mind!"

He was just about to say more when there was a light knock on the door.

Chapter 12        Index