The next morning everyone rushed around to make their flight back to Orlando. I sat and watched them hurrying back and forth, stuffing their already piled high suitcases and then making an effort to close them.
Surprisingly enough, they made their flight, and with plenty of time to spare. As usual, the guys were in first class. Howie, A.J., Nick, Heather, and Eve slept, but Brian, Kat, and Kevin talked while I listened intently.
“Guys, I gave her the ring.”
“What ring?” Kat asked, looking confused.
“Miranda’s ring.”
“Oh my God, Brian, you didn’t!” I thought Kat was going to kill him. But instead, she gave him a hug. “That’s so great! So what happened, did she take it? Are you guys going out?”
“Yes and yes,” Brian answered proudly.
“That’s wonderful Bri, but are you sure you can handle this? You and Miranda went out for a long time, you haven’t even dated a girl since your junior year in high school,” Kevin reminded him.
“It’s not like I forgot or anything Kevin. I’m not an idiot.”
Kevin held his hands up in defense. “I didn’t say you were. I just don’t want to see you get hurt Brian.”
“I’ll be careful, I promise.”
“So are you guys moving in together?” Kat asked, quickly changing the subject.
“No, it’s way too early in the relationship to even think about that. But I wish we could. I never want to let Eve out of my sight. I already lost Miranda, and I’m not about to lose her too.”
“Brian, you can’t protect her all of the time,” Kevin said gently. “Besides that, maybe what happened to Miranda was something that was meant to be.”
“No, Miranda died because I let my guard down. If only I hadn’t been such a wimp, she’d still be here.” Brian’s eyes traveled around the plane and stopped right where I was sitting. “But that was in the past, and now Eve is my future. The same thing is not going to happen to her.”
Kat gave him a weak smile. “That’s very admirable of you Bri, but I doubt Eve is going to let you watch over her like a hawk at all times.”
“Then she won’t have to know. If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to sit by Eve. I don’t like the way the steward’s been looking at her.” Brian got up and sat down right next to Eve, putting a protective arm around her shoulder and giving the steward the evil eye.
Kevin sighed. “He’s lost it.”
“Kev, try to put yourself in his position. If I died and six months later you found a new girlfriend, wouldn’t you want to make sure that you wouldn't lose her as well?”
“I guess so. I understand what he wants to do, but there’s no way he can be with her 24 hours a day.”
“Brian will find a way, he always does.”
Kevin frowned. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”
I had no idea what to make of what Brian had said. I understood why he wanted to protect her, but what lengths would he go to ensure her safety? I sighed and sank back in my chair. ‘Be careful Brian.’
* * * * *
“So Eve, you haven’t told us, how are you and Brian getting along?” Kat asked, feigning ignorance as she, Eve, and Heather sat and talked by themselves while the guys went over some business. I tried to listen to both conversations, but figured that the girls’ would be more entertaining, so I sat near them.
“Uh, well, he gave me this ring.” Eve held up her hand so the girls could see it. “And now we’re going out.”
“Why does that ring look so familiar?” Heather inquired.
Eve shrugged. “Maybe you saw it in a store somewhere.”
“Maybe.”
“It’s a really nice ring Eve.” Kat admired it as if she’d never seen it before. “Very pretty. I sure wish Kevin would get me a nice ring like that.” From across the aisle, Kevin shot her a look, then went back to talking with the guys.
“What do you mean, he hasn’t gotten you an engagement ring yet?” Heather asked, shocked.
Katrina shook her head. “No. We haven’t found one we liked yet.”
“If Nick ever pulled that with me, I would break up with him plain and simple. I mean, these guys have millions of dollars, and Kevin can’t even buy you a lousy ring?”
‘Here comes a fight,’ I thought gleefully, rubbing my hands in anticipation. It had been ages since I had seen a good cat fight.
“Well we really haven’t had time to look yet, with the tour and all. But now that the guys have three months off, Kevin promised me that we’ll go to all the stores we need to until we find a nice ring.”
“How can you say that?” Eve asked Heather, going back to her last comment. “I thought you loved Nick.”
“There is a thin line between love and hate,” Heather answered snottily. “If Nick ever tried to use that ‘I don’t have time’ crap he’d be crossing the line.”
“But it’s true, they don’t have time,” Eve argued. “Besides that, you’ve been on tour with them, you see their schedule, wouldn’t you make an exception?”
“No. I am his girlfriend, therefore giving me priority over those disgusting teenyboppers.”
“Come on Eve, punch her out!” I said. “You know you want to!”
Eve glanced in my direction, then turned back towards Heather. “But those ‘disgusting teenyboppers’ are what brings in Nick’s checks!”
“I don’t care. Nick should put me above all else in his life. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go sit by him.” Heather stood up and brushed hard past Eve.
“How could she say those things?” Eve wonder out loud. “Did she realize how shallow and narrow-minded she sounded?”
“She’s like that all the time,” Kat sighed. “But usually she’s a lot nicer than this. I don’t know what her problem is.”
“I don’t think she likes me very much,” Eve admitted.
“Don’t worry, she will,” Kat assured her. “It takes a while to get on Heather’s good side.”
“Hello girls,” Brian said as he sat down next to Eve, flashing them a smile. “Kat, Kevin wants to talk to you.”
“Okay. Listen Eve, don’t worry about Heather. She’ll come around, I promise.” Kat stood up and headed over towards Kevin.
“What’s going on with you and Heather?” Brian asked.
“Well, Kat told us about how Kevin hasn’t gotten her an engagement ring yet and Heather said that if Nick pulled that on her she’d dump him, and then she called your fans, and I quote, ‘disgusting teenyboppers’, so I defended them.”
“Yeah, well, that’s Heather for you. I honestly have no idea what Nick sees in her. She’s a total bimbo. If I were you, I’d rather not be on her good side.”
“Why not?” Eve asked.
“Because she’s a mooch. She’s constantly asking Kat and the rest of us to borrow money, claiming that she wants to get Nick a gift. But the next day, she comes in wearing a new outfit.”
“I really don’t like that girl,” Eve remarked, leaning in closer to Brian. “She’s such a-”
“Bitch?”
“Yeah, that’s it.”
‘But that’s not true,’ I thought. ‘Heather never acted like that when I knew her, she was a total sweetheart. What happened to her?’
“Look, don’t worry about that blonde bimbo. She’s nothing compared to you.”
Eve blushed. “Brian…” She leaned in and kissed him. “You are such a sweetheart.”
‘How sickening,’ I thought disgustedly, rolling my eyes. ‘Did we act like that when we were going out?’
Brian yawned. “I’m getting tired. Do you mind if I sleep for awhile?”
“No, go ahead.”
“Thanks.” Brian yawned again, leaned back, and closed his eyes. Eve gently stroked his head like he was a small child until he fell asleep.
“Doesn’t he look so peaceful?” Eve asked me with a contented sigh. “I hope we never grow apart. I want to be with him forever.”
“Maybe you will,” I said, giving Eve a small smile. I couldn’t help it. They did make a cute couple. At least I could finally accept the truth. Brian and I were no longer, and would never be, for that matter, a couple. Eve was Brian’s destiny, and for the first time since I had been assigned that task, I was genuinely happy for them.
