Chapter Seven

The weeks went by and life wih Maria was as blissful as could be imagined in any dream.

Finally, we got time off, it was only two weeks but it was a much needed break. Maria and I decided to fly to New Mexico to visit her mom and then take a mini vacation in Hawaii, a week in the palm-clad island was going to be fantastic. Kevin and his long-time girlfriend, Michelle were going to go with us. I knew Maria was excited.

~New Mexico~

"Hi Mom!!" Maria exclaimed excitedly. She hugged her mom tightly.

"Hello Mrs. Chasez, remember me?" I stuck my hand out. She grinned and pulled me into a hug.

"Of course! Howie! Wow, how exciting, a Backstreet Boy in my home." She beamed, I could tell Maria was worried about how I took the comment and smiled to show her it was okay.

Her mother was a terrific cook. I missed homecooked meals. We ate and chatted light-heartedly until Mrs. Chasez started showing signs of being tired.

"I'll clean up, you get to bed ma'am," I told her. She grinned and plopped kiss on my cheek.

"Thanks, I'm getting old can't stay up as long as I used to." She hobbled to bed and Maria and I cleaned the kitchen in silence.

"c'mere you," She pulled me close and kissed me, I kissed her forehead and she took my hand and led me to the back porch.

"What are we doing?" It was chilly but she didn't seem to care. There was a huge tree hanging over the roof. She started to climb it and urged me to follow. I was a little nervous but climbed up she climed on a horizontal branch until she reached the rooftop, I could tell she'd done it before. I climbed clumsily up beside her. Even in my Tommy jeans and Armani sweater I was freezing. Who knew it got so cold in New Mexico.

"Look at the stars," she whispered. I put my arm around her. She leaned on my, and continued,

"My dad and I used to sit up here and talk, I could always talk to him," A few stray tears streamed down her cheeks, I wiped them away with the back of my hand and waited for her to say more.

"When he died," she choked, "I thought I'd never find a man like him, a man I could trust and love so much," She looked into my eyes.

"Love?" I whispered.

She nodded, "I love you Howie," I was shocked,

"I love you too, Maria" I wrapped my arms around her and she cried softly into my shoulder.

I stroked the side of her face gently and we laid down on the roof and stared up in the stars, before I knew it, my beautiful angel was asleep next to me and soon I was asleep too.

~Next Morning~

"Ria? Howie?" Maria's mom called, I woke up with the bright sun shinning in my eyes. Maria too was stirring, I looked down and had forgotten we'd fallen asleep up here.

"Were up here!" I yelled up to her.

"Oh thank Heavens!" We climbed down and spent the rest of the day lounging around the house and spending time together, her mother was anextremely good host, but I was still glad to have Maria all to myself the next day when we left for Hawaii.

Chapter Six
Chapter Eight
Howie Fanfiction Index
BSB Fanfiction Index
Backstreet Island

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