Brian sat the telephone receiver down back on its hook. He looked at Kevin.
“He said tomorrow afternoon at two.”
“Two?” Kevin yelled. “He want’s us to haul ass down there on a whim, on his schedule, for a press conference? What if I said I’m not going?”
“Kevin, don’t start this. We have to go.” Brian paused a moment, his back still facing Kevin. Turning around he let go of himself.
“You know since your supposed to be big brother of the group you should understand this situation. Look at us, all three of us. We left Nick behind and Howie to deal with him. We’re shacked up here in this nice family’s historical mansion of a house. A woman cooks and cleans for us and all we do, aside from keep them rolling in money, is use their daughters.”
“Brian! Sit down and shut up,” Kevin ordered. Brian looked at him in an awkward manner and then done as he was told. “Try not to be so childish and lets try and deal with this. Where is AJ?”
“Out frolicking with Miss Brandy more than likely. Giving her drugs and corrupting her innocent young mind to follow his fucked up ways. That sounds like AJ to me,” He looked at Kevin as if asking if he agreed.
“Please tell him we’re leaving tomorrow when he comes home,” he told Brian before he left the room.
^^^^^^^^
AJ pulled his clothes and belongings out of the drawers in the dresser. More than he let anyone believe he wasn’t looking forward to breaking anyone’s heart. Especially not Brandy’s. He had seen her tender face well up with fat tears before. It was like watching a helpless angel die. He hated seeing women cry but he hated even more the thought of her crying.
After packing he stretched out on his bed. The very bed he had made love to her on the night before. He adored her innocence. She never asked him silly questions about his past lovers or never did she question his love for her. She was what she seemed, somehow like a child, honesty within herself. He smiled as he remembered her body. That was certainly not childlike.
He rose off of the bed as she walked through his doorway. His innocence, his beautiful young rose. Her face took the look of that dying angel as she fell into his arms. Never a tear escaped her eyes.
“I heard,” said whispered. “Please tell me it isn’t so AJ. Tell me you’ll stay here with me.”
He lifted her chin from his chest and kissed her tenderly on the lips. “I’ll never go anywhere without you,” he promised.
Her lips greedily took to his again. AJ pulled his lips away a bit, softening the kiss as he moved them up onto the bed. Slowly his mouth took possession of several small entities on her body. They made love to each other with promises of love, promises of hope, and promises of a future together.
^^^^^^^^
Brian stood, leaning against his S.U.V. with Heather’s arms wrapped about his waist. It was very early out and the sun was just beginning to rise. He kissed her lips and smiled, trying not to let her spirits get down.
“I’ll call you and we will definitely get together. A lot.”
She smiled and nodded as she didn’t see this as a very hopeful promise but he was trying.
“Where are those guys,” Heather asked, looking back toward the house.
Kevin and Katy came strolling out of the house and off the porch, Kevin carrying his suitcase with one hand and his other hand was wrapped tightly around Katy’s shoulder. Their faces were flush red, and as they approached Kevin’s 4Runner, they realized that they couldn’t hide themselves. Brian and Heather laughed under their breath at the site of the two. They both looked as though they had just ran a couple of miles.
AJ stood at the bottom of the stairs waiting for Brandy. She hadn’t come out of her room yet this morning and he wasn’t about to leave without her saying goodbye.
Finally she trampled down the stairs.
“Are you ready yet,” AJ breathed heavily, smiling all the while.
“Ready as I’ll ever be,” she grinned.
“I put your stuff in the trunk.” He looked at her, sure of the pain she was about to endure.
“Are you sure your ready,” he asked, although he didn’t mean having all of her belongings.
She walked hand and hand out onto the porch with AJ. Jack and Ella were standing there as if they were waiting for her.
“I’m gonna miss y’all,” she half-weeped, throwing herself into her mama’s arms. “I’ll call you everyday and tell you how I’m doing.” Jack whipped a tear from his daughter’s cheek. “I love you, Daddy.”
She had to half pull herself from her father’s embrace and step backward. AJ shook hands with Jack and kissed Ella’s cheek.
The hardest part lay ahead.
Slowly she made eye contact with Katy and Heather. Not one at a time but all at once they all hugged each other. In a sobbing, crying bundle they held on to each other as if there would never be a tomorrow. Brandy never knew that leaving home would be this hard.
Kissing her sisters goodbye, Brandy and AJ were in the car as fast as possible. She couldn’t bare the thought of looking back. She was afraid it might rip her heart out.
