Kelly looked out of the window of the plane as it started down the runaway, on its way to New York.
“Are you okay?” AJ, who was sitting beside of her, asked.
“Yeah, I’m not afraid of flying like Nick,” Kelly laughed slightly.
“That’s not what I meant. You look worried…are you okay?” AJ stared into her shimmering blue eyes for an answer.
Kelly looked deep into AJ’s soulful brown eyes and saw more than just his eyes…she glimpsed into a part of his soul.
“Actually, no, I’m not really okay,” Kelly confided as her mind drifted back to the night she told Nick the “good news” and even up to that very morning when she had left a note for Nick on the kitchen table telling him she was leaving for a little while.
AJ listened carefully to what Kelly said about Nick being upset with her, although he didn’t understand why. He didn’t say all that much back to Kelly. He had no idea what to say about the way Nick was acting. He placed his decoratively tattooed arm around her shoulder for comfort, but that was about all he could do.
“It seems like she would’ve called or something!! Where is she?!” Nick yelled to Brian and Ang, pacing back and forth across the living room.
“Nick, calm down man. I’m sure she’s fine. She didn’t say where she was going?” Brian asked, standing in front of Nick so he couldn’t continue to pace.
“No!” he plopped down on the couch frustrated. He clutched the letter that his wife has left him on the table. “This is all she said,” Nick said, handing the crumpled letter to Brian.
Nick sweetheart,
I’m sorry, but I just can’t take this silent treatment that you’re giving me anymore. I’m going away for a little while. Don’t worry, I’ll be back, but not until you decide to start acting like a responsible adult and like a loving husband. I miss you. Where did my best friend go? I miss you and want you back, Nick. I’m with one of your friends, so I’ll be fine.
Love Always,
Kelly
Nick had re-read the letter over and over again trying to figure out who it was she was staying with. Brian patted him on the shoulder, and sat down beside Nick. Nick had his head in his hands, and continually ran his fingers through his golden mane. There was a prolonged silence while the Littrell’s worried about their friends, and while Nick pondered upon where his wife was and who she was with.
“AJ!” Nick exclaimed, standing up, breaking the silence.
“Huh?” Brian and Ang said simultaneously.
“Kelly is with AJ! She has to be! Kevin and Michelle are out of town, and Howie’s all the way in Canada with Tracy. Where’s his number?? You know that penthouse he has in New York! She’s got to be with him!!” Nick rambled on, looking through his date books, searching for the penthouse number, but having no luck.
“Are you hungry?” AJ called into the bedroom, across from his.
“Yeah! Why?” Kelly called back, as she unpacked the remainder of her things.
“Do you want to get something to eat? I’m starved!!” AJ sauntered across the hall into her bedroom.
“Sure, that’d be great. Where do you want to go?” Kelly asked, sitting down on the bed to rest momentarily.
“There’s this really nice restaurant sort of near Times Square. Do you want to go there? I’ll make reservations if you do,” AJ suggested, picking up the framed picture of her and Nick together, that was sitting on the dresser.
“Yeah, sounds good,” Kelly replied. “That was taken at our beach house in Miami,” Kelly referred to the picture in AJ’s hand, smiling at the memories.
“Kel, what happened? I mean, why didn’t you just talk to Nick about what’s going on with you?” he crossed the room and sat on the bed beside of her.
“I did, well, I tried. He just refused to listen. You know how stubborn Nick is…I just couldn’t get through to him how much he was hurting me. I guess maybe now that I’m gone, he’ll know. I don’t know,” Kelly said, as a feeling of melancholy washed over her.
AJ sat there silent, and nodded knowingly in agreement. He didn’t understand how Nick could bear to hurt such a sweet woman, like Kelly.
“Well, if it makes you feel any better, if I had a gorgeous and caring wife like you, I sure wouldn’t be upset if being pregnant was something that made you happy,” AJ wrapped his arm around the pretty blonde beside of him.
“Thanks, that’s comforting to know…only you’re not my husband,” Kelly stared into his dark chocolate eyes. “So, what about you? Why are you here?” Kelly changed the subject, inching away from him.
“Just to get away from things, ya know?” AJ looked away from her gaze.
“C’mon now, I’ve told you everything about why I’m here. Tell me, please,” Kelly persisted.
“It’s about Lis. She’s great and I love her and all, but I don’t know. She wants a little more from our relationship than I’m willing to give her, I guess,” AJ searched Kelly’s face for a response.
“Like, she wants a marriage proposal??” Kelly assumed.
“Maybe, I guess…I don’t know. Like I said, I do love her, but I’m not really ready to settle down yet. I will one day, just not anytime in the near future,” AJ confided his true feelings to Kelly.
“Did you tell her that?” Kelly asked, feeling special since AJ felt comfortable enough to tell her his feelings.
“Yeah, and she got upset. She thought that I didn’t love her and didn’t want to marry her. That’s not true…I do, just not right now. So, she said she was getting her stuff and moving out. We got into an argument, and being in Florida is just not the best place for me to be right now,” AJ said, starting to feel a little angry remembering his heated argument with his girlfriend.
“Yeah, you and me both! Well, let’s get ready to go to dinner and we’ll feel better about things,” Kelly suggested as she got up from the bed to get dressed.
The phone rang at AJ’s house back in Florida. Lis’ strawberry blonde hair was tied back in a ponytail, so it swayed from side to side as she bounded toward the phone.
Upon answering the telephone, Lis shouted, “I don’t want to talk to you!! Yes, I’m still mad at you and no, I don’t forgive you right now!!”
“What? Wait, Lis, is that you?” Nick’s perplexed voice sounded on the other line.
“Oh, yeah, sorry Nick. I thought you were AJ. What do you need?” Lisa’s tone dropped slightly, but she still sounded annoyed.
“Do you have the number to AJ’s penthouse in New York? It’s really important!” Nick begged.
“Yep, sure do. Do you want it?” she asked, searching her purse for the number.
“Yes, thank you so much!! I’ll love you forever!” Nick thanked AJ’s girlfriend, while a small piece of relief came over him.
