Chapter Twelve:  Good Night, everybody!

Five days later I was raring to go.  The new meds were kicking in and I felt better than I had in weeks. The shows I had missed had been rescheduled and our first concert was in three days.  Back to the salt mines.

I waited just inside the back door the hospital had blocked off.  JC was beside me having the time of her life.  I hadn’t seen her since the first hospital interview and she was making up for lost time.  Currently she was singing some old disco tune, “Dancing in the Sheets.” It was going to be a long day. 

Is seemed that the guys were picking me up in style. BSB style, that is.  As our tour bus turned the corner I picked up my bag and stepped into the sunlight.  Nothing had ever felt so good.  Well....maybe that’s an exaggeration.  JC arm on my woody had felt pretty darn good.  But it’s best we leave that topic alone.

The doors to the bus opened as they pulled even with me and seemed to explode as four guys tried to get out at once. 

“Frack man!  It’s great to see you up and...what the f... I mean who is this?”  Good man AJ.  Pull off the self-censorship.

Four pairs of eyes were gazing behind me.  I don’t blame them.  I would look past me for JC.   Currently she was wearing a white, sleeveless T-shirt, blue-jean shorts and those flat tennies with no socks.  She looked so damn good standing there, bag in one hand and Max’s leash in the other.  Frankly I thought the leash was a dumb idea.  If Max ran I could catch him.  The ninety year old man with arthritis we had passed in the hallway could catch him.

“Hi guys!  I’m JC and this is Max.” Well, that explained everything.  Let’s go!

“Nick?”  Don’t look at me Kevin, this was your idea. 

“Guys, this is Dr. Janette Cecilia Prade.  Really.”  I thought it best to qualify my answer. It would save trouble later on.

“Dr. Prade?”  Kevin looked like he was doing a blow-fish impersonation.  It looked good on him.

Howie looked stunned, Brain looked shocked, and AJ looked interested. 

“Well.... uh...I...I mean....welcome!”  That’s why Kevin is the groups official greeter.  He is so damn suave.

We stood there for several minutes looking stupid, which has happened before, but not to all of us at once.  Finally the driver poked his head out and announced that we had to get on the road.  That started physical, if not mental, motion.  Brian was muttering something about jealous girlfriends, but no one was paying any attention.  JC had placed Howie in charge of Max, after explaining he should be careful, Max was a bit hyper about going on the bus.  It only took Howie about forty-five seconds to get the “you’ve got to be kidding” look off his face.  Kevin was giving me “puppy piddled on his chaps” looks again.  So, I hadn’t told him Dr. Prade was a woman. Perhaps this little exercise will teach Kevin a thing or two about making decisions behind people’s backs. 

AJ was in hog heaven.  Gentleman that he is he offered to take JC’s bags, and offered her his arm.  Kevin came up beside me and took my bag and arm.  This could been a sign of concern, or a way to keep me in place while he beats the shit out of me.  Not caring to find out I made a break for the bus doors.  As Istepped up into my second home I managed to overhear the first of many JC/AJ conversations to come.  And so as the Backstreet Boys ride into the sunset, let us listen to JC’s voice-over.  “So AJ, why do they call you bone?” 

THE END