"Come
with me over to the Met tonight." Mac stared out the bay windows of their
third floor suite at the Rhiga Royal on West 54th Street. The station would
never, ever agree to put him up in a luxury hotel like this, but he and Jeanie
struck a deal. They would split the cost of the expensive room. This hotel was
a favorite among celebrities, many of them in town for the MTV Awards.
Hopefully, he could come up with a few exclusive interviews instead of the
planned media events held in the tent set up adjacent to the Met. In return,
Jeanie wouldn't be alone when she surprised Kevin.
"Mac,
I need to rest," she mumbled as she lay on the sofa, her arm over her
eyes. She didn't think things could get any busier, but they did.
"Edges"
was released and flying up the pop charts. For a songwriter, it was good news,
but that alone would not have added to her already busy schedule. It was
Lindsay's impending stardom that was running her ragged. Lindsay was scared and
still uncomfortable with how fast things were happening. Jeanie tried to act as
her buffer and safety net. A.J. was a good sounding board, but usually just a
kind, understanding voice on the telephone. Right now, Lindsay needed someone
to run interference and she wanted that someone to be Jeanie.
"You
gonna tell Lover Boy about the baby tonight, right?" Mac sat down on the
coffee table facing her.
"Yes...I
told you I would and I am," she moaned. "By the way, do you and Megan
even know his name?" Since she'd found out she was pregnant, her friends
insisted on calling Kevin "Boy Wonder," or "Lover Boy," or
"Dick Head," or sometimes worse. Jeanie wanted to smack them, but
knew they just loved her.
"I
know his name," Mac lovingly brushed her hair away from her face.
"You need to eat something...figure out what you want off the menu and
I'll order from Room Service before I leave."
"Thanks,"
she smiled weakly. "Mac?" She watched him rummage through the desk
drawers as he looked for the Guest Services Guide. "Did you know that I
love you?"
"Hell,
yes!" he grinned, walking back to her with the menu in hand. "I got
your back on this, babe. We ALL do. Now..." he leaned down and kissed her
tummy. At a little over twelve weeks, she wasn't even showing yet.
"...what does Baby Kirkpatrick want for dinner?"
************************
Jeanie
knew the five names Kevin used when registering in hotels. He would alternate,
but never register under Kevin Richardson. All the boys used aliases. They had
to.
After
dinner, she took a long, luxurious bubble bath. She knew the guys would be
performing their latest single, "Larger Than Life," at the awards
show. It was no telling what time they would get back to the hotel. She had no
idea what time slot they held for rehearsal.
Over
the past two weeks, Kevin called several times always wondering if she would be
meeting him in New York for the show. She was truthful when she said a lot
depended on Lindsay. As it turned out, Lindsay became ill with the flu. Tonight
she was home, in bed, with Jessie playing nurse. Jeanie laughed at the thought
of Jessie caring for Lindsay. No doubt, she would be feeding her a steady diet
of Dr. Pepper and ice cream while pumping her like crazy for juicy tidbits
about A.J. or Brian...the cute one.
Mac
called around nine and said that the Boys' rehearsal was running late. The
media wasn't allowed inside, but they could hear everything that was going on.
After
she'd dressed and reapplied her make-up, Jeanie called the hotel operator. She
explained that she had five friends, all supposedly checking in today or
tonight. Could she please tell Jeanie if they'd registered yet? Jeanie was
polite, professional and adult...the operator bought right into it. Jeanie
slowly recited Kevin's aliases. Sure enough, he'd checked in. The operator
offered to connect her to that room.
The
phone rang three times before it was answered. "Hello?" a woman said.
Jeanie
sat silent, paralyzed.
"Hello?"
the woman repeated.
Jeanie
hung up the receiver and went into the bedroom. She pulled her suitcase from
the closet and began packing.
It
was time to go home.
*****************************
From
her home in Dallas, Jeanie watched the video awards. She and Lindsay and Jessie
sat propped up in Lindsay's bed, a box of Kleenex wedged in between them.
As
the Boys made their way from their limo through the crowd, Jessie gasped.
"Nick looks awful!"
"Yeah,
but A.J.'s lookin' fine!" Lindsay coughed.
The
Boys granted a quick interview to the MTV reporter. As if she could read the
girls' minds the reporter asked, "How about dates? Did you bring anyone
special tonight?" Almost all the Boys smiled breaking eye contact with the
cameras. It was Kevin who stepped up and answered, "Yeah," and
admitted that they had brought along company.
Lindsay
automatically handed Jeanie a Kleenex. "Did you ever tell him?"
Jeanie
sat, transfixed, as she watched Kevin's image on the television screen. It was
hard to believe it had only been a year since that night at Megan's house, the
night of the MTV Awards in Los Angeles. She didn't cry. She didn't blink. There
was no emotion whatsoever in her soft voice as she whispered, "I never got
a chance."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"But we are two worlds apart... Can't reach to
your heart...
When you say that... I want it that way..."