~*~ A Fly In the Ointment ~*~
Through the closed doors, the ranting of management could be heard as distinctly as if all four were in the room with them. They knew it was because AJ was late…. AGAIN. Fortunately, they knew THIS time wasn’t because of his partying, at least, they hoped it wasn’t.
"We should call him," suggested Brian.
"If he’s passed out…" started Nick.
"He’s NOT passed out," said Howie cutting him off. "Andi left him a message to meet her at a park near her house."
"So you’re saying what, D?" questioned Kevin.
"I’m saying he’s late because he’s with Andi, most likely."
"For all we know, she told him to take a hike and he’s wasted," said Brian cynically.
"Or they eloped," suggested Nick cheerfully.
All four looked at each other on that suggestion. It was a very real possibility. They all knew AJ had fallen hard and fast for Andi and he was impulsive to the point that he would do something like elope.
"Maybe we should call him?" reiterated Kevin.
"Andi’s got his cell," said Howie.
"Well, if they eloped, he’d be with her," Kevin stated the obvious. Then he ordered, "Call!"
Howie pulled out his cell and pushed speed dial. A minute later, "Andi?"
"Hey, Howie! What’s up?"
"Andi, is AJ with you?"
"No, he’s on his way to y’alls meeting."
"How long ago did he leave you?"
"I don’t know…5 minutes. He watched me walk into the building before he left."
"He should be here in a few minutes then. So, what’s going on? Do we need to plan a party to celebrate?"
"Celebrate what?" asked Andi coyly. She knew exactly what Howie meant but she was going to make him work for it.
Point blank, "Did you two elope?"
Andi laughed, "No, we didn’t elope but thanks for the suggestion. Alex will explain when you see him. Look, I’ve gotta go. My class is about to start."
"Later, Andi."
As Howie cut his phone off, AJ burst through the door out of breath. He stopped short not expecting the guys to be waiting for him. "Yo! Meeting cancelled?" he asked hopefully.
"No! They’re waiting on you as usual," grinned Howie seeing that AJ was in an extremely good mood.
From the doorway of the conference room, Lou boomed, "It’s about TIME you showed up, McLean! Where the hell have you been?"
In too good a mood, AJ grinned, "Had business to take care of."
"More important than your career?"
"As a matter of fact, yeah, it was," beamed AJ. "Let’s get this show started. I’ve got things to do."
AJ practically bounced into the conference room where the rest of management was waiting.
Before following him, Kevin asked, "What did Andi say?"
"They didn’t elope and AJ would explain," grinned Howie. "Let’s get this over with so we can find out what’s going on with him."
The other four followed AJ into the conference room and took their seats with AJ. Howie sat next to him as AJ was rifling through the package of material management had for them.
"You’re in a good mood," whispered Howie. "I take it things are okay?"
AJ smirked, "Better than okay."
"Let’s get down to business. We need to get into the studio for this next album…" and the meeting proceeded. Lou droned on and on with dates, song ideas, and a million other details that bored AJ. He had one thing on his mind…Andi. There was so much to do, so many plans to make. As everyone tossed around ideas, AJ was making notes to himself. When he was taking part in the discussion with management and the other four, he was doodling.
Howie glanced over once to see that he’d written Mrs. Andrea McLean in his margin with hearts around it. Suppressing a laugh, he nudged AJ out of his apparent daydream as Lou asked him a question.
AJ looked up, "You say something, Lou?"
"Yeah. I said you need to get your head into this meeting if you’re going to be a part of this next album. Do you have a problem with heading to Sweden to work in the studio?"
"When?" asked Kevin.
"December 7th. We should be back the 23rd for the holidays and we’ll return after the first of the year. You’re scheduled to do several appearances over the holidays."
"December 7th…that’s in two weeks," stated AJ as panic began to set in. He couldn’t leave until he had this problem with Seth taken care of.
"Do you have a problem with that? Max and Denis want to get started."
"I can’t leave," said AJ flatly.
All eyes fell on AJ, curious to hear his reason.
"Why NOT?" challenged Lou.
"I’ve got some other business and I’m not sure how long it’s going to take to wrap it up."
"I suggest you have it wrapped up before December 7th if it doesn’t have anything to do with your family or your death," commanded Lou. "Otherwise, you WILL be on that plane headed to Sweden."
AJ started to argue but Howie whispered as he put his hand on AJ’s shoulder, "Let it go."
"Fine, but I’m coming back on the 20th," conceded AJ.
"Why’s that?"
"I’m getting married on the 21st."
That sent a shock wave rippling through the room. Even Howie was taken back by this announcement.
Recovering, Lou said, "Like HELL you are! You get married NOW and you might as well kiss your career good-bye. You are the HOTTEST commodity out there and teenage girls are NOT going to buy your albums if any ONE of you is married. It’s bad enough that a couple of you have girlfriends." Lou leveled a steely glaze at Kevin and Brian.
"Whoa! Leave our personal lives OUT of this. You can’t tell us what we can and can’t do," shot Kevin.
"When it affects the group, yes, I can. Go back and review your contracts. Now, is this girl pregnant?"
"What does THAT matter?" asked AJ coolly.
"If she is, we’ll just pay her to disappear with this child. You are NOT getting married. End of discussion."
All five guys were already frustrated with Lou’s style of management and this was just adding fuel to the fire. They all looked to Kevin now to speak on their behave. Angrily, he stood and got toe to toe with Lou. "You can NOT control our lives. If AJ’s girlfriend IS pregnant, then he’ll do the responsible thing and take care of her, but that’s a decision for HIM to make with HER. As for getting married and having girlfriends, even our own parents don’t tell us who we can and can’t date or when we can get married. There’s no way in HELL we’re going to let YOU do it."
"And if AJ is getting married on the 21st, WE will come back in time for it," added Brian.
Lou glared at the boys who had put up a united front. "Who are you to tell me what I can and can NOT control? I own all of you and without ME, you’d all still be NOTHINGS as far as the music industry is concerned."
Howie, being the calm one, said, "Lou, we appreciate all you’ve done for us as a group but our personal lives aren’t a part of our contract. We draw the line there. You could control it while we were on tour in Europe mostly because three of us were under age but we’re home, we’re all legal adults, and in control of our personal lives now."
Seeing that he wasn’t going to get any further, Lou growled, "The dates are set," and stormed out of the room followed by the rest of management.
With the room empty except for the five of them, AJ began to lose control. As he stood, he threw the papers in front of him sending them flying all over the place.
"’J’, calm down," urged Kevin. "You were on top of the world when you got here."
"I know!" growled AJ. "NOW, every break we got from Andi’s grandfather has been thrown away."
"Maybe not. Tell us what happened," cajoled Howie.
AJ looked at his ‘brothers’ and knew they wanted to help. Pacing the floor, he explained to them what had happened that morning in the park and at Andi’s house. As he talked, his voice softened and when he said Andi’s name, his whole face lit up. There was no mistaking his feelings.
"Guys, what am I going to do? There’s no way I can pull this off in two weeks."
"No, but this private detective will still have the whole time," pointed out Brian.
"And if he finds…." Started Kevin.
"WHEN!" corrected AJ.
"Okay, WHEN he finds something, he can call you and we’ll get you back to Florida in time. Don’t sweat it," said Kevin.
"What if you can’t prove Seth is doing something illegal?" asked Nick.
AJ got a distant look to him as he stared out the window. "I give her up, walk away. I made the deal so I have to stick to it."
The other four looked at AJ as he continued to stare out the window. It was going to be tough if this didn’t work out for the couple.
"Let’s look through the phone book for a private detective," suggested Howie. "The quicker we get someone on it, the quicker we can prove Seth is up to something."
"I’ve already got the name of a man…Jake Spencer. Marcus says he’s REALLY good," said AJ pulling out the slip of paper that his bodyguard had given him as he’d entered the room.
"Call," said Kevin. "Or let us call."
Howie took the paper. "I’ll do it, ‘Bone’."
"Thanks, ‘D’," whispered AJ. He was obviously terrified that things weren’t going to go his way but his friends being there for him was making it all easier.
While Howie made the call, Kevin said, "You said you were getting married. Have you asked her?"
With a lovesick grin, AJ said, "Sorta. Sunday morning, I made her a promise we’d be together forever and she said it sounded more like a marriage proposal. I asked her what if it was."
AJ stopped there leaving them hanging as he remembered that day and the look in her eyes. If her eyes had been the ocean, he would have drowned in them.
"Well? That’s it? She didn’t say any more?" quizzed Nick anxiously.
In a whisper, "She said she accepted."
"So, her mom is planning this wedding even though she can’t stand Seth," asked Brian.
"Yeah, she is but she said that it will be what Andi wants. Seth won’t have any say in it. Guys, I’ve gotta get out of here. I have SOOOO many things to do before I meet Andi and her mom for lunch."
Howie hung up. "You need to meet with Mr. Spencer at 4:30 PM at the club, ‘J’. If Andi can be there, it would help but…"
"She’ll be there. Thanks, ‘D’. Are you sure you don’t mind me meeting him at the club?"
"Positive. We’ll be there with you too," said Howie signaling the others to agree.
The other three choused their agreement and AJ felt a sense of relief. "Thanks, guys. I’m outta here. Andi has an afternoon class but she’ll be out by four. Are you guys going to my show tonight?"
"Why not?" said Brian. "We can celebrate."
"Cool. Later guys," and as fast as he’d rushed in, AJ took off.
The others cleaned up the papers AJ had scattered, collected their things, and left as well. They had things to do as well before heading off to Sweden to start recording.
