Uninvited
Guests and Surprise Disappearances
A.J. woke up that morning feeling fine for the first time
in over a month--until he realized he was alone. The loneliness was a constant
companion now. He still missed Cassie even though he knew he shouldn't.
Everybody thought he was over her. Everybody except Brianna. She was the only
one A.J. trusted enough to talk to. Crawling out of bed, A.J. decided he would
go see how she was feeling.
****************************************************
Bianca opened her eyes to the bright sunshine. "Isn't
today gonna be a peachy fucking keen day?" she growled jerking the covers
over her face.
"Nice language, sweetcheeks," Nick sat down and
uncovered her face. "Baby, are you feeling better?"
"No," she said. "I just feel the same as I
did last night. I hate fighting with Brianna."
"Bean, y'all will get over this. All best friends
fight. It adds to the friendship."
"See, we said some horrible things. But I only said
what I was feeling. I just shouldn't have made them public knowledge. It just
feels weird knowing that I can't just call her and everything will be alright.
And to top things off, today is her birthday. That just makes me feel
worse."
"Then call her, baby," Nick leaned down and
kissed her. "What do you have to lose?"
"Nothing, I guess..."
"Well, call her."
Bianca picked up the phone and dialed Brianna's room
number. No answer.
"Well, I guess that answers my question. No answer.
Boy today is just gonna be wonderful," she sighed and placed the phone
back on the cradle.
"Don't worry so much, Bean. You'll only end up making
yourself sick. I know that really bothers you, but, baby, you have to be
willing to let things like this happen," he said pulling her into a hug.
"I guess you're right. I'll try not to think so much
about it," she said snuggling closer to him.
****AT THE SAME TIME****
Brianna sat on the examining table anxiously awaiting the
doctor’s return. After disclosing her
symptoms she had been poked and prodded almost mercilessly. They had drawn
blood, taken fluid and God knows what else. The doctor had left her with a
laugh and the comforting phrase: "I'm gonna tell the nurse to screen that
for cancer cells. Rather be safe than sorry." Those words sent shivers
down her spine and made her break out in a cold sweat. "Happy birthday to
me, huh?" she thought dryly.
She regretted leaving while Kevin was in the shower, but
she didn't think he needed to be there. She wished he was here now to hold her
hand while they pricked her with needle after needle.
The doctor, a kind-looking older man, came back into her
room studying her chart. "Okay, Miss Chambers." Brianna fidgeted with
her gown as he spoke. "Your blood tests are back. We found something
actually..."
****THAT NIGHT****
Bianca had been at the venue for over an hour preparing for
the show. Brianna was still gone when Bianca returned earlier and Kevin was
beginning to get worried.
Kevin called the hotel room again, but still got no answer.
Maybe she was on her way to the show.
****************************************************
Brianna turned on the lamp by her hotel room door and
ignored the ringing of the telephone; she didn't feel like talking. Hundreds of
salty tears spilled down her cheeks and splashed around the sheet of hotel
stationary on the small table. Picking up the pen she began to write.
****AFTER THE SHOW****
Bianca walked lazily into her dressing room. She had been
at the meet and greet, but just didn't feel up to it. It had been a very long
day and she was exhausted.
Walking to the back she began to change her clothes. She
heard the door open but when she heard nothing else, figured it was Nick.
"Hey baby. I'm back here," she called out to let
him know she was there. "I'm just changing my clothes."
When Bianca got no response she just continued looking for
her clothes. She stopped when she felt arms circle her waist. Leaning into
them, she said, "Hey, baby. This is a nice greeting."
"Don't worry. It won't last for long."
Bianca's blood ran cold instantly; that was not Nick's
voice. She spun around to face the intruder. "Eric?" she choked out,
completely shocked at who stood before her.
"Thought you'd never see me again, didn't you, Bianca?
SURPRISE!" Eric breathed into her face.
Bianca closed her eyes and fought hard to hold back tears.
"Why are you here?" she managed to ask.
Eric laughed bitterly and kissed her roughly, shoving his
tongue into her mouth. "I'm here to get what I never got while we were
together." He picked Bianca up and threw her roughly onto the couch,
covering her mouth with his hand as he crawled on top of her. Bianca took this
opportunity to bite down hard on his hand.
Snatching his hand away, he slapped her across the face
with enough force to turn her head completely to the left. "Bitch!"
he shouted. "Look, if you do that again I will really fuck you up. And if
you scream I'll kill you." Eric clamped his hand back over her mouth and
ripped at the buttons on her shirt. All Bianca could do was lie there and pray
that someone would find her before it was too late.
Outside, Nick was looking for her. Seeing no lights shining
from under her dressing room door, he walked away to look somewhere else. He hadn't
seen Brianna, either. Maybe they were somewhere together talking out their
argument.
"Hey, Kev, have you seen Bianca?"
"No, Nick, I haven't." Bianca was the least of
his worries right now; he hadn't seen or heard from Brianna since she snuck out
to go to the doctor early that morning. It was odd that she hadn't tried to let
him know anything, but every time he called their hotel room she still didn't
answer the phone. The last thing he said to her that morning was, "Happy
birthday, darlin'. I'm goin to take a shower." He regretted not sayin 'I
Love You' because he felt like something was terribly wrong and he didn't know
what it was.
****AT THE SAME TIME****
Nick decided to wait for Bianca in her dressing room. When
he opened the door he heard low voices coming from the direction of the couch.
"Bianca?" he called quietly. He saw two people in the shadows and
froze in his tracks. He could barely make out Bianca's form beneath someone
else on the couch. Reaching over, he flicked on the light.
The light invaded the room startling Eric and making him
jump. His hand fell away from Bianca's mouth and she let out an ear-splitting
shriek that brought Kevin and A.J. running.
"What the hell..." A.J. started before seeing
Bianca. Nick and Kevin snatched Eric from Bianca and A.J. went over to comfort
her. Squeezing her tightly, he stroked her hair while she cried into his
shoulder.
Nick slammed Eric hard against the wall. "Kevin, go
get Q." Looking back at Eric he asked, "What the fuck do you think
you're doing?" He got no response, only a cold glare from Eric. Nick was
fed up. Throwing him down on the floor, Nick kicked him again and again despite
A.J.'s efforts to tell him to stop.
Q pulled Nick away and yanked Eric up. Throwing handcuffs
around Eric's wrists, Q told him, "Come on, buddy. We've got a lot of
talking to do."
When Q took Eric out of the room, Nick walked over and sat
down on the other side of Bianca. Turning, she threw her arms around his neck
sobbing and shaking violently. "Nicky, I was so scared. If you hadn't
found me he wou--"
Baby, don't even say it. Everything's alright now. You're
okay and Eric is gone. You'll be fine."
Bianca just closed her eyes and kept crying. Q walked back
in and stood silently in front of her and Nick. Bianca pulled her torn top
together and looked up at him with wet eyes.
"Bianca, sweetheart," Q said, "we need you
to come down to the police station and file charges. Okay?"
Wiping her eyes, Bianca nodded. "Nick, I don't want to
go alone."
"Baby, you don't have to. I'll go. And Brian will go
with us."
Kevin gave Bianca a hug. "Bean, you know I'd go, but
I'm gonna go back and try to get up with Brianna to let her know what's going
on. I'm a little worried."
"Yeah, I'm gonna go with Kevin," A.J. spoke up.
"I'm kinda worried about Brianna, too."
Bianca hugged both of them before they left. She hoped
Brianna was okay, too, because right now she really needed her best friends
support.
****MIDNIGHT****
All the way back to the hotel Kevin's mind reeled over
Brianna. Where could she be? What could she be doing? Had she been sick enough
to be admitted to a hospital? What if his baby was lying alone in some cold,
sterile room scared to death and alone? Kevin pushed these thoughts from his
head as they pulled up in front of his hotel.
When he walked into his room the same fears flooded his
brain again. The room was pitch black and dead quiet. Kevin was disappointed
and beside himself with worry; Brianna obviously wasn't back yet.
He made his way over to the bed, not bothering to turn on
the lights, but when he laid himself down he felt something crumple beneath
him. He pulled a piece of paper from the pillow and switched on the light.
The letter, printed in Brianna's bubbly cursive on hotel
stationary, was relatively short and smudged countless times with her
teardrops. Expecting the worst, Kevin took a deep breath and began to read.
Kevin,
Hey. This has to be the hardest letter I've ever had to
write, but I couldn't face you with this--not right now anyway. My appointment
this morning was...eventful at the very least. The doctor found something today
and I'm really scared. I didn't know what else to do so I'm going home to my
family. I wanted to call you but I couldn't bring myself to do it. I'm sorry.
Don't give up on me, baby, because things aren't over
between us. I hope. I'll be back, but first I have to organize my life and
that's something I can only do alone. I LOVE YOU, BABY! No matter what and I
hope you don't forget me while I'm gone. I'll miss you like crazy and I know
I'll cry myself to sleep every night wishing you were there.
I'd give anything to hear you say you love me right now,
but if I do I won't be able to leave and I have to make myself go. I've got a
lot of growing up to do and only a little while to do it.
My plane leaves in 20 minutes and I have to pack. I'm
taking your Kentucky t-shirt; it smells the most like you. I have to have part
of you with me at night even if it is just a shirt. I love you, baby. I'll miss
you.
Kevin cried as he read the note, crumpling it in his hands as he
sobbed. Reaching for the phone he noticed her locket on the table. Kevin picked
it up gingerly, fingering the tiny clasp and popping it open to reveal the
small picture inside. He and Brianna were so happy then. What could have
happened for her to leave? He hooked it around his neck and picked up the
phone. When A.J. answered, Kevin managed to choke out, "A.J., she's
gone..." before collapsing on the bed in a fit of violent tears.
***