Chapter
7
The first concert on the second leg of the tour was on October 2 in
Buffalo, New York. Brian had booked a flight back to Orlando for Saturday,
September 30. He had planned on meeting the rest of the guys there, and then
flying out to New York together.
Alexa drove him to the airport. After Brian got his baggage checked and
everything, they went to the gate to wait for his flight. Alexa sat next to him
and clutched his hand the whole time, barely saying anything. She didn't want
him to leave, but she didn't want him to notice how upset she was.
Meanwhile, Brian was feeling the same way. He loved performing, but he
couldn't imagine being without Alexa. As he thought about it, he realized he
had never actually been away from her for a long period of time. She had been
there by his side ever since they had met, before his transplant. Now, they
would be apart for almost a month and a half.
The Boys didn't have any concerts in Kentucky during the second leg of
the tour, so he wouldn't see her until it was over. Even then, his real house
was in Orlando. He had been living at his parents' house for almost a year, he
suddenly realized. He felt a wave of homesickness for his house in Orlando, for
his king-size water bed, which he hadn't slept in for almost a year. He wasn't
sure what he was going to do once the tour was over. If he went back to
Orlando, he would have to leave Alexa behind, and he didn't want to do that.
But, he missed Orlando.
Suddenly, a voice came over the loudspeaker, interrupting his thoughts.
"Now boarding Flight 802 to Orlando," the voice said. Brian sighed
and stood up.
"That's my flight," he said to Alexa. She stood up in front
of him, and he pulled her close to him for a hug. She was silent. When he let
go of her, he noticed tears in her eyes. "Oh, Lexie, don't cry," he
said, pulling her into his arms again. She pulled away and sniffed, wiping her
eyes.
"I'm sorry," she said. "I can't help it. I'm just gonna
miss you so much!"
"I know, love. I'll miss you more than anything." Alexa
glanced out the window at the large plane.
"You'd better get on," she said. She wrapped her arms around
him tightly. They held onto each other for a long time. Finally, Alexa broke
the embrace. She cupped his face in her hands and kissed him lovingly.
"Listen, you be careful, baby," she said.
"I will, Mommy," he said, grinning. She smiled through her tears.
"I love you, Brian," she said.
"I love you too, Alexa. I'll call you everyday, okay?" She
nodded. "And whenever you start missing me, just look at your ring, and
know that I'm missing you too," he said, looking at her ring, which was on
the third finger of her left hand. He picked up her left hand and kissed the
ring gently. Then he kissed her lips and stepped back. He picked up his
backpack and turned. "I love you!" he called over his shoulder as he
walked away.
"I love you, too!" she called back. Then she watched as he
walked towards the entrance to the plane.
***
