Tristan Trilogy- Story 3

CHAPTER 49

Rehearsals were finally underway for the new tour. It was hard for Tristan to believe that the cycle was about to begin again. She and Kevin had had a wonderful Christmas in Kentucky. She wished they could leave their beautiful tree up all year.

The babies were due in just over two weeks and her life seemed perfect. Kevin was happy. He probably wouldn't be when the time came to actually leave and start touring but for now, he was happy to be back at work on the heels of a supremely successful album and excited about the eminent birth of his children. Tristan marveled at how calm he seemed to be. She was getting nervous - nervous enough to keep a one quart jar of pickles close by.

Following the group's mega hit, the label had decided to be generous about scheduling rehearsals in Kentucky. They had found everyone a place to stay for the intensive two and a half weeks that they were expected to be there. Brian, Leighanne and Howie stayed with the Littrell's, much to Leighanne's consternation, while Mason, Jack, Nick, Holly, Amanda and AJ stayed with Kevin and Tristan. They certainly had plenty of room now, that's for sure.

The rehearsals were to be incorporated into a big promotion that would precede the actual tour. Although the venues had all been sold out already, the label's PR department didn't want to miss an opportunity to showcase their boys. They had come to deeply regret their neglect of them last summer. MTV had obtained a piece of this PR pie once again. They were on hand with cameras and mikes to record every nuance of the rehearsal process, hoping to turn their footage into a BSB special to air as the tour got underway. In another effort to follow the popularity of their 'Real World' as well as peephole shows like 'Survivor', they had cameras everywhere - even in the bathrooms. Not in the actual stalls, of course - or in the dressing rooms. Even MTV wouldn't stoop that low, but they were behind the mirrors in the lavatory areas, all primed and ready to catch snippets of frustration, merriment, anger, gossip and, in Tristan's case, confusion.

She had left the bathroom stall and was moving to the sink when she overheard two of the dancers. They were giggling.

"I heard he's as big as a horse. 'Positively horse-like' I heard"

"No kidding! They used that word? Horse? Damn!"

The two women saw her at the same time and froze. Shit! It’s Kevin's wife! How are we going to get out of this one…

Tristan smiled pleasantly. She knew the women. They had been with the boys on the Millennium Tour. The women seemed to be nervous.

"Who are ya'll talking about?" Tristan smiled as she set her jar on the counter and reached over to the spigot.

The two women glanced at each other. Was this a test? Surely she'd heard them. They were talking about Kevin……

"Uh…." The blond, Cindy, decided to try and apologize her way out of the faux pas. "I'm sorry, Tristan…”

"Oh, you must have been talking about Kevin." Tristan looked at them in the mirror and shook her head, still smiling. "Yeah… I guess he's pretty big - at least to me…"

Tristan was surprised when their eyebrows shot up in the air. Maybe she’d overstepped. Maybe they were uneasy around her because of the big mess last year with Lily. She didn’t want that. They were still staring at her when she opened her purse and began to dig around for her hairbrush.

“I’m sorry.” Tristan blinked. "I didn’t mean to butt in to your ‘girl talk’.”

Cindy and Tina exchanged glances. They didn’t realize that Tristan, unlike Kevin, was so… so…. open? Of course, they also didn’t realize that they were talking about apples and oranges. Tristan had assumed the women were talking about Kevin's general physique - not about a specific part of his anatomy. If Amanda, Holly or Leighanne had been there, they would have stopped this conversation in a heartbeat, but Tristan was on her own and that was a dangerous thing.

“Oh no! You didn’t butt in!” Tina argued. “We just thought you’d be… uncomfortable…. talking about Kevin that way..”

“No!” Tristan laughed. “Why should I be.? It’s not like Kevin is ashamed of his size, for Pete’s sake…” She began to pull the brush through her hair and then had an afterthought. “Although I think that he thinks it interferes with his dancing sometimes. You know - especially if he’s a little stiff…”

Once again, Tina and Cindy looked at each other in amazement. They couldn’t believe Kevin’s wife was saying this shit to them. At least they were gaining new insight into his abilities as well as his limitations. They had thought that he was just a lousy dancer. Tina decided to venture out on a limb.

“So, sounds like Kevin’s bigger than the other guys, huh?”

Tristan peeked at the women through the strands of hair she had brushed over her eyes. What was wrong with these women? Hadn't they ever noticed that?

“Well, yes…. I mean, Nick is close. He and Kevin even kid around about it sometime, but I know for a fact that Kevin had the advantage by a good half inch.”

As Tristan put her brush away, Tina and Cindy stared at each other’s reflection in the mirror. What? They mouthed.

“Uh, Tristan?” Cindy asked tentatively. “How would you know that?”

“It’s easy..” Tristan replied casually as she pulled out a lipstick. “I know about all the guys. Measurements aren’t too hard to figure when you look at the pictures and compare.”

“Pictures?” the two women gasped. “You have p..pictures?”

“Yeeeees!” Tristan rolled her eyes. “Look, I should know how big Kevin is, right?”

The dancers nodded seriously. They were captivated. Tristan continued.

“Well, all you have to do is look at a photograph of their bodies side by side and it’s easy to tell that sort of thing…”

Cindy swallowed. “Are you saying that you have a picture of them - together - and they’re… you know….”

Tristan nodded vigorously as she began to apply her lipstick.

“Yeah. My assistant took it one night after a show. They were pretty pumped up. You girls know Mason, right?”

Oh yes. They knew Mason. The gay guy. Kinky…… They were speechless.

Tristan looked at herself in the mirror as she smoothed her lipstick with her finger. “It’s my favorite picture of the guys together. They were all really - um, I’m not sure how to put this - I guess you could say they were.. well…. excited.”

Tina and Cindy locked eyes. Excited? Tristan kept talking.

“You know, I guess I shouldn’t be saying this..” she said seriously as she paused to consider the group's phenomenal popularity, “and I can’t speak for the other guys …but I just don’t think that Kevin realizes how huge he is sometimes… It can be pretty scary.”

"Does..doesn't that ever cause a - a problem?"

"Sure… It can be painful sometimes, but I think he thrives on those strokes, 'ya know? I learned a lot by watching how he handles himself."

*****

Tristan had already rejoined Kevin when Tina and Cindy returned to rehearsals. When Kevin glanced in their direction. Tina caught his eye and pointed to him. Then she held her hands out in front of her about two feet apart, palms facing each other. She started nodding and grinning. He saw the two women look past him to Tristan and wave. Tristan smiled and waved back.

Kevin suddenly felt a nervous twitch in his right eye.

“What’s that all about?” he asked.

“What?”

“Tina and Cindy. Were they in the bathroom with you or something?”

“Oh…" Tristan laughed. “Yeah, they were. We were just talking.”

“About what?” Kevin could feel his neck muscles tighten.

“Oh, you know…. Girl talk….”

Tristan’s explanation only increased Kevin's discomfort. The dreaded phrase - Girl talk….. Tristan made her excuses soon after that. She was feeling a little tired and decided to go home to rest. Kevin wouldn’t have to wait much longer for a more detailed account of Tristan’s tete a tete with the dancers. MTV’s outtakes for the day would be shown to the tour crew before they left that evening.

*****

The ride back to the house was eerily silent. Holly noticed that Kevin was gripping the steering wheel with both hands except for the times he reached back to rub the tension out of his neck. They had all seen the tape. Kevin had turned fourteen shades of red during the viewing. Now he stared straight ahead, not speaking.

Nick was crammed into the back seat along with Holly and Amanda. AJ was riding shotgun. Finally, Nick couldn't stand it any longer.

"'Ya know, Kev, that tape was pretty funny. You have to admit that…."

Kevin glared at Nick through the rear view mirror. He wasn't laughing. Nick tried again.

"I mean, I wouldn't mind if people thought I had a huge schlong…"

"You do have a huge schlong,," Holly whispered.

Kevin's evil eye moved to Holly.

"Thanks babe.." Nick grinned.

AJ had been trying hard to control his laughter. Obviously, Kevin was pissed but AJ couldn't help it. It was killing him not to throw his two cents worth into the conversation. He finally gave in to his urges.

"I liked the part where she talks about how you 'handle' it yourself. Man, Kev, she made it sound like you need a fork lift to handle that thing.." AJ laughed.

"I think you're jealous, AJ!" Nick chuckled.

Kevin was seething. "Will you two shut the fuck up?"

AJ and Nick were silent. Amanda decided to take up the slack.

"Now, Kevin! Don't be getting all pissed at Tristan. You know she was talking about something else entirely. She didn't understand…"

"Yeah, well that's the story of her life, isn't it?"

Kevin screeched to a halt beside their home, slamming the truck door after he climbed out. He was stomping up the steps of the porch as the other two couples scurried to catch up with him. They were still on his tail when he burst into the house and marched back towards the kitchen looking for his wife. Then he came to an abrupt stop, causing the others to slam into each other behind him. They all stopped and stared as she turned to the group.

There she was in an empire waist, velour lounge dress that brushed the floor and she'd piled her hair up on her head. Food covered the counter. There was a streak of flour on her cheek. She had even lit candles. Then she smiled and to Kevin, the candles seemed dim in comparison. She looked like an angel - a very pregnant angel.

"Please don't tell me that ya'll have eaten!" she exclaimed as she walked towards them. Heads shook. "Good. I thought you might be hungry… How did the rehearsals go?"

All eyes turned to Kevin.

"Fine…" he mumbled, reaching out to brush the flour from Tristan's cheek.

"Did I miss anything exciting?"

"No…." Kevin sighed pulling her towards him for a hug.

The group breathed out a sigh of relief. Kevin's burning fuse had been magically extinguished by a sudden surge of affection. There would be no explosion.

CHAPTER 50

The group had come back early from rehearsals today. It was New Year's Eve and a big party had been planned - at Jive's expense. The label was still kissing Backstreet's ass and had spent lots of money, however, they could well afford it. Back and Blue had sold eight million copies one month after its release.

The big event was to be held at a decidedly upscale resort forty-minutes outside of Lexington and would be formal. Several Jive execs had flown in as well as other label artists, attorneys and miscellaneous employees. Many local townspeople had been invited, not to mention anyone remotely connected to the album release or upcoming tour. The Backstreet band would be there, too - as guests for a change.

The rehearsals had been intense but they had also been very productive. Things were falling into place quite nicely. There had been very little of the usual arguing and Kevin had made a real effort to curb his tongue. He didn't realize that his lack of anal nit picking was a little disconcerting to some of the people around him who had come to expect his criticism - implied or otherwise. Nick and Howie, in particular, had been watching him carefully, waiting for him to 'let loose' on some minor detail that hadn't been handled to his satisfaction. When rehearsals were over for the New Year's respite, they were still waiting.

"God, I am SO fat!" Tristan complained as she evaluated herself in the mirror. "And this dress is SO plain…"

Kevin was struggling with his cufflinks when Tristan made the self-deprecating remark. She certainly didn't look 'plain' to him. The short, black velvet dress was high-necked and long-sleeved, very modest and appropriate for a woman who was two weeks away from delivery. But it was also virtually backless and Tristan did have a wonderful back. She had just finished putting in the diamond earrings that Kevin had given her last summer and had picked up her hairbrush when she caught Kevin's stare in the mirror. A gentle smile curled his lips.

"You don't look plain to me, Tris… I don't think I've ever seen you look plain…"

She giggled at his reflection. "Excellent comeback, sweetie."

She raised her arms to pull the brush through her hair and froze as a sharp pain crawled up her spine. Pressing her fists against the small of her back, she leaned slightly, relieving the pressure on her knotted muscles.

"What's the matter?" Kevin asked, stroking his upper lip to tame any errant hairs. "You havin' a spasm or something?"

"I think I slept funny last night…" Tristan scowled as she bent from side to side and raised her hands over her head. "My back's been aching all day."

"Yeah, mine, too…" Kevin put his hands behind his head and flexed his shoulder blades.

Tristan half glowered at her husband, finding herself both amused and disgusted. Surely Kevin's picture should be in all pre-natal books under the description of 'sympathy pains'. When she felt tired, he yawned. When she got nauseous, he turned green. If she felt faint, he would have to sit down. Now, his back hurt. She couldn't wait to see him when she started having contractions. Tristan began to laugh when she remembered watching him from the door of their Orlando bedroom as Kevin had stuffed a towel under his tee shirt and had then stood sideways, appraising himself in the mirror. He hadn't seen her watching and she never told him she was there. Pregnant Backstreet Boy… Wouldn't the fans love a picture of that!

"What's so funny?" he asked seriously. "Is my hair standing up or something?"

He had already started smoothing the back of his head and Tristan rolled her eyes. Something about being back in Kentucky often brought out the child in Kevin.

"No. You look dangerously handsome…," she grinned as she stepped over to straighten his tie. "Maybe we could be late to the party…" she teased. "You up for a little quickie?"

Kevin's eyes widened as he swallowed and took a step back. "Heh, heh… We'd better get going, babe.." He had become decidedly uncomfortable.

"What's the matter with you?" Tristan frowned.

"Nothing, Tris - really!" Kevin began stuffing his wallet into his jacket pocket. "Let's get going. You ready?"

"Keviiiiiin….. What's wrong? Am I getting the wrong impression here? I thought you might like another little…. Christmas present. You know - ease some of that tension in your back."

Kevin closed his eyes and moaned softly. God! Yes, yes, yes…. Little Kev was waking up - again. Tristan closed the distance between them and ran her fingers down the sides of Kevin's hips.

"Maybe ease some of the tension in my back, too…," she smiled seductively.

Kevin's shoulder's stiffened. "I'll rub your back, baby. Turn around.."

Tristan's fingers stopped moving as she stopped to look into Kevin's face. Her expression was an advertisement for impatience. She couldn't understand why he was being so dense.

"Rubbing is good, Kevin - but my back is not what I had in mind…"

Kevin's hands covered Tristan's as he moved her fingers from his hips. She was frowning, her brows were furrowed. He brought each of her hands to his lips and kissed her knuckles before taking a deep breath and issuing his announcement. These were among the most difficult words he's ever had to speak.

"I.. I think we shouldn't do this anymore. It's getting too close to the due date."

Tristan pulled her hands away from his and stepped back. Her mouth was hanging open. "What?" she whispered.

Kevin tried to explain himself, silently making a plea for understanding. He could already see that this battle might be a difficult one.

"You know, Tris… It's getting close. I don't want to start anything."

"Obviously!" she snapped.

Fuck…

Tristan had begun pacing. "Just tell me this, Kevin! I guess I'm extremely ignorant…" Her hands went to her hips - a clear 'deep shit' alert. "…but you didn't seem to have this concern twelve hours ago!"

Kevin cringed. This was true. They had spent their waking hours in the sweet bliss of sleepy lovemaking. "Now don't get upset, baby… We probably shouldn't have done …"

"Tomorrow's our anniversary!" Tristan shouted.

"I know darlin'! Happy anni…"

"Shut up!"

Tristan stormed off to the door feeling angry and rejected as Kevin tried to stop her. She was hurt and hormonal.

"Don't you stomp off in a huff Tris! You come back here so we can talk!"

Tristan paused at the doorway and turned to look at him defiantly. "Let me remind you of something, Kevin! It's generally recommended that you don't have sex for six weeks after birth. I'm still two weeks away from my due date. Do the math, Kevin! That's two months!" She turned and snatched a bottle of hand lotion that sat on a nearby table and hurled it across the room in Kevin's direction. After a near fumble, he caught it, glanced at the bottle and then back at Tristan. "Don't lose that, Kevin! I would hate for Little Kev to get friction burns!"

The door slammed behind her as she marched angrily down the stairs, leaving Kevin to ponder the timetable.

*****

Nick was playing with the train when Tristan made her blustery entrance into the living room. Amanda and AJ had been bickering but that came to an abrupt halt as soon as Amanda saw the look on Tristan's face.

"Jesus, Tris! What bee flew up your ass?"

Tristan stuck out her chin as she raised it. Her jaw was set as her mouth formed an answer to Amanda’s question in a voice several notes higher than was typical. She looked highly offended.

“Oh, nothing…” she squeaked. It was the kind of ‘nothing’ that women say when they definitely mean ‘something’.

Mason, who entered the room whistling, obviously in a partying frame of mind, broke the heavy silence. He hadn’t heard Tristan’s comment and stepped in front her and did a quick two-step, ending with a flourish and a smile.

“Well?” he grinned.

“Well what?” Tristan snapped.

“How do like it? My new tux? ‘Bout time I bought one, right?”

Tristan narrowed her eyes as she gave him the once over. “Very nice, Mason. Get that for Holly’s concerts?” The question sounded more like an accusation. “Fresh client, fresh look, fresh life?”

Mason put his hands on his hips as Tristan crossed her arms. Her insinuation hadn’t been hard for him to catch. He just wasn’t sure what had set it off. He cast his eyes up the stairs.

“Alright, Precious…. What’s going on?”

“Nothing…”

“I think ‘something’…”

Tristan swept past Mason to the fireplace where she picked up the poker and stabbed viciously at the ashes. When she leaned over, her hair separated revealing the deep vee of black velvet that came almost to her waist.

“Wow…” AJ nodded approvingly. “Sexy lady! That’s some dress, babe!”

Tristan shrugged as if his light comment had no meaning but it had plainly touched a nerve. She uncharacteristically fished for further affirmation.

“Do you really like it?” she asked as her eyes darted around the room as if looking for encouragement.

All six faces smiled and all six heads nodded, murmuring compliments and praises to their suddenly needy hostess. Their response seemed to placate her a little and she turned to put the poker back in its usual resting spot. Her next words seem to come out of left field.

“I can still play the piano, you know…” she whispered as if she had to defend herself in some way. “I could have mixed that album, too.”

The group wasn't sure how to respond. Thankfully they didn't have to. Tristan's demeanor went from wistful back to angry in a matter of seconds and she turned on her heel and stormed towards the kitchen. Kevin was coming out of the bedroom.

“You guys ready to party?” He forced a smile as he came down the steps. He didn’t see Tristan.

“Uh… Most of us are, I think…” Nick started cutting his eyes nervously towards the back of the house and Kevin’s followed.

There was definitely some tension in the air. Tristan was closing the cabinet and about to re-enter the living room when Holly made an attempt to loosen things up a bit. The whole scenario reminded her a bit of the cook out at AJ’s house last summer and they all knew how that one ended.

“Well, Kevin - you look very handsome. I can’t wait to see you and Tris out on the dance floor.”

AJ joined Holly’s cause. “Yeah, the old guy cleans up pretty good….”

Kevin wasn’t paying much attention. He and Tristan had locked eyes as she came out of the kitchen. His tight-lipped smile faded when she added her own comment.

“Oh yes…” she sighed. “He looks good enough to eat..” Then she struck an overly dramatic pose and covered her mouth with her hand. “Whoops! I forgot.. I’ve been put on a diet!”

“Whatd’ya mean?” Nick asked innocently. “You’re not supposed to eat? That doesn’t sound right…”

“Tristan…” Kevin said in a warning tone. “Let’s not go there…”

But Tristan had already decided to make the trip and explained her remark to a bewildered Nick.

“No, Nick…,” she laughed too heartily, “I can eat food! I just can’t eat Kevin!”

“Tristan!” Kevin growled as five other pairs of feet began a nervous shuffle.

“Oh…” Nick nodded, accepting this information with complete objectivity. His brows furrowed in thought and then he began to speak again. “But that’s just protein, isn’t it? I don’t see what’s wrong with that…”

He heard Holly groan behind him. AJ was grinning his ass off. Kevin didn’t look happy….at all.

“Jesus Christ!” he shouted. “Can we talk about something else? Come on - we’ll be late!”

Tristan pointedly handed Mason her coat as he helped her into it. The rebuff was not lost on Kevin. She reached over to pick up her jar before they headed out the door. She had been getting her pickles out of the cabinet when Kevin had come downstairs.

“What are you carrying?” he asked as he buttoned his overcoat.

“My pickles..”

“Don’t bring those tonight…” he groaned. “For God’s sake - to a New Year’s Eve Party?”

“I take them everywhere!” Tristan hissed.

“Not tonight…” Kevin pulled the jar from her hands and slammed them back on the counter.

Tristan was fuming when Kevin faced her again. “What’s next, Kevin? Do I have to go barefoot?”

“What in the hell are you talking about?”

“Well, in the last half hour, you’ve told me ‘no sex and no pickles’ I figured ‘no shoes’ would be next!”

Kevin thought he could hear a collective gasp from their ‘audience’. The look he gave them immediately propelled them all towards the door. Almost all of them, anyway… He turned his glare back to Tristan, quite peeved that she had ‘opened the door to their bedroom’. She knew how he felt about such things.

“For God’s sake, Tristan! Let’s just go and try to have a good time and try to keep your panties from knotting up! Jesus!”

“Maybe I’m not wearing any!” she spat back. “Not that it would matter!”

Everyone had gone out of the door except for AJ and Amanda who stood at a barely discreet distance from the squabbling couple. Tristan and Kevin had managed to lower their voices but AJ hadn’t missed a word and wasn’t about to. Tristan was still fussing.

“I want to have sex Kevin! You screwed my mind off this morning and now you don’t want to do it anymore….”

AJ looked at Amanda, puzzled. “Screwed my mind off?” he whispered.

“Fucked her brains out..” Amanda translated as AJ nodded.

Kevin huffed in frustration and attempted a brief explanation.

“I want to do it Tris. Believe me… Please let’s talk about this when we’re alone. Okay?”

Tristan was already tired and her back was still killing her. She temporarily agreed to a cease-fire.

“Okay…” she relented.

Kevin nodded, took her hand and they walked through the front door - past AJ and Amanda - and out onto the porch. AJ watched them go and then looked at Amanda with a somewhat evil grin.

“I’m ridin’ with them…”

Email Grace

"Circling" is a work of fiction.
The characters and events portrayed are fictitious.
Any resemblance to real people or events is purely coincidental.

Copyright ©2000
All Rights Reserved
No part of this text may be copied or reprinted
without the author's permission.

  Direct linking to stories on this site without permission is prohibited and considered copyright infringement

~BEST VIEWED ON 800 X 600 SCREEN RESOLUTION~

Fiction by Grace