CHAPTER 27

Mason met AJ in the hall as he was leaving Kevin’s room with the dress across his arm. In fact, they almost collided. Mason was preoccupied. Kevin looked like hell. Tristan had been with Asa, but no one knew where. She had to perform tonight for the first time in many months and she very well may be in no shape to face an audience in general and Kevin in particular. Mason had been shocked to learn that Kevin had never seen Tristan on stage. He wondered how many times she had watched him....

“Whoa! Mason!”

Mason heard AJ shout just in time to keep himself from plowing into him and Amanda. They were returning from McDonald’s carrying a bag and two cups of coffee.

“Seen Tris yet?’ AJ asked, stopping to pull off his sunglasses. He had stayed awake half the night listening for sounds coming from Kevin and Tristan’s room next door. It had been eerily quiet.

“No. Nothing.” Mason sighed. “Not a word since Asa called last night.”

“Shit...” AJ mumbled. “How’s Kev doing?”

“Not great, actually. He looks terrible.” Mason leaned into AJ’s face and whispered. “I think he’s still worried about....you know....Tris and Asa.”

AJ looked at Mason without expression.

“Do you think he should be worried, Mason?”

“I don’t know...” Mason said softly, looking over his shoulder. “I don’t know what kind of shape she’s in. She is comfortable with Asa and I know he....well....I don’t think he’d kick her out of bed, if you know what I mean.”

“Yeah....” AJ mumbled. “I know what you mean.” He knew that he would be checking things out for himself later, If Tris and Asa had been together, he would know.

“Well, I’d better get going. Where is Holly’s room?” Mason asked. He wanted to speak with her since she was, perhaps, Tristan’s best friend. She should know what happened last night. Maybe Tris had even called her.

AJ had said that he didn’t think Holly was there unless there had been a change in plans but gave Mason the room number and went on his way. Mason shook his head. There was still a lot about this he didn’t understand. He approached Holly’s room and rapped tentatively on the door. When it opened, Mason almost fell over in surprise. He hadn’t been thinking. There, standing in the door way, wearing only a pair of green silk boxers, was the one and only Nickolas Gene Carter. Mason locked eyes with Nick, unable to turn away. His mouth hung open and he had difficulty speaking. He suddenly knew what it felt like to be a fourteen year old girl.

“S...s...sorry to bother you. I was looking for Holly. Holly C..Carmichael?” Mason stuttered. He felt like a fool.

“And you are....?” Nick eyed Mason suspiciously.

“Mason. Mason MacArthur. Tristan’s assistant.”

“Oh yeah, I’ve heard Tris and Holly mention you. Kevin, too. Come on in.”

Mason rolled his eyes a little when Nick mentioned Kevin. God only knows what he’d said. He stood in the doorway for a second or two following Nick with his eyes as he walked away from the door. Those few seconds were long enough to take in Nick’s back, rear end, muscular calves and three tattoos. Damn, why are all the good ones always straight! Mason entered the room.

“Is Holly here?” Mason asked, looking around the room. He felt stupid. “I mean, I know she isn’t here, but is she around? he laughed nervously.

Nick turned towards Mason and unfolded a pair of sweat pants. “She and Leighanne took a little trip this morning. They’ll be back early though, for the concert.” Nick stopped with only one foot coming out of the bottom of the pant leg and looked up at Mason. “She’s back, right?”

“No.” Mason looked around the room and finally at Nick again. He was still frozen mid pant and staring. “Mind if I sit down?” Mason asked.

“Sit.” Nick offered. “What do you mean? She’s still gone?”

“Afraid so.”

“Kevin hasn’t heard anything?” Nick finished up with his pants and flopped down on the bed beside Mason.

“Asa Whitmore called me last night and....”

“Asa!” Nick practically spat. “What does he have to do with this?”

“Asa was with Tristan last night. Maybe he still is. Who knows?” Mason shrugged.

“With her? What do you mean ‘with’ her?” Nick sounded angry. It was obvious that Asa Whitmore had few fans among this group.

Mason went on to explain the phone call and what he had been told.

“Does Kevin know?” Nick asked. His eyes had grown hard and he looked almost like he was bracing himself.

“Oh boy, does he ever...” Mason sighed.

“Fuck!” Nick muttered. “Who else knows about all of this?”

Mason licked his lips. “Uh...just AJ and his girlfriend and now you....”

“And me.” A voice came from the door that Mason had neglected to close. It was Brian.

Carlos stood close behind him. “And me.” Kevin’s body guard said gruffly.

Nick made a mental note to add two words to Carlos’ spoken word total.

“How is he?” Brian asked coming into the room.

He motioned for Carlos to come in, too. He should probably hear this. Sometimes bodyguards had to protect their clients from themselves as well as fans.

“Not too good.” Mason described Kevin’s reaction to the news that Asa was with Tristan. “I think you all will have some room repair costs added to your hotel bill.”

“Shit!” Brian yelled. “I swear to God....this is too damn much! If this is Tristan’s way of getting back at him, by playing around with Asa - by acting like a whore, then....”

Brian’ words stopped as he felt a hand at the back of his shirt grabbing him. He suddenly found himself backed up against the wall and held there. He couldn’t move. Another face glared at him, eyeball to eyeball.

“I really think we’re jumping to conclusions here, don’t you, Mr. Littrell?”

Nick and Mason gaped in disbelief as Carlos had Brian pinned against the wall, talking to him with a calm that was betrayed only by the fact that he was speaking through clenched teeth. He went on.

“I really don’t think that Mr. Richardson would appreciate your description of Miss Mallory. I know that I’m terribly uncomfortable with it , myself, so let’s not refer to her in that way ever again, alright?”

Brian swallowed hard and nodded. “R...right. You’re right Carlos. I apologize...”

Carlos backed away and assumed his spot by the door as Brian glanced at Nick and Mason. His face was red with embarrassment and regret and he thought it best to leave. He brushed past Carlos and then paused to look at him for a moment. Kevin was fortunate to have Carlos. The man had obviously developed a fondness for Kevin and Tristan both.

“Well, “ Mason said abruptly, causing Nick to close his open mouth, “I’ll go. I have million things to do.”

“Oh...okay. Did you want to leave a message for Holly?” Nick asked, scratching the green leaf etched on his abdomen.

Mason raised his brows a little. He hadn’t heard anything about that tattoo.

“No. That’s okay. I was just wondering if maybe she had heard anything from Tris, that’s all.”

Mason got up and walked towards the door. He paused when he saw the Play Station on the floor in front of the television. Several games were scattered around it.

“You’re a gamer?” Mason asked Nick curiously.

“Hell yeah!” Nick responded, pulling a tee shirt over his head. “You?”

“Man, I love this stuff! Have you tried the Dream Cast?”

“Haven’t had much time. Holly gave me one for my birthday. I can’t wait to get into it...” Nick hesitated and rethought his remark. “ The Dream Cast, I mean. Not Holly!” He laughed and then paused again, offering an unneeded explanation. “I mean, I can’t wait to get into Holly, either, but....”

“Save it!” Mason smiled. “I get it.” Unfortunately. “I have a Dream Cast in my room you’re welcome to bring down here. I won’t have time to mess with it for quite a while.” Mason offered.

“No shit?” Nick acted like it was Christmas morning. “Can I really use it?”

“Sure...”

“Cool!”

Carlos rolled his eyes as Nick followed Mason out of the door.

***************

Lily was a happy woman. The grapevine was still in good working order and she had managed to get herself a very ripe piece of fruit. She had overheard one of the dancers ask another if she was going to Tristan’s concert that night.

“I’d like to,” she had answered. “If there is one.”

Lily’s curiosity was peaked. She risked moving closer to the two women, not wanting to miss a morsel of information.

“What do you mean, ‘if’?” the first woman asked.

“Well....I was in McDonalds this morning and overheard AJ and Amanda talking. It seems that Tristan got really upset about something yesterday and disappeared. No one has seen her. I heard that even Kevin didn’t have any idea where she was except that she was with another man!”

“No way!”

“That’s what I heard! Kevin’s gone nuts. He’s torn up his room, I hear and stays drunk. I heard he almost killed that Mason guy but AJ stopped him.”

“Get outta here!”

“I’m not shittin’ you! That’s what I heard! Tristan Mallory is dumping Kevin Richardson and screwing some other guy!”

“I can’t believe it! What do you think happened?”

“What the hell do you think? Rock-a-bye fuckin’ baby! You know who she’s saying the daddy is.”

“You think Tris found out?”

“I’d bet my ass on it and I heard that Holly and Leigh are on their way to Orlando.”

“Why? They’re not leaving, too, are they?”

“No, you dumb ass. It must have something to do with all of this. Sounds like an awful lot of shit hitting the fan at once to me!”

Lily frowned a little at the mention of Holly and Leighanne’s trip. Then she relaxed. Her bases were covered - she’d seen to it. After Kevin and Tristan had permanently split, Lily planned to disappear for awhile. She wanted to sit back and survey the damage.

So, now the little piano player knew about the baby. Good. She must have checked the messages. Lily only wished she could have been there to see it happen. Awww, Kevvy shouldn’t have kept secrets from his little sweetie. Kevin was already sliding into a deep hole. Even if Tristan didn’t follow, it would be okay. She had been seriously burned. Lily had expected it to be the other way around - Tristan would go crazy and then Kevin would lose it and, hopefully, lead a miserable life. But this way was fine. The results would be the same. Fuck Kevin Richardson! He had made a big mistake by dumping Lily and then having the balls to call her someone else’s name when she was in his bed. And he hadn’t even had the good grace to realize he’d done it and at least take the trouble to feign embarrassment!

***************

Leighanne and Holly had arrived back at the hotel by seven o’ clock. They barely had enough time to shower and change before they had to climb into a van and head out to the theater. They weren’t expecting the receptions they received from Brian and Nick.

They reached Leighanne’s room first. She pulled out her key and began to insert it when to door flew open and there stood Brian, obviously angry and upset.

“What’s wrong with you?” Leighanne asked, already defensive. “I told you we’d be back in time for the concert...”

“We need to talk, Leighanne! Right now!” Brian pulled her into the room and practically slammed the door in Holly’s face. Asshole, Holly thought.

Holly walked a few steps down to her and Nick’s room, inserted the key and walked in.

She was tired. It had already been a long day. She spotted Nick, sitting on the floor in front of the television. Watching a rerun of Batman.

“Don’t I get a ‘hello’?” Holly smiled.

Nick didn’t turn. “Hello.” he said flatly.

His lack of response irritated Holly. She and Leighanne had busted their butts to help try and straighten this mess out. They had failed, but they had tried. She felt that Nick could at least act interested.

“Well, is Tris speaking to any of us?” Holly asked as she kicked off her shoes.

“How the hell would I know?” Nick answered coolly.

“You haven’t seen her yet?”

“No.”

“Don’t tell me she hasn’t come back!” Holly said, stopping to look at Nick before she slid her pants down.

“Okay. I won’t tell you.” Nick said stubbornly, refusing to look in her direction.

Holly got mad. First Brian pulls an attitude in the hallway and now Nick is acting like a jerk.

“Look, Nick...it’s been a long day and....”

Nick clicked off the television and turned to Holly, interrupting her. “Baby, it’s been a hell of a long day here, too!”

“Why? What happened?” Holly started to panic. “Is Tris hurt?”

Nick got up off the floor and faced Holly. His hands were on his hips - always a bad sign.

“Where do you want me to begin, Hol?”

“Is Tris hurt?” she repeated.

“I don’t know what Tris is! The only thing I know is that she spent the night with Asa Whitmore!”

“What?” Holly couldn’t believe it.

“Let me start at the beginning with last night’s events - things that we were unaware of...” Nick had started pacing. “It seems that Asa called Mason to tell him that Tris was with him at a hotel. Kevin, who’s been drinking by the way, cuts himself up on a glass of scotch and proceeds to put his fist through a wall. The he attacks Mason who is saved by AJ who heard the commotion from next door. Kevin’s going nuts thinking that Asa is fucking Tris!”

Nick’s last remark pissed Holly off. “Why would he automatically think that?” she fumed. “Monkey see, monkey do? Just because he couldn’t keep it in his pants doesn’t mean that Tris id going to lay down for anybody!”

“Apparently, Holly, it’s a fairly well known fact in the classical circles...” Nick said in a dramatically snobbish tone laced with sarcasm, “.....that Asa has had a hard-on for Tris for a very long time!” He crossed his arms and struck a ‘gotcha’ pose.

Holly winced. “That doesn’t mean that Tris....”

“Did you know about this?” Nick asked angrily. “Has she been leading him on?”

“Tristan isn’t a tease, Nick! You know better than that!” Holly drew a deep breath. “I had heard rumors. Tristan always laughed them off. She said that she and Asa were friends only.”

“Kevin isn’t laughing, Holly....”

The wind was taken out of Holly’s sail. “I’m sorry. I really am sorry that Kevin is upset and I know it doesn’t look good, but we know that Tris loves Kevin and she just isn’t the type to do something like that. That’s just not her...”

“Well Tris hasn’t exactly been herself since the last tour, has she?” Nick sounded cold.

Holly began to feel herself getting hot again. She glared at Nick and then grabbed the offense.

“Well if she hasn’t, I wonder whose fault that is! What are you saying Nick? Do you think Tristan is nuts? Do you?”

“No...” Nick looked away, ashamed. His hands fell from his hips as he turned back to Holly. “Christ! I just don’t want things to get worse than they already are, that’s all! I’m sorry! You’re right. I just wish she had come back here last night.”

“Is Kevin going tonight?” Holly asked softly.

“Yeah.” Nick answered falling down on the bed. “Mason saw him this morning. He’s trying to get him straight for tonight. Says Kevin looks like shit.”

Holly laid down beside Nick. He reached over and pulled her closer.

“We didn’t fare too well in Orlando.” Holly volunteered. “We got some information but it only confirmed Lily’s claims. You should have seen us - especially Leighanne...”

“Let me guess...” Nick looked at the ceiling and rubbed his chin. “I’ll bet that Leigh, being the actress, went into the doctor’s office and made a big deal about being pregnant or thinking she was pregnant.”

Holly raised herself up on one elbow and looked at Nick, puzzled.

“That’s pretty good. How did you know that? We didn’t even know what we were going to do until we got there.”

Nick chuckled. “Well, that falls under ‘A Long Day - Part Two’. It really isn’t funny, but it kinda is - you know what I mean?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Holly frowned.

Nick raised himself up, too. They laid facing each other on the bed.

“Well it seems that Harold watched a little TV tonight and caught the end of some gossip show on ‘E’. The host was talking about this report from a woman who works in a doctor’s office in Orlando. She told ‘E’ the two Backstreet girlfriends came into the office today and that Brian Littrell’s girlfriend, Miss Leighanne Wallace, who used a fake name by the way, is sure that she’s pregnant.”

“Oh no...” Holly groaned, glad she hadn’t been wearing her engagement ring.

“Oh, yes...” Nick nodded. “So, Harold tells Jackie...”

“Oh, no....”

“Oh, yes! And Jackie gets on the phone to Brian all upset. She’s pissin’ and moanin’ about it. Gives him the lecture about sex before marriage and all that shit. Says she’s gonna pray for him and that he’s better spend some time on his knees, too. Talks about Leigh being a ‘loose woman’. Wonders how she’s gonna face her friends....”

“Oh, no...”

“Oh, yeah. Jackie even called Leigh a whore! The whore of Babylonia - or something like that.” Nick grinned.

Holly looked alarmed. “That’s not funny, Nick.”

“I know, I know. It’s just ironic. I guess it’s karma.”

“What do you mean?”

“Brian called Tris a whore today.”

“WHAT?” Holly snapped.

“Well, almost. He may as well have.”

“Did he use the word ‘whore’?”

“Yeah, but Carlos straightened him out on that score and he apologized. It’s just kinda funny that he would say something like that and it comes flyin’ back at him - all in the same day.”

“Yeah. Funny.” Holly didn’t seem to be amused.

Nick paused and sighed before continuing.

“There’s more....” he began.

Holly fell back onto the bed and closed her eyes. “How can there possibly be more, Nick? Please don’t let there be more! We still have to get through a concert with Tris, Kevin and Asa!”

“And maybe Mama Anne...”

“What?” Holly’s eyes flew open. “Anne Richardson?”

“Oh yeah. Brian tries to explain all this shit to his mother and tells her about Kevin and Tris. He was also good enough to throw in the part about Tris leaving and staying in a hotel with Asa.”

“Great!” Holly growled. “What was he trying to do? Divert attention from himself?”

Nick tried to soothe her. “I really don’t think he meant to throw more shit onto Kevin’s plate. I think he just got carried away in his explanation. Bri’s really pretty good about blabbing. Anyway, Jackie speed dials Anne to fill her in on all the news. Anne calls Brian and interrogates him before she gets the operator to transfer her to Kevin’s room.” Nick sighed. “I’m sure Kev isn’t thrilled about this. As if Tris and Lily weren’t enough, now he’s gonna have his mama on his ass.”

*******************

Thankfully, Kevin had been able to convince his mother not to come up there after swearing he would keep her informed of what was going on. He loved his mother dearly. She had been through a lot and often had the ability to cut through the crap, get down to the bare bones of a problem and come up with a solution. This time, however, the problem was unsolvable or at least it would be until he could talk to his wife. His wife..... Kevin wanted to able to say those words out loud, publicly.

“MY WIFE!” he shouted into the mirror.

Just saying the words aloud seemed to give him a new strength of purpose. Kevin marched into the closet and began to get dressed.

CHAPTER 27

“What are you doing with that dress?” Tristan whispered, pointing to the silk batiste gown that laid across Mason’s arm.

Mason tried to gauge Tristan’s reaction to the dress. Was it sadness? Anger? What? She certainly felt something. Kevin had insisted on this dress. It must have some special significance.

“Um...this was one of the ones in the cedar closet. I thought it would be a nice change for you.” Mason didn’t mention that it was Kevin’s choice.

“I don’t think so, Mason...” Tristan tried to smile. “Where are the other ones?”

Shit. "This is it, Tris. This is the only one I brought.” Mason chuckled nervously.

Tristan sat down at the make-up table as Mason hung the dress on a hook fastened into the wall. Her eyes were drawn to its reflection and she gazed at the vintage gown for several minutes before looking back down at the table.

“What are you thinking about, Tris?” Mason asked softly as he sorted through the accessories he had bought to go with the gown. “Kevin?”

Tistan wanted to cry again. Yes, she was thinking about Kevin. Thinking about the day she had found the dress. Thinking about how Kevin looked at her as she came through the trees on that January evening. Thinking about how she had believed, at that moment, that they were invincible. She looked towards the numerous flowers and notes that sat on a nearby table. A large arrangement of Tropicana roses overshadowed the gladiolas and carnations that others had sent. There had been no card. A card hadn’t been necessary. The flowers themselves said it all.

“Is Kevin coming tonight?” Tristan asked casually as she began to apply her make-up.

Mason had known Tristan for too long to be fooled by her nonchalance.

“Yes. He’ll be here, as will your friends.” Mason replied, eyeing her carefully.

“My ‘friends’....” Tristan shook her head chuckling.

“They are your friends, Tristan! They’re Kevin’s friends, too.”

Tristan stiffened in her seat.

“Do you understand what happened yesterday, Mason? Do you understand why I left?”

Mason got up and walked over to Tristan. He placed his hands on her shoulders and looked into the reflection of her face in the mirror.

“Tris...Precious....I know that this is killing you. I know you must feel betrayed all over again. I know that you need comfort, but I also know that the comfort and reassurance you need can only come from one person. You know it, too....”

Tristan’s eyes began to fill and she blinked rapidly with the recognition of truth. Mason went on.

“The thing is, Tris, you’re not the only one who needs those things. Kevin needs them, too.”

“Oh Mason!” Tristan jerked herself up from the table, detaching Mason’s hands. “I’m just so upset and confused. The secrets! The lies!”

“The love.....” Mason countered. “What was he suppose to do, Tristan?”

Tristan looked at Mason strangely. “You surprise me, Mason. When did you take over as Kevin’s benevolent promoter?”

Mason grew a little impatient. “I’m trying to promote both of you, dammit! Look, you know that Lily is a psychotic bitch. He didn’t know if she was lying to him about all of this or not. She’s been coy and manipulative. Kevin didn’t want you upset if there was no reason for you to be. Neither did your friends. They’ve been carrying this to protect you - not fool you!”

Tristan thought again about the subtle and not so subtle changes in Kevin as of late. Had he been scared and insecure?

“One more thing, Tristan.” Mason looked at her seriously. “You know and I think that Kevin knows, too, that you’re going to have to make a decision tonight. That bus is pulling out tomorrow whether you’re on it or not.”

Mason paused and looked at the floor. When he looked back up again, Tristan could see that he was upset.

“What is it, Mason? she asked, the anger and sadness in her eyes replaced with worry.

Mason took a breath. “Kevin knows that you and Asa were together last night. He....he went a little crazy....”

Tristan turned away. “I see.....” she murmured.

Their discussion was interrupted by a knock on the door. Mason went to answer it while Tristan stepped behind a screen to change her clothes. Mason was not happy to see Asa standing outside although he shouldn’t have been surprised. It wasn’t unusual for conductors to greet headliners before a performance.

“Tristan’s getting dressed.” Mason frowned, somewhat annoyed by Asa’s intrusion.

“He can come in!” Tristan shouted. “I’m almost ready.”

Asa smiled at Tristan’s invitation while Mason’s frown became more exaggerated.

“I need to see Trissy alone, Mason.”

Asa stepped aside, indicating that Mason should come out, which he did. Mason was a little nonplussed when he realized that he had just been thrown out of Tristan’s dressing room. He stood outside the door and waited.

****************

Kevin wandered the corridors of the concert hall looking for the dressing rooms. He carried a single Tropicana rose and wondered if Tris had noticed that the box he’d had delivered contained only twenty-three of the flowers. He would deliver the twenty fourth personally and she could take it to the piano with her or maybe even wear it. As he held the rose to his face, inhaling it’s heady fragrance, he recalled Carlos’ brief comment in the car. Carlos tended to say little so when he did speak he was, generally, quite serious.

“You want me to take care of that conductor problem for you boss?”

Kevin had smiled despite his heartache. My own one man goon squad...

“Thanks Carlos, but only one person can take care of that problem and it isn’t you, my friend.”

Carlos had grunted in response and the rest of the ride had been silent. In reality, Kevin would have liked for Carlos to hold Asa down while Kevin went at him like as if he were a human punching bag. By the time he was finished, Asa Whitmore would be hurtin’ too much to flail his arms around and conduct, but he sure as hell could join the chorus. He would have no problem hitting those high notes after Kevin had stuffed Asa’s balls into the pockets of his pretty tuxedo.

Kevin finally stopped and got directions to the dressing rooms. God, he needed to see Tris so badly, to feel her fingers against his face. He was sure that if he could see her - if she could just see the obvious in his eyes, they would be able to find a way to handle this. Kevin felt a small jolt of optimism as he rounded the corner. The optimism vanished and was quickly replaced by dread and disappointment when he spotted Asa standing outside of her door, knocking. Kevin froze and stepped back from under the ceiling light. He saw Mason open the door and then heard Tristan shouting for Asa to come in. He watched as Mason waited. One minute turned into two and then five, ten, fifteen. Kevin felt sure that he hadn’t taken a breath since Asa entered Tristan’s room. His lungs were hurting. A lot can happen in fifteen minutes. He berated himself for not just walking up to her door and busting in. He had every right...They were married, for Christ’s sake. Even if no one else knew it - they did. But Kevin couldn’t move. It was doubt that had kept him in the shadows and fear that had frozen him. What if he walked in on them and......

Finally, the door opened and Asa came to the threshold. Kevin couldn’t see Tristan at first. Mason had walked away a little as if he disapproved of their encounter. Then he watched as Asa began to lean into the doorway and he saw Tristan as she leaned forward to meet him. They embraced briefly and broke away. Asa had held onto her hands and then let them drop with a reluctance that was unmistakable. Her eyes had been wet but she had been smiling a little. Kevin didn’t know what to make of that. He felt nauseous. Then Asa turned and walked down the corridor and Mason reentered the dressing room and closed the door. Kevin stood for a moment, blinking away the sudden flood of moisture that filled his own eyes.

Minutes later, Mason escorted Tristan down the empty hallway to her place behind the stage curtain. Neither had noticed the sunset colored rose that had been dropped into a nearby wastebasket.

******************

Tristan’s entrance onto the stage was met with enthusiastic applause. She glanced briefly towards the seven seats that had been reserved in the fourth row, center. The seat next to AJ was empty. Kevin was not there.

******************

“Where is he?” Nick whispered down the row.

There were shrugs and ‘I don’t know’s’ whispered back. Brian turned in his seat and tried to quickly scan the audience. AJ checked the aisles thinking that maybe Kevin had gotten hung up somewhere and was just a little late.

“Maybe he’s back stage.” Holly mumbled, patting Nick’s hand.

“He ain’t backstage, Holly!” Nick shifted and looked at her as he nodded towards Tristan. “Look at her. She can see that he’s not here. If he was standing off stage, we’d know it. She’d look at him. She expected him to be here with us.”

Holly mentally agreed. She looked at Tristan as she stood next to Asa. Where did she get that dress? It’s beautiful, but it’s nothing like the clothes Mason normally picks out for Tris to wear. This is romantic and sensual, not short and sassy.... Holly elbowed Amanda, who was sitting next to her, and leaned forward.

“Did Tris say anything to you about what she was going to wear tonight?”

The dress had caught Amanda’s eye, too, as well as her imagination. An image was forming in her mind - a connection of some sort that she couldn’t quite grasp. It was bugging the shit out of her. Amanda shook her head in answer to Holly’s question while continuing to stare at Tristan. Her hair, her skin, her dress - she was almost monochromatic, like those old photographs she had seen in antique stores - the ones taken during the Civil War of young girls and couples on their wedding day. Amanda’s thoughts skidded to a stop right there. He’s fucking my wife! AJ had thought that Kevin’s choice of words had just been the result of intense emotion edged with liquor. Amanda closed her eyes and smiled to herself. Of course....Tristan was wearing her wedding dress....Tristan Richardson.

********************

Kevin stood at the back of the theater near the doors that opened into the lobby. He had seen Brian and AJ looking around for him but he couldn’t sit calmly through her concert. Not now. Yet, he had to stay. He had to see Tristan on stage. He visually examined her during her introduction. When she had stepped to the edge of the boards and the stage lights had hit her, she almost looked ethereal. The gown so closely matched the creamy color of her skin that she might have looked naked had it not been for the skirt which flowed from her waist. Her earlobes were dotted with small pearl studs and her hair had been pinned into a loose knot at the back of her neck. Wavy, unsecured strands fell along the side of her face and when she turned to take the bench, Kevin could see a flash of color. Tristan had fastened one of his roses into her hair.

Asa climbed onto the platform, raised his baton and the orchestra fashioned the opening notes of a Stravinsky sonata. Tristan played with an intensity that surprised Kevin. He marveled at the speed and range of her small hands. From the back of the theater, she looked positively tiny sitting at the huge piano, almost like a child. But this was no child playing. Kevin closed his eyes, remembering once more the night she had first played for him. When she was finished, the audience broke into loud and prolonged applause. He could hear shouts of ‘Bravo!’ and ‘Belissima!’. He smiled, knowing that those words of praise would never be shouted for him or the group. They got the screamers. Tristan was a class act - they were just an act. Yet, of all the thousands of people that had passed through both of their lives in recent years, they had managed to find each other. Kevin reached into his pocket, took out the gold band and slipped it onto his finger.

Tristan played several more pieces that evening. She masterfully conquered a wide range of composers, from Brahams to Bernstein. Asa’s job was to guide Tristan’s accompaniment and even Kevin had to admit that he did it well. He watched Asa glance towards Tristan often, always with a soft smile on his lips. Bit Tristan’s eyes were always on the keys except at the beginning of a piece, when she watched for his cue or at the end. When her performance was finished, Kevin felt his heart swell with pride that he didn’t deserve. He watched Tristan rise from the bench and take her bow. Asa stepped from his platform and walked to her, clapping on the way, his baton under his arm. He stood by her side. Kevin watched him take her hands in his and turn them over before leaning over and bringing her palms up to his lips, one at a time.

“Honestly, Julia! Those two look like they belong on top of a wedding cake, don’t they?”

Kevin jerked his head around to find two elderly women, symphony patrons, looking towards the stage and smiling. He felt like he had been cut. He nodded to Carlos, who waited across the lobby, and they left the theater.

********************

Tristan didn’t leave right away. After she had greeted a few classical musical fans, she closed her dressing room door and changed her clothes. Mason was there with her, putting away her music and picking up the notes that she had received. She was unusually quiet.

“Want to share a cab?” Mason asked, trying to start a conversation.

Tristan unpinned her hair and ran her fingers through the waves.

“I’m not ready to leave quite yet. You go on ahead....”

Mason shrugged. “I’ll wait for you. I can catch up on a little correspondence.”

His excuse was fairly transparent. Mason never left Tristan alone in venues - not after what had happened to her in Seattle. They were both aware of his motivations in sticking close, but they never spoke of it. Mason knew that Tristan was struggling. The fact that neither of them had seen Kevin at the concert only complicated things. He knew that Kevin had planned to come and wondered what had happened.

Tristan spent the next few hours wandering the halls and tickling the piano keys, plainly lost in her own thoughts. Mason kept at a discreet distance. He watched her pace, stare into space and sigh. He even saw her wipe a tear or two from her eye but he left her alone. His advice hadn’t been requested and so none was given. Mason busied himself with paperwork as Tristan tried out some unfamiliar pieces on the piano. Her concentration was not good. He looked up when the music stopped and found her staring at him. Her expression did not betray her feelings or plans.

“Let’s get out of here, Mason.” she said simply. He nodded. It was already three AM.

They went outside, hailed a cab and climbed into the back seat.

“Where to?” The driver asked.

Mason hesitated, waiting for Tristan to answer but she was silent.

“The Crown.” Mason told him, leaning forward.

“And you, Miss?” The driver inquired.

Again, she was silent. She chewed on her thumbnail as she stared out of the cab window.

“Miss?” The driver turned in his seat, awaiting his instructions.

Mason held his breath. He figured she had three choices: The Crown Royale, the St. Charlotte or the airport. Tristan removed her thumb from her mouth and leaned back into the seat.

“The Crown.”

*****************

Sleep wouldn’t come for Kevin this night. When he had returned to the hotel, he had gone straight to the replenished mini-bar but then decided against numbing himself. He waited - listening, hoping for a knock on the door or the sound of a key in the lock. There was nothing. The concert had ended long ago. Even allowing for greetings and wrap-ups, Tristan would have been finished before now. She was staying away. Where is she? Kevin didn’t think he really wanted to know. Finally, in resignation, he emptied his pockets and removed his clothes so he could take a shower. His wallet, change and keys were tossed onto the top of the dresser but the last item, Tristan’s wedding ring, he placed gently near his family photographs. Kevin went into the bathroom and turned on the water in the shower. The bus would be leaving in nine hours and he wondered if he would be traveling alone.

Mason and Tristan rode up on the elevator, still silent. Tristan had not indicated her intentions or revealed her thoughts about Kevin or his no-show tonight. Mason was sure that her pain had been compounded by his absence and wondered what part that might play in her decision about their relationship. Mason hadn’t seen her slip one of Kevin’s roses inside of her coat before they left.

The elevator bell rang as the car stopped on Mason’s floor. He grabbed Tristan’s hand and squeezed it, knowing that he would not rest easy until he knew the outcome of her meeting with Kevin. He had been curious about what had happened between Tristan and Asa last night and in the dressing room tonight.

“If you need anything, you know where I am.” Mason said softly. He let go of her hand and stepped out of the elevator. Tristan’s only response had been a gentle ‘Thank you’.

Tristan sighed as the door closed and the elevator began its ascent.. When the doors opened again, she glanced at her watch. It was three forty-two. The entire floor had been roped off and security stood around in the hallway. Carlos was among the men who stood near the elevator bank. She was surprised to see him there. She nodded to him and was even more surprised when he spoke as she passed.

“Good show tonight, Miss Mallory....”

Tristan stopped and turned to look at the burly body guard.

“You saw the concert?” she asked curiously.

“Yes ma’am. We were there.” Carlos answered.

“We?......”

“The boss and I.”

“Kevin was at the symphony tonight?” she queried.

“Yes.” Carlos responded, somewhat puzzled by her ignorance. “You didn’t see him before the show?”

“No.” Tristan answered.

She continued her walk down the hall to their room. If Carlos offered any other comments or explanations, she didn’t hear them. Her thoughts were confused as she pulled her key from her coat pocket and inserted it into the lock. The room was dimly lit but Tristan could see that the bed had been turned down. Kevin’s clothes were thrown over a chair. When she put her purse on the dresser, she saw his wallet and keys lying there. Then her eyes traveled over to the small gold band laying beside his pictures. The shower was running in the bathroom - the only sound in the room. Tristan removed her coat and then her clothes and stood in front of the mirror, totally naked. She closed her eyes and sighed again before moving her rubies to her right hand and slipping the gold band on in their place. She picked up his rose and walked into the bathroom.

Kevin’s hands were pressed onto the tiles in front of him almost as if for support. He leaned forward, lowering his head so that the hot, pressurized water would pound onto his back and, perhaps, relieve some of his tension. The roar of the water and clouds of steam prevented him from hearing or seeing Tristan enter the large, glass-bricked shower. She watched him from the shower entrance for a moment, catching the glimmer of gold on his left hand. He had pressed his forehead against the wall tiles as if he were weary or desolate. Kevin’s black hair was plastered to his head, shining from the sheen of the water and tiny streams ran rapidly from his elbows, chin and nose. His eyes were closed. By the time Tristan found her voice, she was as wet as he.

“Kevin?” she called to him softly.

Kevin’s eyes opened but he kept them straight ahead. He wasn’t sure he’s really heard his name above the sounds of splashing water. When he finally turned his head, his lips parted and his eyes took on the shroud of disbelief as he peered through the steam to discover Tristan standing nude under the water and holding one of his roses. He couldn’t speak.

Tristan took a step closer and he could see her more clearly. Her expression was questioning but covered with a glaze of hope. Still, he didn’t move. Kevin watched, mesmerized, as she raised her arm and extended her hand towards his face. He felt himself shudder at it’s approach and then he caught the reflection of light from her finger. He felt her fingers on his cheek and his eyes closed again.

“Kevin....” she whispered. “My husband....”

Email Grace

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