CHAPTER 28

That evening was a very quiet one. Tristan and Kevin spoke cursory words to each other but that was all. Neither one of them had handled this properly and they both knew it. Tension in the house was thick. Kevin went to bed early, saying he was tired, Tristan came up later but slept in one of the guest rooms. He obviously didn’t want to have anything to do with her and she wouldn’t be able to stand laying there next to him all night with this wall between them. She had thought about leaving - she did have the apartment to go to. The name calling and insinuations had cut her to the core. But she was tired and had a flight in the morning. A part of Tristan was also waiting to see if Kevin would actually ask her to leave.

Kevin had a hard time getting to sleep, but he finally dozed off. He didn’t feel hurt or sad. He felt like Tristan had lied to him - a sin of omission. He couldn’t take lying. He was angry. When he became chilled during the night, he had unconsciously reached for her, searching for her warmth. When he couldn’t find her, he stirred and raised his head to find her side of the bed empty. Shit... Kevin turned to look at the clock. It was 3:55 AM. She probably fell asleep downstairs. He went downstairs expecting to find the TV on and Tristan asleep on the sofa, but it was dark and quiet. He flipped the light on. She wasn’t there. He checked his studio. Empty. His heart skipped a beat when he thought about her car. He went over to a front window and looked out. It wasn’t there. A sense of dread washed over him and Kevin went down a short hallway that ended with a door that lead to the garage. He hesitated and then opened it. Her car was parked on the far side of the room. She was here somewhere.

Kevin went back up the stairs and before he could reach the second landing, he saw the door to one of the extra bedrooms cracked open. The light from the hallway illuminated the room enough for him to see. There she was, sound asleep on the far side of the bed, curled up in a little ball. She looked cold. Damn. He walked over to cover her and saw that she was wearing the pink camisole. His groin stirred. He watched her sleep for a few minutes and then left the room, closing the door behind him.

Passing the dresser in his room on his way back to bed, he noticed the plane ticket laying next to a photograph Leighanne had taken of them in New York. In his anger he had forgotten that she was leaving tomorrow for Chicago to perform with the symphony there. Her flight was at 11:00 AM when he would be up to his ass in meetings and rehearsals. She would be gone for four days, stopping also in St. Louis and Atlanta before she returned. Maybe this break is a good thing right now. Kevin got back into bed, suddenly aware of how big it was, and settled in to go back to sleep. That didn’t happen.

Later that morning, Kevin heard Tristan enter the bedroom. He pretended to still be asleep and listened as she opened drawers, went into the closet and then into the bathroom. Cabinets were opened and closed and then he heard her footsteps as she left the bathroom and stopped near the edge of the bed. She didn’t move for several moments. He wondered if she was still wearing the pink camisole and felt the tightening again. Then he heard the rattle of paper -the ticket- and the hinges of her suitcase squeak before she left the room, closing the door. Kevin sat up in bed listening for her movements.

After awhile he heard the door to the guestroom open and then close and then the creak of the forth step on the staircase. Ten minutes later her car started in the garage. Again a feeling of deja vu washed over him as he got up to peer out of the window in time to see her pull out of the driveway and head down the street. He went downstairs to look for the note he was sure she would leave, but there was no pink paper on the counter. It was then that he realized he was smack dab in the middle of a ‘Mexican standoff’ - both of them guilty, both of them blameless. He had assumed the role of prosecutor in this drama. She was the defendant, pleading innocence.

Tristan boarded the plane to Chicago at the last minute. She had held the small hope that Kevin might come to the airport to see her off. He was so angry with her. She had stood by the foot of his bed this morning, watching him sleep and wanting to crawl in there with him. She should have made love to him this morning. Surely he knew that she wasn’t trying to further her career by using those pictures. If they had made love, he would have opened up to her. This could have been settled. She really didn’t care that much about having some grand career. Financially, she was well off. She had made good money in the past and had invested most of it wisely. She had her own house in Virginia. She’d never have to work again if she didn’t want to. She’d be happy doing three or four concerts a year and teaching piano or music during the down times. More bookings might make her agent happy but they’d become an inconvenience to Tristan. Maybe this change of scenery would clear her mind. She buckled her seat belt as the plane began its taxi down the runway.

Kevin stood in the rehearsal hall waiting for Fatima to go over some changes with the dancers who would be part of their tour. He found it difficult to concentrate. He looked at his watch for the umpteenth time. It was 11:10. He should have gone to the airport to see her off. He thought about some of the things he had said to her yesterday. She wasn’t stupid and he didn’t believe that she was particularly ambitious. She’d turned down several bookings already this year. But she should have told him about the pictures. He didn’t like being ambushed the way he had been at the press conference. He should have made love to her last night. They both had needed that closeness and the release from the tension alone would have enabled them to talk this out. Their separation wouldn’t have been so cold. It would be a long four days.

Tristan arrived at her hotel late that Tuesday afternoon. As she walked to the desk to check in, she noticed a pair of teenaged girls staring at her, whispering and pointing in her direction. Tristan smiled at the girls but her smile was met with frowns and looks of disgust. What’s their problem? She already had messages waiting for her and she flipped through them quickly hoping to find one from Kevin. She didn’t. Sighing, she picked up her bag and headed for the elevator. When she arrived at the venue that night, there was another group of young women standing and talking near the entrance. Tristan didn’t pay too much attention until she heard a chant begin, lowly at first and then picking up strength. “RIDE ANOTHER TRAIN - LEAVE OUR ALONE!”

Tristan turned to look at the group. A few were wearing BSB shirts or hats. She couldn’t believe this. It made her nervous. She entered the venue quickly and made her way to the dressing room. There was a stack of cards and notes waiting there for her. Many were from well wishers and admirers, but there were also several from ‘Kevin Lovers’ who objected strongly to her living arrangements. Tristan became a little unnerved and it took quite an effort for her to calm down before she had to play. She still hadn’t heard from Kevin by the time she left for St. Louis the next morning.

Tristan didn’t have the chanting girls or nasty notes waiting for her in St. Louis. She even had a florist box waiting for her when she arrived at the concert hall. She couldn’t help but hope the flowers were from Kevin. He had always sent flowers to her dressing room if he couldn’t be there himself. She opened the long box and found a dozen roses. Dead roses. The enclosed card had read ‘LEAVE HIM ALONE,BITCH!’. Tristan felt like she was existing in another dimension. Her nerves were on edge and it showed in her playing that night. She was anxious to get to Atlanta tomorrow. She was spending two days there and she was going to meet Leighanne, who was in town visiting her family.

Kevin was sullen and all business during the rehearsals. He was edgy and impatient and his mood spilled over onto the rest of the group. They wanted to assume that he missed Tristan, but they had seen his anger at the press conference. Kevin hadn’t mentioned Tristan and they couldn’t be sure if he was angry at her for some reason or still upset about the reporter’s attack. He kept his cell close by but there had been no calls from her. He called home several times a day to retrieve messages, but there had been none. The fan club, which handled the large volume of mail the guys receive, had reported getting a large number of letters from fans who felt Kevin had betrayed them. Some scolded him about his lowered moral standards, promising to forgive him if he saw the error of his ways and got rid of that piano playing slut. He was in no hurry to get home that night and when he did, he wandered aimlessly, keeping busy doing nothing. At midnight, he stretched out on the sofa, having no desire to sleep in his bed alone, but not before popping Tristan’s Handel tape into the stereo.

Kevin was still tense the next day and the group stayed out of his way - except for Nick. Nick figured that Kevin was in a lousy mood because Tristan was away for a few days. He tried to talk him out of his pissy attitude with little success.

“Where’s Tristan playing tonight, Kev?” Nick asked during a break. He had taken his bandana off of his sweaty head and wiped his face with it.

“St. Louis.”, Kevin answered.

“St. Louis? Great town. When’s she coming home?”

Home... Kevin was particularly sensitive to that word lately. “She’s supposed to fly in Saturday evening sometime.” Kevin said, pulling out the tail of his wife beater to let some cool air in.

“Only two more days! Think you’ll make it?” Nick laughed mischievously.

“Yeah, I think I’ll survive.”

Nick was about to comment on Kevin’s tenseness when the door of the hall opened.

“Darling!”

Kevin and Nick looked in the direction of the doors and groaned aloud. It was Lily. She sashayed over to them.

“Hello, Lily.”, Kevin said flatly.

“Hi, sweetheart! God, I’ve missed you! Have you missed me?”

“I have, Lily!”, Nick butted in. “I dream about you every night.....and then I wake up screaming!”

“Nicky, you’re still so clever!” She looked Nick up and down. “Still buying your Twinkies in bulk, I see.” She laughed and turned to Kevin, running her hand up his sweaty arm. “Kevin, you look wonderful! You know I always loved to see you sweat - preferably in a horizontal position.”

Nick stuck his finger down his throat and made gagging noises. Lily shot him a look.

“What are you doing in Orlando, Lily?”, Kevin asked, his voice still flat. He had moved his arm to break the connection.

“I told that little piano player - what was her name?....Misty...Trudy... something....”

“Tristan.”, Nick scowled.

“Oh, yes. Tristan. I told her I would come to see you. Didn’t you get the message?”

“That was four months ago, Lily.”

“Oh, you have missed me!”

“Been too busy to miss anyone, Lily.”

Lily ignored Kevin’s remark and went on.

“Actually, I’ve been hired to dance in a video that’s being shot on the sound stage. I’ll be here for a few days. Maybe we can get together - you know, like old times.” She ran her finger around the neck of Kevin’s shirt. “I swear, Kevin, no one should be allowed to wear a wife beater but you. I could just eat you up!”

“And spit you out!” Nick added.

Lily turned back to Nick. “Nicky, don’t you have somewhere you have to be? The caterers are probably sending out a search party for you by now. I’ll bet they have your trough all shined up and waiting for you.”

“Well, Lily,” Nick answered, “I guess you’d know all about troughs. Most pigs do.”

“Nick, that’s enough.”, Kevin cut in. “Why don’t you go grab some lunch. I’ll meet you in a minute.”

Nick left reluctantly. He hated to leave Kevin with that viper.

“I’m glad you’re doing well, Lily.” Kevin said to her after Nick left. “You’ll be glad to know that I’m doing well, too. Tris and I are together now. She makes me very happy. I know you’re happy for us.”

Lily looked like she’d been slapped. “Tristan?! That innocent, little......”

“Watch it , Lily!”

Lily stepped up closer to Kevin and whispered in his ear. “Is she enough woman for you, Kevvy?”

“More than enough.”

“I find that hard to believe.”, Lily purred.

“Believe it, Lily.”

Kevin stepped back and walked through the doors, leaving Lily standing alone on the dance floor.

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

Tristan couldn’t wait to see Leighanne. She wanted to talk to her about these incidents with fans. She wished she could talk to Kevin, but their estrangement continued. She couldn’t stand the thought of calling him and getting scolded - if she got any words out at all. She was becoming frightened.

She’d had one of her nightmares last night. Tristan hadn’t had one since she had been in Virginia. She had forgotten how awful they could be. When she had jerked herself awake, she had been screaming for Kevin but, of course, he wasn’t there. He would be able to tell her what she should do about this or at least comfort her. Apparently, he wasn’t even curious about whether or not she’d run into any trouble from irate fans. Maybe he didn’t care. Tristan felt her feelings of safety and security eroding. She’d talk to Leighanne when she met her after the concert tonight. Maybe she could help Tristan iron this out before she returned to Orlando on Saturday. Tristan checked her wallet to make sure she had Leighanne’s number and then tried to get a little sleep on the plane.

“This day is going to last forever...", Kevin thought as he watched the clock on the wall. He knew that their work today would go on into the night, with sound checks and costume fittings, but there was only one more day before the weekend. He was now anxious to straighten this mess out with Tristan. He would make a move in this direction by calling her tonight after her performance. He’d had enough of this and decided that he wasn’t going to let the Goddamned internet come between them. He missed her terribly. He thought about the pictures the reporter had handed him. The intrusion had certainly made him mad - it still did. But he remembered the time in the dressing room when those pictures of him and Tristan had been taken. It had been a tender moment between them and the fact that there were now thousands of witnesses to his embrace and kiss didn’t make the moment itself less sweet.

They were finally ready to go home. It was late - after ten PM - and everyone was breaking up, going their separate ways. Kevin was gathering his stuff together and fishing for his keys when he heard the doors fly open. He raised his head to see Nick standing in the doorway, eyes wide with alarm and holding what he recognized as Brian’s blue cell phone.

“Goddamn. Kevin!, Nick was screaming at him, frozen at the door. “Tris is in the hospital, man! She’s been hurt bad!”

CHAPTER 29

“KEVIN, did you hear me?!” Nick was still screaming.

Kevin had heard Nick but his body didn’t seem able to respond. He watched Nick running across the hall. waving the phone in his hand, still screaming at him. Somehow, the screaming had become muffled and Nick looked like he was moving in slow motion. Kevin felt like he couldn’t get any air into his lungs and his heart was beating like a jackhammer. He could hear it in his ears. He wondered if this was what a stroke felt like.

“Kevin!” Nick was waving the phone in front of Kevin’s face, still yelling. “Kevin, it’s Leighanne on the phone. She’s at the hospital. Here! Take it!” Nick was prying open Kevin’s fingers to place the phone in his hand. Kevin looked at Nick like he wasn’t sure who he was and then slowly brought the phone up to his ear.

“Leighanne?” His throat was dry and it was difficult for him to speak.

“Kevin! Thank God I caught you!”

“What’s wrong with Tris?” Kevin’s voice cracked on her name. He was trying to brace himself. Leighanne was not calm.

“She’s hurt!...after the concert...all these people!....”

“Whoa, Leighanne. Hold on. How badly is she hurt?”

Kevin sounded more in control. Nick stood in front of him trying to read his expression as he gathered information from Leighanne. Then Kevin started to pace and his face became red and angry as Leighanne spoke to him.

“The doctors don’t know yet, Kevin! We’re in the emergency room. They’re still trying to evaluate her. Jesus, Kevin! So much blood....”

Kevin stopped pacing as a severe stomach cramp seized him.

“Blood? What the hell happened, Leighanne?”

She was beginning to sound hysterical. “Oh Kevin. You’re coming here, aren’t you? You’re not still so mad that you wouldn’t come?.....”

“LEIGHANNE!” Kevin shouted into the phone. “Please, hon. Calm down and talk to me.”

Nick took off out of the door to make a call. Kevin would want to get to Atlanta and wouldn’t be able to wait for a scheduled flight. He ran to a phone and called Denise and told her to arrange for a private plane and pilot to get Kevin there. He would explain later.

Kevin waited for Leighanne to take a breath.

“Kevin, it all happened so fast. I met Tris backstage tonight, after she finished playing. We went to her dressing room to talk about......things.” Leighanne hesitated.

Kevin looked down at the floor. “Go on, hon.”

“When we left the theater there were still a lot of people milling around - you know, in the plaza. There were all of these people, Kevin. We got separated for a minute while she stopped to speak to someone. I couldn’t really see what happened exactly. I just heard this voice, yelling......”

“Yelling what?”

She paused again and had to be prompted By Kevin. “Yelling about her being such a....skank.”

Kevin’s stomach knotted.

Leighanne went on. “....and then this bottle came out of nowhere, Kevin, and the next thing I know people were screaming and I heard someone yelling for an ambulance!”

“Tristan?”, he whispered.

“Yes. When I pushed through the people, she was on the ground. Blood was running down her neck and onto her dress and...and...her eyes were closed.....” Leighanne had started crying into the phone. She was hard to understand. “She wouldn’t talk to me, Kevin! She wouldn’t move....”

Kevin put his hand to his head and closed his eyes. He felt dizzy.

“......and I swear to God....I thought she was dead, Kevin......Kevin?”

“Leighanne......” He needed the answer to an unspoken question.

“No! No, Kevin. Tristan’s alive. I’m sorry. It’s just that they won’t tell me anything! You’re coming aren’t you, Kevin?”

“I’m on my way.”

Nick had just come back through the doors as Kevin pressed the hang up button on the phone. He stood and stared at Kevin as he crumpled to the floor on his knees and his hands went over his face.

“Kev?”, Nick called across the room to him. “What did Leighanne say?”

Kevin raised his head and stared at Nick. “I need to get to Atlanta, Nicky.”

Nick’s throat closed at the sound of Kevin’s voice calling him by his old nick name so plaintively.

“There’s a private plane leaving the airport in a hour, Kev. Let me take you home to get your things and I’ll drive you there.”

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

Kevin arrived at the rear entrance of Atlanta Memorial Hospital at 1:30 AM. He got directions to the emergency room and found Leighanne sitting in a plastic chair, face swollen and tear stained. She was rocking, barely moving, and had a garment in her lap that was covered with large dark stains.

“Leighanne?”, Kevin called to her quietly. Leighanne turned and looked at him blankly. For a split second, she didn’t seem to recognize him and then she jumped up grabbing Tristan’s dress and threw her arms around his waist, sobbing. She was worn out.

“Has something happened, Leighanne?” He had pulled her away from him and was searching her face for answers.

“No, no......they took her to get an MRI. She won’t wake up.....They told me to wait here.” Leighanne struggled to gain some composure. “She broke her wrist when she fell.”

She won’t wake up? What the hell does that mean? Jesus Christ... Kevin paced and checked with the nurses station every ten minutes but no one seemed to have any information. He was frustrated and ready to blow when a young doctor, a resident, came into the waiting area. “Tristan Mallory?”, he called.

Kevin and Leighanne both stood and he walked over to them, carrying a clipboard and pushing his hair from his forehead. His face was expressionless - no smile, no sympathy.

“I’m Dr. Callahan. Are either of you related to Ms. Mallory?”

Kevin and Leighanne glanced at each other, not sure whether or not to respond honestly.“ No...”, they finally answered.

“Well, I need to talk to a family member only. You understand - confidentiality and all.” The young doctor was being mysterious with the wrong man.

“Listen to me, ‘Doc’. I suggest you tell me what the fuck is wrong with Tris and where she is before your toy stethoscope gets lost up your ass!” Kevin bore down on the now intimidated doctor.

“Okay, okay! I can see you have a valid interest in Ms. Mallory’s condition!”. He stepped back, holding his clip board up in front of him. “Sit down, Please.”

Kevin stepped towards the doctor again. “I’ve been sitting the fuck down for three hours. Now tell me what’s going on before you end up on one of these stretchers.”

“Alright! Mr.......?”

“Richardson.”

“Alright, Mr. Richardson..." He gave his overview of Tristan’s condition. “She has suffered a severe blow to the head, resulting in a gash on her scalp and a probable concussion. That normally wouldn’t be too much of a problem, but the blow appears to have been severe enough to indicate some brain swelling and bruising. We just got the results back from her MRI and they confirm this.”

“Her brain is swollen and bruised?”, Kevin asked, his throat feeling tight. I bruise so easily, Kevin.

“Yes. We have to make sure there isn’t any excessive fluid buildup which could cause permanent damage. We won’t be able to tell much until she wakes up and we can’t predict when that might be.”

“How will you know if she’s going to be alright? When she wakes up, I mean.....” He wanted the doctor to give him some encouragement.

“If she seems alert and has no - or at least minimal - memory loss, we can assume that the concussion is correcting itself and the swelling has decreased. In that case, we can release her, but she’ll have to take it easy for awhile,” he reiterated, “Her left wrist is also fractured. It’s a bad break.”

“I want to see her.” Kevin looked away from the doctor’s face. His emotions were threatening to spill over. He blinked several times and then looked back, awaiting his response.

“You should get some rest Mr. Richardson. Ms. Mallory won’t be waking up tonight. We have her sedated and.....”

“Sedated? You just said you can’t get her wake up. Why are you sedating her?” , Kevin asked, confused.

“She is unconscious, Mr. Richardson, but she had a period when she seemed highly agitated, almost like she was having a nightmare of some sort. We need for her to keep as still as possible right now.”

Kevin looked away again and closed his eyes. She was having her dreams again. She hadn’t had one in months. She’s stopped feeling safe. When he opened his eyes, they were wet. He turned back to the doctor.

“Take me to her.”

“There’s really no need Mr. Richa......”.

“Now.”

Dr. Callahan nodded. It hadn’t taken much for him to assess the basis of Mr. Richardson’s and Ms. Mallory’s relationship. “Let me call upstairs and see if she’s in her room yet. Just one minute, okay?”

Kevin looked to Leighanne. Neither of them had found much relief from the report, but they were hopeful.

“Go home now, Leighanne.” Kevin said trying to smile. “You’re tired and there’s nothing more you can do here. You’ve done so much already.”

Leighanne looked into Kevin’s face. What is it about these Kentucky boys? They had such a sweetness beneath their seriousness or silliness. Brian and Kevin were so different, yet so much alike. “Are you sure Kevin? Maybe I should stay.”

“No, no.” Kevin wiped his eyes with the palms of his hands. “”I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Are you going to be alright?”

“I will be if she will be, Leighanne.”

Leighanne gave Kevin her number and hugged him as the doctor returned to take Kevin upstairs.

“Room 412.”, he said.

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

Kevin stood in front of Tristan’s room and took a breath. He opened the door slowly and walked into the dimly lit room. From where he stood, Tristan looked perfectly fine, like she was asleep, except for the IV which was attached to her right hand. He came up close to her bed and peered down at her. She was on her back - an unnatural position for Tristan to sleep in. He could see some traces of blood still in her hair from where the bottle had hit and stitches had been taken. Someone had pulled her expanse of hair back into a loose ponytail and he could see a bruise going down the left side of her neck. He didn’t know if it was a result of the attack itself or if she had gotten it when she fell. I bruise so easily, Kevin... He closed his eyes and rubbed his goatee in an effort to keep his chin from trembling and then brought his hand down to the sheet. He pulled it back and looked at her. Her hospital gown was slightly off one shoulder and he could see some scrapes. His eyes traveled down to her wrist which was bound up in a white cast, looking like a cuff with no sleeve attached. Kevin pulled the sheet down farther. The gown was pushed up to the tops of her legs which were bent to the side. He saw no marks or bruises there.

He had been afraid of what he would find, but Tristan looked beautiful and almost untouched, like she would open her eyes any minute and smile at him. Kevin pulled the sheet back up. He found a chair in the corner, brought it over to the bed and sat, still looking at her. There was no movement. He ran his hand lightly through her hair and down the side of her face. Then his tears came. Kevin picked up her left hand and, putting her fingers against his face, he broke. He found it impossible to hold his head up and so it fell on the bed beside Tristan, her fingers still in his hand. Kevin began to sob, not as if his heart would break, but as if it had already broken.

When Dr. Callahan came in later to check on his patient, he found her still peacefully unconscious and Kevin’s head on the bed beside her, asleep. He was holding her fingers to his face with one hand while the other rested on her thigh.

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

The 7AM shift change at the hospital brought a flurry of activity. Dr. Callahan had left instructions for the staff to accommodate Kevin in any way, so when the first shift nurse came in to check Tristan’s vitals, she stepped around Kevin and left him with his head on the bed, asleep.

Kevin was vaguely aware of the activity around him, but couldn’t seem to rouse himself. He managed to open and close his eyes, but that was all. He lay there for another half hour, not moving. Then he felt the slightest movement on his cheek. He raised his head to look at Tristan. She lay in the same position, but she was frowning and her breath was shallow. Her fingers moved again, this time curling around his and he heard her moan softly. He could see movement behind her eyelids and knew that she was beginning one of her dreams.

Kevin rang the emergency buzzer and began stroking Tristan’s face and rubbing her stomach, trying to calm her before she got too agitated. Two nurses flew into the room, saw Tristan’s agitation and immediately began to restrain her. This action seemed to provoke Tristan and she began to move her head back and forth wildly, sometimes lifting her head slightly and letting it fall back on the pillow. Both of her hands started moving now despite the pressure being put on her arms by the nurses. Her fingers seemed to be clutching at Kevin, trying to grab hold of him or even the fabric of his shirt.

“Kevin!.....He’s touching me....make him stop, Kevin...make....stop.....”. Her voice was a whisper yet full of fear and panic.

When the nurses moved to her shoulder and tried to hold her still, she screamed.

“STOP!”, Kevin cried out. “Back off! Leave her alone!”

“We have to keep her still Mr. Richardson. You don’t seem to...”

“I said - GO AWAY!”

Then Kevin stood and literally pulled Tristan away from the nurses and up to his chest where she hung limply, arms dangling at her side. She stopped moaning. He lifted her from the bed, and signaled one of the nurses to push the IV pole closer to her and then he sat her in his lap, leaning her against his shoulder as if she were a child.

“You can’t do that!”, the brown haired nurse screeched at him. She looked like she was getting ready to spring at Kevin and probably would have if hadn’t been holding Tristan. “I’m calling the doctor!”

Kevin screeched back. “You do that! I want to talk to him anyway!”

The nurse looked at him warily. He was wild eyed.

“GO!”, he shouted.

The nurse backed out of the door and hurried down the hallway.

Tristan began to whimper in his shoulder. “No hands, Kevin....please....no hands.” Her hand moved up his chest to the neckline of his shirt where she curled her fingers into the fabric and then let the material support her hand.

Kevin began to rock her and whisper in comforting tones as he had done in Germany so many months ago. Tristan’s breathing slowed as it had there. His hands didn’t frighten her. After a while, he felt her fingers relax at his neck and her hand dropped to her lap. Her sleep was peaceful again.

Kevin was still rocking Tristan when Dr. Callahan entered the room. He had peeked in earlier after the hysterical brown haired nurse had awakened him in the resident’s lounge screaming something about a visitor molesting a patient. Kevin hadn’t seen him crack the door and look in. The young doctor had watched him for a minute or two and saw that Tristan was calm and well cared for. He had seen last night how much sedation it had taken to keep her still during one of these episodes. A human touch was better than drugs and the touch of a lover was superior to either. He was sure that hysterical bitch nurse would give the neurosurgeon on call a full report, but he didn’t give a shit.

Kevin felt a hand on his shoulder and glanced up to see Dr. Callahan studying the two of them.

“Did you bring the S.W.A.T. team with you to haul me away?”, Kevin asked without humor.

“No, Mr. Richardson, but Ms. Mallory is comfortable now and you’re worn out. Let’s put her into her bed and you take a break.”

“I’m okay.”

“No, you’re not. I know you haven’t left here. I think you have some friends outside and I want you to get out of here for a little while. Tell the nurse where you’ll be and we’ll find you if there is any change at all. I promise. Please.”

Kevin looked down at Tristan asleep in his arms and nodded. He stood slowly and placed her gently back on the bed, untangling her IV line and covering her with the sheet before he bent down to kiss her face. Kevin straightened, put his hands in his pocket and watched her for a few moments more before going out into the light of the hallway.

CHAPTER 30

Brian, Nick and Leighanne were waiting on a bench near the nurses station when Kevin came out into the corridor. They had asked about Tristan at the desk, but could gather no information about her current condition. When Brian had asked about Kevin, he was told that Mr. Richardson was with Ms. Mallory and they were not to be disturbed. The orders from Dr. Callahan had been firm. They were going to have to wait for Kevin to emerge.

Leighanne had filled Brian and Nick in on the recent incidents Tristan had encountered at the hands of manic fans, but she hadn’t disclosed Tristan’s details of the fight that she and Kevin had or the fact that he hadn’t been in contact with her since she left. Actually, since before she left.

When they saw Kevin exit Tristan’s room, they all paused to look at him for a moment before getting his attention. Kevin stood facing the wall opposite Tristan’s door. He had one hand in his pocket and the other rubbed the back of his neck as if he were trying to work out a kink. He looked like hell.

“Kevin!”, Leighanne called, breaking the silence.

He didn’t move, but he didn’t have to as all three hurried to him.

“Kevin, how’s Tristan doing? Is she gonna be okay?” Brian was breathless in his questioning. His eyes darted all over Kevin’s face as did Leighanne’s.

“No change yet.”, he answered. We have to wait.”

“Can we see her?”

“Sure, I guess.” Kevin held the door for them to go in.

The four of them went into the shadowed room and stood at the foot of Tristan’s bed. She lay just as Kevin had left her.

“She just looks like she’s sleeping,” Leighanne whispered.

Kevin nodded and stared at Tristan. Come on, baby. Open those eyes.....Open those eyes and, please God, know who I am... Kevin remembered the doctors words that indicated the possibility of memory loss. That possibility frightened the hell out of him.

“She’ll be alright, Kev.”, Brian said, putting his hand on Kevin’s shoulder. “She’ll wake up soon.”

“Even if - I mean when she wakes up we have to be prepared for the possibility of her being brain damaged in some way.”

“That won’t happen, Kev.”, Nick said quietly - the first words he’s said since seeing Kevin. He paused. “She’s had a rough three days, hasn’t she?”

“Three Days?” Kevin looked at him, puzzled.

“Yeah, you know with the chanters, notes, dead flowers and all.”

Kevin watched Nick’s eyes widen slightly as he glanced towards Leighanne. Kevin jerked his head around in time to see Leighanne taking her finger from her lips.

“What are you talking about, Nick?”

Nick’s mouth was opened a little and he kept looking from Kevin to Leighanne. Then he shrugged his shoulders and continued.

“The jeers and nasty notes in Chicago. The dead roses in St. Louis. You mean Tris didn’t tell you?” Nick looked surprised.

“I didn’t speak with her,” Kevin said flatly looking towards the figure in the bed.

“You didn’t talk to her for three days?” Nick asked again, thinking he must have misunderstood Kevin.

Kevin glowered at Nick and walked away from the group and back out into the hallway. Leighanne followed him out with Brian coming along behind her. Nick didn’t move and Brian waited for him at the door.

“Come on, man, let’s go get some coffee into Kev.”

“Naw. Y’all go. I’ll stay here with Tris.”, Nick frowned.

“What’s the matter, Nick?”, Brian asked, walking back over to his friend.

“Three days, Brian? Doesn’t that sound a little odd to you?”

Brian looked down at the floor. “I think they must have been on the outs a little when she left last Tuesday.” He looked back into Nick’s face.

“God dammit, Brian! She was probably scared to death - and it looks like she had good reason!” Nick glanced at Tristan. “He knew that all that shit was on the web. He couldn’t have given her a call, just to see if she’d had any trouble?”

Brian tried to be rational and fair. “Nick, look at him. He’s hurting real bad. Knowing that Tris has been harassed for three days isn’t going to help anyone. He’ll just end up feeling more guilty than he probably does already.”

“Good.”, Nick scowled.

“Come on, Nick. We don’t know what really happened between them and things don’t need to get more complicated and hurtful. We all just want Tris to get well and come home. Right?” Brian smiled, trying to lighten Nick’s anger.

“Right, I guess.”

“Come with us, buddy.”

“Naw. I’m gonna stay here a while.”

Brian nodded and left the room. When they returned, Kevin went back into the room to check on Tris and found Nick sitting by her side and talking to her like they were having a real heart to heart. Nick hadn’t heard him enter and Kevin backed quietly out of the door. He felt like an intruder. Tristan still hadn’t moved.

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

Kevin kept his eye on Tris all afternoon. Every hour or so, he would go over to the bed and move her a little - her arms one time, her head the next. He didn’t like to see her remaining in the same position with no movement. It was too much like death. He thought about Nick’s reaction to the fact that Kevin had never called her while she was gone. He had been so mad, so stubborn. That whole internet thing had scared her - he could see that now. He thought about what his mother had said at Thanksgiving. She was right. Sometimes he did have his head up his ass.

He gazed out of the window in Tristan’s room. It was a beautiful March day. Soon it would be April and the shit would really start to hit the fan for the Backstreet Boys. He couldn’t think about that now. A week ago he would have been excited and getting all geared up, but now, he just didn’t care. His thoughts moved to the album. Finally, he was getting a writing credit for ‘Back to Your Heart’. Still lost in thought and gazing outside, he began to hum his song. The humming turned into singing, mumbling really, like you do when you’re singing to yourself. He hadn’t even known Tristan when he wrote the song, but today it had become hers. The lyrics had been poignant when he wrote them but now they were far more than that. They had become personal and heart wrenching. He really didn’t know how things ‘got so crazy’, her love was ‘amazing’ and he had a great need to ‘prove that his love is real.’ He turned from the window to glance at her.

Her eyes were open and staring at him. Kevin froze for a second, startled. Her body still hadn’t moved and her stare seemed blank. He walked slowly over to her bed.

“Tristan?”

She didn’t answer but continued to stare past him towards the window as he moved closer.

“Tristan? Can you hear me, baby?” Kevin’s voice was low and he crouched down beside the bed to get close to her face. “Please, Tris....”

Her eyes closed.

“Fuck!”, he said under his breath, closing his eyes as well, still crouching.

When he opened his eyes, Tristan was staring straight into them. Hr face was still expressionless and she was still immobile. The her saw her pupils begin to move and he saw life in her eyes. Kevin’s voice was scratchy.

“Tris? Can you hear me, darlin’?” His head was telling him to be realistic but his heart was full of hope.

“Kevin...”, she whispered. “What’s wrong?”

What’s wrong? Kevin’s shoulders began to shake as he stifled a laugh, overcome with relief at the fact that she was able to ask.

Tristan began to search her surroundings and noticed the tube coming out of her hand. She tried to sit up, panic setting in.

“No, Tris - don’t get up...Easy, you’re alright.....Shhhh....” He tried to ease her back onto the pillow. “Lay down, baby. It’s okay.”

“What happened? Why am I here?”. Tristan started to cry. Her brain had gone from empty to overloaded in a matter of seconds and she was overwhelmed.

Kevin pulled her up to him, wrapping his arms around her tightly. When he felt her respond and put her arms around him, it was all he could do to control his own emotions. He didn’t want to frighten her further. Her crying soon stopped but she was still trembling. He managed to lay her down and stroked her face, wiping away a stray tear. She continued to clutch at his shirt like she was afraid he would leave her in this strange place.

Kevin buzzed the nurses station and told them what had happened. Dr. Callahan came in soon after. The doctor could see that Tristan had become responsive, but he needed to run some tests including another MRI to check the swelling and verbal/visual tests that would indicate any damage to cognitive functions. She could obviously hear, see, speak and move and that was certainly a good indicator of things to come.

“Hello, Tristan. I’m doctor Callahan. It’s good to see you awake”, he smiled.

Tristan looked at the doctor and then her eyes went to Kevin, silently questioning him, wondering if she should speak to this strange man. Kevin nodded and her gaze returned to the doctor.

“Do you know why you’re here, Tristan?”, Dr. Callahan asked gently.

“I don’t remember.” she whispered.

“Tell me what you do remember.”

“I played in Atlanta - is that where I am?”

The doctor nodded. “What else?”

“That’s the last thing I remember...Oh, and I remember talking with Leighanne.”

“Do you remember what you talked about?”

“Yes.”

Kevin’s expression was unreadable, but she thought she detected some guilt. She went on to answer many more questions and the doctor seemed satisfied with her answers. He showed her pictures of various things and asked her thoughts on them. He stuck pins into various parts of her body to determine reflex reactions and shined bright lights in her eyes, checking dilation responses.

Dr. Callahan smiled at Tristan and looked at Kevin who had been standing at the foot of the bed, arms folded, looking worried. His face relaxed when the doctor seemed pleased with Tristan’s reactions. It was only then that Tristan noticed the cast on her left wrist.

“What’s this?”, she asked with some alarm.

“You fractured your wrist when you fell, Tristan.”

“Fractured? Will it be alright....like it was before?”

The doctor frowned. “I honestly don’t know. I understand your special concern given your profession Ms. Mallory, but the healing process can be unpredictable with these kinds of fractures. My guess is that you’ll need therapy. Extensive therapy.”

Tristan looked to Kevin. He said nothing.

“I see.” she said softly, tears forming.

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

Tristan had another MRI early that evening. The doctor had said that if it looked good, he would release her the following afternoon. He wanted her there one more night for observation.

The MRI did look good and Dr. Callahan gave her the name of two doctors in Orlando. The first, a neurosurgeon, she was to contact if she experienced any unusual symptoms like severe headaches, dizziness or disorientation. The second was an orthopedist who would help her with her wrist injury.

Kevin called Leighanne to give them the good news and asked her to arrange for a flight back to Orlando the following evening. He spoke to Brian, too, but Nick had been unable to come to the phone.

“Let me come get you and bring you back here to spend the night, Kev,” Brian said. “You need a good night’s sleep and Tristan’s gonna be okay. You can relax a little.”

“No thanks, Brian. I’m staying. I’ll see you tomorrow. Oh, and ask Leighanne to bring Tris some clothes, okay?”

“Sure thing. See you tomorrow.” Brian had figured that Kevin wouldn’t leave the hospital.

Kevin hung up and pulled the chair up beside Tris’ bed. She looked a little tired, so he dimmed the lights.

“Why aren’t you going to Leighanne’s?”, Tristan asked, her eyes heavy.

“I’d rather be here.”

“You can’t sleep in that chair, Kevin”

“Tris, you know I can sleep anywhere, baby.”

Tris smiled at him. “Then sleep with me. I’ve missed you.”

Kevin leaned over and brushed a stray strand of hair from her face.

“I don’t think Nurse Ratchett would like that.”

“Please. Don’t make me beg.”, Tristan teased.

He swallowed hard. There was no place he’s rather be than in that small bed with her. He stood, kicked off his shoes and climbed into the narrow space, pulling Tristan against him. His arm curled around her shoulders and hers around his waist. Kevin brushed his fingers across her shoulders and kissed the top of her head.

“Tris, I’m sorry...about everything. I acted like an ass and said some unforgivable things to you.” Kevin’s voice cracked. “ I wanted to call you in Chicago, but I was being stubborn.”

“I could have called you Kevin.” Tristan spoke into his chest. “I was being stubborn, too.”

“No, you were afraid. I know the difference. I don’t want you to be afraid of me, Tris. The thought of that tears me up. I was......”

“Kevin,” Tristan interrupted. “I just want this to be over. We both said and did some ugly things. Can’t we just forgive each other and let it go?” Kevin detected some anxiety in her voice. “I just want you to hold me tonight.”

Kevin’s arm tightened around her. “I need that, too.” He put his lips in her hair and kissed the top of her head once more. “I do love you Tristan. More than anything else, I love you.”

Tristan Trilogy - Story I

"Will You Play for Me?" is a work of fiction.
The characters and events portrayed are fictitious.
Any resemblance to real people or events is purely coincidental.

Copyright ©1999
All Rights Reserved
No part of this text may be copied or reprinted
without the author's permission.

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Fiction by Grace