~ Chapter 3 ~
14 months later, June 1999
AJ ran into the living-room of the condo the guys were sharing in Belgium.
"Any of you seen Kevin?" He was out of breath.
Brian looked up. He was brushing Tyke. "I haven't seen him since last night."
AJ sighed. "I've searched the entire area. He's nowhere to be found."
"Maybe he went someplace with a girl last night." Howie said.
"We have an interview with Ghent TV in 45 minutes. This is just great!"
"AJ, calm down. I'm sure he'll remember the interview," Leighanne said.
AJ mumbled something and walked over to Nick who was laying down on the sofa, watching a basketball game and munching on potato chips. "Nicky Nick, you seen Kev?"
Nick looked up at him in irritation. "Don't call me that and no."
"Chill!"
"I'm not Kevin's keeper!" Nick snapped in anger and turned back to his game.
AJ sighed and looked at the others. They just shrugged. They expected this from Nick now. He had been overly moody and perpetually sullen ever since his accident in April of 98.
Brian had tried to talk to him about the accident. Nick told him that he couldn't remember anything about it or the couple of hours leading up to it. He had been released from the hospital two days after he came out of the coma. Their management had postponed their TV appearances and other obligations for a few months while Nick recuperated and Brian had his surgery.
Nick stayed at home most of the time he was off. He seldom left his house or the grounds unless it was to go fishing or sailing. He did go to Kentucky for a week. He was worried about Brian and kept saying that he should be the one suffering instead of Brian. When Brian asked him why, he clammed up. He told Brian that an angel had saved his life and he needed to find her. Brian knew about this from the Carters so he humored Nick. He figured Nick was depressed about losing his girlfriend and then having a near death experience.
Always the dedicated performer at heart, no one would know what Nick had endured. He performed with a smile and boundless energy as he always had. He managed to wade through interviews with his usual quietness only telling the people what he thought they needed to know. He drew the line at questions about his personal life or the accident. He hated all these lies. But he knew that if he told anyone the truth, he would never hear the end of it.
He didn't have a so-called personal life anymore. His girlfriend had left him in February of 98. She had been his first love. The first girl he had ever given his heart to. But she had betrayed him. He had been willing to give her another chance, but she didn't want one. Her indiscretions had gotten her nowhere. He heard that whoever this new man was in her life, he had dumped her ass while Nick was in the hospital. He was still hurt over it, but now he had someone else to think about. His Angel. He had searched relentlessly for her during his time off. He asked every single person at the hospital. No one knew her. No one by that name worked there. He was fustrated and depressed beyond belief. His mother knew about his investigation. She tried to tell him that the voice was all in his head. Nick knew she was real. He could still feel her lips on his. So soft and tender. The way she sang to him. Her smell. The touch of her hand. When he really thought about it, he knew he was being foolish. He knew nothing about her. Had never seen her. To have her in his head for 14 months now was crazy. He knew that. But he also knew that whoever she was, she loved him. The real him. She wasn't a girl who was waiting for him in the hotel lobby wanting to fuck him. She wasn't a fan grabbing at whatever part of him she could grab onto so she could say she touched Nick Carter. She wasn't one of the girls he had as friends who wanted to know how he felt every minute of the day. It was scary how someone who didn't know him had such strong feelings for him. It baffled him. But it was someone that he needed in his miserable life.
He now prayed to God every night. Prayed for God to show him the way to happiness. To find his Angel. To bring her back to him. He knew that he wouldn't be complete until she was a part of his life. The girl who had saved his life. The only thing that he had come back for.
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