Chapter 31 – 43

It had taken Eric a few minutes to get himself ready, grabbing his badge and gun that had still been lying on the table and putting it in his holster. He noted that Melissa had actually come in with her purse, her other things in his trunk. It wasn't much, but it was all she had, along with the money she'd told him about.

“Let's go,” he said quietly, his hand on her back gently as he got her into the car, headlights off until they got down the street.

At the stop light, he looked over at the woman who had her head buried in her hands, sobbing.

“You're going to be alright,” he told her.

“I know,” she said softly, her voice thick with tears. “I just...I didn't expect to feel this way about it.”

She reached down in her purse, pulling out her rosary, tears still coming down her cheeks as she prayed.

It had been some time since Eric had been to Mass. He couldn't say that he could remember all of the words to the prayer his passenger was saying, but it didn't matter. He pressed the gas down a little more before setting the cruise control as they passed the Maumelle exit, leaving the outskirts of Little Rock.

“I was supposed to work a double shift today,” Melissa finally said after almost two hours of watching cars pass, not sure of what to say or even think.

“I hate to tell you, but you're missing work,” Eric said with a small smile. The sun was already rising and Melissa's 'shift' would be starting soon, without her there. “Take a deep breath and relax, Mel. You did the hardest part.”

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She'd done the hardest part not once, but twice. The first time, she'd run to New York City away from someone. This time, she was running toward someone – not just anyone. This time she was running toward the someone who had her heart.

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The closer they got to Kansas City, the more nervous Melissa got. She shifted in her seat again, looking at her phone and back out the window. She had no idea what she was going to say, or do, or what to even really think. That she was going to be back with Chris; not just him, but the whole group. Would she be accepted, or would they look at her and treat her different for being gone so long?

“If you think any louder, I'll be able to hear the gears turning,” Eric said, glancing over at Melissa when she sighed again. “Take a deep breath and relax. I'm sure they'll be glad to see you. In fact, I know they will.”

“How do you know?” Melissa asked, looking at him. “I mean, it's been a while. I doubt anyone is expecting me to show up.”

“That's the beauty of it,” he said. “The unexpected surprise. How do you think your boyfriend will feel when he sees you? That he doesn't have to worry anymore? That he knows you're safe...”

“I'm not sure if Chris considers himself my boyfriend anymore,” she said softly. “I don't know, I think he'll be surprised. They all will. I shouldn't be so nervous.” Melissa gave him a smile. “It's just the guys, and Addy.” Her hand reached into her purse and she found her rosary and a prayer bead and silently said Hail Mary in her head.

It was silent, save for the radio that was playing softly.

“You might want to call your friend and see where they are so I know what exit to take,” he told her. “Are they having a concert tonight?”

“No concert; they had one last night and again tomorrow. Tonight is Chris's birthday party.” She smiled a little at the thought. “I can guarantee it will have alcohol and cigars, if you want to stay.”

“I might take you up on that, since I'm considering myself officially off-duty after I get you handed off.”

Melissa smirked. “You make me sound like a custody case. Thanks a lot, Detective. Remind me to take you off my tentative Christmas card list, buddy.”

Eric chuckled; he couldn't know since he didn't know her before her return to Little Rock. But as far as he could tell, now that they were only an hour or so outside Kansas City and far away from her old life, the person Melissa had been before she returned was coming back.

“You're getting unruly and mouthy...now I see why Chris was crazy about you,” he told her. “Make your phone call.”

Melissa shook her head and pulled up Addy's number on her phone. She took a deep, audible breath and hit the send button, praying she or Lance would answer.

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“Can you tell me again why exactly we didn't have these things catered?”

Addy shook her head and looked to her side, where Lance was complaining as he helped ice cupcakes.

“Last October, did we have anything catered?” she asked him.

“Well...no,” he tentatively said.

“Chris has had a hard enough time the past few days, now that the bitch has bitten the dust,” she said, lowering her voice when she negatively referred to Mila. “Melissa's gone, the tour's coming to an end, and now Mila's gone too. I had a hard time even convincing him to come to the party.”

She glanced to her left, where she could just see Chris outside an exit door, where he stood pacing the concrete with a cigar in his mouth.

“I just want things to be somewhat normal,” she said with a sigh. “Mel would've only hired caterers over her own dead body. I'm not going to change that.”

“I just hope he makes it through the night,” Lance said, sharing his wife's sigh. “If he can't make it through the night, he'll never make it through the rest of the tour.”

Without saying a word to her husband, she put her icing tool down and stood up from her chair. The rest of the boys watched her silently as she walked toward the door, opening it and stepping outside the join Chris.

“Hey,” she said.

He looked up briefly at the voice before looking down at the ground under his feet.

“Hey,” he said quietly.

“Guests should start arriving soon,” she said. “You're planning on joining us, aren't you?”

“I don't know,” he said, anguish in his voice.

“Please, Chris,” she said, a slight begging in her voice. “Please don't miss out on your own party.”

“It wasn't my idea to have the party,” he said. “I could have gladly forgotten this day.”

“You know she wouldn't want you to--”

“She's not here,” he said, cutting her off mid-sentence. “I know you guys want me to enjoy myself and have fun because it's my birthday, but I feel like...I don't know, like pieces of me are shattered all over the ground and all of you are just telling me to pick myself and put myself back together.”

“I'm sorry, Chris. I know it's not easy.”

“Damn straight it's not easy,” he responded.

“I'm not asking you to have fun, or even be happy,” she said. “But at the very least, can you come in and pretend that it's not a huge pain in your ass?”

She smiled when he looked up at her.

“Even if it is,” she said.

She thought she saw a small smile on his face.

“I'll try,” he said.

Satisfied, she patted him on the back as he stood up and passed her to walk through the door. She was about to follow him as she heard the sound of her phone ringing in her pocket.

She had no idea that answering one phone call would leave her breathless.

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“Happy birthday to you...happy birthday to you...”

Chris bobbed his head, slightly rolling his eyes as all the guests at his birthday party sang to him as Lance and Justin helped carry out his birthday cake. He was trying to put on a brave face, like Addy had asked him to. He had avoided most of the party guests all night, slipping out every now and then to light a cigar and enjoy a peaceful moment. It was the only time he could take off the fake smile and properly feel sorry for himself like he wanted to.

“Happy birthday, dear Chris...happy birthday to you...”

Lance and Justin set the cake in front of him, the forty-three candles adorning the top lighting the place up like a Christmas tree.

“Overkill, maybe?” he asked his two bandmates as they looked at him.

“Close your eyes and make a wish,” Lance said.

“Really, guys? I mean, really?” Chris asked. “I--”

“Shut up, close your damn eyes, and make a wish, Kirkpatrick,” Justin said.

Chris heard a few random chuckles move through the crowd of people as he huffed and closed his eyes.

As he saw only darkness, he sighed. In his mind, he knew exactly what he was wishing for at that moment.

“Did you make your wish?” he heard Justin ask.

“Yes, but will you actually be gone when I open my eyes,” Chris said, only half-joking.

“Be careful or I'll take back your present back, old man,” Justin said.

Lance, JC, Justin and Joey all struggled to keep their mouths shut and not take in a sharp breath of air or slightly whimper as if they were about ready to cry. Addy had to cover her mouth as she began to cry silently, watching the crowd of guests separate into two sections to allow the woman to walk through the room and toward the front.

Everyone was quiet as she came to stand in front of Chris, his eyes still closed.

“Can I open my eyes now?” Chris asked, oblivious to what was going on around him.

“Not before you make a wish,” Justin said, glancing at Melissa as she stood in front of him, smiling.

“I wish I could open my eyes,” Chris said. “Is that good enough?”

They all glanced at Melissa for a moment, who only nodded.

“Blow out your candles,” Addy said, finally able to speak without her voice cracking.

Chris sucked in a deep breath of air before releasing it in front of him, blowing out every candle quickly. But before he could open his eyes, he detected a presence in front of him – a familiar scent of perfume, one that was all too comforting to him.

He opened his eyes and looked up until his met with hers.

“Happy birthday, Chris,” Melissa said.