CHAPTER 15 -
A totally new and different person came back from the week spent in the country house with Brian. A better one.
Nick Carter was back. After three painful years it was as if nothing of that had really happened. Maybe it was all just a nightmare that Brian had to wake him up from.
With eighteen years old his new behavior surprised everyone around him. Nick was more concentrate on his career. He gave his best to their new album, Millennium. For him it was sort of a new era, just like a new millennium.
Nick was much more friendly, he was hugging his friends, family, was more sociable, easy-going and happy. Right now both him and Brian had girlfriends. His twenty three years old friend was going steady with one of the girls they met during the making off of a video from last album. And it happened that Nick's girlfriend was very friends with Leighanne.
Lots of times they went on double dates. Brian and his lovely Leighanne and Nick with his first girlfriend, Mandah.
Going steady for the first time in his life, thanks to Brian, Nick was finding a whole new world of pleasure and care. Together Nick and Mandah were developing a strong relationship. Nick could make love to his girl and share this amazing feeling of being loved. Everything was perfect in his life and he could never change it.
Brian was also happy. He couldn't be more proud seeing Nick with his girlfriend, getting his life back, being so loving to everyone. And Leighanne by his side could make everything just even more wonderful. She was loving and caring, and this world was perfect.
Their career was better than ever with I Want It That Way playing around the clock in radios from all over the world. Who could ever want more?
Brian and Nick had still this deep connection. They never again shared beds, but they shared rooms from time to time. It was as if time had stopped for three years and they have been moving on since then. Although they were always hugging and goofing off together never again did they kiss or even touched the other in a different way. It was over. They were friends and Nick was back. Life was running free and they were doing their bests to catch up to the world and live life to the fullest.
In two years of a relationship with the now-known as Willa, Nick had to break up with her. It wasn't more about love, it was turning into possession. Fights over jealousy, they were no longer getting along, and for their best and health it was better they brought this to an end. Before they would turn out by hating each other.
When this happened Brian was also there for Nick. It wasn't easy for him to go through this break up with the first girl he loved and made love to.
To help him getting over it, Brian spent more time with Nick. Playing video game, talking, just going out. Soon enough Nick found himself hitting on several girls, going for one night stands, all sorts of things he had never pictured himself doing.
During the first months of his break up with Willa, Leighanne tried hard to bring them together again with no success.
"Why do you want Willa and Nick to make up so badly, hun?" - Brian had asked Leighanne once.
"I just think they are a cute couple, Bri. Besides, I know they still love each other deep down inside."
"Ya think? Well, Nick fears Willa as he fears the Devil! I know she is your friend, but Willa was trying to control Nick's life! She hated his fans!"
"Willa is just too passionate." - Leighanne had gesticulated.
"I don't think so, Leigh. Nick seems to be doing much better off without her."
"I'm sure he is. You are always by his side! I bet you have even forgotten about me..." - Leighanne pouted and Brian placed his arms around her waist.
"You now I could never do that, I love you sweetie..."
"You do? Well, you don't even see me whenever you and Nick are playing that damn video game! Brian, he is all grown up now, I bet I need you more than he could ever do!"
Brian smiled and kissed Leighanne, shutting her up.
The next couple years came rushing into their lives. Brian had got married to Leighanne. They boys were coming up with a new record named Black and Blue. Nick and AJ have been closer than Nick was with Brian now a days.
Together they go into parting and drinking, clubbing all night long. Getting drunk and getting laid.
With twenty two years old, Nick Carter couldn't remember the exact number of girls he had taken to bed. Some he would never get to know the full name. But hey, who cared? It was his life and he was getting back for all the painful years he had been through.
Nick had never had anything against Brian's wife, but all of sudden a weird antipathy grew between them. Nick could tell Leighanne was jealous of his deep connection with Brian. Sometimes he would drop everything he had planned with her if Nick needed his care or attention. So many times Brian left Leighanne because AJ called saying Nick was drunk, very, very bad and asking for him to come.
One day Brian had told her about what Nick went through when he was younger. Brian had no secrets with his wife, so he decided to tell her everything about the rape, about Taison, about Nick's trauma and how Nick and him had gone through a long and hard way to cure Nick. Only he omitted the little detail of the country house. Not that it was something to hide, but Brian just knew Leighanne wouldn't like to hear that. And neither did he want to tell it to her.
At first she had been shocked and felt pity about poor Nick. She wanted to know everything about Taison, and in the end she couldn't understand how someone supposed to be their friends could do that to Nick. Brian showed a photo of Taison to Leighanne in a magazine, but she already knew his face. Taison was pretty well known in North America due to his rich father.
Little by little Brian told her Nick's story and Leighanne was getting to know and understand this deep connection they shared. She couldn't tell when it had begun, but it did.
Without realizing it at first Leighanne began to build rage and envy inside herself. Feelings towards Nick. It was just the fact he was so close to Brian... Listening to her husband Leighanne just wanted to take Nick out of his life because she knew she could never mean to Brian what Nick did. Even when it was different kinds of love, the connection her husband shared with Nick was a way deeper one than she could ever reach with him. Nick would always have a part of Brian, he would never belong completely to her.
Smoothly Leighanne began to work in order of separating Nick and Brian. She demanded time for her, she was his wife! Brian had free time to be with her, it wasn't fair that he went out with Nick whenever he had this time. Totally blind by love and devotion Brian didn't feel how this was bringing Nick and him apart. The only times they talked to each other were when they were working together. And this didn't represent much time. Although the Backstreet Boys took a great deal of their time, they couldn't have much fun during interviews, they couldn't talk while performing, they couldn't just goof off when preparing songs, making videos or taking promotional photos. It wasn't the same.
The news came as a shock when TV informed Nick Carter had been arrested.
Brian was at home lying on bed beside his wife and it just hit him bad. Immediately Brian picked the phone, but he couldn't get through to talk to Nick.
"Leighanne, I gotta go there see him. I need to know what happened!" - Brian said leaving the bed and getting dressed.
"But honey, its the first week we are having for ourselves in months! You can stay here, I'm sure sooner or later the TV will cover everything and tell everybody what really went on with Nick. I bet he did nothing wrong!" - Leighanne said trying to make Brian stay.
"Leigh, love, I can't just sit here and wait, Nick is my best friend! I need to know how is he, I need to see if he is ok..."
"Brian, you are not his mother! Let Kevin do that. He is the oldest, he will know what to do to help Nick."
"I'm sorry, Leigh. I'm leaving now. I have to see Nick. I won't sleep before seeing him and making sure it'll be all fine."
Leighanne was flushed in anger. Once again that range of Nickolas.
"Brian, if you love me then you have to stay!"
"Leighanne, you are my life, my world, I love you, ya know that. But right now Nick needs me and I'll be there for him."
"It seems like you love Nick more than you love me!"
"Leigh..."
"C'mon, Brian! Say it! You love him more, don't you?"
Brian stared at her for a long time.
"In a different way, I do love Nick more than I could ever love anyone else."
Saying this Brian took his cell phone and went away.
It was when it all happened. The idea of getting back on him. The intention of making Nick pay for having Brian's love. Slowly a cruel plan formed in her mind. Even Leigh didn't know she could be that bad, but she convinced herself it was for a good cause. Sooner or later Nick would turn out by making their marriage fall apart. And this marriage was just the best thing that had ever happened to her. Never in her life she thought she would be so lucky to marry a famous and rich man. Not only that, she loved Brian! And everything she was gonna do was to protect this love she had for him.
"More crimes in the world are committed in the name of love, not hate."
One week later Leighanne overheard a conversation between Brian and Nick.
"So, how is your marriage, my friend?" - Nick asked.
"Oh, we don't have much time to spend together, but we both try our best. We knew it would be hard but we love each other, you know..." - Brian sighed.
"Don't you think we haven't been spending much time together lately?"
"Yes... I know things aren't the same. I think Leighanne is a little jealous of me spending time with you."
"You kidding? Your wife hates me, Brian!"
Both guys laughed.
"Its true!" - Nick exclaimed. - "Ya know, she has much of Willa in her. No wonder they were best friends. You gotta be careful, Brian. She is possessive. Sooner or later she'll try to control your life."
Brian only grinned.
"I'm telling ya, man! I don't think you are safe by her side..." - Nick joked.
"Well, at least he is loved." - Leighanne gave Nick a false smile joining them.
"Oh, there you are!" - Nick exclaimed. - "I better get going, Bri..."
"Laterz, Nick."
During this brief goodbye Leighanne saw the deep love shared through their eyes. They could talk and care for each other without opening their mouths. A look between them was something extremely personal and deep.
And it was when realizing that that Leighanne's plan, idea, turned into a scheme. The following week she thought about the last details. When everything was ready she mailed the letter and went back home happy. Looking at her side of the story she wouldn't be to blame for anything. Leighanne wouldn't be responsible for causing any damage to anyone's life. All she did was a little more to protect her life and love forever.
That night she slept peacefully after making love to Brian.
It was a Tuesday afternoon when Jordan Harriel opened all the letters sent to him inside his office, downtown in Denver, Colorado.
Reading those letters was the last thing he'd do before going home. He wanted to be with his family, his wife would be waiting with a perfect dinner in their great mansion.
The last letter Jordan got in his hands intrigued him a little. There was no address from the remitter. Curious he opened the envelope and read the long and delicate writing on the piece of paper.
Two hours had closed by without Jordan being able to break his stare into nowhere. He was in trance. He just couldn't believe what he had in his hands.
Tears of deep sorrow came to his eyes. It couldn't be true...
There was nothing he loved more in this world than his son, Taison Harriel, and now lying on his hands he had this letter from someone telling him who his son really was. He knew what he read was true. He just knew it. But still he couldn't believe. No, not his son... Not Taison! He couldn't believe the son he raised with so much love, making his every dream and wish come true, the son the gave all his money to, all his love to, all his care to...
It said in there Taison had raped Nickolas Gene Carter. Jordan remembered perfectly of the boy he was with fourteen years old. Nick... the youngest Backstreet Boy. A group of kids he loved and fought for as if they were his own children. As if they were Taison... The sixty years old Jordan wanted to throw up at the thought his son could have done something like that to a child. Specially one that he watched growing up. He couldn't, just couldn't understand, damnit! Taison was best friends with those boys...
Tears were still rolling down his chubby face. He would talk to Taison tonight. He would make things clear. He was just praying to God that all this was just a silly and stupid joke. Because if Taison had really done that to a human being, it said there he almost killed the boy so much he spanked him, then his son would just die inside his heart.
Someone had decided to break the silence. He didn't know why someone wrote him this letter. Maybe Nick didn't even know about it. But at the same time he hated the letter he was glad he got to read it. He needed to find out who his son really was.
Taison locked the door behind him and pulled up a chair to sit in front of his father.
"So, wanted to talk to me, dad?" - he asked smiley.
"Yes, Taison. Answer me something son... Do you love me? Do you love your father?"
Taison shook his head.
"What do you mean? Of course I love you, dad! I look up to you!"
Jordan lowered his head ashamed of his own son. Taison looked at him carefully not understanding what was going on with him.
"Do you remember The Backstreet Boys?"
"Huh, yes."
"Are you still friends with them?" - Jordan wanted to go slowly. By the look in his son's eyes he would know whether or not that letter was really true.
"Kinda, dad, why?"
"Do you remember Nickolas?"
Taison swallowed.
"Yes. The blond one..."
"Taison... Did you ever hurt this boy?"
"I did nothing!" - Taison exclaimed and in his eyes Jordan could read the word guilty. He didn't even know how to tell this to his mother. He was going to break down, but not before doing something.
"Yes you did. You raped him, Taison. You raped and almost killed a fourteen years boy that was your friend! You are not my son... you are nasty, Taison. You don't deserve to live... You threw away all the love you got from our family. All the discipline I taught you, you threw it away..." - his eyes were frozen towards his son.
"Dad, I didn't mean that... How, how do you know?" - both father and son stood up.
"I received a letter today telling me everything."
"Who sent this fucking letter!?"
"You don't talk to me like that!!"
Taison shut his mouth.
"It doesn't matter who sent that to me. I want you out of my house, Taison. I want you out of here and I never again wanna see your face. I don't want to know what you are gonna do with your life. I don't want to know where you will live. But someone who does what you did won't share my house. Won't share my money either."
"What?! You can't do that!"
"Oh, yes I can. You are twenty eight years old. You can live on your own. I'm going to disinherit you. You won't have any access to my money. From now on you have nothing, Taison. Because I have nothing either. The most important thing in my life was you. And you died today."
Jordan sat again on his chair.
"You can take your stuff and go. I don't want you here when I wake up."
Taison's eyes showed flames of anger, rage and all sorts of bad feelings.
"Fine. I'll go. But this isn't the end to me."
Jordan didn't even look when Taison left the room.
The anger inside of him damning that letter. No one was supposed to ever find this out! Specially his father! What would he do now? He had no money on his own, all his life was centered in his parents!
Taison packed his stuff and left the house. He still had some money with him. Once out of that Mansion Taison sighed. He knew perfectly who had sent that letter that ruined his life.
And Nick Carter would pay a high price for that.
Yeah, so Taison is finally back... what will he do to Nick???/!!! What will happen between Nick and Brian???/ wanna know any soon? Then e-mail me! Coz I'll be waiting... :o) Lionessy@hotmail.com