Chapter 11

 

The next day

 

5:23 AM

 

Heidi’s POV

 

I watched silently as Darrin zipped up the medium sized duffle bag and threw it haphazardly at the bed. 

 

“Well, I guess this is it,” Darrin whispered in a strained voice as he reached out a hand towards me.  I took it gratefully and stood up, knowing that I was probably shaking on the outside as I was on the inside and hoping that Darrin didn’t notice.

 

“I don’t want to go,” he said as he brought me into a hug that lasted for several minute.

 

“I know, but we already had this conversation, Dar.  You have to go,”  I reprimanded him, surprised at how firm my voice sounded even though I felt like I may burst into tears at moments notice.

 

“I still wish I wouldn’t have been picked, sweetheart.  If we both would have been picked or if we both wouldn’t have been, it wouldn’t have mattered to me.  I feel extremely guilty for being picked and I have to leave you behind.”

 

“Don’t feel guilty; be happy about it.  Who knows, maybe the NASA mission will be successful and we won’t have to worry about the asteroid hitting us and we will see each other again soon,” I said wistfully as I smiled at the dream of the mission actually working.

 

“Yeah, maybe,” Darrin said as he gave me one last hug and a kiss.  “I love you, don’t forget that.”

 

“I won’t ever forget it,” I whispered, holding my arms out for one last hug; never wanting to let go.  As the seconds ticked by and it was closer and closer to the time that Darrin was supposed to leave, he hesitantly released me out of the hug and walked out of the room after saying he was going to say goodbye to my parents. 

 

I watched as Darrin’s shadow rounded the corner, and I quickly sat down on the bed, pulling at the rings on my left ring finger.  Once I got all three, my engagement ring, my wedding ring, and my diamond wrap, off, I quickly replaced the engagement ring and the wrap back on my finger and placed my wedding ring in an envelope that also contained a letter that I had written last night, placing it inside the duffle bag that I had opened and quickly zipping it shut as I heard Darrin’s footsteps come down the hall. 

 

When Darrin entered the room and picked up the duffle bag and the laptop bag, I put on a brave smile and grabbed his outstretched hand, and we walked hand-in-hand out to the kitchen where my parents and our friends from work who got picked all sat silently.  I took one last look at everyone’s faces as we all exchanged hugs and wished each other well, Darrin and Kurt promising to email as much as they could, since the people who were picked were allowed to bring laptop computers. 

 

As all four walked to Kurt’s car, I felt the emotional walls that I had built up so far begin to crumble, and before they were even inside the car, I turned away, not seeing Darrin wave goodbye one last time.

 

***

 

Nick’s POV

 

The military are like teenyboppers, able to track me down no matter how far away I go.  I was in a small Illinois town, so small I thought no one would be able to find me here.  I guess I was wrong.  I got a letter about a day after I got there, saying that on June 1, there would be military officers picking me up at 12:00 p.m. sharp.  That was today, and it was 10:30. 

 

I checked my bags again and realized I couldn’t find my brush or my toothbrush.  I guess one of the maids accidentally cleaned them up.  Not seeing a problem in heading down to the local drug store, I decided to head there and back in time to meet the military people.

 

Tapping my fingers to the music I put in, I wondered who else was going to be there.  The only one I knew so far that was going to be meeting me was Brian, along with Leighanne.  The others, as far as I knew, didn’t get notices.

 

Pushing the tears away, I parked in front of the small drug store, and walked in.

 

***

 

Sammy’s POV

 

“Julie, it can’t be that bad!” I heard my mother tell her.

 

“Mom, they are really bad!” she yelled.

 

“Julie, listen, I don’t have time to run down to the store and get you any Advil!  I’m still making final arrangements before we go!  Those people are going to be here in less then an hour and a half!” my mom screamed.

 

Glancing at my stuff that was already together, I decided to help my mom and Julie out.

 

“Hey, Mom,” I said, poking my head into Julie’s bedroom and glancing at Julie clutching her stomach and grimacing in pain.  “I’m already done and everything; I can drive down to the drug store nearby and pick her up some Midol or something.  Those cramps can be tough, and who knows how long it’s going to take us to get to Texas.”

 

Both Julie and my mother gave grateful looks, and I knew that I could do it.  Grabbing my keys off the kitchen table, I jumped into my car and sped off.

 

***

 

The only other car in the lot was a dark colored Durango.  I parked next to it and jumped out.

 

When I walked into the store, I saw a tall blonde man standing looking around confused.  He looked familiar and I thought that maybe I had gone to school with him once before.  Not wanting to be rude, and needing to hurry up, I walked to the medicine isle.

 

Everything was gone.

 

“What the hell?!” I exclaimed.

 

“Looks like you’re having the same problem I did,” a voice said behind me.  I turned around to see the blonde man again.  I let out a chuckle.

 

“Yeah, it looks like the whole store has been wiped out,” I said.

 

“Question is, who would want all the toothpaste?” he asked, laughing.  I couldn’t contain my question any longer.

 

“Do I know you from somewhere?” I asked.

 

“I don’t think so…” he said slowly.  I squinted my eyes and that’s when it came to me.

 

“You’re one of the Backstreet Boys!  Um, Nick is it?” I said.  He nodded.  “Yeah, one of my sisters loves you guys; she’s more of a Brian fan though.

 

“Everybody is,” Nick laughed.

 

“I’m Sammy,” I said sticking out my hand.

 

“Nice to meet you,” he said flashing me a grin.  I felt a slight flush come to my cheeks.

 

“Hello?” a voice called out.  Nick and I both turned our heads to see the old storekeeper walking down the isle.

 

“Hi,” Nick said.

 

“Can I help you with something?” he asked looking between me and Nick.

 

“Yeah, I need toothpaste.”

 

“And I need, Advil, Tylenol, or Midol even,” I said.  The storekeeper chuckled and looked at us.

 

“The other people wiped me all out of those things.  You can go a mile or two down the road to get some of that stuff at Longs.  I don’t think they’ve been wiped out,” he said.

 

“Thanks,” I said.

 

“Yeah, thanks,” Nick agreed. 

 

We both walked out of the store in silence.  He stood outside my car door as I began to start it up.  I rolled down the window and looked at him.

 

“It was nice meeting you,” I said.  “My sister is probably going to kill me, but yeah, I’ll kill her instead.”

 

“It was really nice meeting you too,” he said. 

 

He walked away as I started up my engine.  But as soon as it started, it stopped.  I tried again, but it wouldn’t start.

 

Nick walked back up to my window.

 

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

 

“My engine died!” I exclaimed.

 

“Well, hey we’re both going to the same store, I bet I could give you a ride,” he offered shyly.

 

“You would do that?” I asked him incredulously.

 

“Yeah, it’s no problem.  I only have to be back at the hotel in about an hour,” he said.

 

“Did you get a letter too?” I asked.

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Well, today is just your lucky day,” I joked.  “I guess my sister will get to meet you after all.”

 

***

 

 

 

 

 

 

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