We played for nearly three hours, until the sun began to set, before we both exhausted each other. In the end, I scored the winning point.
"Not too bad," he conceded. "For an old brood."
The last comment won him an elbow in the ribs.
"Watch it, little boy, or this old brood will have to kick your ass again," I warned.
We fell into a comfortable silence then. Just sitting side by side, we watched the sun set letting the day end quietly.
"I'm sorry."
The softly spoken words slipped past my lips before I could do anything to stop them. I wasn't even sure what I was apologizing for at first.
"You're sorry? What could you possibly be sorry for? I was the one who put my foot in my mouth without any idea who you really were. If anyone is sorry it's me. I didn't mean to imply something was wrong with you, Walker. I'm sorry."
"Knock it off, Carter. We both screwed up and now we'll both get over it," I said, glancing over at him. I must have been crazy, but how man sane people are there really in the world? "Friends?" I asked, holding out my hand.
"Friends," he agreed, shaking my hand. "But only if you let me win next time," he added, grinning
"And let you gloat that you bet the best. Not a chance, kid. Not a chance," I answered, smiling. "Can I ask you something though?"
"Shoot," he answered.
"How did you know I wasn't at the office anymore?" I asked.
"Kate called me," he admitted with a goofy grin.
"Kate? Kate, my assistant? Why would Kate call you and tell you I left?" I didn't understand.
"Because before she was your assistant she was my best friend. Kate and I grew up together. She called to tell me you said back off."
"I'll be damned. You and Kate. I guess that explains the lilies too. Unless Annie told you about them." I adored lilies. They were my favorite flowers and I often brought some in to freshen up my office.
"Nope, that was Kate too. You aren't angry with her, are you?" he asked. Once again I saw concern and fear for his friend.
"No, I'm not angry. Just surprised."
We parted ways shortly after that. He headed home to rest for the conference the next day and I went back to the office.
When I walked in to see the office flooded with lilies. There had to have been at least a dozen more delivered after I left. Jeez, when the guy wanted something he didn't stop, did he?
On my desk I found all the cards. The note ranged from promises that all he wanted was friendship to promises that he would bring anyone of the Backstreet babies to chaperone us if need be. They were cute and funny and I wondered for a brief moment how he could balance child and man so well.
And so thoughts of him haunted me well into the next day as I watched the press conference from the side. I heard A.J. gush with pride as he announced the birth of his second child and first daughter and the round of joyous applause the crowd offered up. I watched with interest as Howie talked about how well three-month-old Caroline and I laughed softly when Brian told the crowd that five-year-old Bannah and two-year-old Elizabeth could play basketball better than their father. And even my heart swelled with quiet pride when Kevin told the world how his one-year-old son, Jerald, climbed up on the piano stool and pounded on the keys of his father's piano.
Such beautiful men who told stories of such beautiful children. The world loved them and envied them. They were admired and respected and adored. Not just for the music they had given the world, but for the men they had allowed the world to know. For nearly twenty years the world had watched the Backstreet Boys and now those Boys who had become men were sharing their joys of the next generation.
When the question came up of a new album and tour each of them looked at the other before slowly turning to look at me.
It was a question we all expected, something we had talked about at the last staff meeting. It was a hard question to answer and yet they had made a choice and had an answer.
I nodded my encouragement towards the men I loved and they smile their gratitude.
"As you all know we will have the release of our new album in two weeks. Three months after that we will begin our new world tour," Howie announced.
The crowd went crazy with the news. When some whispered worries of the
Boys disbanding to lead normal family lives here came the news the world
wanted to hear. The Backstreet Boys weren't fading away. They were coming
back at the world stronger than ever. Only this time they were bring a whole
new generation to love them.
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