CHAPTER THIRTEEN-“Buh Bye Barbie, Hello Daddy”

 

“Isa…Isa…Isabelle,” I heard someone whisper in my sleep.

 

“What?”  I asked Lina.

 

“You gotta help me.”

 

“Help you with what?” I said trying to focus on her.  She was sitting up in her bed, something in her hand.  I sat up.  “What is that?”

 

She smiled mischievously as she came over to my bed, and handed me the bottle.

 

“Where did you get this?”  I asked her, looking it over.

 

“From Ryan.  He brought it with him.  You can always count on little brothers.”  She said.

 

“So what are you planning to do with it?”  I asked.

 

“Oh, I don’t know...” The smile still plastered on her face.  “Maybe, mess with someone’s pretty blonde mane.

 

“You’re kidding?”  I said in disbelief. She nodded.  “You wouldn’t.” I gasped and then laughed.

 

“Heck yeah, I would.  It’s payback time.”

 

“So how are you planning to do it?”  I asked, becoming excited about the whole idea myself.

 

“Well, that’s what I’m not sure about, yet.  I was thinking of just, you know going in, but I’m afraid I’ll get caught.”

 

“I don’t even know what room he’s in.”

 

“I do.  AJ told me.  He knows already.”

 

“What did he say?”

 

“Nothing.”  She smiled.  “Just to get him real good.”

 

We both laughed.

 

“Ok so, what room is it?”

 

“807.”

 

“And how are you planning on getting in?”  I asked,

 

“I guess, just going up and knocking on the door.  Distracting him.”

 

I laughed thinking of the outcome.  “This is going to be fun.”  I said.

 

“C’mon, lets do it now.”  She said.

 

“Now?”

 

“Yeah, now, it has to be before he showers.”  She said getting up and putting on a robe.

 

“Alright,” I said getting up as well.

 

“Well, how come you aren’t going to do it to Brian?”  I asked.

 

“I don’t know, I want to get Nick back.  Besides, I wouldn’t want to do that to your man.”  She teased as we made our way down the hall.

 

“He’s not my man!”  I snapped back.

 

“Shhh…I know, Kevin is.”  She whispered.

 

“No,” I whispered back.  “Not my man either.  Unfortunately.”

 

She smiled, “Awwe.  Don’t worry, there’s always Nick or Howie.”

 

“Gee thanks, and maybe if their not interested, next week you can start touring with 98°, and I can continue there.”

 

She laughed.  “Ok, 807.  You knock and distract him, and I’ll go leave this stuff in there.”

 

“No, what will I say to him?”

 

“I don’t know,” Lina said.  “Think of something.”

 

“What?”

 

“I don’t know.”  She said knocking on the door for me, and going around the corner.

 

“Aaahh, why’d you do that?”

 

“Just think of something.”

 

In a few moments, Nick was at the door, in red and white boxers, and a white t-shirt, making it easier for me to distract him…right.

 

“Oh, hey Isabelle.”  He said not seeming annoyed, that I was waking him up at eight in the morning, especially when he didn’t need to be up so early.

 

“Hi Nick.”  I said.

 

“Cute pj’s.”

 

“Thanks,” I said.  I had on cotton drawstring pants, with little red teddy bear hearts all over them, and a long sleeve cotton tee.

 

“So, what can I do for you?”  He asked, when I didn’t say anything.

 

“Oh, well,” I started off, as I saw Lina making her way into his room.  “Um…I was just wondering if…if you um…” I was completely at a loss.  I ran my hand through my hair.

 

“Wondering if…?”  Nick asked.

 

“If um…” I suck, I thought to myself.  “If you could…” I saw Lina get out and go back around the corner.

 

“If I could what?” he asked.

 

“If you could…be any kinda tree, which would you be?”

 

He laughed, and looked at me like I was stupid.  “Um, I guess a maple tree.  Why?”

 

“No reason,” I said with a smile.  “Just wondering.”  I turned around, and walked right back to my room.  I knew he was staring at me, because I still hadn’t heard his door shut.  I went inside, and closed the door.  I leaned against it and smacked the top of my head.  “God, you’re stupid.”  I said to myself.

 

A couple of seconds later, Lina knocked, and I let her in.  “Mission accomplished.”

 

We showered and got dressed, and just waited for the plan to take action.  I was getting ready to go pick up my father.  I was wearing a pair of dark blue, Gap, bootleg jeans, folded up at the cut of course, with a button up waist, sweater, and my black knee cut boots.  I was brushing my hair, when Lina came back into the room. 

 

“It’s like past nine, and I still haven’t heard anything.  I’m so impatient.”  She said.

 

I laughed.  “What do you think, hair up or down?” I said lifting it up in a ponytail, then bringing it back down.

 

She was wearing blue jeans, and white and red Christmas sweater.  “What jacket are you wearing?”  She asked.

 

“You’re brown leather one.”

 

“Ok, so leave it down.”

 

“Ok,” I said combing it down.

 

“C’mon,” she said.  “Breakfast is here.”  We had ordered room service.

 

While we ate, there came a knock on our door.  “Come in, it’s open.”  Lina said.

 

It was Nick.  He was showered and dressed.  His hair fine.

 

“Hi,” Lina said. 

 

He just smiled.  “You two think you’re slick don’t ya?”

 

Lina and I wanted to burst out laughing, but we held it in.

 

“What are you talking about?”  Lina asked.

 

“What ya think I’m an idiot.  That I just shower with my eyes closed or something.”

 

We laughed.

 

“Man, ya suck.  Ya know that, right.”  He said.  “You two have got to be the worst practical jokers around.”

 

“How’d you know?”  I asked.

 

“Well first of all.”  He began, taking a seat and helping himself to breakfast.  “You can’t fool the king.”

 

“Yeah ok, your highness.”  Lina said sarcastically.

 

“That’s right.  Second of all,” he said looking at me.  “You suck.”

 

I laughed.

 

“You are definitely the worst liar in the history of mankind.  You just suck.”

 

Lina laughed.  “Why?”

 

“Cuz, she was suppose do distract me. Right?  Well why are you asking me about trees an shit?”  He said.

 

We all laughed. 

 

“You asked him about trees?”  Lina asked, laughing.

 

I shrugged.  “I didn’t know what to say.”

 

“Yeah well, you just suck. And C.”  He said joking around.  “Don’t think I didn’t see you trying to sneak in behind me, like you think you the Shadow or something.”

 

We laughed again. 

 

“Ok, fine.  So we suck.”  Angelina said.  “We will never…” There was another knock on the door.

 

“Come in.”  Nick said.

 

Lina and I looked at him, and laughed.

 

It was Brian.  “Hey, any of you guys know where Leighanne went?”  He asked.  “She needs to get ready.  Her flights at one, and you know women.”  He said making a sideline joke.

 

“Yeah man,” Nick said.  “She said you were taking too long in the bathroom, so she asked if she could use my shower.  She’s probably still in there.”

 

Angelina and I looked at each other.

 

“Nick, you did take out the fake bottle of shampoo, right?”  I said.

 

“What fake bottle of shampoo?”  Brian asked.

 

“Oh shit!”  Nick said getting up.  “I knew I forgot to do something.”

 

“AAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”  Came a shriek from Nick’s room.

 

Brian ran to the room to see what was wrong with Leighanne.  Nick, Lina, and I stayed right were we were.

 

Kevin and Kristin came out of their room to see what was going on too.

 

Leighanne was coming down the hall, in a bathrobe, and Brian behind her.

 

“You son of a bitch.”  She said when she got to our room.

 

Nick took one look at her blue stricken hair, and broke out in hysterical laugher.  Lina and I just watched.

 

“Nick, this isn’t funny.  I have a flight to catch, in less than four hours, and...”  She said with a sigh.  “I got blue stuff in my hair.  Brian, stop laughing it’s not funny.”

 

“She’s right Nick, this is serious.  We’re talking about her having blue in her hair.”  Brian said.

 

That just made Nick laugh harder, his face was turning red, and tears were practically streaming down his face.  Brian laughed at the sight.

 

I looked at Lina, and I could tell she was debating whether to tell her the truth or not. 

 

“Leighanne, it wasn’t Nick’s fault, it was mine.  Isabelle and I tried to pull one over on Nick, and it well, it didn’t go according to plan.”

 

Nick stopped laughing.  “No, no.  It’s ok Angelina.”

 

“Yeah, Angelina.  Don’t try to pull that Spartican shit on me.  I know it was him, he’s immature, and irresponsible.”  She yelled at him.

 

“I’m not irresponsible.  Immature maybe, but I’m not irresponsible.”  He yelled back.

 

“Ok, you two keep it down.  People are still sleeping.”  Kevin interjected.

 

Leighanne just looked at him, then back at Nick. 

 

“I’m sorry.”  Nick said.

 

She rolling her eyes then left back to Brian’s room.

 

“Nick, I think you went a bit too far this time.”  Kevin said.

 

“Naw, she’ll get over it.”  Brian said.  “She should be use to Nick by now.”

 

“Yeah, I do stuff like this to her all the time.”

 

Kevin gave him a stern look.  Then turned around and went back to his room, Kristin following.  I noticed she was wearing one of his bed shirts.

 

Brian left too, closing the door behind me.

 

“We’re soooo sorry.  Oh my god I felt so bad for her.”  I said.

 

“I know me too.”  Lina agreed.  “Thanks for taking the blame Nick, though you really didn’t have to.”

 

“I know, but whatever.  She wouldn’t have believed it was ya anyways.”

 

“We owe you.”  Angelina said.

 

“Ok,” he said getting up from the table and walking over to the bedroom.  “Who wants to go first?”  He joked.

 

We laughed.

 

“Haha, yeah right.”  I said.

 

“Naw, I’m just playing.  Ya can just…” He thought for a while.  “Oh I know.  Help me wrap my Christmas gifts.  I hate doing that shit.”

 

“Ok,” I said.  Lina agreed.  It sounded easy enough.  “Tonight, after I spend some time with my dad.”

 

“Great.  See ya later.”  He said leaving.

 

When the bellhops came to carry out Leighanne’s luggage, Brian came to get me so we could leave for the airport.  Leighanne said her goodbyes, to everyone. As we got in the elevator, you could hear Nick singing.  “I’m blue I'm Blue Da ba dee da ba die, Da ba dee da ba die.”

 

“Cornball,” Lina said as the doors closed on them.

After they finished mounting Leighanne’s luggage, into the black, Lincoln Navigator, Brian, Leighanne, Jason (Brian’s bodyguard,) and I got in.  We were headed for Kennedy Airport to drop off Leighanne, and pick up my dad.

 

Luckily, for me, Jason was there because Leighanne and Brian sat in the back whispering back and forth to each other.  Sometimes it sounded like they were arguing, other times it sounded like they were making out.  Not once did I turn my head to see.  Instead I just talked to Jason about anything that came to mind, current events, politics, sports, and movies.  Even Pete, the driver joined in our conversation.

 

When we arrived at the airport, Pete waited in the car, and the rest of us walked out.  Brian put on a black, NY Yankees cap, and looked pretty unrecognizable.  We walked to gate 15, that’s where Leighanne’s flight would be taking off from.  She still had about ten minutes before she had to board.  I told them I would check to see if my dad’s flight had arrived.  I walked over to one of those television thingies with all the flights, and information.  My dad’s flight was arriving on time. Which was a surprise, since we were in Kennedy Airport.  When I went back, Brian and Leighanne were in an embrace, he parted away from her, then pulled her back in for a kiss.

 

“Bye, Baby.”  She told him.

 

“Bye” he said.  “Merry Christmas.”  He told her.

 

“Merry Christmas.” She said back, kissing his lips again.

 

When they were done, she came over and said goodbye to both Jason, and me.

 

“Bye.”  I said.

 

“Bye, Isabelle.”  She said with a sincere smile.

 

Then she went through the gate, and got on her plane.

 

Brian was quiet for a moment, and then he turned to me.  “So, when’s your dad coming in?”  He asked.

 

“I guess his plane should be here by now.”  I said.

 

“What gate is he coming in through?”

 

“Gate 23.”

 

“Ok, c’mon.” 

 

We walked through the crowded airport till we finally go to gate 23.

 

“Do you see him anywhere?”

 

“Nope.”  I said.  “Oh wait, yeah, I do see him.  There he is.”  I said waving.

 

My dad smiled and waved back, and we walked towards each other.

 

“Isabelle, sweetheart.”  He said as I wrapped my arms around him and he kissed my forehead. 

 

“Hi daddy.”  I said giving him a kiss.  “How was your flight?”

 

“It was alright.”  He said.  “The meal was actually pretty good.”

 

“That’s great.”  Then I remembered Brian.  “Oh, daddy.  This is Brian Littrell, from the Backstreet Boys.  And this is Jason, his bodyguard.  This is my dad,” I told them,  “Dr. Wakeford.”

 

“You don’t have to be so formal Isabelle.”  My father said taking Brian’s hand into his.  “Eric will be fine.”  He told them.

 

“Yeah, Isabelle,” Brian said seeing the opportunity to tease.  “It’s not Brian Littrell, or Brian the Backstreet Boy.  Just Brian.  Your friend.”

 

I blushed deeply.  And he continued.  “And this here is Jason.  Just plain old Jase.”  He said patting Jason on the back.  He smiled.

 

“Ok, geez, bite my head off why don’t you.”  I said turning beet red.  “Sorry, I won’t do it again.”

 

They all laughed. 

 

We went back to the car, and reloaded it with luggage, this time, my dad’s.  The ride back to the hotel was way better than the one going to the airport.  Brian and my dad hit it off so well.  Specifically because they had one thing in common, golf.  My dad loved golf, and once Brian found that out, it was all they were talking about.  I on the other hand knew three things about golf.  One, you used a tiny little white ball.  Two, Tiger Woods was hot.  And three, it was boring.

 

“Isn’t that a site?”  Pete said as we passed Rockefeller Center.

 

“Yeah, it is.”  I said.  “It’s beautiful.  Remember dad when we use to come here every Christmas and make a wish.”

 

“Yeah, you use to love to go ice skating, but you would always end up falling on your hinny.”  My dad said.

 

Oh god.  Was it necessary to say that, I though.

 

“Hey Pete, take us around and stop at the entrance.”  Brian said.  “Ya don’t mind right?”  He asked us.

 

“No,” we all agreed.

 

We all got out, including Pete.  He went to grab a cup of coffee.  Brian, my dad, Jason (of course), and I walked up to what had to be the most well known Christmas tree in the world.

 

“Wow that’s huge.”  Brian said.

 

“Yeah,” my dad agreed.  He looked dreamily at the tree.  I’m sure it brought back a lot of old memories, including some with mom in them.  I know it did for me.

 

“Ok, so what do you do?”  Brian asked.

 

“Well,” I said.  “You think about what you want most, say a little prayer, and make your Christmas wish.”

 

“How long does it take for your wish to be granted?”  Brian asked.

 

“Oh see, now you’re getting greedy Mr. Littrell.” I joked.  “Be patient, trust me it will come true.”  I said.  “At least for me it always has.”

 

“Ok.”  He said, and closed his eyes.

 

I looked up at my dad and he had his eyes closed too, already making his wish.  I knew what he wanted more than anything in the world, but it wasn’t going to happen, because it was impossible for my mom to come back, that’s why I never made that wish.  For fear of losing the magic of this old tree, I only wished for things that I knew would come true.  You avoid disappointment that way.

 

I closed my eyes, and thought long and hard about what I wanted, when I finally decided what to wish upon, it was taken away when I felt the soft touch of Brian’s hand, as he took mine into his, entwining our fingers.  I immediately felt guilt since it hadn’t even been two hours since we left his fiancée on a plane to LA, but still, I let him.  A surprising tingle ran through my body warming my heart brushing any other feelings away.  I opened my eyes and looked at him.  He still had his closed.  When he finally opened them, I asked him.  “Did you make a wish?”

 

He smiled and said.  “Yes, I did.”

 

 

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