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Chapter 4

Early in the morning on June fifteenth the busses rolled into the crowded streets of London. Everyone checked into the hotel, the Sheraton Park Tower, Anne thought it was a little excessive, but if the record company was the one paying for it, she was not going to complain. Afterwards the whole entourage went over to the Earl's Court and got set up for the show the next night, the tech crew had the set up and take down of the stage to a science. After everything was all settled, the guys and Anne all split up to wander around London to get some lunch and do some shopping. Brian, Nick and A.J. all went to the nearest McDonald's, while Kevin, Howie and Anne all went to a section of the city with several cafes.

"Hey guys, I know a great little place we can go, there won't be any fans.
It's in the West End, how about it?" Anne asked.

"Sure why not," said Howie.

When they stepped out onto the street they found a grey London day, Kevin
put on a pair of black sunglasses with blue lenses. When Anne saw them a look of disbelief crossed her face.

"No way, Kevin, I don't believe it, we have the same sunglasses." Anne pulled out an identical pair from her purse, and put them on.

"We do don't we?" he replied. The trio found a cab and headed to the West End, as they were driving Anne continued to look at all the sights and sounds of London. When they got out of the cab, Anne took in a deep breath of air.

"I missed London, it's so good to be back. Here it is, Kelly's Pub and Restaurant, London est. 1850, right were I left it." They went inside. "Wait here a second," Anne went up to the hostess. "Is Katie in?"

"Yes, may I tell her who wants to see her?"

"Tell her that her niece, Anne, is here to see her." The hostess left and
went to find Katie. As they were coming back, they were talking.

"My niece? I don't know who you're talking about? I don't have a niece.
What did she say her name was again?"

"Anne ma'am."

"Anne?" Katie said to herself, puzzled. She looked up and recognized Anne.
"Rosie, oh my God, why didn't you tell me you were coming?"

"Hi Aunt Katie. How are you?"

"I'm fine dear. Well, well, well, who are these fetching young lads?"

"Um, these are my, um...friends, I'll tell you more about it later. Could
we get one of the old booths in the back?"

"Sure dear, go right ahead, you know your way around this place well enough. I'll bring your menus back, personally."

"Thanks."

As they walked back to a booth Kevin asked half joking, "So she's your
aunt, huh?"

"Not really, all of us theatre kids all call her Aunt Katie."

"That's cool," Kevin replied.

"Here you go lads." Katie sat next to Kevin, Howie and Anne were sitting
together on the other side of the table. "You know Rosie, it's a shame you didn't come back a month sooner, you missed all of the auditions for this season."

"I'm not here for theatre this time, Katie."

"Than what the devil are you here for then?"

"I'm on tour."

"Tour?"

"Have you ever heard of The Rose?"

"A little, one of my waitresses brought her disk in not too long ago. Wait,
you don't mean..."

"That's me."

"Oh my Lord. I cannot believe I did not recognize your voice."

"Believe it. And that's where these guys come in. This is Kevin and this
Howie, I'm opening up for their group, the Backstreet Boys."

"The Backstreet Boys, I did not even recognize you two, I must need a thicker pair of these after all," Katie said pointing to her glasses. "You know, my granddaughter loves you guys."

"Granddaughter?" Kevin said a little surprised. "You look too young to have a granddaughter."

"Nice try, you charming lad, but I'm sixty-four."

"You don't look it."

"That's because we English girls don't tan the way your American birds do.
Rose, I almost forgot to tell you there have been some line up changes in the cast."

"What?"

"Ryan is Marius."

"He is? That's great."

"Michelle is Cosette."

"You're kidding?" Anne started to laugh with joy. "Wait, they're still
dating, right?"

"Yes."

"Good, because that would really suck if they had broken up."

"Bad news, Abby Winters got your part. I still say you were a hundred
times better than she'll ever be. That part should have been yours, I wish you hadn't had to quit. You know it's a shame you cannot come back later, you could see the cast."

"You mean they still come here?"

"Of course."

"You wouldn't happen to have any tickets would you?" Anne asked, with her
fingers crossed under the table.

"Tickets, of course I have tickets. With all of you theatre kids running around in here, I have tickets through 2003, it's how half those kids pay their tab. Well look at the time, this place won't run itself you know. I'll be back in a few minutes." Katie left.

"Part?" Howie asked.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot you guys wouldn't get all of that. In the four
months or so while I lived here, I was in Les Miserables. I made it up all the way to the first understudy for Eponine, one of the female leads. I got to play her a few times, mostly in matinees and stuff. There was talk for quite a while that if I hadn't gone home to the States that in the next run the part would have been mine."

"What about Marius and Cosette?" asked Howie, thoroughly interested.

"They are the two romantic leads. Ryan has been in love with Michelle for,
well, as long as I've known them. Apparently the story goes that he was crazy about her, and when she finally figured it out, well they've been together ever since."

"That's cool," said Kevin. "You know we should order."

Right on cue Katie appeared. "Ready to order, love?" They all ordered, and
a few minutes later Katie brought it back to them. "So where are you headed this afternoon?"

"We're going shopping," Kevin said.

"I thought I'd take them down to Carnaby St. and that whole area down there
to see what we could find." Anne told Katie.

"You haven't heard? Havasham's is closing. Harrods bought them out."

"No way, well that sucks."

"They've only got about another month, you'd better hurry before everything
disappears. Rosie, I have tickets for tonight, they're yours if you want them."

"Sure, that would be great. So would you guys like to go?"

"I can't, thanks for asking though. I promised Brian, Nick and A.J. we'd
play a little two-on two," Kevin said.

"What about you Howie?" she asked.

"I'd love to."

"All right. Afterwards, if you'd like we can come back here and hang with
the cast for a while."

"That would be cool."

After they finished their lunch, they walked over to Carnaby St. "Here it
is, Havasham's, you guys have to see this store. It's so, so, oh shoot what's the word I'm looking for? Um, eclectic, that's it eclectic. You can find anything in here, well, almost anything."

The walked in, Anne went straight for the shoes, Kevin found a rack that had some leather coats on it, and Howie found a shelf piled high with hats.

"This store is sort of vintagy," commented Howie.

"I love this place, sometimes before a bunch of us girls from the show
would go out clubbing we'd stop in here and get outfits to wear. I remember this one time we all walked out looking like refugees from Studio 54."

"Hey what do you think of this one?" Kevin asked modeling a black leather jacket that came to about six inches above his knees.

"Very nice, it's long, but not too long. I remember I never liked that jacket from the I Want It That Way, video."

"Why?"

"I thought it went a little too well with your jeans. I could see your
boots, and that's about it, I know your legs were in there somewhere, but I didn't know where. I like being able to tell where one piece of clothing starts and another one stops."

"I see your point."

"Hey Kev, how much?" Howie asked.

"Sixty pounds."

"You should get it," he replied.

"I think I will."

Anne turned back to the shoes. "These are perfect," holding up a pair of
boots. They were olive green, white and tan patchwork leather knee length boots.

"Those are hideous," said Howie.

"I know, they're perfect, Steve will love them."

"Steve? The guy having the party, right?"

"Yeah, this party promises to be the most opulent yet, he's so funny and
flamboyant. He's um, well you know..."

"I get what you mean," Howie replied.

"Like I said, at this years 'Birthday Bash,' everyone had to come in a
costume from a decade so you'll probably have a bunch of gangsters and their molls running around with a bunch of hippies and Victorians."

"This sounds like the party to end all parties," Kevin said.

"I'm sure it will be."

"I was going to go as a whole 60's London swinger chick, total Austin
Powers. So if you'll excuse me I need to find a dress or something."

"Cool," Howie said as he continued to rummage through the piles of hats. Hey Anne, check this one out," Anne turned around to see Howie holding a hat.

"Nice, try it on," he put on the hat. "It looks good, I like the color, the navy works, and it looks very classy. Hey isn't that the same kind of hat you guys used in All I Have To Give?"

"Yes, but those were grey."

"I like this one better, you should get it, it's cool. Hey check out that
one up there."

Howie looked up and grabbed a black hat with while piping. "Very 70's," he remarked.

"That thing is so A.J., he'd love it."

"Hey, how did you know he was into hats?"

"I have my sources. We should get it for him," Anne replied, she had
grabbed a few dresses and headed back into the dressing rooms. She would try them on and get the guys opinion. "Okay last one," Anne stepped out of the dressing room, Kevin jokingly whistled. "I love it, what do you guys think?" She asked as she examined the 1920's royal blue flapper dress, dripping with fringe.

"Now that is cool, you should wear that to that party," Kevin said.

"You think so?"

"Yep, now all you need is one of those really long necklaces and you're
set," Howie added.

"Check out the hat that goes with it," Anne grabbed the royal blue piece of fabric with a long white feather sticking out of it and put it on.

"Perfect. Just learn the Charleston before you go," said Kevin.

"I have to get this dress, it's so cool."

They left Havashams with their purchases, and after making a few more stops
headed back to the hotel.

"How was shopping you guys?" Brian asked.

"Great, this girl really knows her way around here," Kevin replied.

"Hey what did you guys get?" asked A.J. motioning to the shopping bags.

Kevin showed A.J. the coat. "Very nice," A.J. replied.

Anne quickly showed him the dress and told him a little about the party.
"That's cool," A.J. added.

"Check out this hat," Howie said putting his hat on as debonairly as possible. "Hey A.J."

"Sup?"

"Catch," Howie threw A.J. the hat he had bought for him. A.J. put it on.

"Woah, this hat is fly, thanks D. Hey are you up for a little b-ball
tonight?"

"No, Anne and I are going to see Les Miserables."

"Ooh, the theatre," A.J. said with a British accent. "Have fun, be home
before dawn."

"Okay, whatever, mom," Howie jokingly said to A.J.

The guys went to get ready play basketball. Anne was on the way back to
her room to get herself ready, when Howie stopped her. "Hey Anne, I've got a few questions."

"Sure what are they?"

"What time are we leaving?"

"The show's at 8:00, so I was thinking we leave by 6:00, so that way we
have plenty of time to get dinner and get to the theatre."

"That sounds good, how dressed up should I get? I know every place is different, some places I've been a nice shirt and slacks work, other places there's no way you're getting in the door unless you're wearing a tux, or would a suit and tie work?"

"Hmm. I think a suit would be the best. Or a jacket and tie are fine, it's dressy but not too dressy. I'm sure you'll find something, you always look nice."

"Hey thanks, you always look nice too. So I'll meet you in the lobby in an hour and a half," Howie said checking his watch. He headed back to his room, to find something to wear, he had a worried look on his face.

Anne took a quick shower, and mentally went through her suitcase as she washed her hair.

"Oh come on, I know I have it, I hope it's here, I hope it's not with the show stuff." Anne had left many of her 'dress clothes' with the wardrobe people, the show was really the only time she ever dressed up, as the tour progressed Kiki had been changing her costumes around a bit. She towel dried her hair and went through her black hang-up bag.

"Thank God, I have it here," she pulled out one of her favorite outfits. She tossed the black knee length skit on the bed, and on top of that she set a short sleeved purple top with a scoop neck. "Where the hell are my shoes?" she wondered, quite frustrated. "Wait they're in the bottom of my suitcase." She grabbed the shiny black open toe platform pumps, which gave her an extra three inches of height. She rifled through her small jewelry box and found her necklace. It was antiqued silver, almost gothic looking, and had tiny black stones all over it. There were also earrings to match. She dressed and looked at herself in the mirror, satisfied. She put the front of her hair with barrettes, and did her make up. Anne grabbed her evening bag and took the elevator down to the lobby to get the tickets and meet Howie.

"My name is Anne Gray, and I believe you are holding some theatre tickets for me," she said to the young man at the desk.

"Ah yes, here we are, Les Miserables, an excellent show."

"Yes, I know, it is one of my favorites."

"Excuse me, Miss Rose, would you like me to call the concierge and get you
a cab?"

"That would be nice, thank you so much. Wait a minute, how did you know who I was?"

"The entire hotel staff knows that all of you are here. Don't worry Miss, we won't tell."

"Thank you," Anne turned and saw Howie get off of the elevator and walk toward her.

"Wow, you look great," Howie said to Anne.

"You don't look so bad yourself," Anne said eyeing his ensemble. He wore a
black suit and royal purple dress shirt and tie. "Great minds think alike," she added touching his silk tie lightly. "I love it when guys wear ties."

"Miss Rose," said the man behind the counter. "There's a cab waiting for you outside."

"Shall we go?" asked Howie extending his arm. Anne took it and they walked out into the sunshine and got into the waiting black cab.

"Where to gov'?" asked the cabbie.

"The Ivy Restaurant, please," said Howie.

"The Ivy? That's a wonderful place. How did you ever get reservations on
such short notice?" asked Anne.

"I had to call in the power of the publicist. I tried myself, but they were booked solid. So with one quick phone call I had 'my people' call 'their people,' and then all of a sudden there was a table free."

"That is the story of my life. You know in the last year I have gotten more concert tickets, not to mention good hotels and restaurant reservations. It's definitely one of the perks if being famous," commented Anne. "Hey how did you hear about the Ivy?"

"Kev and I found it last time we were here, I remember we happened to see Ralph Feinnes eating lunch there too. It was pretty funny, no one even cared we existed, I enjoyed that part."

"Here we are, gov. That'll be two pounds even."

"I'll get it," Anne said.

"But...no..." Howie tried to interject.

Anne quickly paid the cabbie and they headed into the restaurant.

"Reservation for Dorough at 6:30," Howie told the hostess.

"Yes, here it is sir, your table is ready, if you would just follow me."
the hostess took them back to a fairly secluded table near the back of the restaurant. "Your waiter will be with you in a minute."

"I figured if we sat back here there wouldn't be any fans popping up. Actually, you probably would be the one who would have more of an issue with that at a place like this," commented Howie. They ordered their food and ate.

"Yeah, right," Anne sarcastically replied.

"Hey there's something I've been wondering for a while. In All I Have to
Give, that high note that's all you right?" asked Anne.

"Mostly, Tommy backs me up with the note on the keyboards."

"I remember the first time I heard it I thought it was just a violin or
something, then I happened to catch a few seconds of the video and realized it was you, and that just blew me way. Hey what is that note anyway?"

"It's a high A," he said. Anne put her hands on the table as she would if she was going to play the piano, she counted up three octaves with her right hand.

"Oh wow that is high, I don't even have that note anymore. I used to, I had a good solid four octave range during my opera days, and then I quit using all of it and it shrank. I still have a strong three, maybe three and a half octave though. I remember the first time I heard that after I saw the video I was like 'Oh no, another Ben'."

"Ben?"

"Ben was this guy I went to high school with, we would always have these
contests to see who could sing higher, and I would always lose. The scary thing is I have some pretty high stuff."

"That is a little scary, so who do you think could sing higher, him or me?"

"Him, and I don't think that is a bad thing, trust me."

"So tell me a little about the show, I've heard a little of the music, but
I don't really know any of the story."

"Okay, well the show itself based on a Victor Hugo novel. It centers around a convict named Jean Valjean, who breaks his parole. He adopts this little girl Cosette who's mother was one of his former employees. I really don't want to tell you anymore, because I'll probably spoil the story."

"I understand."

They finished eating, and after they left the restaurant flagged down
another cab to take them to the theatre.

"Palace Theatre please," Anne said.

"Righty-o Miss."

Anne listened to the radio and started to laugh.

"What is it?" Howie asked.

"Listen."

"...Why can't we change the way things are? I want to go back to before..."

"It's your song."

"I get the weirdest feeling when I hear my stuff on the radio, it's still
so surreal," Anne began to sing along softly.

"Excuse me miss, but sounded like you said you were this bird on the radio here," commented the cabbie.

"I did."

"Oh, I see. I've never had musicians in my cab before."

The song ended and the DJ broke in. "That was American singer, The Rose,
with her top ten hit, Back to Before, off her double platinum album There and Back. Hey, you can catch her over at the Earl's Court tomorrow and Thursday night with these lads, here are the Backstreet Boys with All I Have To Give."
Now Howie began to laugh, "It's us, this is so unreal."

"So you're one of those Backstreet Boys?" the cabbie butted in again. "My daughter loves you boys, could I get the two of you to sign something for her?"

When the cab reached the theatre Howie quickly scrawled out a message to the cabbie's daughter, Molly, Anne signed it too. She got the fare for this cab ride too, despite Howie's protests, and went inside.

"Cool, it's only 7:35," Anne said is she checked her watch. "I think we should probably hit the restrooms now, it's going to be a long time before the intermission."

The two parted ways and agreed to meet at a bench across the lobby from the restrooms. Anne walked into the ladies room and noticed a line. "Ooh goodie, a line," she thought. "Well at least it's short." She heard a few ladies behind her talking, they were around her age.

"Did you see that chap out there, the one in the black suit?" asked the first girl.

"Oh yes, he looked good," replied the other.

"You can say that again."

Anne thought that whole conversation was pretty funny, she used the
facilities, and then touched up her lipstick and went out to meet Howie.

"Ready to go?" he asked.

"Yes, sorry that took so long, line."

"No big deal, so where are we sitting?"

"Hold on let me check," Anne pulled the tickets out of her purse. "Stage
right, row eight, seats thirty- seven and thirty-eight. Those are pretty close to center." The lights in the theatre flashed on and off several times. "Something tells me we'd better go sit down."

"Yes I think you're right," Howie replied. They got their programs and took their seats.

"You're going to like this, I can tell," Anne looked back over her shoulder at the ceiling back a few rows. "Good."

"What?"

"You'll see, let's just say I'm glad we're not sitting back a little
farther."

"Tell me."

"You'll see." Anne opened up her program and skimmed the actors bios.
"Scottie, you old dog, still playing Enjolras, I see. You'll probably play him until they quit paying you, right big brother?" she thought to herself. The overture began and their attention was drawn to the stage. Periodically during the performance Anne looked over at Howie, he was completely memorized. Near the end of the first act she tapped him on the elbow and whispered in his ear, "The next song is called Master of the House, these people, the Tenardier's are the comic relief of the whole production." They turned their attention to what was happening on stage, Howie smiled and laughed throughout the whole song. Not until the curtain dropped for the intermission did Howie snap out of the trance the play had put him into.

"That was amazing, I can't believe you did all of that?"

"Tuesday through Sunday, twice on Saturday. It was a blast, hey my
character's big number is coming up soon. Do you want to get to get up and walk around for a little while?"

"No, I'm fine, by the time we actually get out there it'll be time to come back in anyway."

"You have a point, you are really going to like the second act. The barricade is really cool."

They chatted a little while longer, the lights dimmed and the entr'acte for the second act began. Howie put his arm around Anne, she looked at his hand resting on her shoulder and smiled to herself. The second act started and they began to watch the play again. She knew Howie was enjoying the show so she could just sit back and enjoy watching her friends sing. At the end of the show Anne had to grab a tissue out of her purse to keep her makeup from running. She cast a quick look at Howie, she could see the emotion welling up in his eyes, he was trying to hold it in. She grabbed another tissue and handed it to him. After the curtain call they got up to leave.

"Hey do you want to get some ice cream on the way over to Kelly's?" Anne asked.

"Ice cream sounds really good right now, are we going to walk?"

"I thought we could, Kelly's is only a few blocks away, and there is a
place we could stop that is right on the way."

"Cool, let's go."

They walked out of the theatre onto the well lit streets of London. The
moon shone brightly in the clear sky, the air was damp and a little on the cool side, but by no means chilly. They stopped at a little ice cream parlor, and each got an ice cream cone. After Anne's third bite goose bumps appeared all over her arms. Howie noticed she was cold and put his jacket over her shoulders.

"I probably shouldn't eat ice cream when it's like this out, huh?" Anne joked. They started talking about the show as they walked.

"...and when the barricade came together like that, it was just amazing," Howie his eyes wide with excitement.

"That has to be one of the coolest parts in the whole show. You know back in the States they have two of those things going around the country with the different tours," Anne added.

"Then they spun it around after the battle to show everyone, that was so cool. But I wouldn't have wanted to be sitting under those sparks from that musket shot."

"I always liked that part during Empty Chairs at Empty Tables, when all his dead friends all show up as ghosts behind the scrim," Anne commented.

"That was so sad."

"I always get choked up right there."

"A Little Fall of Rain, now that was sad."

"The first time I performed that during a show I started crying at the end.
It's still one of my favorites, we're here." They quickly finished their ice cream and headed inside.

"Well, well, well look who's here," said one of the men sitting in the back.

"Hi Scott," Anne called back.

"Finally come back to us, Rosie?" asked another man.

"Not quite, Ryan, I'm just visiting."

"Sure you are. Katie, lets get a round of pints back here?" Ryan bellowed
to Katie who was working behind the bar.

"I'm working on it Ryan, hold on," Katie called back.

"So who's your friend?" asked a woman eyeing Howie.

"This, Julia, is my friend, Howie. I'm on tour with his group," replied
Anne, she squeezed Howie's hand in hopes of sending the always flirtatious Julia the message that he was off limits.

"Oh that's right, you're a big recording star now," interjected Scott.
"Well do you think you remember us well enough to play the toast?"

"Sure Scottie, is the music still in the piano bench? I'm a little rusty."

"Same as always, Rosie."

Anne and Howie sat at the piano as Katie served the cast members and them
pints of Guinness. "We have one or two odd traditions here, would you turn pages for me?"

"Sure thing," he replied. Anne opened up the music book to a page marked with a large paperclip. "Drink With Me, that was in the show, right?" he asked.

"You got it. Partway through the song we jump to this other ending over here, it's all paper clipped, so just flip to that page when I tell you to. You can sing along if you want, it's all marked."

"I'll try."

Anne began to play, the group would sing the song just as they had done in
the show. Each person would sing their individual lines until the chorus.
Edmund, who played Feuilly, started out. "Drink with me to days gone by. Sing with me the songs we knew." One by more actors joined in, and in some parts everyone sang for a line or two. Howie did quite well considering it was only his second time ever hearing the music, let alone trying to sing it. Anne sang with the women, as she had always done during the toast, Howie sang with the men. In the end everyone sang together, "At the shrine of friendship, raise your glass high. Let the wine of friendship never run dry. If I die I die with you."

"It's a little morbid, I know, but it's tradition," Anne said to Howie.

"I thought it was cool," he replied. Howie was about to say something
else, but was interrupted by Ryan saying 'Cheers.' "Cheers," he said, and clinked glasses with Anne. "Where did you learn to play the piano like that?"

"I picked it up in college."

"Wait, wait, wait! I've got another one," Scott bellowed. "To Rosie, for
finally coming back to us. What I can't figure out for the life of me is why the hell she left in the first place, eh sis?" he took a big drink from his glass.

"Subtle, big bother, very subtle. You know that wasn't my fault."

"Hey Rosie, could I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure Ryan, what is it?"

"I don't know if you heard, I'm going stateside in three months to play
Marius. You know if you want to get back with us, either here or in New York, just give me a call. That boy of yours has quite a set of pipes. Has he ever done theatre work?"

"A little, hey I have to go, I'll talk to you later."

"Okay, Rosie."

Anne had noticed Scott and Michelle talking to Howie.

"Have you ever met her manager, Jacob?" Scott asked Howie.

"Not yet."

"Lucky, he's a vulture, I can't stand him," Michelle said.

"He's convinced he made Rosie who she is, that's a load of bull," Scott
added.

"Totally, all he had to do was push her out on that stage and that was it.
Her voice and her songs made her who she is, not him," said Michelle.

"He's so possessive it makes me sick," Scott added. "I'm not normally one to wish ill health on anyone I won't be sad to see that bastard go."

"I wish he would just go back under that rock he slithered out from under," Michelle said. "He's so cruel to her, the stuff he says to her, I just wish she would wake up and see it."

"Am I interrupting something?" asked Anne.

"No, nothing, Rosie," Scott quickly said.

"Okay Scottie, what number is that?" Anne asked pointing to Scott's glass
of Guinness.

"Only number two, thank you very much, sis."

"Sorry. I was just hoping you guys weren't planning another pub crawl. You
know Graham hates it when you do that," Anne said.

"You know the only reason he was so pissed off that one time was I was the only person crawling faster than he was," Scott shot back. Everyone laughed at the joke, including Ryan, who had just come back from a trip to the bar. He sat down and put his arm around Michelle, people often poked fun at the show's straight laced director.

"You know Howie," Anne said after checking her watch. "It's 12:30, maybe we should head back to the hotel, we have a long day tomorrow."

"You're probably right," he replied.

"Well everyone it was great seeing all of you again, but we have to get
going," Anne said to the members of the cast present.

"So soon?" asked a man in the back.

"Yes Robert, we actually have to be awake before noon tomorrow," the people
chuckled at Robert. They said a few more goodbyes and caught a cab back to the Sheraton Park Hotel, an the way they continued to talk.

"You look sad, what's wrong?" Howie asked.

"I just realized how much I am going to miss this place. Being back at
Kelly's with the cast, my friends, made me whole again. I felt so at home in London, like I truly belonged here, it broke my heart to leave."

"Why did you?"

"My father, I was all ready to stay here permanently when he had some
health problems, his heart. I was always really close to my dad, so there was no choice there, I came home. I stayed in the States, and finished school there, it was hard for me, but I think it was the best thing." They walked into the hotel and took the elevator up to their floor. Howie walked Anne to her door. "Good night Howie, I'll see you in the morning."

"You're doing it again."

"What?"

"Tonight you have this British inflection in your voice, it was really
noticeable at Kelly's."

"Oh my God, oops," Anne said consciously going back to her Michigan accent. "I think it was just being around all my old friends, when I came home people said I sounded like a full fledged Brit. It certainly made being in My Fair Lady that spring more interesting. I'll quit, that was weird, I didn't even realize I was doing it. It's funny when I get in a fight, I mean a full out shouting match, I sound British. It cracks some people up."

"Remind me never to get in a argument like that with you. Anne, what's with the brother/sister thing between you and Scott?" Howie asked, Anne could detect a hint of jealousy in his voice.

"Oh it's nothing, he was my best friend when I was here, and someone once mistook us for siblings, and we've called each other that ever since."

"Ah, I see. Good night, I'll see you bright and early," he softly kissed her on the lips. "Hey were you serious about trying to drag Nick, Brian and A.J. over to Kelly's for lunch?" he asked as if it was an afterthought.

"Yes, I think they would get a pretty big kick out of the place."

"Okay, I'll grab Brian you can get Nick," Howie joked.

Anne laughed, "Oh thanks. Good night."

He turned and went back to his room, he hummed the tune to Drink With Me as
he walked. Anne just smiled and let herself into her room. She fell asleep just after her head hit the pillow.

The next morning after she woke up, Anne spent her time relaxing. She worked on the lyrics she had been tinkering with for the last few weeks, with little success. She did not know why, but it seemed that she did more writing while she was on the road than when she was in the studio. Anne spent the next hour surfing the net and answering all of her email which she had not checked in about two weeks. Most of the twenty or so messages were from her friend, Brad, who ran her unofficial, 'official' website. Mostly he wanted to know details about the tour to put on the webpage. Another was from her longtime friend, Kyle, wanting to know if she was coming on the church camping trip in August. The last was from her cousin, Sara, the title read "HELP!!!"she read it and laughed.

"Hey Anne,

How are things on the road? I bet things are better there than they are here. I'm at home right now, nothing is going on here, I'm so bored. It's been raining a lot. Give me a call please, I need something to do I'm so bored.

Love, Sara. "

"Well I guess I should call her before she dies of absolute boredom. I'll
call her this afternoon, it's too early now," she thought to herself. She continued to surf the net for another hour or so, she heard a knock on the door and quickly looked at the clock. "Oh crap it's noon," she rushed over to open the door. As she opened it she saw Howie standing on the other side.

"Ready to go?"

"Yeah just a second," Anne quickly turned off her computer and put on her
boots. She grabbed her keys and she and Howie went to meet the guys in the lobby.

"What took so long?"asked Kevin. "Another few seconds and these guys would have left."

"Sorry, it's my fault, I didn't realize what time it was," Anne replied.

Kevin, Howie and Anne managed to get the other guys into a cab and head
over to Kelly's. When they walked in they met Katie.

"Rosie dear, you've brought more handsome chaps to see me," Katie said half joking.

"Guys this is Katie, she runs Kelly's now. Katie, this is Brian, Nick and A.J., you already know Howie and Kevin."

"Go on to the back, I'll bring your menus to you."

They all sat at one of the large booths in the back, where all the theatre
people had been sitting the night before.

"Anne, this place is pretty cool, who's that guys over there?" asked Nick, gesturing to a large photograph behind the bar, it was a man, well, behind the bar.

"That's Sean. He started this place back in 1850, managed it for a long time until his son took over, then he went back to Dublin and ran the original restaurant which his father started. And he did that until the day he died back in 1901."

"That's cool, he must have been really up there," A.J. said.

"He was, I want to say he was in his mid-eighties. Katie could tell you for
sure."

"Well hello lads," Katie said as she walked up, she passed out the menus. "You know Rosie I think you have the right idea, sign me up for your next tour."

All the guys and Anne laughed at this. In true charming Backstreet fashion Brian, A.J., and Nick all persuaded Katie to bring them burgers and fries. A little while later she came back.

"Here you go lads," Katie said as she set A.J., Nick and Brian's burgers down in front of them, "Rosie here's yours, Howie, Kevin," she gave them their food.

"Hey Katie, how old was Sean when he passed?" Anne asked.

"Let me think, he was born in 1815, and passed in 1901 so he would have
been eighty-six," she thought aloud.

"You were in the ballpark," Kevin said to Anne.

"Rosie, have you seen the plaque under Sean's photo? We just put it up,"
Katie asked.

"No I haven't what does it say?"

"Old Sean Kelly," Katie began. "1815-1901, Founder of this establishment, a
loving father and friend. The truest of all Irishmen."

"That's cool, Sean seemed like a really cool guy, he's someone I wish I could have met," Anne added.

"Me too, he was a sweet old man. Enjoy, I will see all of you later," Katie replied.

"Okay, I don't get it, why does everyone here call you Rose? I noticed it a lot last night. I don't think I've heard a single person call you Anne?" Howie asked.

"The name Rose started over here, it was in my first week with the show. Scottie was trying to get my attention and he didn't know my name yet and he saw the rose patch on my backpack, and he called out "Rose," and I turned around, well the name just stuck."

"That's cool," Howie added, giving Anne's hand a squeeze under the table.

After lunch they all headed back to the hotel, Nick wanted a Mortal Kombat
rematch after his slim loss to Brian, everyone decided to hang out and watch.

"Hey guys, I was wondering what you would think if I invited my cousin out for a while?"

"Go for it," Kevin said. "The more the merrier."

"Are you guys all fine with it?"

"Oh yeah, hey we have family out all the time," Nick said.

"Okay, well if you excuse me, I'm going to give Sara a call..." Anne said
as she got up to leave.

"You can call from here if you want," said Nick.

"No, I wouldn't want to impose."

"Don't worry about it, the company picks up the bill anyway," Brian added.

"Cool," Anne said as she picked up the phone and dialed the number of her
aunt's house. The phone rang and someone picked up.

"Hello?"

"Hey Aunt Diane, it's Anne, is Sara there?"

"Hi Anne, hold on a second." Anne's aunt put down the phone and over the
wire Anne heard her yell, "Sara phone!" She heard the phone pick up.

"Hello?"

"Hey Sara, it's Anne." Anne could clearly hear Limp Bizkit's Nookie
playing loudly in the background.

"Just a sec, let me turn this down." Sara turned down the CD, and Anne put her on speaker phone. "So you got my email?"

"Yeah, hey I'm hanging out with the guys right now."

"Right?" Sara said in disbelief, there was thick sarcasm in her voice.

"Wanna say hi?"

"Hi guys."

"Hi Sara," Brian, Kevin, Howie, and Nick said, almost in unison. "Yo,"
A.J. added moments later.

"Woah, I thought you were kidding."

"Nope. Hey Sara, you should come out here."

"What?"

"Come out here, hang out with me for a week or two."

"I don't know."

"Oh come on, your classes don't start for like a month and a half at least.
Why not? You want to, come on. I'll fly you out here myself, it'll be fun, we could room together just like the good old days at grandma's."

"It does sound cool, I've never really been to Europe, except to see your show. Oh what the hell, when?"

"Um let me think, at the end of the month we're going to be in Italy. I think we play Rome on like the 30th. Just grab your passport and fly out here, we can get some shopping in, we'll be in one of the fashion capitols of the world."

"All right, do I have to do anything?"

"Pack."

"Ha ha, very funny, really?"

"No, I'll take care of it, I'll email you the info. I'd better go, I don't
want to run up the bill too much. I'll talk to you later, bye."

"Bye."

Anne hung up the phone.

"So she's coming out, huh?" A.J. asked.

"Oh yeah, this is going to be fun. Mom and Dad, Grandma and Granddad and
Sara came out to see the show. Sara and I had such a cool time, I can't wait for her to get out here."

"That's cool, so what's she like?" asked Howie.

"She's a lot like me, whether she want's to admit it or not. She's
beautiful, but she doesn't see it. You guys know I can rock just as hard as anybody, you hear how loud I blast stuff like Limp and Kid. Well she blows me right out of the water, she really likes Eminem, even I can't get into that stuff."

"My kind of girl," Nick said with a laugh.

The show that night was a success, Anne crashed and was woken up by a knock
at the door. She quickly hopped out of bed, and put on her glasses so she could see, and went over to answer the door. As the door was swinging open she realized she was still wearing her glasses and quickly whipped them off her face, hopefully, before Howie and Kevin who were standing on the other side, saw them.

"Hey I didn't know you wore glasses," Howie said.

"Yeah, I always wear my contacts."

"Let me see," he implored. Anne reluctantly put the thin black frames back
on her face. "They look nice."

"What are you guys doing here?" Anne asked, quite tired, and a little embarrassed that she had answered the door in her pajamas.

"Morning paper delivery," Kevin said. Howie was holding a copy of the London Times.

"Well what have we here?" Howie asked opening the paper. "Page 2D, 'Americans Invade Earl's Court'."

Kevin grabbed the paper, and read aloud. "Last night American pop group, The Backstreet Boys, played the Earl's Court. They offered up a dazzling show complete with moving platforms, flying rigs, and pyrotechnics. The screaming crowd, mostly of excited teenage girls with hearts painted on their faces reveled in the spectacle."

Howie snatched the paper back from Kevin, he started to read. "Blah, blah, blah, here we are. 'A surprising element of the show was the opening act, American export and former West End, Les Miserables, cast member, The Rose. While her set was not nearly as flashy as that of The Boys, she sparkled. Rose offered strong a rock guitar reminiscent of female rockers like Chrissy Hine, and Courtney Love in the beginning of her set. A mood change occurred when at the end of her set Rose switched form by preforming such dance songs as, Hope and Fight For Your Life, all in all a good set. One question, why isn't the Rose on this summers much publicized Lilith Fair? A mere over site, I suppose.' Blah, blah, blah, 'The Boys play another show at the Earl's Court tonight, and then they are off to Germany..."

"People liked me, I don't believe it, Courtney Love, now that's a new one. I get Jewel and Sarah McLaughlin a lot, but Courtney Love, that's a new one, she's a rocker. Hey could I keep this?" Anne asked.

"Sure, it's yours," Kevin replied.

That night, Anne called her friend, Steve, again. "Hey, Steve, change in
wardrobe."

"What did you find?"

"A really cool royal blue flapper dress, it's absolutely dripping with
fringe."

"That sounds nice, so you want me to make sure there are no more blue flappers there?"

"Yep."

"No problem, so how are things going with you and Howie?"

"Fine, Steve. We have so much fun, I mean in London we went out so see Les
Mis and went to Kelly's..." she started to laugh.

"I knew it, I knew something was going to happen there. Hey if you two are still together in August, bring him to the party," Steve said.

"All right, Steve. Hey could you keep this under your hat? I don't want the whole world to know about it yet."

"Sure no problem, I won't tell a soul."

"Thanks Steve, I'll talk to you later."

"Bye, Anne, I'll see you at the party."

After the second London show Leighanne and Amanda headed back home to the
States, and the tour was off to Germany.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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