Rhonda's View

"Hello…Rhonda if your home pick up!!! Rhonda this is Missy you have to call me as soon as you get this message. I need to tell you something important."
"Ahhh, she probably just wants to talk about her Nick JC thing. I call her tomorrow," I said going to bed and not giving Missy's call another thought.

Amber's View

After spending a wonderful evening on the town with AJ, I came home and checked my machine. "Fifteen messages?" I thought. "That doesn't seem right. Oh shit, something must have happened at the gallery." I pushed play and went to change clothes. The first one was from my mom, just checking to see how things were. There were a couple of hang ups and then Rhonda and Maria. The next ten hang ups were different. There was the sound of breathing, like someone was just waiting for me to pick up the telephone and then they hung up. My mind immediately flashed to Steve but I ignored it because there was no "Guess who".

Rhonda's View

I got home from work, kicked off my shoes and flipped threw my mail. I usually tossed most of it to the side for a day or two but today something caught my attention, "State of New York Correctional Facility" I ripped the envelope open and began to read:

Please be advised that on Tuesday, June 6, 2000, Mr. Calvin Garriott was released from the New York State Correctional Facility... I fell to the ground and couldn't finish the rest of the letter. "Oh my god – he's out. He's out and he's going to find me again." I felt like I was going to pass out. I laid on the cold kitchen floor and began to cry. "Get a grip – he's in New York – you're in Florida. Just get a grip."

I stood up, grabbed the kitchen phone and called Amber at work. "Um, hi – may I speak to Amber please?"
"One moment please."
"Expressions - this is Amber can I help you?"
I began to cry – I didn't know how to tell her that Cal was out of jail.
"Rhon – Rhon is that you? What's wrong?"
I began to cry harder, "Its Cal."
"Are you at home?"
"Yeah," I mumbled.
"Don't move – I'm on my way."

Amber got to my apartment in record time. "Rhon open the door honey, its Amber." I opened the door and let her in. I handed her the envelope and she began to read the letter. She fell onto the couch in shock as she read the letter. "I can't believe they let him out after 3 years for what he did to you! Oh my god! What kind of sick world do we live in?!? ... Oh my god...does Howie know?"
"No – I called you first. How do I tell him when he only knows part of the story?"
"Well I hate to say this, but I think you need to tell him the rest of it. Do you want me to be with you when you tell him?"
I shook my head yes and thought of how much there was still left to tell him. "I'll tell him tonight – I swear."

Amber and I went to the arena where our guys were. They were getting dressed when we arrived. "Okay break time," AJ yelled as he came over to see Amber. Howie followed him.
"Are you okay?" AJ asked me, "you look kinda pale."
"Yeah – its just been one of those days," I said.
"Honey are you sure you're okay?" Howie asked very concerned.
"Tell him," Amber whispered into my ear.
"Tell me what?" he asked.
"Um, it can wait until later," I said doing my best to hold myself together.
"Uh oh – tell me that someone doesn't have a bun in the oven," AJ jokingly said. Howie's eyes opened wide and he lost his balance for a moment.
"Uh NO!" Howie looked relieved at my response. "I said it can wait until later, didn't I?"
"Okay – if you say so," Howie said still concerned. Howie and AJ were being called back to the dressing room by their tour manager. "I ... I gotta get back there."
"I know – you have a job to do."
"Well whatever it is that is bothering you, just know that I'm not far away."

Amber and I wandered around backstage and waited for the guys to get done getting dressed. Nick and Brian were the first ones done. I guess Howie must have said something to them because they kept looking at me and asking me if I wanted to talk.
"Well – how about some air hockey then?" asked Nick.
"Nah – not today Nick."
"What?? You always want to play air hockey with me. I definitely know something is wrong. Talk to Kid Nicky."
"Okay, okay. Let's play air hockey." I think I agreed to play just to avoid anyone else asking me what was wrong.
After beating Nick 5 games to 2, Howie and AJ finally found us. Howie looked more concerned than I had ever seen him – if he only knew the reason why. He pulled me into his arms and held me for a few minutes. It took all of my efforts not to break down in his arms. He kept whispering, "Remember I promised never to let anyone or anything hurt you." A few teardrops fell from my eyes and he wiped them away.
"Come on guys – its show time!"
"Are you going to be okay back here?" he asked.
"Yeah – I got Amber with me and about 50 security guys. I think I'll be okay."

The guys did their usual 2 hour set but of course, we never got to see the end of it because security always told us to get on the bus before they started their last song so we were ready to go when the guys were. Amber and I slowly walked to the parking garage with Randy, one of the security guys when he said, "Oh, I forgot something. Will you guys be okay getting to the bus?"

"Oh yeah sure – we know where its at," Amber said. Randy turned back inside of the building.
We walked through the doors and into the garage when we saw him ... Cal.