Here we go again. This is the next part that ya'll have been waiting for. I am sorry I took so long and I hope it is worth it.
My Night With Howie D. Part 16 by: Ceej
I pulled the Jeep up to the awning and the doorman came over as I hopped out and I handed him the keys. He gave me my stub and I went to the front desk.
"Can you ring up to Mr. McLean's room?" I asked the clerk.
"I'm sorry sir, but there is no on....OH MY GOD! Your Craig Bingham!"
"Sh! Yes, and I'll make you a deal, I'll give you an autograph if you ring up AJ for me." I smiled at him.
"Anything for you Mr. Bingham." he said and turned to the phone. He turned back and handed my the passkey to the elevator. He also handed me a paper.
"What's your name?" I asked.
"Sean."
I wrote it out to him and smiled when I handed it back.
"thank you so much. I have loved you since I saw you on 'One of the Guys'. And Cruel Summer was a great movie. I heard that you are going to be returning to the show?"
"I'll be on in late October. Thank you Sean."
"He is in room 612."
I turned and went to the elevator. I got on and got off on the sixth floor. I turned down the hall and saw AJ waiting for me in his doorway.
"Fancy meeting you here," he smiled.
I gave him a hug and and he hugged back. We went into his room and he locked the door behind him. I sat on the bed and he sat next to me. Then he notice my bruise.
"Oh my god! Craig what happened to your forehead?" he asked and gingerly touched.
"I kinda hit it," I said and winced," But its okay now. AJ I came up to talk to you about.....well about us."
Aj looked shocked for a minute and then composed himself.
"What do you mean us? I thought the only 'us' was you and Howie?" he asked with hope gleaming in his eyes.
"There is only me and Howie. I made up my mind AJ. I love you and if things had gone differently, maybe we could have been great. But I have Howie and he's all I want. I will always love you like a bro."
He sat there and I hoped he was okay.
"Craig, I have to tell you the truth. I knew when I saw you at the restaraunt that you wanted Howie. But I had hope when the desk said it was you that maybe I was wrong. I love you and want to be with you. But I also want you and Howie to be together and happy. Hehe, it would be cool to have both, but I know I can't. So I am your best friend and bro. But just bear with me if I seem a little weird ok?"
"Haha! AJ you are always weird! Thats why we all love you." I said and hugged him.
It was a deep hug. But a hug between friends. We both knew how the other felt but were comfortable. We parted and started talking. The next thing we knew it was 3 am and there was a knock at the door. Aj got up to answer it and I laid back on the bed and rubbed my eyes. The door opened and Howie walked in.
"I thought I would find you here. I was worried when I got back and you weren't there. Bone keep you up all night with his tales?" Howie asked as he leaned down and kissed me.
"Actually we sat around and compared tales on YOU." AJ said with a wicked gleam in his eyes.
"ME? Ha! Like you'd know!" Howie said.
"Aw come on D. I didn't know that you were so ashamed of what we had." AJ pouted.
"OK. You ready to go home babe?" he laughed.
"Yeah, I'll talk to you later AJ." I said and hugged him.
He said bye and we walked down the elevator. We got in and Howie took me into his arms.
"I love you so much." he whispered into my ear and then kissed me.
I returned the kiss and felt the love between us. All of the doubts I had had earlier were gone. The elevator dinged and we parted. We walked to the doors and the doorman already had the Jeep waiting. I tossed Howie the keys and hopped in the passenger seat. He got us back to the condo in record time. We went into the house talking about the movie and my talk with AJ til we got to the room. We entered and he lay on his back on the bed. I stood there and drank the sight of him in. I went to him and sat gently on his waist. He looked up and smiled at me. I looked deeply into those spanish eyes and knew this was the man I wanted for the REST of my life. I leaned into him and brushed his lips with mine. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me closer and as I kissed him his mouth opened. I licked his lips and darted my tongue into his mouth. His tongue found mine and we played tongue hockey.
After what seemed like hours of kissing him, I reached down and felt his hardness beneath his slacks. I rubbed and caressed it making him moan. I moved off of him so I could move down, but he grabbed my arm and stopped me.
"What is it?" I asked.
"Babe, I was kinda thinking of something earlier. I always dreamed of what my wedding and more importantly my wedding night would be like. I know its old fashioned, but I always thought that that would be the greatest night of my life. All that waiting and anticipating and then on the day that you are joined together you share yourselves physically."
"So you want to wait?"
"Would it be a bad thing?" he asked with puppy eyes.
"I love you Howie. I would love you even if we never had sex again. I can wait. And see to it that that night will be the greatest of your life." I said with a smile.
"No, OUR life." he returned the smile.
"Agreed, now shut up and kiss me."
He eagerly complied and we made out until we fell asleep. We awoke the next morning still clothed in each others arms. We started the day slow. It was funny even after our argument, things hadn't changed. We had our groove and found it as if nothing ever happened. The next couple of weeks flew by. The guys were over often when they were here. Then came the day when they allhad to leave for the final time. It was mid September and they had shows to do, a new album to record. And I had my role to play on the series. And another movie to start making. During my down times I was to be on the tour with Howie. And whenever he had a break he was going to be with me. It wasn't a tearful goodbye. Because it wasn't goodbye.
Jeff had offered to let me stay with him while I recording the episodes. And life with Jeff was interesting. His children were great and I loved being an older bro/uncle to them. By the end of the month my appearances were done. My character had come out and the audience response was stupendous. My fan base tripled. Not only was I still the sexiest, but somehow being untouchable made me wanted even more. After countless discussion with Jeff and Howie I was still unsure about coming out publicly. But my decision was being made for me.
I had left Monterey to start filming the movie. Which by chance was being filmed in Nogales, AZ. Only three hours away from my mom's house in Tucson. I moved back home and went to work everyday and spent the rest of the time with my family. Family life was intersting. My brother had married Beth. And the twins were doing great. And the surprise of all surprises, Beth was pregnant again. They were expecting in June of '99! My sister was a senior and having a ball. She had made the cheerleading squad. She was secretary of her class. And without my help, one of the most popular girls in her class. No one knew me as a star at this school. She was out of her brothers shadows and doing fine on her own.
Howie and me had become so close even though we were always apart. Our moms had the wedding all planned out and all we had to do was give them a date. Howie's family had flown in this last time with him and we were all in my mom's living room discussing. I was on the love seat with Howie's head in my lap. My mom was in the armchair with a pile of notes and Paula was on the couch with her notes. Hoke was on the floor playing with the twins and Scott and Beth were looking through books of wedding cakes.
"I always wanted to get married on Christmas or New Years." I told everybody.
"What about you Howie'? Whats your ideal date?" my mom asked with a smile.
"Whatever my baby wants." he smiled back and kissed me.
Everyone aahed.
"Well lets go for New Year's Eve. Is that good with everybody?" Paula asked.
She was met with agreement.
"Now lets move on to flowers, tuxedos and guests." my mom said.
"Okay, guests will be easy. I want my family and close friends. Thats it on my part." I said.
"Same here." Howie said.
"okay well that still makes a big crowd. Do we know WHERE we are having this done?" Paula asked.
"We did our research and we are gonna do it in Hawaii" Howie answered. "We will have the ceremony there. We will have our parents, siblings and five close friends each."
"what about everyone else? You know they will all want to be a part of this!" Paula said.
"Well why don't we fly back here for a reception," my mom suggested.
"Yeah! That way we can have everyone here." I said.
"Okay now tuxedos and flowers?" mom asked.
"We'll take care of the tuxedos. Flowers. Hmmm, what do you think babe?" I asked.
"How about tulip and orchids?"
"I love it!" our moms both exclaimed an we all laughed. The twins liked the sound of it so they joined in too.
We laid down most of the plans and left it to our moms. The weekend flew by and I was back at work.
We were on the set. I was working with Elijah Wood and Jennifer again. The plot was three friends on a road trip and breaking down in a ghost town. After a day of events unfolding before them, they find out why its a ghost town and by the end are part of it. We were laying down this difficult scene. It had the three of us inside the saloon and the building falling apart. The building actually was rigged to fall apart in pieces. We were almost through the scene when a BIG chunk of the floor fell in underneath Elijah. He fell through and disappered. We all freaked and me and Jennifer leaped in after him. Luckily it was only a four foot drop and he had avoided the floor. We pulled him through and were met by a hearty applause and the doctor. WHile the doc looked over Elijah the director raved to us how he had kept the camera rolling and how it would fit in beautifully with the movie.
I was disgusted but held in my opinion. I looked to Jennifer and saw that she shared it though. We finished and I hopped in my car and went home. I arrived at the house and found no one there. Cherishing this little break I stripped down to my shorts and went out to the pool. It was mid October and the weather was a little chilly at night, but at the moment the sun on my skin felt great. I laid out and just relaxed. Which is why I didn't hear the door. I was so zoned I didn't notice someone was outside with me until she cleared her throat. I looked up and saw a heavy set blonde girl approaching me. I jumped up almost knocking the chair over.
"What are YOU doing here?"
"I need you Craig."
She had tears in her eyes and I looked at her more carefully. Then it hit me. This was Rachel. The girl who had been my best friend through high school. The one who had come to California with me. The girl I had married.
"What is it Rachel?"
"You always told me that we would be friends and that if I needed your help you would help me right?"
Damn being a good person.
"Well I need you help Craig. I......I'm pregnant."
And the world stopped spinning and Craig hit the ground.