Page 40 of As I Am
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Ky was shocked at the size of the crowd crammed into the small room. They were all lined up, waiting for their chance to meet, and get a picture and autograph with Carson. As they entered the room through the back door, there were screams and cheers.
Carson went from relaxed and carefree to tense and serious. It was like as soon as he faced the fans something inside him changed. He became someone else. It wasn't drastic, and only someone who knew Carson well would see it. Ky saw it, and wished it didn't have to be that way.
"Everybody, welcome to the post-concert meet and greet. Carson is excited to meet each one of you. Please only one picture and one autograph per person. We have a lot of people here and want to make sure we see everyone," Calvin called out.
Ky stayed by Carson's side as they were escorted to a table. Ky stepped aside as Carson sat down in the single chair, security taking their place on either side of him. Ky stood back against the wall beside Calvin.
As the first fans stepped up to talk to Carson, Ky looked over the crowd, smiling when he saw Nathan and his mother toward the back of the line. "I'll be right back," Ky whispered to Calvin.
Calvin nodded, his attention more on Carson than anything else.
Ky slipped around the far side of the room until he got to where Nathan was excitedly trying to see Carson through the maze of people. He bent down and tapped the boy on his arm. "Want to get on my shoulders so you can see?"
"Oh, Ky, yes please." Nathan looked over at his mom.
"You're sure you can lift him?" His mom looked worried.
"Yeah, I'm sure." Ky bent down on his knees. "Climb on up."
Nathan didn't waste a minute. He quickly climbed up on Ky's shoulders, wrapping his hands around his neck. Ky stood, making sure that Nathan was able to have a clear shot clear across the room.
"Thank you for being so good to my son. This is something he'll remember for a long time." His mother smiled. "He's had a hard time since his father died. We had to move back in with my mom. Money's been so tight. Tonight was a dream come true for both of us. It's the first time I've seen Nathan really happy in a long time."
Ky gripped the boy's legs. "I'm glad I had the chance to do this for you. Honestly, I didn't do any of it. It was Carson. I just happened to pick you guys to give the tickets to. He's the one who gave them away in the first place." He thought about Bryan and all the simple things that made him happy. He understood how something so little could bring such joy.
"Tomorrow he will go back to school and have something amazing to tell his friends." She looked up at her son.
Ky looked around the room at all the fans, wondering if meeting Carson meant this much to each of them. To him, Carson was just a guy he'd met. He didn't understand the fame, music, and everything else that was Carson. When he was with Carson, everything about this part of his life was almost forgotten. They talked about other things, laughed, and forgot about Carson's fame.
Tonight had been an eye-opener for Ky. He'd seen why Carson needed to escape and have someone he could be himself with. The way the fans screamed for him, the way people tried to just touch him, it made Ky cringe. He couldn't understand how a singer could be so important. Yeah, he liked the music, but Carson wasn't some super hero. He was a performer, he sang well, but that didn't mean that people should trip over each other just to see or talk to him.
He admired Carson for being able to do this night after night. Ky wasn't sure he could.
"Are you going to stay with him through the whole tour?" Nathan's mom asked.
"For three weeks. I've got my own job to get back home to. I was lucky to be able to take the time away now to be with him." Ky again thought about his brother and had to force back a wave of guilt for leaving him. It was for the best, but it didn't make it any easier.
"You're so lucky to be able to see his concerts and be with him all the time." She stared across the room at Carson with dreamy eyes.
"He's just a normal guy like everyone else. He just sings great."
"And dances, and smiles, and looks…" She let out a long sigh.
Ky smiled. He had to agree with her on all that. Carson was a pretty fantastic guy, and Ky was lucky that he had the chance to know and spend time with him. He really hoped that they would stay friends when this was over. He wanted to hang out and maybe in time, let him know about his brother.
Telling Carson about Bryan was going to be hard. He didn't want to do it while they were on tour. He feared that Carson would feel guilty for splitting them up and send him back home. Not only did Ky not want to go home yet, he didn't want to lose out on the money that he was making by being with Carson for the three weeks. He had plans for that money, life changing plans that would make a better life for Bryan and him.
The line moved fast, and Ky watched one after the other as fans stood beside Carson for pictures and then had him sign something. Carson took time to ask everyone's name and say something nice to them.
When they got closer to the table, Carson noticed Ky standing in line with Nathan on his shoulders and smiled. Their gazes connected for a long moment, and Ky's pulse raced at the heated look that Carson gave him. He never dreamed he would have a man look at him the way Carson was. It was almost unnerving. Out of all the people Carson could have invited to spend the three weeks with him, he'd picked him. He probably would never understand why, but it was something he would forever remember and be thankful for.
"Well, hello there." Carson actually stood as Ky stepped up to the table. "Are you going to come down and get a picture with me?" He asked Nathan.
Nathan shook his head. "Can I stay here and get one with you and Ky both?"
Carson glanced at Ky with a questioning look.
