You'll Never Stand Alone

Chapter 7

One evening from a couple of months ago, Kevin decided to attend one of Whitney's concerts from her I'm Your Baby Tonight tour. After an amazing concert, he got permission from her camp to visit her backstage, a bouquet of flowers in tow. When Whitney saw him, she gasped in shock and shyly gave him a hug. "Kevin, what are you doing here?! Were you at my concert this whole time?" Kevin nodded. "Yep. And this concert along with your recent rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner" it just confirmed what I have been thinking about over the last two years." He told her as he gave her violet daisies, which happened to be her favorite. "Thanks!" How did he know these were my favorite? She thought. Not even Bobby has gotten it right. "Listen, if you are not gonna do this movie with me, then I'm not gonna even do it. You are the perfect person to play this part." Cutting to the chase, he stood staring at her and Whitney knew that there was no way to escape this time. The manner that he looked at her was cute to her as he raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms at her. It was an opportunity that she knew she had to take a chance on. She nodded. "Ok Kev, I'm gonna do this movie. I think I can." She told him. "But promise me, PROMISE me that you will help me with EVERYTHING in regards to making a film." "Cross my heart. You have my word." Kevin told her.

Kevin quickly replayed the entire recruiting process in his mind as he entered Whitney's audition trailer and looked down at the nervous beauty. "Hey. How are you feeling?" he dared to ask. Whitney looked up at him, her milk chocolate brown eyes gave way to an uncertainty about the unknown. "I don't know Kevin." She said for the seemingly thousandth time as she stood up. "I'm a little scared. I mean, do I even look right for this part? Did the hair and makeup crew do a good job to make me look right for someone named Rachel? I don't even look right I bet." Kevin swallowed, trying to figure out the words to calm her down. He couldn't believe what he was hearing, as she was stunning in a cool green summer dress and pointy black pumps. Her hair had been whipped into a sassy chin length curly bob, which accentuated her delicate facial features, such as her narrow eyes and pouty lips. Kevin put his hands on her shoulder. "Whitney sit down." He commanded. She did as she was told and he pulled up a chair next to her. "Look at me." Whitney turned and meekly gazed at him as he took her hand. "You look beautiful. I truly mean that. You do. And I'm gonna be there for you every step of the way. Everybody wants you to succeed, okay? Whiney nodded like a child, feeling more at ease than she had felt all day by hearing Kevin's soothing words. "Everything is going to be okay. Just do you thing and it will all come out natural. I promise you that." Feeling a bit bold over their vulnerable moment, he ran his hand over the side of her face. "Trust me about this. Do you trust me?" Whitney gazed back into his deep, light blue eyes. "I trust you." She muttered, as if in a trance. Something about him made her feel so warm, so safe, and so wanted. Usually, she tried to not show many her shy, unsure side. But it didn't feel weird with Kevin.

A sudden knock form one of the Assistant Directors snapped them out of their world. And immediately, they both felt slightly guilty because they both knew they had shared a moment of vulnerability and both had significant others: Kevin, a wife. And Whitney, a fiancé Bobby....who's baby mama drama was adding on to the stress that she was feeling that day. But she knew she had to put that aside more than anything in that moment. "Twenty minutes until auditions Ms. Houston!" the guy called out.

Whitney turned away. "Okay, thanks!" she called out as Kevin stood up. "Hey, do you mind if I have a few minutes and I'll meet you on set?" "No worries." Kevin said as he quickly left. Whitney folded her hands together and closed her eyes. "Father, if I ever needed you more, I need you right now. Just guide me to do things right. And Lord, please just let them like me." She prayed as she always did and sat for a few minutes to meditate.

"Alright I'm up!!!" Whitney recited with as much realness as possible. "Hello. Well, you don't look like a bodyguard." "What did you expect?" Kevin read out loud. "I don't know, maybe a tough guy." Whitney went on. Kevin looked up at her and immediately held his hand up. "Hold on a sec guys, we'll be right back." He told Lawrence Kadsen the writer, Mick Jackson the director and the rest of the crew. He grabbed Whitney's hand and gently led her back to her room. "Kevin, what happened? What did I do wrong?" Whitney could only ask. "Nothing...really. What were you doing during those 20 minutes before you came here on set?" Whitney gave him a surprised look. "Nothin'......" she slowly and slyly stated. Kevin turned her around in the mirror and she gasped in horror as she saw that all of her makeup was streaming down her face. "Oh my God!" Whitney yelled in embarrassment. "I- I just....needed....had to put on some more makeup. I didn't think that the makeup they used on me was good enough. So I took it off and put on the makeup that I use when I do music videos. Do you think they saw this??" Kevin shook his head. "I don't think so, especially because the lights were turned off." "I didn't know that this makeup was that much thicker and that it would melt in the lights. I'm so embarrassed. I just wanted to look my very best. Are you sure they didn't see me? I" she asked as she grabbed cotton balls and her makeup remover. She couldn't even stand to look at Kevin and never felt as small and ashamed as she did at that moment. Kevin could feel her emotions and felt bad for her feeling bad. He knew that he was taking a huge risk in bringing on someone who has never done a big film before, but he never wanted Whitney to feel bad about a simple mishap. He knew all about the unexplainable burden that came with fame. "Listen," he said, grabbing her by the arms. "It's okay. I don't think anyone saw you, and if so, who cares. Remember what I told you earlier. I'm here by your side, every step of the way. You gotta just trust me. Can you do that?" Once again Whitney nodded, feeling back at ease instantly. She didn't know what it was about this man, but he had the unique power to make her feel comfortable at the drop of a hat. And she appreciated it, although it frightened her a bit because no one, not even Bobby could make her feel that way.

About 30 minutes later, Whitney and Kevin reemerged back on set. Whitney with a redone face, with the correct type of makeup (not that she really needed it in the first place) and Kevin in bodyguard mode went into the scene again. "So can we get you a drink?" Whitney said, channeling how she felt Rachel Marron should say it. "An orange juice" Kevin said, getting into his Frank Farmer persona. Whitney leaned into him and slightly smirked. "Straight?" she asked in a slightly sinister way. Kevin sat back and sighed. "Yeah."

"Ms. Marron." "Rachel," Whitney interrupted getting more at ease with her character by the end of the scene. "There's been a mistake, a misunderstanding. If you show me the quickest way out, it'll save us each alotta trouble. Nice meeting you." Kevin walked passed her and as if he were leaving her house as it would be set up in the movie. Whitney gave a humbled gaze as she looked after him. She knew that Rachel was not used to rejection so she tried to pour it into the scene. Once they finished, the crew all gave them a standing ovation. "This is gonna be a great intro scene for the two characters!" the director said. "I love it. Great job, guys. I think I can speak for everyone in saying that Whitney we loved it and we would like to extend our offer to you for the role of Rachel." Whitney breathed a sigh of relief and clasped her hands together. "I do thank you for your time and I accept the role." She said without thinking, glad that she had watched the numerous Lauren Becall movies and how studying her craft had paid off. After everyone went over initial details and left, Kevin gave her a huge hug. "I told you they were gonna love you." Whitney could not stop smiling. "You did and I thank you for....everything today. It looks like we've got work to do." "We sure do." Kevin said, returning her smile. "We sure do."