Part 358
"I wish you could stay longer," Jane sighed, jiggling Garrett on her arm.
"Me too," Becca said. She was frantically searching the house to make sure they'd managed to get everything in their suitcases. It was almost time to leave for the airport and Jesse was still dawdling over her breakfast. "Jesse, come on!" she called.
"Want me to get her?" Jane offered.
"No, I can manage, but thank you." Becca sighed. Having Jesse around for the past two days had been a real eye-opener. Her antics that Becca had once thought so cute were wearing thin, and at times had been downright embarrassing.
"Hey mom!" Nick came down the stairs two at a time, hugged his mother and kissed her loudly on the cheek. Looking at his son nestled comfortably in her arms, he stepped back and folded his arms. "You know," he said, "you're gonna have to give him back."
"No," Jane said with a pout. "Not until you're in the car and it's pulling away from the house."
"I don't THINK so," he laughed. "Bec, what's wrong?"
"Nothing," she mumbled. "I can't find my shoes and Jesse is still eating …"
Nick put his hands on her shoulders to stop her frenzied searching. "Your shoes are out on the deck, and I'll take care of Jesse."
"Oh. Thank you." She took a deep breath and set off to retrieve her shoes. As she slid open the patio doors, she heard Jesse squeal as Nick hauled her out of he kitchen, draped over his shoulder. She shook her head and laughed as she slipped on her sandals.
"Becca, I think I owe you an apology."
"Jane?" Becca looked over her shoulder as she pulled the strap up over her heel. "What for?"
"I'm afraid I wasn't very nice to Jesse while she was here."
Becca laughed. "Jane, please, Jesse wasn't very nice to you, either."
"But she's a child and I know better than to let a five year old bait me." Jane shook her head ruefully.
"Jane, I love Jesse dearly, but she does have a way of knowing just what buttons to push. Don't worry about it."
"Well, thank you, but I still feel badly. Sarah is going to have her hands full with that one, especially with twins on the way. How is she going to manage with Howie away so much?"
"How do you mean?"
"Well, Jesse will be in school and she'll have the twins to take care of … I imagine it will be almost like being a single parent at times."
"Wow. You know, I never even thought of that. But Sarah has never said anything about staying home. She's been home-schooling Jesse during the tour, and I can't see her stopping that any time soon."
Jane shook her head sadly. "That's so unfair."
"What is? You've lost me."
"It's just … I can see what she's doing to Jesse, Becca. I did it to Nick and to some extent, Aaron, too."
"Come here, sit down. We still have some time. Tell me what's on your mind."
"I let Nick leave school when he was only in Junior High, Becca. It was his dream to perform and I encouraged him to pursue that, but at what cost? He went overseas with a bunch of boys that were way older than him when he should have been in school socializing and being with boys and girls his own age. The education aspect is different. You can learn lessons anywhere: a library, a tutor, like Nick, or your mother, like Sarah and Jesse. But life lessons are important, too. I think back on all the things Nick missed and I know he feels that loss as well."
"He seems to be fine," Becca countered.
"Oh, he is, don't get me wrong, but there are some things that you can never get back once they're gone, Becca. Sports, dating, school clubs … Jesse is at a very fragile time in her life. Sarah needs to understand how important it is that Jesse spend time around other children, not just the Backstreet Boys and their roadies. You think she's spoiled now? Wait a few years."
"Damn, Jane, you're right." Becca sighed, imagining Jesse in five years and shuddering at the prospect. "I'll talk to Sarah as soon as we get back.
"Just don't tell her it was my idea," Jane laughed.
"Oh stop it," Becca giggled.
"No, really. Sarah and I don't get along, and that's fine. We're like oil and water, you know? We can be polite in a crowd but then we go our own ways." Jane shrugged it off, and Becca hugged her. "Anyway-"
"Bec, we have to go, sweetie. The driver's here and he says the traffic is a mess this morning." Nick was holding Jesse by one arm as Aaron held her by the other.
"Damn," Becca sighed. "Okay." Standing up straighter, she hugged Jane one last time.
"Thank you again for last night, that was so special, just to be able to get away and spend some time alone with Nick."
"You're very welcome. Now go on, you have another long day ahead of you. Just remember to take some time for yourselves once in a while. You both deserve it."
Nick let go of Jesse to hold onto his mother for a long moment. "Thanks mom."
"Any time, now get out of here before I cry." She laughed and handed Garrett to Becca, and reached out to hug Jesse as well.
"Come on, son, your bags are in the car." Bob stood in the doorway, keys in hand.
"You're our driver again?" Becca smiled.
"Cool!" said Jesse, bolting for the front door. "Bye Aaron!"
"Bye Jess!" he giggled, talking to her back. "I'll see you guys soon, right?"
"Yep, little bro, we have a video to film. Keep in touch with your artistic designer so you can work out the details." He grinned at Becca over Aaron's head as he hugged him.
"Later, dude."
"Bye, Nick. Bye, Bec. I'll be in touch."
"You know where to find us." Becca kissed his cheek, making him blush, and rushed out the door to join the others.
The twenty-minute drive to the airport took two hours. The worst accident in eight years managed to tie up traffic in both directions for miles, and by the time Nick, Becca, Garrett and Jesse got to their gate, their flight was long gone. Some fast shuffling resulted in being booked on another flight, and with any amount of luck, Nick just might make it to sound checks in Calgary. Maybe.