Part 420
The normal sounds of backstage began to fade, or rather began to be drowned out by the noise of the crowd and the music. Sarah settled in for the two hours alone with Garrett. Listening to the music, she could tell exactly what was going on and all she had to do was close her eyes, and she could see it perfectly.
"So, Garrett, what are we gonna do tonight? Your mommy is out there watching your dad tease all the girls so it’s just you and me."
Garrett looked at her with those blue eyes and Sarah laughed.
"You really are your Daddy’s boy, right down to those beautiful blue eyes. You’re just full of that ‘Carter Charm’. Hey, you can keep this just between you and me, but there are times that your daddy pours on that ‘Carter Charm’ and I find myself grateful that I’m married. I think I could very easily get swept away."
Garrett seemed to laugh.
It’s a good thing you can’t talk, thought Sarah. I’d never hear the end of it.
"You know, GT, your mom is so excited to have Lynne here. Why don’t I get you cleaned up and ready for bed? That way, after the show when we go to the hotel, the two of them can spend some time together. Personally, I just wanna snuggle with your Uncle Howie. I don’t think I can handle a girls’ night after what Uncle Kevin said tonight."
Garrett gurgled happily.
"Come on, kiddo. Let’s go find your stuff," said Sarah as she shifted him in her arms and headed to Nick’s dressing room.
She searched in every possible place for Garrett’s bath things but to no avail. She did find his sleeper and got a clean diaper.
"Welp, little guy. I can’t find your mommy’s things to bath you with but I know where I can find what I need."
Stepping out into the hall again, she looked up at Raoul who was waiting for her. "I need you to go out to the bus and look in the bathroom cabinet."
"What am I looking for?"
"There’s a bucket of baby stuff…soap, powder, so forth. Bring it to me."
"What are you gonna do?"
"Give Garrett a bath. I’m gonna need you to watch him while I get a shower."
"I don’t know about THAT."
"Chicken-shit."
"Uh huh!"
Sarah laughed, "I’ll get him to sleep first. Okay?"
"Fine. I’ll be back in a minute."
Sarah headed back to Howie’s dressing room where she went into the bathroom and turned on the heater. "Don’t want you to get cold, ‘Little Guy’," she said as she closed the door to allow the bathroom to get warm. "I REALLY don’t need you peeing on me."
Raoul returned quickly with what Sarah wanted and she went into the bathroom again. Pulling out several thick towels, she made a mat for Garrett on the counter and lay him down to undress him. Then, in the sink, she gave him a bath, dried him off, and slipped him into the cute little sleeper that had ‘Pop Star’ written on it. Smoothing his downy soft blonde hair out, she carried him back into the outer room where Raoul waited.
"I found you this rocking chair," said the big man.
"Thanks," and Sarah settled into the chair where she began to rock. She sang softly to the infant and in just a matter of minutes, she had him snoring softly.
Raoul whispered admiringly, "You’re pretty good at that."
"I’d better be or Howie will NEVER get any peace," she whispered as she placed Garrett back in his seat. She covered him with his blanket and then said, "I’m gonna go get my shower. I won’t be long."
"No problem. As long as the ‘Crown Prince’ continues to sleep, we’ll be JUST fine."
Sarah laughed and left Raoul staring at Garrett.
Fifteen minutes later, Sarah returned. Hair wet, dressed in a pair of Howie’s sweats and one of Kevin’s old Kentucky sweatshirts, she was ready to get some rest.
"You look better," said Raoul.
"I feel better. I’m gonna sack out until the show is over. I need you to find us a room for tonight."
"I’m on it. Need me to come back in here?"
"Nah…I’ll be fine."
"I’ll be outside if you need me."
"K." As the door shut behind him, Sarah looked down at the sleeping baby. "C’mere you little brat. You sit in that thing way too much and I love the smell of freshly bathed babies," she said as she picked Garrett up. He stiffened in opposition to being moved but once Sarah had him settled on her chest, he sighed contentedly and went back to snoring peacefully, his tiny thumb stuck in his mouth. There the two fell asleep and it was where Howie and Becca found them after the show.