Part 529
Hand in hand, Nick and Becca walked slowly down the concrete hallway, each lost in their own thoughts. Suddenly realizing they’d inadvertently walked right past the room, they stopped and sighed in unison. Turning back to retrace their steps, they ran into Fiona.
"Hey," she whispered. "Umm, look, would you like me to take Garrett for a while? You know, so you two can talk?"
Becca smiled and reached for her hand. "That’s very sweet of you, Fi, but-"
"I think we’d just like to kinda be together for a while," Nick interjected. "A little family bonding, you know?"
"Of course I understand. I just thought … well, if you need me I’ll be in the dancer’s dressing room."
"Thanks Fi, maybe later, ok?" Becca squeezed her hand and smiled as Fiona walked away, leaving them completely alone. "Who’d’ve thought she’d turn out to be such a good friend?"
"Just goes to show that you can’t always know who to trust, Bec."
"Nick?" Becca looked up into her husband’s guarded face, wishing she knew just what to say.
"Come on, let’s go talk." Nick rested his hand against her lower back and guided her into the dressing room. "Want me to take him?" he asked, reaching for the baby as the door closed.
"Nick, stop stalling. What happened?"
"Everything went down pretty much as we had planned it, Bec."
"Meaning what, exactly?"
"Lou is barred from using anything about Sarah and her relationship with the guys. You’re off limits, too."
"Nick, get to the point. What about the video?" Becca was frowning, and if the way she was mistreating the Kleenex in her hand was any indicator, she was very distraught.
"Bottom line?" Nick paused, knowing what he had to say was small comfort.
"Just tell me." Becca reached for him, needing to touch him, to feel connected in some small, reassuring way.
"There’s no proof that he actually has a video, Bec. The best we could do was to get a restraining order against him ever using it. IF it even exists."
"Then that means he could still use it!" Becca cried.
"He wouldn’t even try, Bec. He may be a Class-A s.o.b., but he’s not stupid enough to jeopardize his career and business interests. I think he just got off on making the threat."
"Nick, what’s to stop him from letting it leak out? Or paying off someone else to take the fall?"
"Baby, you gotta stop. We’ve done all we can do, and you can’t live the next thirty years looking over your shoulder and waiting for the other shoe to drop." Nick held her close, rubbing her back and trying his best to stop her from trembling.
"I just-" Becca hugged him back, burying her face in his broad chest.
"Just ‘what’, Bec?"
"I just want all this insanity to be over, Nick. I want to go home and sleep in my own bed. I want to walk outside in my back yard and feel the sun on my face." She stopped and looked up into his eyes. "I want to make love with my husband again, and I want to be able to do it in any room we choose and not worry that Sarah’s going to overhear us or that Billy’s going to walk in on us-"
"Bec-" Nick tried his best to interrupt her, but there was no way to burst her bubble gracefully.
"I’m tired Nick, and I just can’t wait to be home with you. OUR home."
"Bec-" he began again, and then sighed deeply, resting his chin on her head. "I want that too, baby, more than you know."
Becca sighed as well, and it wasn’t a happy contented sigh. She knew Nick too well to misunderstand the telltale signs of impending bad news. "Just tell me, Nick."
"We’re not going home right away, Becca. When the tour ends, we still have the shows in New York to do."
"The benefits, I know, but-"
"Baby, there’s more than those. There’s TRL and Sesame Street and Aaron’s video and the awards show in Toronto-"
"Nick, stop! You’re making my brain hurt." Becca buried her nose even deeper in his chest and blinked back the disappointed tears that filled her eyes. Dammit, just for once you’d think they could get a break.
When Nick finally found his voice, it held all of Becca’s disappointment and more. "I’m sorry, Bec, I’m really sorry. I know how much you were counting on going back home and I know you were already making plans."
Becca tried to deny it. "Not really Nick," she said, but it was far from the truth. She had mentally planned out their ‘first night’ back together down to the intimate details that would make even Sarah blush. "It can’t be helped and it certainly isn’t your fault." She could tell that Nick was feeling incredibly guilty over all of this and it really wasn’t worth the agony. There were so many other things that would be more important in the long run, and this wasn’t one of them. Really. She sighed again and tried to paste a smile on her face before looking back up into his eyes. "Wherever we are it will be special, Nick. Just as long as we’re together."
Nick smiled back, but he didn’t believe a word of the line of crap she was handing him. She was disappointed as hell, and somehow he was going to make it up to her. So, he pasted a matching fake smile on his face and let the subject drop. For the time being.
"Let’s go sing."
"What?" Becca leaned back and narrowed her eyes. "Where did THAT come from?"
Nick shrugged his shoulders. "I thought maybe we’d go run through our song one last time before tonight. I mean, if you still wanta sing with me."
"Nick, of course I still want to sing with you. Why wouldn’t I?"
"I dunno," he said shrugging again. "With everything that’s happened I thought maybe …"
"Nick, I’m upset. I hate what Lou tried to do to us, and I hate everything else he’s done to all of you over the years. I want to go home. I want … I want a lot of things, but most of all I want to sing tonight."
"You’re sure?"
"Yes," she laughed, "Now will you stop with the insecurity stuff? That’s MY game, not yours." Playfully she swatted him on the arm as he ducked his head to kiss her. Her eyes fluttered closed as he softly moved his mouth over hers, their breath mingling sweetly as their bodies molded one to the other.
They kissed softly, ignoring the sounds of the arena coming to life outside their temporary haven. The room was silent, save for Garrett’s soft infant gurgles, until Becca parted her lips slightly, just enough to trace Nick’s lips with her tongue. He groaned and shuddered, his hips instinctively pressing forward in search of relief as he held her even tighter. "Fuck," he muttered, breaking away breathlessly. "Or not …." he added as his wife smirked at him with a raised eyebrow.
"See?"
"Don’t. Yes, I know I had my chance and turned it down. And if I know you, you’re going to make me pay for it for the next two weeks. Right?" he asked. "Am I right?"
"Aww, Nicky, would I be cruel like that?" she asked, pouting with her eyes open wide.
Nick picked up Garrett’s carrier, adjusted himself and strode to the door. "In a fucking New York minute," he mumbled. "Let’s go sing before I have my way with you up against the damn door."
As he strode down the hall without her Becca called out, "Umm, Nick? Wait … about that door … can we talk? Nick?!"