“I need to be going so please call me.” She went back to her room and cried herself to sleep. The next morning she woke up to a knock on her door. She tiredly got up and answered it. She was shocked to see Joey standing there. She threw herself into his arms and hugged him. “What are you doing here? I thought you weren’t coming in till tonight.”
“Well if I could breath I would tell you.”
She sheepishly pulled away and let him in. “Sorry. I just got a little excited.”
“It’s ok. We took an earlier flight. We didn’t want you to be in the Big Apple all alone for too long. So did you have a good visit with Nick.”
Her eyes clouded over and she sat down. “Yeah. It was good.”
Joey looked around the room. He saw the messy bed, clothes just dropped on the floor. She was usually such a clean person. Then he looked at her. She had bags under her eyes and was pale. “Coz, is there anything wrong? You don’t look too good.”
“Sorry, Joe. I just woke up. I’m not normally a beauty queen in the morning.” She smiled at him hoping he would leave it at that.
“Ok. Sorry. I’m going to head down to the lounge. Get ready, then come down and eat with us.”
“Ok. I’ll be down in a little bit.” Joey left and headed down to the lounge. He sat down with the others. He sat there staring at his plate.
“What’s wrong, Joe? Is Carly coming down?” BJ asked.
“Yeah she’s coming, but something isn’t right with her. She looked horrible and her room is a mess. We all know what a clean fanatic she is.”
“You woke her up right?” Joey nodded. “Well of course she didn’t look like normal,” BJ said.
“She said that too.”
“And she’s spent the last 2 days running around with Nick so no wonder her room is messy.”
Joey thought about that. “I guess you’re right.”
“Right about what?” Carly asked. She had just walked up.
“I’m always right about everything. These guys are finally starting to learn that.”
Carly laughed. “I see you’ve gotten used to being around this bunch.”
“Yup. So how is my big lug of a brother? I haven’t talked to him in a while.”
Carly looked down at her plate. “I wouldn’t know. Nick and I are no longer together.” The whole table sat in silence.
“What happened, Carly?” Joey asked.
“ I don’t want to talk about it. I just want to forget it. What does your day look like?”
“We’re free until 4:00. Then we have the sound check and concert,” Lance said.
“What are the plans?” Carly asked.
“Something quiet and relaxing,” Justin said putting his arm around BJ.
“A movie sounds good. We haven’t seen one in a while,” Chris said.
“That sounds good,” JC said. Everyone else agreed. They headed up to their floor. They all went to JC and Lance’s room. They sat down and started watching She’s All That. Half-way through the movie Carly’s cell phone rang. She excused herself to Justin and BJ’s room so she wouldn’t interrupt anyone else.
“Hello?”
“Is this Carly Fatone?”
“Yes it is.”
“This is Dr. Galles. I have the results of your test.”
Carly sat down on the bed. “Yes?”
“Congratulations, Miss Fatone. You’re 6 weeks pregnant.”
“Oh my God!”
“I’m going to ask you to call back in the next few days to make another appointment.”
“Ok. I will.” She hung up the phone and laid down on the bed. Her exhaustion finally caught up with her, and she drifted into a restless sleep.
JC noticed Carly had been gone for a long time so he went to check on her. He found her asleep on the bed her phone laying beside her. He covered her with a blanket and went back to the other room. Everyone looked at him. “She’s sleeping.”
“I wonder what happened,” Lance asked.
“I’m going to call Nick,” BJ said. She got up and went to her and Justin’s room. She picked up the phone and dialed Nick’s number. Brian answered. “Brian? Is that you?”
“Yeah.”
“Why are you answering Nick’s phone?”
“He’s sleeping. So how are you, BJ?”
“I’m very happy.”
“I can her it in your voice.”
“Thanks. So do you have any idea what happened between Carly and Nick?”
“No. He wouldn’t talk to us.” He told her what he had seen.
“She actually said that?”
“Yup. He I gotta go. We’re being called.”
“Is Nick awake?”
Brian looked at Nick. “Yeah.”
“Can I talk to him?”
Brian tired to give Nick the phone, but he said no. “Sorry, B. There’s no time. I’ll have him call you.”
“Ok. Bye.” Carly hung up the phone and went back out with the guys.
“What did he say?” Justin asked.
“I didn’t talk to him. He was asleep so I talked to Brian.” She told them the story Brian told her.
“I wonder what happened. They were really close before we left,” Joey said.
“I think we all wonder what happened so we can help them,” BJ said. Everyone was silent and they heard crying. They all got up and ran into the room where Carly was. JC sat on one side of her and BJ on the other. The others stood at the foot of the bed.
“Carly, tell us what’s wrong. Maybe we can help.”
“I’m pregnant.” Everyone was shocked. JC finally came around and hugged her. She clung to him and cried into his shoulder. BJ got up off the bed and walked over to the window.
Justin walked up to BJ. “Are you ok?” BJ just nodded her head.
“I don’t know what to say,” Joey said taking BJ’s spot on the bed.
Carly pulled away from JC. “There isn’t anything to say. In 7 and a half months I’m going to have a baby.”
“You know we’ll be here for you every step of the way,” Lance said.
“Thanks. That means a lot to me.”
“I have to get out of here,” BJ said leaving. Justin tried to go after her, but Chris stopped him.
“Let her go. She just needs time.” BJ ran to her room and called Nick. Again Brian answered. “Brian, let me talk to Nick.” Brian started to say something. “Don’t! I don’t care where you are or what you’re doing. Let me talk to him.”
Brian handed the phone to Nick. “What, BJ? We’re kinda busy.”
“Not too busy to have Brian answer your phone. You’re hoping Carly will call aren’t you? Well you can stop hoping. She won’t. How could you, Nick? How could you leave her just because she’s pregnant? That is your baby. It takes two. She didn’t do this on her own. She needs you.”
Nick knew that Carly hadn’t told her what he said. “BJ, I’m not going to talk to you about this. It’s none of your business.”
“That’s my niece or nephew, you’re my brother, and she’s my friend. It is my business.”
“I have to go. Good bye.” She was left listening to the dial tone.
“He hung up on me,” she said to herself. She threw the phone across the room and it shattered again the wall. A few seconds later Justin ran into the room. He took her into his arms and hugged her. “He’s suck a jerk. How could he do this? How can he just leave her and his child like that?”
“I don’t know, babe. I really don’t know.”
6 MONTHS LATER…
NSYNC, BJ, and Carly were back in Orlando after the tour. BJ was staying with Carly and Joey. BJ had agreed not to tell anyone about the baby. Everyone knew Carly and Nick weren’t together. Carly was doing well. She is now 7 and a half months pregnant. JC was being great. He had agreed to be her coach and be in the room when the baby is born. That morning Carly waddled down the stairs.
“Carly, I wish you would move into the room downstairs. It pains me to see you walk up and down those stairs everyday,” Joey said. He was standing at the bottom of the stairs waiting for her.
“It’s good exercise,” she said a little out of breath.
“There are other ways to get exercise.”
“I know. I know. What’s for breakfast?”
“You know you eat as much as me now.”
“I know. Scary isn’t it?”
Joey laughed. “You have a doctors appointment today, right?”
“Yeah.”
“What time?”
“10:30.”
“Darn. We have to record today.”
“It’s ok. BJ is coming with me.”
“I know. I just wanted to go.”
“I’ll make the next one so you can go. Ok?”
“Ok. Thanks.”
“No prob Bob.” Joey hugged her the best he could. BJ walked in at that minute. “Morning, B.”
“Morning, Carly, Joe. How are you doing this morning.”
“I’m just great. Thanks for asking,” Joey said.
“Actually I was talking to the pregnant one.”
“I feel so loved,” Joey said pouting.
“You know we love you,” Carly said. “I’m feeling really good, B.”
“Well you better hurry up and eat or we’ll be late.”
“Let’s go. I don’t need anymore. I get any bigger I’ll explode.”
“Carly, you’re pregnant. Of course you’re going to be big,” Joey said. He had a shocked expression on his face.
Carly ruffled his hair as she walked by him. “I was kidding, Superman. I’ll see ya later.” Carly and BJ got in the car and headed to the doctors. Both the baby and Carly were doing great. Carly and BJ were heading over to the studio to have lunch with the guys when Carly asked about Nick. “BJ, are Nick and the guys back in town?”
BJ looked at Carly. “Yeah. They got back about a week ago.”
“That’s what I thought I heard.”
“I talked to Brian the other day. He asked about you.”
“What did you tell him?”
“Don’t worry. I didn’t say anything about you being pregnant. I just said you’re doing ok considering the circumstances.”
“I miss him so much. I still love him with all my heart. I guess I always will.”
“I know, Carly. I know.”
“B, I’ve been thinking and I think it’s time to tell your mom. I doubt Nick will say anything to her. She deserves to know she’s going to be a grandma.”
“Calry, you have no idea how much this means to me and to her.” “I know. I think we should do it today, but I have to ask you to call and see if Nick is there. I don’t think I can handle seeing him.”
“I will.” They rode the rest of the way in silence. As Carly was getting out of the car, the baby started kicking. Carly stopped and sat there waiting for it to stop. BJ came running over to her side of the car. “Are you ok? What’s wrong?”
“I’m fine. He or she is just doing a little dance.” BJ helped Carly out of the car and they walked into the building. The guys were already eating. “Thanks for waiting guys. I can see how much you care.”
JC stood up to let her sit in her seat. “You know we love you.”
“Thanks. Ohhh.”
“What’s wrong?” JC asked concerned.
“I’m ok. The baby seems to be dancing up a storm today.” They all laughed. BJ walked over to Justin and sat down on his lap. “B, would you mind making that phone call for me.”
“No. I’ll be right back.”
“What phone call? What are you two up to?” Chris asked.
Carly looked at them seriously. “I’ve decided it’s time to tell Jane and Robert that they’re going to be grandparents. BJ is calling to make sure Nick isn’t going to be there. I don’t think I could handle seeing him.”
“Carly, are you sure?” JC asked.
“They deserve to know. They should have been told 6 months ago, but it seems as if someone is denying this ever happened.” BJ walked back into the room.
“He’s gone and will be gone all day.”
“Good.” They ate in silence. “Well we should probably be going.”
“Ok,” BJ said. “I’ll see ya later babe.” She quickly kissed Justin.
“Sing good for me,” Calry said to the guys.
“Will do. See ya later,” JC said hugging her.
Carly and BJ let. The ride to Ruskin was a quiet one. They mostly listened to the radio. When they pulled up to the big white house, Carly started to get nervous. BJ helped her out of the car and led her into the house. “Mom, I’m home.”
“I’m in the kitchen, honey. Come in,” BJ led her to the kitchen where Jane was doing dishes.
“Mom, look who I brought.” Jane turned around. She was shocked to see a pregnant Carly standing there. “She has something she wants to tell you.”
“Hello, Jane. As you can see I’m pregnant. I thought it was time to tell you that this baby inside of me is your grandchild.”
Jane just stood there and started at Carly’s stomach for a few minutes. “So this is why you tow broke up?” Carly nodded her head. “How far along are you?”
“7 and a half months. I know I should have told you sooner. I just didn’t know what to say.”
Jane hugged her. “It’s ok, Carly. I understand the awkward position you were in.”
“Thank you for understanding.”
Jane pulled back. “What am I thinking? Sit down and rest.” They all sat down around the table. “So do you know if it’s a boy or girl?”
“No. I decided not to be told.” Carly smiled at BJ. “BJ and my coach know, but no one else does.”
“I’ll tell ya later, Mom.” The three talked all afternoon getting back in touch. At 5:00 Robert came home. He walked into the kitchen and looked at the three women.
“Honey, Carly came by with some wonderful news. We’re going to be grandparents in a month and a half.” His face went from confusion to complete joy. He hugged all three of the women. Then they sat down and started filling him in on what was going on.
After a while, they heard the door open and close. “Mom, I’m home.” Carly froze when she heard his voice. Jane saw her face and went to see what he needed.
“Calry, I think we should probably be going.” Carly just nodded her head. “I’ll call later, Dad. Bye.”
“Ok. Bye. Carly take care of yourself and my grandchild.” Carly smiled.
“I will. Bye.” They headed for the door, which meant they would have to walk through the living room where Nick and Jane were.
“I thought you were going to stay at Brian’s tonight, Nick.”
“They canceled rehearsals for tomorrow so I thought I’d come home and spend some time with my family. What’s the big…” He stopped when he saw Carly walk into the room. Their eyes locked.
“Mom, we’ve got to be going. I’ll call ya tomorrow,” BJ said.
“Come on, Carly. The guys are waiting for us.” Carly snapped out of her daze, and Nick winced when BJ talked about the guys. Carly followed BJ out of the house and to the car. Carly didn’t say anything on the way home. She just stared out the window.
As they pulled into the driveway, Carly asked. “Why didn’t you say anything to Nick?”
“Well I haven’t talked to him since the day you told us you were pregnant and Nick told me it was none of my business. Plus I don’t think he would have heard me.”
“Why?”
“Because he attention was on one thing, or should I say person.” Carly didn’t respond. She just got out of the car and walked into the house. All the guys were in the living room watching TV. She walked past them not saying anything. JC started to get up and go after her, but BJ walked in and said, “Don’t. She just needs to be alone right now.”
“So things didn’t go well?” Joey asked.
“Actually things went very well. Mom and Dad are happy and they understand why she didn’t tell them before. What did happen was Nick came home. He was supposed to be gone all night, but made a surprise appearance. She’s not taking seeing him again too well.”
“BJ, I’m sorry, but how can he be such an asshole? He helped make the mistake, he needs to take responsibility. Carly has. She’s bearing it all and it’s not fair,” Joey said.
“I totally agree with you. That’s why I haven’t talked to him since I found out.”
“You haven’t. You didn’t even talk to him today?” Justin asked.
“No. I didn’t.”
“Don’t you miss him?” Lance asked.
“Yeah I do, but I also care for Carly and that baby and right now that outweighs Nick.”
“Babe, that’s a tough decision. Know that I’m here for you,” Justin said.
“I know.” She hugged him.
To Be Continued...