Kayleigh watched from the doorway with Elizabeth and Nicole as Nick and James loaded the last of their stuff into the U-Haul. In the last couple of days, they had completely packed up Kayleigh and Elizabeth’s stuff, preparing for the cross-country drive from California to Florida. Kayleigh was as nervous as ever. She didn’t know what everyone’s reaction would be to her re-surfacing in their lives three years later. How would her mother react? And she still hadn’t told Nick about the other thing yet. She didn’t know how to even bring it up. Nicole had lectured her repeatedly over the last couple of days, saying that he had a right to know. For his own sake and for Elizabeth’s sake. But Kayleigh still hadn’t found the right time.
“You ready?” Nick asked, approaching them. Kayleigh nodded, tearfully. She knew she was doing the right thing but it still hurt that she was going to leave the people that she had come to consider as family in the last few years. She watched as Nick and James shook hands and then as Nick pulled Nicole into a hug.
“Thank you so much for taking such good care of them for me,” Nick whispered into her ear.
“It was my pleasure,” Nicole said, biting back a sob. “Take care of her, okay?”
“I will,” Nick replied. “She’s my daughter and I love her.”
Nicole shook her head. “That’s not what I meant. Well, take care of Elizabeth too but I was talking about Kayleigh. She’s had a tough few years and she deserves nothing but the best.”
Nick nodded and pulled her into another hug. “I know that, Nicole. I really do love her. I always have.”
“Bye Jimmy!” Kayleigh said, wrapping her arms around his neck.
“Bye Kayles,” James responded. “If Nick ever hurts you, you know where to find me.”
“I know,” Kayleigh smiled. “But I don’t think that he will.”
“Alright Lizzie,” Nick said, picking her up. “Let’s go in the car.”
“Okay daddy!” Elizabeth shrieked as he put her on his shoulders. “Bye Aunt Nikki and Uncle James!”
“Bye sweetheart!” They both chorused.
Kayleigh turned to Nicole, tears burning her eyelids. “I guess this is it.” Nicole nodded, trying desperately to blink back her tears. She couldn’t believe she was losing her best friend. “I’m going to miss you so much, Nic.”
Nicole reached out and pulled Kayleigh into a hug. “Me too, Kay. Me too. But, hey, you’re finally going to be with Nick, right? I mean, this is what you’ve wanted for so long.”
“I know,” Kayleigh agreed, wiping her tears away. “I just wish that you could come, too. You’ve been so good to Elizabeth and I.”
“Well, we’ll see each other again,” Nicole told her. “I’ve never been to Florida. Maybe James and I could come visit next month or something.”
Kayleigh nodded. “Yeah. I’d like that.” They shared one last, long hug before Kayleigh broke away and got into the car with Nick. They all waved goodbye as Nick pulled out of the driveway until the house was no longer in sight.
“You okay?” Nick questioned, taking Kayleigh’s hand in his.
Kayleigh nodded and wiped away her tears. “Yeah. I’ll be fine.”
“Are we there yet?” Elizabeth spoke up from her car seat.
“No Elizabeth,” Nick laughed. “We have about three more days.”
***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****
“AJ get the phone!” Amanda called from her spot out by the pool.
“Yeah yeah yeah,” AJ mumbled, rolling off of the couch and walking into the kitchen to get the phone.
“Hello?”
“Bone? It’s Nick.”
“Carter?!” AJ exclaimed. “Where the hell have you been? I’ve been calling you for the last week.”
“I had some…uh…stuff to take care of. I’ll be home soon. But I need a favor from you. Do you have any plans later?”
AJ thought for a minute. “Not that I know of. Why?”
“Can you be at my house at six tonight?”
“Yeah. Why? What’s going on?”
“I just need you guys to be there. Will you call everyone else for me? The guys, my family, Carolyn, and Brooke?”
“Sure, Nicky. But what’s all of this about?”
“You’ll see when you get there, okay?”
“Alrighty. See you then.”
“Bye!”
***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****
“Hi Aj,” Jane greeted as AJ and Amanda walked into Nick’s house in Tampa.
“Hi Jane,” AJ replied. “How are you?”
“Good,” Jane answered. “Come on in. I think you guys are the last ones to arrive.” AJ and Amanda walked in and saw the rest of the Carter family, the guys and their girlfriends/wives, Carolyn and Rick, and Brooke and Brad.
“Does anyone know what this is about?” Kevin asked as they waited for Nick to arrive.
AJ shook his head. “Nope. All he said was for us to all be here at six. He said he might be running a little later than that.”
“Are you sure he asked for me to be here?” Brian questioned, nervously. A week ago, Nick had sworn him out of his life. Brian, himself, knew what this little get-together was about. At least he thought. But he didn’t want to get everyone’s hopes up if Nick showed up without Kayleigh with him.
“Why wouldn’t he want you here?” Howie asked.
Brian shrugged. “I don’t know.” The rest of the guys looked at him curiously but they were interrupted by the sound of car pulling up in the driveway.
“I can’t do this, Nick,” Kayleigh told him as they drove down Nick’s street. She looked in the back seat and saw that Elizabeth was still out cold. She had been sleeping through the last hour of the drive.
Nick grabbed Kayleigh’s hand. “Yes you can, Kayles. No one is going to be mad at you, honey. Everyone will be happy to see you.” Before Kayleigh had a chance to respond, they were pulling up in Nick’s driveway.