Nick ran into Brian in the waiting room where he was playing with Aaron. Nick bent down and took him from him:
“Hey there, little man. I’m your daddy. Can you say daddy?” Aaron looked at Nick, confused, and then he broke out into a broad smile. Nick and Brian laughed. Brian looked up at Nick and noticed that he had tears in his eyes:
“What’s up Frack?” Nick turned his attention to Brian:
“She doesn’t want to know me anymore. She told me I can spend time with Aaron but she doesn’t want to see me again.” Brian put a comforting arm around his shoulder:
“She’ll come around Nick. This came as a huge shock to her. I know she still loves you. She said so herself.” Nick’s eyes widened:
“She did?” Brian nodded:
“Many times. I’m not going to lie to you. She was, and still probably is, so angry with you for everything. But, despite all that, she still loves you.” Nick sighed:
“How do I get through to her? I love her so much. I want us to be a family. Do you think that we could have that?” Brian took Aaron from Nick:
“Let me go say goodbye to Katie and we’ll take Aaron back to your mom’s. I need to talk to you about some things. Tell you everything that has gone on since you left.”
***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****
I quickly wiped my eyes as Brian walked in the door. He frowned:
“Nice try, Katie. I saw you.” He sat down and handed me Aaron:
“Why’d you do it? You know you love him. Why are you pushing him away?” I looked up at Brian sharply:
“I am NOT pushing him away, Brian. He already did that. Did the events of the last year suddenly slip your mind? I’m just not letting him back in. I’m not setting myself up for anything like that again.” Brian sighed:
“Katelin, Nick is my best friend. I’ve known him for a long time and I can see how much he loves you. He screwed up big time and he knows it. But he would never EVER do that to you again. Give him another chance, Katie. He loves you and I know you love him.” I kissed Aaron’s forehead:
“I’m not going to get into this with you, Brian. I have my reasons for acting this way. It’s not just me anymore. I have to think about Aaron.” Brian started:
“But Kat-“ I interrupted him:
“Stop it, Bri. I don’t want to hear it. Bye Aaron, sweetie. I love you.” Brian picked up Aaron and kissed my forehead:
“Think about it, Katie. I’ll see ya tomorrow.”
***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****
Nick and Brian drove back to the Carter’s in relative silence. When they arrived at the house, Nick picked up Aaron from the backseat and the three of them walked in the house. Jane looked up surprised as she saw Nick, carrying Aaron, walk into the kitchen:
“Hey! What’s going on?” Nick sat down and put Aaron on his lap:
“I know everything. Brian told me.” Jane’s eyes widened:
“He did?” Nick sighed:
“Yeah, then Kate tried to deny it. But she eventually admitted it. She’ll let me spend time with Aaron but she doesn’t want to know me.” Jane hugged her son:
“It’ll be okay, honey. She loves you. She’ll come around.” Brian walked in:
“Hey Nick! You ready?” Nick stood up and handed his son to his mom:
“Yeah. I’m coming.” He followed Brian out the front door and they started walking to the park down the road. When they got there, they sat down at a table and Brian began to tell Nick everything that he had missed in the last year.
“Katie found out she was pregnant about 2 weeks after the band broke up. No one had seen you or even heard from you and she didn’t know how to find you even if she wanted to tell you. She was pretty depressed at first but everyone was really supportive. She moved in with Krystal in July and everything was going great for awhile. Her job, everything. Then we saw the news report about you and everything went downhill.” Nick had tears in his eyes:
“What happened?” Brian swallowed hard: “As soon as the report finished, Katie went into labor. She was only 7 months along, Nick…Anyway, we rushed her to the hospital and she delivered almost immediately.” Brian paused to wipe the tears that had started to fall:
“Oh man, Nick, it was horrible. Aaron wasn’t breathing and Katie was flipping out. They were pushing me out of the room and she was screaming for him and for me. Nick, they didn’t even tell her the sex of the baby. A nurse shot her up with some stuff and she was out like a light.” Brian paused to see Nick silently crying before continuing:
“After a while the doctor came out and told us that he didn’t think that Aaron was going to make it and…and I was the one who had to tell Katie. It was so awful. The expression on her face when I told her. She flipped out again. First, about you and why weren’t you there. Then, she started blaming herself for everything. I’d never seen her so upset. It was so much worse than when you left. She blamed herself because she should’ve told you…” Nick swallowed hard:
“She never would’ve found me. Oh god, Bri, no wonder she wants nothing to do with me. Look what I put her through. Me and my own stupidity. None of this ever would’ve happened if I wasn’t such an idiot in the first place.” Brian patted Nick on the shoulder:
“Frack, don’t blame yourself. You couldn’t have known. It’s all over with now. Everyone’s healthy. Katie will be okay. I’m sure you guys will be one happy family.” Nick sighed:
“I hope so, Bri. I hope so.”