Chapter Two
Jessilyn realized that it was time to tell Tommy after he came back from football practice the next afternoon. He wasn't as likely to do something drastic if he was tired. As soon as he had gone up to his room, she shut down my computer and headed up after him.
"Tommy?" Jessilyn called through the closed door.
"Yeah?" came Tommy's voice.
"Can I talk to you for a minute?"
"Whatever."
Jessilyn opened the door and walked in. She found Tommy sitting on his bed, reading a magazine.
"Hey," said Jessilyn, sitting down on the edge of the bed.
"Hi," Tommy repled, "What's up Mom?"
"Um, nothing," Jessilyn said, "How was practice?"
"Not bad," said Tommy, "Come on, Mom. What's going on?"
Jessilyn took a deep breath. "You know how you were wondering about your dad a couple weeks ago?" ahe asked Tommy.
"Yeah."
"Well," said Jessilyn, "I know I'd have to tell you this sooner or later, he wants to meet you."
"What?" Tommy asked, "You know who he is?"
"I've always known who he is," said Jessilyn, "I just didn't know if he'd want contact with us."
"So my father wants to meet me?" asked Tommy.
"Yeah," Jessilyn said, "Tonight. He's coming for dinner."
"What?"
"He called last night. I told him about you and when he found out, he said that he wanted to meet you and I invited him for dinner." Jessilyn rushed ahead.
"So I have to meet him tonight?" asked Tommy.
"Either that or you can wait another I don't know how long," Jessilyn said.
"Who is he anyway?" Tommy asked.
"You mean his name?"
"Yeah," said Tommy, sounding angry, "And why hasn't he tried to get in touch with us sooner? What did you do to him, Mom?"
"I didn't do anything to him," Jessilyn said, "And don't use that tone of voice, Thomas. He broke up with me before he found out I was pregnant with you. And I guess he never really wanted to get in touch with me again."
"So you were going to let me go my entire life without knowing who my father was?"
"I knew I was going to have to tell you eventually, especially when you wanted to get your learner's permit, but I didn't think he was going to try to get in touch with us."
"So who is he?" asked Tommy.
"Nick Carter," Jessilyn said.
"The one from the BackStreet Boys?"
"Yeah."
"He's my father?"
"Yes," said Jessilyn.
"I can't believe that he's my father," Tommy said, clearly in shock, "But why would he do something like that?"
"Do what?"
"Wait so long to get in touch with us," said Tommy.
"I don't know," Jessilyn said, "But at least he did."At about six o'clock, Jessilyn started to prepare dinner. She hadn't know what to make, but eventually decided on a pot roast, which she knew Nick would probably like. The roast had been in the oven since she had gotten home, but she still had everything else to prepare.
About fifteen minutes before Nick was due to arrive, Jessilyn went upstairs to change her clothes. She passed Tommy's room and peeked into the open door. Her son was lying on his bed reading a magazine.
"Tommy," Jessi said, "Will you change your clothes already?"
"Fine," said Tommy, not moving.
"I mean it," said Jessi, "Change your clothes now."
She continued down the hall to her bedroom. After changing into a light blue sundress that she knew she looked good in, Jessilyn fixed her make up and jewelry and then headed back downstairs. Passing Tommy's room again, she saw that the boy had changed into jeans and a baby blue denim work shirt. For a minute she thought she saw Nick sitting on the bed.
The doorbell rang.
"Tommy, could you go get that?" Jessilyn asked.
"Okay," said Tommy, standing up.
He headed down the stairs with his mother right behind him. Tommy opened the front door and froze. Nick Carter was standing on the other side.
"Hi," Nick said cautiously, "Are you Tommy?"
"Yeah," Tommy said dully, "Mom!"
"Don't make him stand out there for the rest of the night," Jessilyn said, "Invite him in."
Tommy moved away from the door and Nick stepped into the house. He saw Jessilyn standing at the bottom of the stairs.
"Hi," said Nick.
"Hi," Jessilyn replied.
"It's been a long time," said Nick.
"Yes, it has," Jessilyn said.
"Um," Nick said, "These are for you." He handed Jessilyn a bouquet of red roses and sunflowers.
"Thank you," Jessi said, bringing the flowers up to her nose.
"I was hoping you liked the same flowers as you did before," said Nick.
"I love them," said Jessi.
"Do you want me to put those in water for you, Mom?" Tommy asked.
"Sure, Sweetie, thank you," Jessi said.
Tommy took the flowers from his mother and headed into the kitchen.
"He's a nice kid," said Nick.
"Yeah," Jessi said, "He can be."
"I still can't believe that he's my son," Nick said, "I don't think it's totally hit me yet."
"He looks like you," said Jessi.
"He knows, right?"
"I told him."
"Okay. That's good."
"Do you want something to drink?" Jessi asked.
"Um, sure," said Nick.
They went into the kitchen. Tommy was no where to be found.
"He's probably in the backyard," Jessi said, "He goes there to talk to his dog when something's bothering him."
"This really bothers him, doesn't it?" asked Nick.
"He's fourteen," said Jessi, "And he just found out that his father wants to meet him. It's mostly my fault, but how would you feel?"
"I know," Nick said, "And it's not your fault. You didn't know what to do."
"I'll go talk to him," said Jessilyn, starting towards the back door.
"No," Nick said, grabbing her arm, "Leave him alone for a while. Maybe he just needs to sort out some thoughts."
"Okay," Jessi said, "But if he's out there for too long, I'm going to go get him."
"Fine with me," said Nick.
Jessilyn went over to the refrigerator and opened the door. "Is Coke okay?" she asked Nick.
"Yeah," he said, "It's fine."
Handing Nick a can of Coke, Jessi closed the refrigerator door.
"So what have you been doing beside the group?" she asked Nick, as they sat down at the kitchen table.
"Nothing much," he said, "I'm starting my own entertainment company. The guys and I bought a building in Orlando. It's now called the BackStreet Building. We each have our own little things going on in that building. Kevin's working on songwriting and real estate. Howie's doing real estate and he has that foundation for his sister. Brian has a songwriting and publishing company. And AJ has a clothing line, believe it or not."
"I believe it," said Jessi. "And all of the guys are married?"
Yeah," said Nick, "Well, except for me and Howie. Kristin and Kevin got married a while ago, and so did Brian and LeighAnne. AJ got married about a year and a half ago to Amanda."
"And you and Howie?"
"Well...Howie's dating someone pretty seriously, and me...that's another story."
"So you're not dating anyone?"
"Not at the present time, no. You?"
"I don't have time to date anyone," said Jessilyn, "I work overtime and on weekends a lot."
"That must be hard on Tommy," said Nick.
"It is," Jessi said, "But he has football practice a lot and everything."
"He plays football?"
"Yeah. It was his idea. I think it's too dangerous, but he loves the sport."
"What about basketball?"
"I don't know," said Jessilyn, "Maybe later."
Jessilyn stood up and walked over to the over to check on dinner. It was ready, so she took the roast out of the over and set it on a big pot holder that she had put on the side.
"I should go and get Tommy," Jessi said, heading towards the door.
"Let me go and get him," said Nick, standing up.
"Do you want to?"
"I wouldn't volunteer if I didn't," Nick said.
He headed outside and Jessilyn finished setting up everything for dinner. Ten minutes later, Nick and Tommy walked into the kitchen. They sat down on either side of Jessilyn.
"Is everything okay?" Jessi asked her son in a whisper.
"Yeah," Tommy replied.
Dinner went by quietly. Not much was said. As soon as he was done, Tommy asked to be excused and then retreated to his bedroom.
"I'm sorry for the way he's acting tonight," Jessilyn apologized to Nick, as they finished eating.
"It's okay," said Nick, "I think he's angry at me, not you."
"What did you say to him?"
"I told him I was sorry that I had missed so much of his life. That if I had known, I probably would have tried to get in touch sooner."
"But what made him so angry?" Jessi asked.
"He asked me something," said Nick, "If I had known that you were pregnant if I would have stayed with you and not broken up with you. I told him I didn't know. It's in the past I can't change any of it."
"I see," Jessi said, "Nick, Tommy's like you. He gets hurt easily and sometimes takes things the wrong way."
"I know that now," Nick said, "I didn't think he'd take it so hard."
"Yeah," said Jessi.
She and Nick cleaned up the kitchen.
"So what now?" Nick asked, handing Jessilyn a dish.
"What do you mean?"
"I want to be a part of your life," said Nick, "Tommy's life."
