Chapter Three
"I...I don't know," Jessilyn said to Nick.
"Why not?" he asked.
"Because," said Jessi, "Nick...you just met Tommy tonight. Give him a chance to get used to the idea of having a father. I think you might need some time to get used to the idea of having a son too."
"Maybe you're right," said Nick, "Okay."Nick left late that night. Tommy didn't come down from his room to even say goodbye.
"I have to ask you something," Nick said, as Jessilyn walked him to the door.
"Sure," said Jessi.
"Do you still love me?" asked Nick.
Jessilyn was taken aback. That wasn't what she was expecting.
"I...I don't know anymore," she said.
Nick nodded slowly. "I understand," he said, "I just want you to know that I still love you. I've always loved you."
He left, leaving Jessi standing in the doorway. As soon as Nick was gone, Jessilyn closed the door with a sigh. She glanced up the stairs and saw Tommy peeking from around the corner. He disappeared when he saw her.
Jessilyn headed up the stairs and to Tommy's room.
"Tommy?" she asked, knocking on the closed door.
There was no answer. Jessilyn opened the door anyway and went in. Tommy was sitting at his desk.
"What was that all about?" Jessi asked her son.
"What?" he asked.
"You were rude to Nick without reason," said Jessi.
"Oh, I had a reason," said Tommy.
"What was that reason?"
"He told me that he wasn't sure if he'd still be with you if you had told him you were pregnant," Tommy said, "He said that it's in the past and he can't change it."
"Tommy," Jessi said, "I need to ask you a question."
"What?"
"If Nick wanted to be a part of our lives, what would you say?"
"He wants to, doesn't he?"
"Truthfully," said Jessi, "Yes, he does."
"Do you want him in our lives?"
"Only if you do," Jessi said.
"If that's what's going to make you happy," said Tommy.
"Tommy," said Jessi, sitting down on the edge of the bed, "If you're not going to be happy with Nick in our lives, then I don't want him in them either."
"Mom," Tommy said, "Just give me a chance to get to know him before you just decide to marry him or something."
"Don't worry," said Jessi.
Tommy came over and gave him mother a hug. "I'm sorry for the way I acted tonight Mom," he said.
"I know you were mad," Jessi said, "But I want you to apologize to Nick, not me."
"Okay."
"You're a good kid," said Jessi.
"Thanks," Tommy said.About two hours later, as Jessi was getting ready for bed, the phone rang. Tommy had long since gone to bed, so Jessi grabbed the phone before it woke him up.
"Hello?" she asked.
"Jessi?" came Nick's voice.
"Yeah."
"I was wondering," said Nick, "My family's here from California...well, my parents are. My siblings are here from where they all live now, and we're having a small party at my house tomorrow. The guys and their families are going to be here too. Do you and Tommy want to come?"
"Um," said Jessi, "Tommy had football practice tomorrow morning, from ten to one, but after that..."
"So you'll come?"
"I guess so," Jessi said, "But if Tommy really doesn't want to go, I'll call you."
"Okay," said Nick, "Do you remember the address?"
"Not really," Jessi said.
Nick gave her the address and she wrote it down on a piece of paper she found on the nightstand.
"I'll see you tomorrow," Nick said, before they hung up.
"Maybe," said Jessi.
She hung up the phone and went to bed."Nick wants us to come to his house for a party this afternoon," Jessi told Tommy the next morning at breakfast.
"What if I don't want to go?" Tommy asked.
"Then we won't go," said Jessi.
"Do you want to go?"
"Hon, it doesn't matter if I want to go or not. If you want to go, we'll go."
"We can go," Tommy said.
"Okay. We're going to head over there after practice, so be waiting."
"Gotcha," said Tommy.
After dropping her son off at practice, Jessilyn went home to work for a little while. At about noon, she changed into a pair of denim shorts and a white baby tee. Before she picked up Tommy, she wanted to stop at the market and buy something to take to Nick's house. It was probably her Hawaii upbringing, but she felt strange going to someone's home and not taking something to share with them.
"So where's it going to be?" Tommy asked, getting into the car after practice.
"Nick's house," said Jessilyn, "It's here in Tampa."
"Okay."
They got to the house about ten minutes later. There were cars packed into the driveway. Jessilyn parked just outside of Nick's drive way, along the sidewalk. She and Tommy got out of the car and Jessi handed him the package containing the decorated cake that she had purchased.
"Come on," Jessi told her son.
Tommy slolwy followed her up the driveway and to the front door. Jessi knocked and a minute later, Nick pulled the door open.
"You made it!" he said.
"Yes, we did," said Jessi.
"Hi Tommy," Nick said.
"Hi," Tommy mumbled.
"Come in," Nick said, opening the door wider.
Jessi and Tommy went in and followed him to the back of the house. "Everyone's already back there," said Nick, opening the sliding door.
"How many people is everyone?" Jessi asked.
"Just my family and the guys and their families," said Nick.
"Oh," Jessi said.
She and Tommy went into the backyard with Nick, where there were people walking all over the place.
"Mom!" Nick called.
A blonde woman started across the yard. Jessi instantly recognized her as Nick's mother, Jane. She froze, wondering if she was going to remember her.
"Mom," said Nick, when his mother reached his side, "You remember Jessilyn, right?"
"Jessilyn?" Jane asked, "Your ex-girlfriend?"
"Yeah," Nick said.
"Of course I remember you," said Jane, giving Jessi a hug, "Nick made a real mistake letting you go."
"And," Nick said, "This is her son, Tommy."
Jane pulled apart from Jessi. "Hello," she said to Tommy.
"Hi," Tommy replied.
"Are you married?" Jane asked Jessi.
"No," said Jessi, "Tommy...Tommy is Nick's son."
Jane's mouth dropped open. "Nick's...son?" she asked.
"Yes," Jessi said.
"Nick, and you didn't tell me?" Jane asked.
"I didn't know."
"How didn't you know?"
"I never told him," said Jessilyn, "We broke up before I could tell him."
"Well," Jane said, regaining her composure, "Since I'm a grandmother, I'm going to do what all grandmothers do...show my grandchild off." She took Tommy by the arm and led him away.
Jessi could only hide a smile as her son was dragged helplessly away.
"I'm going to hear about it later," said Nick.
"I had to tell her," Jessi said.
"I know you did," said Nick, "And I'm not sorry that you did."
"Good," Jessi said, "Neither am I."
"I think she's telling my dad," Nick said, "We'd better get over there."
The two of them made their way over to the grill, where Nick's dad, Bob, was talking to Jane. Tommy was standing a little aways from them.
"Nick," said Bob, "Come here for a minute."
"Uh oh," Nick said under his breath.
He walked over to his parents. A few minutes later, he came back over. "My parents want you over there," he said.
Jessi cautiously followed Nick over to his parents.
"So this is my grandson, huh?" Bob asked.
"Yes, sir," Jessi said.
"He's a good looking boy," said Bob, "And I'm glad that both of you are in our family."
"Thank you," said Jessi.
She didn't have to tell him that she and Nick were in no way romantically involved.
Jane had gone off to talk to someone. A young man ran over. He looked strangely like Nick.
"Is it true that I'm an uncle?" he asked Nick. It was Aaron, Nick's younger brother.
"Yes, Aaron," said Nick.
"How come we didn't know earlier?" Aaron asked.
"Reasons."
Soon, they were surrounded by Nick's siblings, asking questions. Jessi slipped off to the side by her son.
"So this is our family?" Tommy asked.
"In a way," said Jessi.
"This is a big family."
"Yes, it is," Jessi said.
Soon, the two of them were surrounded by the Carter family, who had shifted over to them. Introductions were flying from all directions.
"Come over here," Nick said, pulling on Jessi's arm.
"What?" she asked, following him.
"They're asking me how come we're not married," said Nick, "If they ask you, say that we've never really discussed it."
"That's because we've never discussed it," Jessi said.
"I know," Nick said, "But just play along."
"Okay," said Jessi finally.
"Thanks," said Nick.
"Mom!" Tommy called, running over.
"What?" Jessi asked.
"Help," said Tommy.
"What are you talking about?" Jessi asked.
"He's such a good looking boy," BJ, Nick's sister said.
"He looks so much like Nick," another one of the sisters, Leslie, commented.
"Thank you," Jessi said.
Once the excitement calmed down, Nick took Tommy and Jessi over to see the other BackStreet Boys, who were busy watching their families.
"Hey, Bri," Nick called.
Brian Littrell looked up and started walking over.
"You remember Jessilyn, right?" asked Nick.
"Yeah," said Brian, "Hi."
"Hi," Jessilyn said.
"And this," Nick said, "Is..."
"Your son," said Brian, "I heard. Hi."
"Hi," said Tommy.
The party went on and on. By the time they left, it was almost eleven. Everyone had moved into the house when it started to get a little cold outside.
"Tommy," said Jessi, "We'd better go."
Tommy was sitting on the floor in the living room playing video games with Brian's son, Tyler. "What?" Tommy asked.
"It's time to go," Jessi said.
"Oh, okay," said Tommy.
He handed the controller to Nick, who was watching the two boys play, and stood up. He and Jessi said goodbye to the remaining party guests and Nick walked them out.
"Thanks for coming," said Nick, as Jessilyn unlocked the car doors.
"Thanks for inviting us," Jessi said.
Tommy and Jessi headed home.
"Did you have fun?" Jessi asked Tommy.
"Yeah," he said, "They're actually pretty nice."
"They seem to really like you," said Jessi.
"I guess so."
The rest of the ride home was fairly quiet.
When Jessi finally went to bed later that night, she thought about how Nick's family and friends had drawn them in without any questions and how maybe this was the place for them.
