- Text Size +
Chapter Sixty Two - February 10 - Marina Centre, Singapore

"We get to go home tomorrow, Noah!"

We had arrived in Singapore. I was holding Noah above my head. He squealed.

"You want to come with daddy to do something cool today?"

He gurgled a huge spit bubble.

"I'm going to take that as a yes."

"What are you guys doing?"

Liv walked out of the bathroom. She was wrapped in a fluffy white robe; Brooke was wrapped in a little baby version of the same robe.

"The guys are I are going to this really cool instrument shop," I said. "I thought I'd take NoNo with me."

Liv smiled. "That sounds like a plan."

Noah clapped. "BooBoo!"

Brooke giggled. "NoNo!"

"BooBoo!"

"NoNo!"

That went on for a couple minutes. Finally, I scooped Noah up.

"Time to go!"

"ME GO!"

Brooke reached out for me. "DADDY! DADDY!"

Noah grabbed my shirt and sighed.

"Brooke you're going to stay with mommy!" Liv said happily. Brooke looked at her.

She began to cry.

In the end, I had the double stroller going as I made my way down to the lobby to meet the guys.

"You've got double trouble?" Bri asked as I wheeled up. He was leaning against the wall making a huge bubble out of chewing gum.

"Brooke wanted to come too," I explained.

"That's alright," Kev said. Mason was holding onto his hand. "It looks like it's daddy day."

Shelby was clinging to AJ's hand and skipping in place. She looked up at him and beamed.

We were ready to go.

---------------------------------

"You remember drumming with daddy a long time ago sweetie?" I asked Brooke. She had a drumstick in her hand and she was happiy banging away. Every time she burst into laughter.

"BOOM!" Brooke said happily.

Brian came up and knelt down next to Brooke. I took the opportunity to head towards the guitars. Noah reached out and plucked one of the strings. His eyes widened excitedly at the sound.

"Ooooh," he said. He did it again. His little legs kicked into my side.

"You like the guitar?"

Noah nodded. He strummed for a third time.

"THIS IS AWESOME!"

I turned. Besides Brooke, we only had one other little girl in the group and her voice was unmistakable. Shelby was standing on a piano bench staring down at the keys.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

"Woah, kiddo," AJ said. He scooped her up and sat her down.

"Like this."

AJ played a really amateur version of chopsticks. Shelby watched his fingers intently. She tried to copy him but it sounded like a dying cat.

"Not quite. Let's try again."

In the end, none of us bought anything, but we sure made a hell of a racket. We headed back to the hotel. I wheeled the stroller into the room expecting Liv to be up and ready to go to the venue. The sitting room and the bedroom were empty.

"Liv?"

I heard a groan. I opened the bathroom. Her arms were wrapped around the toilet bowl.

"Hey, what's going on?" I asked.

"Too many fries," Liv moaned. She flushed and looked up at me.

"I can't wait to go home."

I felt bad. Even when we were touring the U.S., I remembered that she had a rough time adjusting to lukewarm showers and sleeping through the bumpiest roads in America.

"Liv, maybe you should sit out the next leg of the tour."

"I'm your official photographer," she argued.

"I think if we don't have any blogs or videos for a couple weeks that everyone will live. Before you came along, the fanclub was a sleeper. You're spoiling everyone."

Liv sighed.

"I feel bad. Even Angel's doing better than me."

I smiled. "Where is she?"

"She went off shopping. I didn't feel up to going."

I kissed her forehead.

"Listen, when we get home you'll rest up and maybe if all goes well then you can meet up with us in Italy."

"That means you'll miss Brooke's birthday," Liv argued.

I groaned.

"We'll figure it out, okay?"

Liv looked at me, but she honestly looked too tired to argue. She nodded.

"Okay."

------------------

"Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for the incwedible Backstreet Boys!" Shelby screamed. The crowd went wild.

Little Red tore off across the stage. AJ bounced up from underneath the stage to give her a high five.

"Good job!" he whispered. She grinned.

We bounded up onstage to the deafening sounds of the crowd. My earpiece suddenly blocked out most of the noise and it was game time.

I was a little distracted during the concert. I kept an eye on Liv. Halfway through she ducked backstage. She didn't return for the rest of the concert.

"Where is she?" I asked the moment we were done.

"She's not feeling well," Leigh said.

I opened the door to the Family Room's bathroom. Liv was hugging the toilet bowl again.

"Liv?"

"I'm ready to go home, Nick," she sighed.

"That's exactly what we're going to do," I reassured her. "Just one more night. We'll leave in the morning."

Liv got up weakly. I helped her back out to the couch.

"I'll be out after my shower, okay?"

She nodded. "Alright."

I headed into the showers. Brian was singing into a bar of soap.

"My tummy's turnin' and I'm feelin' kinda homesick, too much pressure and I'm nervous," he sang.

"Dude what is with you and Miley? That is so 2010," I complained. I turned on an empty shower head and let the spray run down.

"What? I am homesick!" Bri complained. "I was family-less this time around."

I sighed and poured a huge mound of shampoo on my head. I began to lather up. It was going to be my turn next to be without my wife and kidlets.

"Leigh's skipping the next leg," Howie said. "The morning sickness is kicking her butt."

I paused mid-scrub.

Morning sickness...

---------------------

February 12

After another lovely twenty-some hour flight, we finally arrived back in Tampa. Angel was sullenly sitting in the back with Brooke and Noah.

"I didn't want to come back," she said.

"Well you surprised us by coming out, but it was a good surprise," I added. "What brought it on?"

"I just needed to get away..." she said lightly.

I didn't press. She had been pretty quiet the whole trip. It was hard watching her do this all alone and I knew better than to harp like my mom would do.

Liv had fallen asleep sometime between the airport and home. I couldn't help but smile as we pulled into our subdivision.

"Home, sweet, home!" I announced.

"HO! HO!" Brooke said. Liv stirred.

I pulled up to the house and instantly spotted an unfamiliar car in the drive.

"Who the hell's that?" I asked. I parked beside the car.

"Everyone stay here," I said. I hopped out. The car was empty but I saw some sneakered feet sticking out. Someone was sitting on our front steps. I headed up to get a better look. I couldn't believe it.

It was Matt.