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Downtime - Chapter 9

Yawning Jackie stood up, stretching her arms “ Oh dear Iīm really tired. I think Iīm going to bed now.” She gathered the cups on the tray and then nudged her husband who snored soundly in the armchair, “ Harold?”


The older man stirred slightly but made no further movements. “ Harold,” she said a bit louder to get her husbands attention and this time it had results and he looked up a bit disoriented,


“ Wha..what is it?”


“ Itīs late dear and you have been sleeping. Come on letīs go to bed,” she yanked at his arm, trying to get him up.


He muttered something, but the obeyed his wife and stood up, “ Youīre right honey. I think I need some sleep.” Jackie chuckled and so did Brian who had stretched out his legs on the sofa, watching a suspenseful thriller.


“ I better head back home too,” Harry said, making no movement to get up.


“ I can make the bed in your old room if you want,” Jackie offered as she picked up the tray. She didnīt have to wait long before her oldest son responded, “ Ok.” Harry had his own apartment and she knew that he was dating girls on and off, but nothing serious since his long time girlfriend Ann. He worked daytime at the factory and also coached in football in the sparetime. With his good looks he was an attractive bachelor but Harry showed no interest in getting married. He often came down to the Littrells for dinner and when it was too late he was more than happy to spend the night over at his parents.


She smiled as she saw the affection that her two sons had for each other. Brian had always looked up to Harry and they were more friends than brothers, even if they were competetitors, especially when it came to sporting activites.


“ I will stay up and watch this movie to the end,” Brian informed as he stuck his hand in the popcorn bowl. " Goodnight, mom and dad." He was much too engrossed in the film to look up.


“ Ok, donīt stay up too long, you know itīs church tomorrow morning,” his mother said as picked up the tray. Harold Sr called out from the door opening, " Jackie, the boys are old enough to make their own descisions. Come lets go.”


Jackie chuckled, “ Iīll guess. I’m such a mother hen,” she mumbled as she said goodnight to her sons and walked out into the hallway. She stopped as she saw their young guest was sitting in the stairway, holding the phone to his ear, waiting. The teen looked pale and tired and he had blue bags under his eyes from too little sleep.


Smiling, she whispered, “ How is it going Nickolas?”


“ Ok, Iīm waiting to get connected to Germany,” Nick sighed. He was calling collect and the line was busy.


“ You need any help?” Jackie frowned as she studied the hunched up figure that looked like he was long overdo for bedtime.


“ Nah,” Nick shook his head, “ Ok I hold,” he said into the phone, holding his hand over the phone he said, “ Mom is at some pressconference and they have to find her.”


“ Aha, well Iīm going to bed now.Goodnight Nickolas.”


“ Goodnight Mrs..I mean Jackie.” Nick smiled to the older woman as she said to him, “ You know if you need anything just give me a holler.”


“ Ok thanks.” With that he turned back to his phone and Mr and Mrs Littrell walked upstairs. He had waited more than ten minutes to get connected since the line was really busy and their were some problems. Not being the most patient person in the world he was more and more starting to get impatient and he had been on the verge of hanging up several times, but stopped himself at the last second.


A strange feeling in the stomach made him think that it could be from nerveousness for talking to his mother. His thoughts were interrupted when a woman said on the other line “ Jane.”


“ Mom?” Nick felt his heart turn warm from hearing his mother’s voice and his eyes started to burn.It had been so long since he had met her, or at least it felt like that and hearing her soft voice made his emotions go all haywire. " Mom," he repeated again.


“ Nick? Oh baby is that you?” There was happiness in her voice.


“ Yeah mom,” he coughed a couple of times, trying to clear his voice.Then he said, “ Jackie said that you called earlier and that you wanted me to call back." It was strange talking to his mom from so far of a distance and his stomach made flip flops.


“ Yes baby I did,” there were some sound in the background and he could hear her mother say something to someone. She disapperaed for a short while.


“ Mom? Youīre there?”


“ Ye..yes..Iīm sorry honey but things are a bit busy here right now. Aaron is doing a pressconference and Bob is at the hotel with the girls since Angel is coming down with the flu. Aaron has a concert tonight and tomorrow we have a Thanksgiving party and...” She was talking nonstop. All Nick got to say was filling in the words Ok and sounds good.


“ Hold on for a while, Iīll be right back” Jane was gone again and Nick had to wait before she was back again. When she finally returned she sounded forced.


“ Listen honey, Iīve gotta go. Johnny wants me to help out with tomorrows promotion party with the food and all and there are going to be so many people here, Nick you should be here, there are very important people and...yes..Iīm coming”, she called to someone in the back. “ God you might think that they can do without me for a second.” She chuckled as she continued, “ Nick how are you doing honey?” He could hear that she was talking to someone again and when he talked he wasnīt sure that she listened to what he said.


“ Fine. The flight went just fine and Mr and Mrs Littrell are really nice and tomorrow we are going to..” He was cut off by his mothers busy voice.


“ That is great sweety. Listen I have to go now. Iīll call you later. Kiss, kiss. Daddy and Aaron and your sisters send their love too.”


“ Mom I love you too,” Nick shouted in the phone, but too late she was already gone. Sitting with the phone in his hand he whispered, “ Happy Thanksgiving Mom” before he hung up.


She had talked so fast that he had barely registered their conversation, at least he had picked up that they had a busy schedule. When he had heard that they were having a Thanksgivings party his heart ached. Oh how he wanted to be with his family. Another thing that hurt him was that she didnīt seem to be interested at all in how he was doing. All she had done was chatter about how busy she was. He had been waiting for a total of fifteen minutes for a 3 minutes one way conversation.


Tears were threatning to spill over and he wiped them away quickly with the back of his hand. He didnīt feel like going back in to the livingroom, watching TV so instead he opted for bed. Not wanting to disturb his friends, but mainly afraid that Brian would see how upset he was he went up the stairs without saying goodnight. When he passed the bathroom the door opened and Jackie came out, carrying a pile of linnen in her arms.


“ Haro..oh is it you Nick,” she said a bit startled when she saw Nick hurry towards the bedroom, shoulders hunched down. There were something in his body language that said to her that everything wasnīt allright and she called out, " What did your mother say?"


Nick shrugged, not saying anything, afraid that his voice would break. Instead he hurried his pace and threw himself down on bed, face in the pillow. This action had Jackie a bit concerned and she walked in after him. Sitting down on his bed she whispered, " Nick?"


He said nothing, still face down in the pillow.


“ What is it?” Her voice were soft and warm and at this moment this was all it took for him to start crying. It was like well opened up and soon his body shivered as he sobbed into the pillow, all wet.


“ Honey what has happend?” She stroked his back in long smooth moves, trying to calm down the crying teenager.


“ I do..donīt think th..that mo.mom cares for me,” he sobbed with a muffled voice, not looking up.


" Oh Honey," She stroked his hair, not saying anything more as she let the young boy continue;


" No..she..she doesnīt care." He was hiccuping, trying to get the bearing into his voice. It was hard since spit and snot ran down his throat, making it hard to breathe.


" Yes she does. Itīs just that your mom is busy right now with Aaron in Europe." She was doing her best to comforting the teen, but he was much too upset to take in her words. He shook his head. " But she does. Donīt you ever think something else, Nickolas."


He looked up with tearfilled eyes, " You think so?" he whispered.


" Yes honey I know that," She smiled towards him as she wiped away the strands that had slicked on his face, " I promise."


A hiccup then, " Promise?" There was hope in his voice.


" Yes," she nodded, " Youīre tired right now and you need to get some sleep." The teen in front of her was very tired and his face was streaked from tears and snot. She wanted to embrace him. He looked so lost.


" Yeah, Iīll guess youīre right," he mumbled as he yawned. " Iīm pretty beat." He had stopped crying and had sat up in bed again.


" Nickolas," she said as she stood up, " Why donīt you make youīre self ready for bed and I will go and bring you some water and something to help you calm down."p>

He nodded.


With that she was out of the room. Nick took off his clothes and then ran into the bathroom, took a quick wizz and then brushed his teeth. All so he would be ready when she came back. He made it just in time and had just crawled under the bed spread when Jackie came into the room again, glass in her hand.


" Thatīs better," she sounded pleased and she sat down beside him again, handing him the glass of water. " Here honey," she gave him a small white pill, " Itīs Tylenol and it helps you relax. It also helps you sleep better." She knew that this wasnīt entirly true, it was more like an placebo effect, but Nick needed something so he could calm down.


“ Thanks,” he croaked as he put the pill in his mouth mouth, gulping it down with some water. It felt so good the way the cold water ran down his throat since he was all sweaty after working himself up. He coughed and then laid down again.


Jackie remained seated by his side and she stroked his sweaty hair like his mother had done when he was younger. It seemed like a long time ago and nowdays it was mostly his dad who was traveling with him and he was never this comforting, not even when he was sick and felt bad.


Nick was pretty much used to taking care of himself, yet he needed lots of hugs and comfort and this was something that Mrs Littrell noticed. He was only a child, she thought with a frown. A child that had to grow up way too fast. He needed to be with his family, but where were they when he needed them the most? She couldnīt help to feel a hint of concern when she thought about the long road that Nick had in front of him. She knew that he was a strong person, he had it in him to make success, yet his emotional side made him very vulnerable.


Nick was charismatic, yet she didnīt know if he had the inner strength that came from a safe up bringing. There had been endless nights when she had been up, worried that something would happend to her sons, especially Brian. Yet there were a big difference between Nick and Brian. Brian had a grounding security, which had him standing with both feet on the ground. He had his faith in God.


“ Jackie?”


Her thoughts were interupted from the teen and she turned towards him, “ Yes?”

“ Thank you for being here for me,” He mumbled as he looked down, blushing slightly. She could feel her own eyes watering.


“ Nickolas, I will always be here for you,” she said with sincerity, surprised over the words she had uttered. She gave him a warm hug. “ Now try to get some sleep.You will need it since we have to get up early to go to church.


" Ok," Nick mumbled as he laid down again, snuggling further under the beadspread, " Jackie?"


" Yes?"


“ Do you think that mom is mad at me?” Nicks thoughts were instantly turned towards his family and he had trouble laying still. He sat up on his elbows.


“ Mad? Why would she be that?” she asked, a bit surprised over the comment that the teen had dropped.


“ I mean she is..she is mostly with Aaron you know..touring and stuff, you know. Maybe she is upset beacuse Iīm not going solo or something, you know." Nick looked up with honesty in his eyes.


" No Nickolas she is not mad at you," she said calmly as she stroked his hair, repeatedly." Nick, your mother loves you very, very much and she is not upset with you."


" If that is true, how come that they donīt want to spend Thanksgiving with me?" There was hurt in his voice. The words hit Jackie in her heart.


" Honey," she said softly, " Your parents would more than everything in the world want to spend Thanksgiving with you. If they got the opportunity."


" Yeah right, in that case they would jump on a plane," Nick muttered more to himself.


" You need to try and get some sleep and youīll see that things will look better in the morning." She wiped away his sweaty bangs from his eyes.


" Ok," With that he laid down again, after a brief silence he called out for her again, " Jackie?"


" Shhhh, try and relax," she murmured soothingly as she continued stroking his hair, " Close your eyes."


" Mhmmm." He did as she said and soon she could see that his tensed body was more and more starting to relax and soon his breath was coming in long, even breathes. Indicating that Nick was sleeping soundly. Smiling she looked at the sleeping figure and before she left the room she bent down and gave him a small kiss on his forehead, " Goodnight Nickolas. Sweet dreams," she whispered before closing the door to the room.