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Chapter 9


When AJ woke up o要 Christmas morning, he expected to be awoken by kids wanting to open their
presents. Instead, he woke up to the sounds of his wife emptying her stomach into the toilet. AJ threw
off his covers and made his way into the bathroom. His eyes squinted against the bright lights as he
went over and crouched down next to Lori.

"I didn't mean to wake you." Lori said quietly, still hovering over the toilet.

AJ began to rub circles over her back, "Don't worry about that baby, are you okay?"

Lori sucked in a deep breath, as she was about to answer him then began heaving again.

Once she was done she looked over to her husband. “I think I may have caught whatever Jenn has. I
know she’s been sick like this for a while. That’s probably all it is.” She shakily began to stand up, as
AJ grabbed her arm and helped.

AJ hoped that that was all there was too it as he lead her back to bed.

****

“Daddy…” A small voice quietly said. “Daddy…”

Brian slowly opened his eyes and looked into the face of his daughter. A smile played across his lips
as he began to fully awaken. “Morning Sweetheart.”

“Presents Daddy…” Emily said as she squirmed around o要 top of him.

Brian cast a glance over to his wife, she was still sleeping soundly. “Are Nikki and Zach up too?” Brian
asked his daughter.

“Yeah, waiting for you…” She replied as she jumped off of him and onto the floor. She began pulling
o要 his arm, trying to drag him out of bed.

Brian let out a little laugh, “Ok honey, why don’t you go and wait with everyone else. I will wake up
mommy, and we will be out there in a few minutes.”

Emily quickly agreed, “Hurry daddy,” She said with a smile as she ran out of the room.

Brian leaned over and began kissing his wife awake. She let out a small moan as he continued, soon
her eyes were open. “Mornin’”

Sara produced a grin of her own. “That’s a nice way to wake up.”

“I’ll wake you up like that everyday from now o要 if you want me to.” Brian said as he began placing
kisses o要 her once more. He quickly rolled over o要 top of her as their kisses grew more heated. Brian
having momentarily forgotten why he was woken up in the first place. They were both so lost in the
moment neither one of them heard the knock o要 the door.

Nick swung the door open after his knock, “Bri, Em’s getting anxi….” Nick was definitely not expecting
the sight that greeted him. “Oh holy hell!”

That exclamation quickly pulled Sara and Brian out of their little world. Brian quickly rolled off of his
wife, but went too fast and fell off the bed and onto the floor. “Shit!” Brian said out of response.

“Damn Bri,” Nick said covering his eyes.

Brian quickly got his bearings and realized that he was sitting there o要 the floor, clad in his birthday
suit. He quickly looked around and saw that Sara had the sheet wrapped around herself, so he did the
next best thing. He stood up, and ran into the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind him. As he
leaned against the door, he had never felt so embarrassed before in his life.

****

Brian felt like his world was about to end. Nick had immediately ran down and told everyone about
what he had walked in o要. So as they all sat and watched the kids open all the gifts, the small
snickers were driving him crazy. He decided not to let it get to him though, the huge grin that spread
across Emily’s face made him forget his troubles.

“Mommy, Daddy…look!” Nicole squealed running up to her parents, showing them the toy that she had
in her grasp.

“Wow, that’s a good one! Santa must have thought that you were a good girl this year. Now what
would’ve made him think that?” Nick said with a grin.

“I was a good girl daddy, I was! I was!” She said quickly as she jumped onto his lap.

“I know you were Nikki, don’t listen to your daddy. Just because he was a bad boy when he was your
age, doesn’t mean you‘re a bad girl.” Jenn said as she leaned closer to her daughter.

“That’s right daddy!” She crossed her arms in front of her. “I’m a GOOD GIRL! Unca J even says so.
UNCA JJJJJJJJJJ!!!!!” Nicole quickly yelled out to get his attention.

AJ pulled himself away from his wife and looked over to his god daughter. “Yes Nikki?”

“Tell daddy I’m a good girl.” She said with a huff.

Nick shook his head, not believing what he had started.

“Daddy! She’s a good girl!” AJ defended the girl as she flew into his arms. They both shot Nick a grin.

The youngest Backstreet Boy couldn’t help but smile as well. Nicole was such a perfect combination of
he and Jenn. Nick’s eyes wandered to the floor where Brian was playing with Zach and Emily. So good
to think that things might actually be going well again. It scared him though to think that, well, maybe
things were too good.

Nick quickly dismissed the thought and slid down in the floor to join in playing with new toys.

Sara took in the scene as Nick had been doing. A smile pulled at her lips as she realized that times
were like they used to be only, more people were involved now. The thought though, that more
people were involved now, could also eventually work against them. Just as Nick had done, the
woman pushed the bad thoughts away and evacuated her chair, going to join Lori and Jenn in the
kitchen where, in the words of AJ, they were ‘attempting to make breakfast.’

“Hello hot mama!” Lori called, smiling as Sara sleepily entered the kitchen.

“Excuse me?” She shrieked in a high pitched southern tone.

“We don’t even feel bad for you that you’re tired.” Jenn winked. “We heaaarddd why.”

Sara crinkled her nose towards Jenn. “You really need to stop hanging around Howie. You’re getting
that twitch thing.” She said, sitting o要 a stool, trying helplessly to change the subject.

“Hey! I heard that!” The Latino shot from behind Sara, his cell phone glued to his ear as he vigorously
took notes from his sister o要 how to make a nice Christmas dinner.

“Sorry, winky.” Sara mumbled, smirking as she popped a muffin into her mouth and felt Howie’s glare
o要 the back of her neck. She would apologize later.

“ANYWAY…” Jenn rolled her eyes as she dropped a hot pan of cinnamon rolls onto the counter beside
Lori, who was unsuccessfully cracking eggs and cussing them out.

Just as the word had fallen from her lips though, Jenn was interrupted by quite a group entering
through the kitchen door.

“Where are y’all going?” Sara slid off the stool and sauntered over to them, raising her eyebrow and
looking down. “Okay, y’all aren’t going anywhere with my daughter looking like that!”

Lori raised her head and burst into laughter at the sight before her. Tiny Emily stood at her father’s
feet, unable to move. It appeared as though Brian had covered his little girl in three or four sweaters,
two pairs of pants, her coat and her hat. As her eyes wandered to observe the others, Lori noted that
Jenn’s children, too, were dressed the same way. Nick and Brian, however, were still clad in pajama
pants, shirt and a jacket. She could only hope AJ was upstairs with Kevin, someone who had some
sense.

“We were gonna go play in the snow and then eat breakfast out o要 the heated deck.” Brian spoke up,
seeing nothing wrong with the attire. In fact, he had a curious look about his face.

“Brian! Emily can barely walk!” Sara half laughed, kneeling down in front of the girl and loosening her
jacket. “Alright! You and You…go dress warmer. And I will get the kids ready.” She directed.

“Yes mommy.” Her husband pouted, turning and pushing Nick up the stairs.

“Suck it up, Littrell.” Sara smiled, smacking his butt.

“Oh God y’all! NASTY!” Jenn moaned from the other side of the room.

“I agree.” Lori made a face that they were sure she had learned from AJ.

“You guys! I can’t hear.” Howie interrupted the festivities from where he sat at the table, the phone still
glued to his ear.

Sara left the kitchen, jokingly mocking Howie and leading the three children into the living room. This
time, he laughed and only threw a seat cushion at her in response.

Jenn smiled. Maybe things would be okay. She turned her to ask Lori where AJ was just in time to
catch the look that crossed her friend’s face. Lori was taking the bacon out of the microwave when a
wave of nausea hit her. In no time, she was up the stairs and in the bathroom.

Jenn stood still, a look of confusion crossing her face. Did Lori have what she had?

~*~*~*~*~


Kevin leaned back in his chair as he drank the last bit of coffee in small sips. It was good to be back in
a familiar place without having to worry about tight security or pleasing everyone else. Most of all
though, they weren’t having to hide their situation.

The thought of Rick and Kara made Kevin shift uncomfortably. It had seemed strange though, this
weekend of normality. Brian and Jenn had been doing quite well also. Kevin closed his eyes slowly
and then opened them again, feeling a slight pain move across his chest. The man shifted in his chair
again, willing it to go away.

“You alright?” Howie inquired, stepping out onto the deck, setting the phone down o要 the table.

“Yeah.” Kevin replied, licking his lips. “Just healing, I guess.”

“Mmm. So, I just got off the phone with momma. Dinner should be really good.”

Kevin smirked. Howie was so proud of his new found cooking abilities.

“I’m sure Nick will tell you what he thinks.” He replied.

“Always.” Howie let out a quiet laugh as he sat down beside Kevin and took the last biscuit.

“Isn’t it good to see everyone happy again?”

“I was just thinking that.” Kevin gave one of his famous half-smiles, watching the scene before him
from behind the screened glass.

Jenn and Nicole were building a ‘snowgirl’ while Nick took Zach upon his shoulders to make a face in
the snowman. Brian and Sara were a few feet away, making snow angels with Emily. Kevin and
Howie both laughed as Brian was still happily making snow angels when Emily and Sara came up,
pelting him with snowballs. All hell broke loose as snowballs went off target and hit the Carters as
well. Kevin couldn’t help but wonder how long this great feeling would last.

His thoughts were interrupted by Howie’s concerned voice.

“Is AJ still upstairs with Lori?” He asked.

Kevin’s gaze slowly settled upon Howie with a thoughtful look. “I guess so. Hm, I’ll go check o要 them.”

The taller man stood up easily, making sure not to hurt himself. He walked into the living room and
was about to climb the stairs when it caught his eye again.

That lone present underneath the tree. Labeled for no one. Simply just…there.

It being a box, he had opened it while everyone was being rowdy, thinking maybe he could figure out
who it was for. Inside was a watch. An ugly watch, in Kevin’s opinion, but he wasn’t going to say
anything. It had to be someone’s in the room. He had set it down against the trunk of the tree, deciding
to question about it later.

But something gave him an uneasy feeling about that gift.

Kevin Richardson searched his mind for what irked him. Then he remembered…a memory that shake
his legs from beneath him, landing him to sit o要 the bottom step.

Tick Tick Tick…

The watch had come from Rick and Kara.