“That was Heartland with ‘I Loved Her First,’ after a short break we’ll be back with Taylor Swift, Sugarland and Toby Keith,” Michelle sighed and pulled her headphones down around her neck. She had been having a hell of a week.
First her mother had shown up right in the middle of Nick’s birthday party demanding to know what the “Big News” they twins had called and told her about was because they hadn’t gone into specifics, the next day Brandon had found out the real reason she and Nick had moved the wedding date from August seventeenth to March twentieth and caused a giant fuss about it. And just that very morning, at Starbucks on her way to work, she had run into Mason whom she hadn’t known was out of prison even though she was supposed to be notified when he was let out.
Michelle sat deep in thought until her producer tapped the window separating them and pointed to his ears. She yanked the headphones back up and said, rather uncheerfully, into the mike, “Here’s Tim McGraw,” and slumped back into her chair.
Andy popped his head into her booth and asked, “Are you alright?”
“Not really. I had an argument with my mother on Nick’s birthday, in the middle of his party no less, then my older brother and I got into it the very next day. And to top it all off I saw that guy I was telling you about the other day just this morning.”
“Wow, tough luck. Maybe all you need is a break and some rest.”
“Probably,” she huffed. “Screw it, at the next commercial break I’m telling Jaxon I’m going home.”
After three more songs it was time to take calls before going to commercials. “Hello KRTZ.”
“Who am I speaking to?”
“Syn, you must not listen to this station very much or you’d know that.”
“I haven’t listened very much; where I was I wasn’t allowed too. It was nice seeing you this morning. It’s been a long time.”
The caller’s voice sounded familiar but his words didn’t stick with her, she was extremely tired and everything was going in one ear and out the other. “I’m sorry?” Jordan signaled for her to end the call but something kept her from doing that.
“We haven’t seen one another for about six years now. You’re looking good. If I had known that back in high school I would have waited.”
It was the high school comment that finally got through to her. She yanked her headphones off and literally ran from the room screaming. She made it to the break room before anyone caught up with her.
“Michelle,” Jaxon asked full of concern. “What’s wrong?”
“Mason’s out. They didn’t tell me like they were supposed to. I need to go home.”
“Who’s Mason?”
“I don’t want to talk about him; can you please call Nick for me?”
“Of course,” he walked out and she heard him yell, “Kennedy, go cover for Hernandez.”
About fifteen minutes later both Nick and Aaron walked into the room. Nick dropped to his knees in front of her and asked, “What’s wrong honey?”
Tears streaming down her face, she looked up and answered, “They were supposed to tell me when they let Mason out and they didn’t. I saw him this morning at Starbucks and he just called into my show. Can you take me home please?”
“Of course, let’s go.”
Nick took her car keys from her purse and tossed them to Aaron, “Drive her car back to the house will you?”
When they reached the parking lot Aaron drove off in her car while Nick unlocked his and they both climbed inside. The drive seemed to take much longer than the actual fifteen minutes it took.
When she was safely inside she said, “I’m going to bed,” and walked straight up to their bedroom while Nick stood by and watched.
*~*~*~*~*
The next day Michelle called Jaxon and told him that she was taking a week-long vacation.
He agreed and told her to let him know if she needed more time.
*~*~*~*~*
“Are you ready?” Dr. Andrews asked.
“Will we be able to hear the heartbeat?” Nick asked voicing what the both of them really wanted to know.
“No, the baby is still too small. We should be able to in the next couple of weeks.”
Michelle took a deep breath as the doctor put the wand-thingie on her stomach and proceeded to point out their baby.
*~*~*~*~*
“I needed that,” Michelle said smiling across the table at Nick.
They were at KFC, something both of them had wanted, discussing the doctor’s appointment.
He smiled back, “We both did. You seem a lot more relaxed than you were yesterday.”
“That’s because I am,” she paused. “You know, I’ve been thinking.”
“You always do that.”
“Smart ass, I was talking about the fact that I’ve been thinking about taking time off work. If I do I want to do it soon, what do you think?”
He thought for a moment. “You need it. You’re pregnant, we’re planning a wedding that is shortly over a month away, and now Mason’s out. But I can’t tell you what to do. Follow your head and heart.”
“Both are telling me that it’s what’s best for me, you, and the baby. I’ll talk to Jaxon as soon as I go back on Monday. I want to finish at least one more week before I take time off.”
“Okay. Now,” he pulled out a notebook. “Down to business, we need to talk about wedding stuff. The major thing we still need to decide on is where to honeymoon.”
“Carmel, California,” she replied without hesitation. At the surprised look on Nick’s face she continued, “I mean we only have two and a half weeks after the wedding ‘til you have to be back in the studio, which is in California, and we’ve both always wanted to go to Carmel.”
He thought about it for a long moment then agreed. He jotted down “Carmel” and flipped a few pages. “Why we decided to do this without a wedding planner I’ll never understand.”
“It’s more fun doing it ourselves. Besides, I always said I would plan my own wedding and now I’m doing it.”
He saluted, “Yes Miss lady ma’mn sir!”
She laughed, “Uh oh, I think we’ve been spotted.”
Two girls both of whom looked to be about sixteen came over. “Aren’t you Nick Carter?” the redhead asked.
He closed the notebook and placed it back inside his bag before answering, “Yup/”
“And aren’t you his fiancée Michelle?” the brunette asked.
“Guilty as charged.”
“Would you guys mind if we took some pictures with you and maybe got autographs?”
“Sure,” Nick answered for both of them.
The redhead signaled to a boy who looked to be the same age as the girls to come over. Michelle and Nick stood up from their booth and the girls stood in between them. The boy snapped pictures with both of the digital cameras he was holding. Then the redhead, whose name turned out to be Beth, took pictures with both of them and then individually. The brunette, whose name turned out to be Marianna, repeated her friend’s actions. Then both of the girls took a picture of just Nick and Michelle with their cameras.
Beth and Marianna then pulled green sharpies and scraps of paper from their purses and handed them to Michelle and Nick. They signed the papers and switched to repeat the action. When they handed the papers and markers back the girls thanked them and left.
*~*~*~*~*
“Jaxon, I need to talk to you,” Michelle said walking into his office.
“You’re back!” he stood and hugged her.
“For a while at least.”
He looked at her and his eyes sort of popped when he saw what she was wearing.
“Relax,” she told him. “I’m wearing shorts,” she pulled up the edge of Nick’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers jersey to show him.
“What did you want to talk about?”
“I want to take some time off. I need to concentrate solely on myself, my relationship with my fiancée and our baby for a while.”
“Baby? You’re pregnant?”
“Yes.”
“Congratulations, how much time?”
“A year.”
“A year?” he repeated.
“Yes.”
Jaxon tapped some keys on his computer keyboard and replied, “We can do that. We’ll just have to get someone to fill in for you.”
“Kennedey. He’s good and you’ve been thinking about giving him his own show for a while now. Try him out on my show, you can’t tell me he wouldn’t love it.”
“Yeah,” Jaxon pressed a button and said into a microphone, “Kennedey to Jaxon’s office.”
He came in a few moments later, “Yeah boss?”
“You’re going to be taking over Michelle’s show starting Friday. It’s a trial of sorts. You’ll only be doing it until she comes back in a year and then I’ll see about getting you your own on-air time slot.”
Kennedey sat, “Really? Why?”
“I’m taking a year off to concentrate of a few things. I want you to cover for me.”
“I’ll do it.”
They signed the necessary papers and she left to do her show.
*~*~*~*~*
Friday came sooner than she expected it too. She was happy that she was getting so much time off but knew she would miss her job.
“Okay guys and girls, I’ve got some news for you. It’s good, bad, and great all at the same time.”
She paused, took a deep breath and smiled at the audience that couldn’t see her. “First the great news, my fiancée and I are expecting our first child this September,” Andy pressed the applause button. “The bad news is that starting in about three minutes I’m going to be taking a year off because there are a few things in my personal life that I need to concentrate on more than I have been. The good news is that our very own traffic and weather man, Mr. Kennedy, will be taking over until I come back. Kennedey say something to your listeners.”
Kennedy said the only thing that came to mind, “I’m Kennedey.”
“Creative, very creative. Well guys this is goodbye for a while not forever. Kennedey be good to my listeners or I’ll come after you when I get back. I will be back with y’all in a year.”
Author's Chapter Notes:
Sorry, sorry, sorry!!! I know it's been literally FOREVER since I updated but I've been taking care of some problems that were bothering me and I'm back now. I hope ya'll enjoy this.
