Three-year-old Baylee stood out in the drive-way with his basketball. He’d been trying to get the ball in his mini net for a while now, and was wishing his Daddy would come and play with him. He tried again, getting it in this time.

“Yay!” Baylee cheered, doing his little victory dance.

Brian came out of the house then, heading for his car.

“Daddy! Daddy!” Baylee cried. “Comes pway with me!”

Brian smiled at his son. “Buddy, Daddy has to go to work right now.”

“Buts you pwomised you’d pway!” Baylee insisted, running over to his father and tugging on his pantleg. “You pwomised, Daddy.”

Brian scooped the little blond image of himself up. “I’ll play with you when I get home, okay? Promise.”

Baylee pouted. “You saids that lasts time,” he sighed.

Brian kissed his little head. “I love you, Buddy.”

“Loves Daddy,” Baylee replied, hugging him tightly before being set back down upon the asphalt.

Brian smiled and got into his car, driving off down their long driveway to their gates, which were oddly opened.

Baylee watched sadly as his Daddy drove off down the driveway, his little heart breaking. All his Daddy did lately was break promises, and it hurt. He looked over at his basketball and felt his lower lip tremble. All he wanted was to play with his Daddy again, like they used to. He went back to his ball and sat there on the ground hugging it tightly to him.

~BSB~BSB~BSB~BSB~BSB~

Eight-year-old Lenore was just outside of the gate to the house, setting up her lemonade stand. Her mother had given her permission, provided she use her walkie talkie if any trouble arouse. Of course Lenore agreed, wanting to make some money of her own. She even knew just who she wanted her first customer to be!

Brian reached the end of the driveway and pulled to a stop, frowning some when he saw his daughter outside of the security-fenced yard. He parked his car and rolled down his window.

“Lenore, why are you out here?” He demanded.

Lenore looked up, her eyes shining. “Daddy!” She exclaimed, smiling wide. “Mommy said I could have a lemonade stand!”

Brian nodded briefly. “Very well then.”

“You wanna buy a cup?” Lenore asked eagerly, her hopes soaring high. The one she wanted as her first customer had actually come and stopped! Oh, what joy!

“Sorry, Honey, I have to go,” Brian replied, taking his car out of park again. “I’m running late.”

“But Daddy,” Lenore began, “it’s only a twenty-five cents! You always got quarters in your pockets.”

“I don’t have time to search for quarters,” Brian stated firmly, looking to see if any cars were coming.

Lenore quickly poured a cup of lemonade and started heading towards her father’s car. “Here, Daddy! You c’n have a free one!” She said, trying to hurry over.

“Bye! Love you!” Brian called, as he pulled out of the driveway just as she was almost close enough to hand him the cup.

Lenore’s eyes filled with tears, as she watched him drive off down the street. She let her shoulders sag and her hands drop, spilling the lemonade all over the sidewalk. “Love you,” she mumbled to no one in particular.

Leighanne watched from where she stood now holding Baylee. She’d seen the little boy looking lonely and had come out to check on him, only to see the exchange between father and daughter. She saw Lenore re-fill the cup and set it aside, so that it was there just in case her father came back. She shook her head, and walked out to where her eldest was, carrying her youngest.

“Hey, Honey,” she said softly. “Can Baylee and I buy a cup or two?”

Lenore forced a smile upon her face. “Hi, Mommy,” she replied. “Sure. You c’n buy a cup – or two.”

Leighanne watched as two cups of lemonade was poured. “Who’s the other cup for?”

“Daddy,” Lenore answered simply, not looking up. “For when he gets home. He’ll be thirsty, yanno.”

~BSB~BSB~BSB~BSB~BSB~

That night when Brian came home, he went straight to bed, the cup of lemonade left in the fridge for him gone unnoticed. Same with the drawings that were left on the kitchen counter for him to see. And the note near the drawings from his wife, explaining about the drawings and the cup in the fridge that had been left for him. All he noticed was his bed, and nothing else – not even his lovely wife already fast asleep on her side.

“So, interview, photo shoot, recording – right?” Brian checked to be sure of what their schedule was for the day.

A.J., Howie, and Nick all nodded. “Yep.”

“You only forgot the second interview – that’ll be after recording,” Howie stated.

“I thought we were through with these crazy schedules?” Nick said.

“Guess not,” A.J. replied. “Everybody wants a piece of us – especially since Kev quit.”

Nick frowned, still not too fond of that fact. “Yeah, well, maybe it’s none of their business why he left. They don’t need to know everything. I mean, we love our fans and all, but we do like to keep some things personal.”

Howie nodded. “I know what you mean, Nicky.”

“You’re lucky I love you, Howie, or I’d kill you for callin’ me Nicky.”

“Guys, can we focus here please?” Brian piped up. “We got a long, busy day ahead of us. We have to stay focused on what we need to do and how we need to do it.”

A.J. chuckled. “Seems we have a new Kevin. Must run in the family.”

Brian frowned. “C’mon, Alex. You know we have to work.”

“Fine, fine,” A.J. replied smirking. “Last one there’s a rotten egg!”

The other three looked at one another, shrugged, then ran off after A.J. who’d already run out of the room.

~BSB~BSB~BSB~

Brian finally came home, in time to change for the next interview and the meeting that had suddenly been called by management.

Leighanne entered the room and smiled. “You’re sure getting ready in a hurry. The baby-sitter won’t be here for another half hour.”

“Baby-sitter?” Brian repeated, turning to look at his wife. He was in a hurry, so his wife’s statement had him completely baffled. “What do we need a baby-sitter for?”

Leighanne frowned. “I thought we had plans to go out tonight?”

“We did?” Brian asked, raising his eyebrows in surprise. “I’m sorry, Honey. I have to work tonight. We’ve an interview and a meeting with management just came up. I’m afraid we’ll have to go out some other time.”

Leighanne’s eyes filled with tears. This was the sixth time she’d been brushed off because he had to work. “You promised we’d go out this evening. To make up for all those other times you had to work.”

Brian finished dressing, and cupped her face in his hands. “I’ll make it up to you. I promise. Just wait until we break somewhere in between the tour.”

Leighanne looked down, unable to look him in the eye. “That’s months from now.”

“It’s something to look forward to then, isn’t it?”

“What do I tell the kids? You promised them a bedtime story.”

“I’ll read to them another night. I have to work, Leigh. I have to make y’all proud.”

Leighanne sighed, as her husband kissed her quickly and ran out, side-stepping the kids as they cried out for him. “You already have. We just want you home,” she said to herself softly, as she sat down on their bed to cry. She’d call the baby-sitter later, or maybe just have her stay and play with the kids anyway.

Brian stood amongst his ‘brothers’ as they posed for a group shot during the interview, before sitting down to answer some more questions.

“How important is family to you guys?” The interviewer asked. “Especially since Kevin quit. Do you guys think you can pull it off without him? Or would you rather quit too and be home with family?”

“Family is very important to us,” Nick answered. “We love our families very much and hang out with them as often as possible. We’d do anything for them, and they’re completely supportive.”

“Brian, what does your wife think of you recording with the Boys again so soon after your solo album? And aren’t you still on tour?”

“She thinks it’s wonderful that we still want to continue on. We have so many ideas, that nothing can hold us back anymore. We’re not going to let anyone get in the way. And I’ve only a couple more shows to do, then that’ll probably be it for my solo tour.”

The interviewer went on to ask Howie and A.J. some questions, which left Brian time to think.

“I should have Leigh and the kids tag along one day. They’ll enjoy it. They love hearing me sing.”

Nick eyed his best friend, knowing he was working harder than the rest of them were as of late. He hadn’t seen him much, unless they were working on the next album. Seemed Brian was very busy with his solo work and charity, among other things. He just wondered what Leighanne and the kids really thought of that, knowing his best friend probably really had no idea.

~BSB~BSB~BSB~

“So how are you guys feeling?” Johnny Wright asked. “You too stressed out and need a break, or are you ready for the workload?”

“Ready,” A.J. said eagerly. “I don’t ever wanna take five years off again.”

“Me neither,” Nick agreed. “That was much too long, though really needed.”

Howie sat back, listening to everyone talk, deciding not to speak up until he felt the need too.

“And Brian, how’s the family?”

“They’re…uh…good,” Brian replied, a little hesitant. “To be honest, I really haven’t seen that much of them lately. But they all seem healthy and happy, so all is good.”

“When was the last time you hung out with your kids?” A.J. asked curiously. “I know yah weren’t there the other day, when I came to take them to the amusement park.”

Brian stopped to think a moment. “I’m not sure. I’ve been so busy I really haven’t had time for them.”

Nick frowned. “Brian, they’re just kids. You’re s’pose to make time to play with ‘em. I know that, ‘cause I used to make time for my brother and sisters – still do, even though they’re older now.”

“Some of us have successful solo careers to tend to, Nick,” Brian snapped slightly.

“Not my fault people wanted Justin Timberlake’s album more than mine!” Nick snapped, feeling a bit hurt. “And you said you liked my album! That you were proud! Or did you lie about that?”

“I’ll give you guys a few moments,” Johnny Wright stated, quickly vacating the room.

Brian sighed. “I didn’t mean that, Nick. It’s been a long day, and I’ve just realized how little I’ve seen my wife and kids. I’m supposed to be the family man, and yet, I’ve been brushing them off for work.”

“You don’t stop to have fun, you’ll work yourself to death, man,” A.J. told him, as Howie nodded his agreement. “I mean, even Kev stops to have fun once in a while. Probably all the time now, since he’s got a lot of free time on his hands.”

Brian nodded. “I know. I’m going to try and fix things, soon as I’ve got a moment.”

“Don’t wait for a moment,” Howie piped up. “Make a moment. They’re only young once, and if you miss out on that, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life.”

“You’re right,” Brian nodded. “In fact, I’m going home. I’ve got some stories to read. Can you guy s fill me in later?”

All three nodded, knowing Brian’s family needed him more than they did right then.