Chapter 20
"Dad?" Nick's voice came out of the open bedroom nearby as Amanda walked towards the baby's room. She was thrown off because she knew Nick had fallen asleep from the painkillers he took earlier that day.
"Baby? Are you okay?" Amanda asked, her head in the doorway. Nick's eyes were closed and he looked upset. She neared the bed and he suddenly snapped open, holding her hand.
"Where's my dad?" he asked again, looking at her....his eyes watering. Amanda wasn't sure how to react to this. Nick was still groggy from his medication and she was sure he didn't know what he was talking about right now. Nick's father, Bob had come back into his life a few months ago but they hadn't heard from him. Amanda knew deep down that hurt Nick, who had wanted to rebuild a relationship with him.
"Where is my dad? Has he come by yet? What happened to him?" Nick begged.
"I'm sorry, sweetheart...your dad hasn't been here." Amanda explained. Nick's eyes welled up with tears.
"He hates me." he whispered.
"Don't say that, I'm sure your father loves you." Amanda told him, her hand on his cheek, wiping the tears from his face.
"He never wanted me, Amanda! My father never loved me. If he did, he wouldn't have left me....he would have come back." he sobbed.
"Nick..."
"He left me with....with her...."
"Sweetheart, of course your dad wanted you." Amanda protested, trying to calm him. Nick didn't need to get himself worked up when his body was in this condition. He was already in enough pain as it was, there was no need for any more.
"Then why didn't he come and see me in the hospital? Why hasn't he asked if I'm okay? I almost died....he doesn't care." Nick said, sniffing. Amanda held him, almost in tears herself. Nick had every right to be upset about his father....the man had broken his heart twice. She wished she knew how to get in touch with him, how to make him see how much he hurt Nick's feelings by walking away. Nick wanted a relationship with Bob more than anything and it had been taken away from him. She calmed him down finally enough to give him a dose of medicine and he went to sleep. Amanda felt tired as she went to the nightclub to work....JC was performing that day. She didn't go to rehearsal, he was all right without her. Amanda missed going to Nick's rehearsals, he had always valued her input and used her ideas. Nick took everybody's opinions into consideration when he performed, he was a perfectionist when it came to music. The club was somewhat busy that night, but she did miss the kind of crowd that came when Nick played. JC was older and so were his fans....Nick's fans were around Amanda's age.
"Hello, Amanda....nice to see you again..." a voice said suddenly, jarring her from her thoughts. She was shocked to see Nick's father standing in front of her....he was handsome like Nick but had brown eyes....it was like glancing into the future. If Nick looked this good in 20 years, Amanda would be a happy woman.
"Hello, Bob." she said gingerly, taking his hand to shake it. She wondered where he had been since he and Nick met...it had been a few months.
"I was hoping Nick would be performing tonight, but I see you have another singer. You didn't fire him, did you?" Bob asked. Amanda laughed and shook her head.
"Didn't you know? Nick was in the hospital...." she replied. A look of surprise appeared on Bob's face.
"Is he all right?" he asked. Nick's accident was all over the news and tabloids...there was no way anybody could not know he was in the car accident. This rubbed her the wrong way and Amanda was not pleased.
"He almost died in a car accident, was in a coma for two days...it was all over the news. How do you not know about it?" Amanda asked, sounding a little angrier than she had intended to.
"I was away...I'm an officer in the Navy....I have been away for a few months. We don't get much news from back home...." Bob explained. Now it all made sense, why he had vanished.
"Nick is home now...you should come by and see him." Amanda suggested with a smile. Bob looked down at his feet, his eyes watering in shame.
"He wouldn't want to see me. I abandoned him. I'm a horrible father." he said suddenly.
"Bob, Nick wants to have a relationship with you. He has been asking for you...."
"Why? He was so angry last time...I thought he wouldn't want to see me again." Bob said. Fair enough, Amanda thought. Nick had been angry last time, but it was because he didn't know how to deal with everything. He had not seen Bob in 20 years, she didn't blame him for his reaction.
"Nick has been looking for you for a long time, Bob. He wants you in his life. Go to him....visit him. He needs you." Amanda smiled. Bob nodded and agreed with her.
"Okay, I will." he replied before walking away. Amanda hoped he meant everything and would keep his word.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Hope you're all still enjoying this story! Thanks for reading!
