Chapter 37
Nick and Brian sat in the recording studio....crumpled papers scattered all over the room.
"Wait....I got something here." Brian said suddenly after they'd been there for an hour or so.
"Play it." Nick begged, pulling out the keyboard. Brian was nervous. Nick....a accomplished musician was asking him for help. He took the keyboard and began to play slowly.
"I love it...you are good at writing." Nick commented with a smile.
"You think so? I mean, I never wrote a song. I'm surprised you even let me help you aftet almost ruining the wedding." Brian told him, fiddling around with the keyboard.
"I told you, it's cool." Nick promised with a smile as Brian grinned back.
"Hey, dad." Nick said as he walked out of the studio a while later. Brian had gone home long ago and Nick stuck around to do some work on his new songs. He had been spending a lot of time writing, at the encouragement of his therapist who said creativity was a good way to deal with his feelings.
"Hi, son. Got a few?" Bob replied shyly. Nick chuckled at him and they walked to the back of the house, sitting on the patio overlooking the ocean. It was a relaxing place and Nick spent hours there with his guitar, working on his music and listening to the ocean. Nick and Bob's relationship had improved a lot since they met. Nick realised that his father meant well and was not a bad person at all.
"What you got there, dad?" Nick wondered when he saw the item in his father's hand. It was wrapped sloppily in birthday wrapping paper.
"I meant to give you this for your 18th birthday....I had put it in the attic for that day....the day we were allowed to meet each other. I came to the house but you were not here." Bob told him. Nick thought back to his 18th birthday and remembered spending it working at the video game store that he had quit from the day RCA had called him.
"You came to see me?" Nick asked with tears in his eyes as Bob held up the present and handed it to him.
"I tried a few times actually. I was at your first American show too. I tried to get backstage but they didn't know who I was."
"I had no idea, Dad. I would have wanted to see you. There were so many times where I wondered if you'd be proud of me and what I accomplished. I worked so hard for my career." Nick said as he took the gift and began to open it.
"You have come a long way, Nick. You were valedictorian in high school....you got a record deal at 18. I am proud of you." Bob replied, a hand on his son's back. Nick opened the wrapping paper and his eyes filled with tears as he looked inside. A gold picture frame lay in the middle....a photo of his father....almost looking like Nick. He held a baby in his arms, a wide smile across his face while he looked down at it.
"Is....is this me?" Nick asked.
"That's you after your mom brought you home from the hospital. You were so quiet...hardly made a peep the whole trip." Bob remembered.
"I'm so little."
"You didn't stay that way for long. I thought you might like to have this picture....and I hope one day you will have a son too, to give him what I didn't get to give you. I love you, Nick." Bob replied. Nick threw his arms around his father and smiled, wiping his eyes.
"I love you, Dad."
Amanda came home from the club early that day and heard the shower running. She straightened up the room and after a while Nick walked out in nothing but a towel, his hair slightly damp in strings around his face. He smiled as he saw her and kissed her gently.
"Hi, baby." he said, wrapping his long, muscular arms around her.
"What have you been up to?" Amanda asked.
"My dad came by today."
"Oh....speaking of parents...since the wedding is almost here, my parents are coming down for a visit." Amanda said as Nick began to get dressed.
"That's great, I missed them. Where are they staying?" Nick replied. He loved Amanda's parents after meeting them in New Jersey.
"Is it okay if they stay here?" Amanda asked.
"No problem." Nick replied as he walked into the closet to choose clothes. Amanda heard her cell go off and realised it was JC calling.
"Hello?"
"Hi, Amanda. Listen...I have a television appearance on Friday night...my manager overbooked and I can't make the gig." JC said. Amanda wanted to reach through the phone and slap him.
"Where the hell am I supposed to find another performer, pull one out of my ass?" she snapped angrily as she watched Nick walk back into the room wearing a white wifebeater.
"Why don't you ask Nick?" JC suggested.
"I don't know....do you think he is really ready?" Amanda wondered. All she thought about was that rehearsal and Nick's near overdose as a result.
"I think he is, just ask him." he said before they hung up. Nick sat down on the bed next to her holding a picture frame in his hand.
"Baby, would you be up to performing on Friday? JC can't do it and I need someone to fill in."
"Really? You mean it?" Nick said excitedly, a smile on his face as she laughed at him.
"I think you're ready."
"Yeah, I will do it!"
"What are you going to wear?" Amanda asked as Nick went back to his huge walk in closet.
"I have no idea....any suggestions?" he asked. She smiled as her eyes fell upon a pair of black pants wrapped in plastic.
"NO....I don't think so." he protested as she held up the pair of leather pants.
"Come on.....please? For me?" she begged, her bottom lip quivering as she pouted.
"I won't fit in them, baby. It's been almost ten years since I wore them." Nick said as Amanda waved the skintight leather pants in his face and pouted more.
"Wear them....as my wedding gift."
Eventually Nick did put the pants on and was shocked to find out he had lost all the weight he had gained during depression. He kissed Amanda and then his eyes fell upon the picture frame again.
"Amanda.....there is something I would like more than anything." he began as he and Amanda sat down on the bed,
"What's that, baby?" she asked. Nick handed her the picture of him and his father and smiled$
"I would like a son." he said, looking at the picture proudly.
"Baby....not to be mean....but I don't know about this. Babies hurt like hell."
"Just think about it, please? I want to give my little boy a daddy."
Amanda looked into his eyes and kissed him gently.
"I will think about it."
Nick smiled at her, hoping what he said would make her change his mind.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Sorry for the delay in updating! Hope you are all still reading!!!
