Chapter 40
Nick took a deep breath as he went out on the stage for the first time since the car accident that had nearly taken his life. The lights were bright....almost too bright. He took his place on the stage...a stool under the spotlight. Beads of sweat began forming on his forehead....he felt shaky and nervous.
"How are you guys tonight?" he said, taking the microphone and bringing it close to his face. Nick was disheartened when he heard no cheers....no squeals of delight. There was just silence. Nick blinked in the spotlight....the brightness stinging his vision.
"Can someone turn that down?" he asked. The light dimmed and Nick was horrified to see the club empty. Not one fan was there to see him....his own father and Amanda's parents had not shown up. He saw Howie walk over to him, disappointed.
"You're washed up, Nick....you waited too long. The label's dropping you." his manager sneered. Nick stepped off the stool and backed away, shaking his head in disbelief.
"No..."
He saw Amanda......she and Brian were near the bar talking and laughing at him....Nick walked to them, not believing it.
"Amanda..."
"Sorry, Nick. You're not cutting it for me anymore. Consider yourself fired. I have a replacement lined up." she said coldly.
"Baby, don't do this." Nick pleaded, his eyes watering. She ignored him and kissed Brian in front of him.
"I need someone strong who can protect me." Amanda said, but her voice seemed disconnected from her. Nick shook his head, blinking back tears. He called to her...
"Nick?"
His eyes shot open and Nick sat bolt upright in bed, covered in sweat.....he had been dreaming.
"Baby, are you okay?" Amanda asked. Nick ran his hands through his hair and sighed.
"It was a nightmare. I must be nervous about the show today....are you sure I am ready to perform again?" he asked. He was worried that his career was over at the age of 26. Nick didn't care about the money or fame, he simply felt that singing was his only thing to offer besides his intelligence.
"Baby, if I didn't think you were ready I wouldn't have asked you. JC thinks you are ready too. You will be fine, sweetheart." Amanda said, kissing his face gently, her hand on his cheek. He smiled at her and a sense of calm washed over him as it always seemed to do. They cuddled and talked until both of them fell asleep beside one another. The next day, Nick had a rehearsal at the nightclub and insisted on inviting a few fans to come watch. He had decided this after arriving and spotting them already lined up outside. Amanda had to hand it to him, Nick was always good to his fans and they returned it to him.
"That was sweet of you to let them watch, baby." she said when Nick was putting away his blue guitar.
"My fans are the best." he replied. A few hours later the club was completely packed with Nick's fans and Amanda's regular customers. Her parents arrived at around six, dressed nicely.
"This place is busy tonight." John pointed out as Amanda showed them a vip table near the stage where Nick would perform.
"It helped that Nick got on twitter and told everyone to come tonight as well. We are so packed." Amanda explained. She waited for her mother to comment but Linda just sat there in silence. Amanda was hurt that her mother had not noticed the hard work she put into running her own business. She was about to say something but looked up to see Bob walking towards them.
"Here we go..." she muttered under her breath. Bob was slightly taller than Nick....blue eyes. He had darker blonde hair than his son, specks of grey peeked through.
"Hello, Bob." Amanda said, holding out her hand. Bob took it and smiled broadly at her....she knew exactly where Nick had gotten it from. She could see her mother eyeing him from the table....Nick looked a lot like his father and Amanda knew Linda was putting two and two together.
"Nick invited me down to see the show tonight. He seems to be back to his old self." Bob said with a smile.
"He's made a lot of progress. My parents are here as well." Amanda replied, blushing slightly. Bob waved at her parents and Linda stood up...walking toward them.
"Hello, I am Linda...Amanda's mom. This is my husband, John. Would you like to sit with us?" she asked.
"I am Nick's father, You can call me Bob."
Bob looked at her skeptically before sitting down at the table across from them. Amanda politely excused herself to check on Nick and that was when Linda seized her opportunity.
"Bob, is it?" Linda asked, and he nodded.
"Honey...maybe this isn't the right place to-" John began.
"I'm talking to him, not you."
"It's so nice to meet you both. Nick has spoken highly of you many times. I was hoping to meet you before the wedding." Bob said politely. He was thrown off by the glare Linda was giving him suddenly.
"You're Nick's father?" Linda practically demanded, scowling. From what she knew, Nick was abused to some extent as a child and his father was not around at all. It seemed odd that all of a sudden he would show up to Nick's show.
"Yes, I am Nick and Aaron's father." Bob replied, his leg bouncing nervously under the table. It was a habit he and Nick both shared...anxiety was present in their family.
"Don't take this the wrong way, but you were absent through most of his childhood, am I correct?" Linda whispered angrily. Bob looked down in embarrassment.
"Linda, I am not gonna lie. I just met Nick last year, before he and Amanda were engaged. Nick and I had not seen each other since he was five." he replied softly.
"So why come back now? After twenty years now you are in his life?"
"Linda, I am not here to gain anything from my son. His mother, Jane...she put a restraining order on me because I disagreed with how she raised him. Jane didn't want a boy....she'd do anything to get a little girl. She took me to court and told them I abused Nick....it led to me losing custody of him as well. They have me marked as an abusive parent in the system." Bob explained. Linda's expression softened and she felt terrible.
"I am sorry that happened to you."
"I fought for custody of Nick. He doesn't remember any of this. As for Aaron....Jane didn't tell me about him. We were trying to reconcile and she threw me out again." Bob told her. Linda and Bob talked more as the evening went.....she knew he was sincere.
Amanda was backstage talking to Nick before the show....he was shaky and nervous.
"Don't think about the dream, baby. You will be just fine." Amanda told him, kissing him. Nick kissed her back, taking a breath. He hoped the show would go well....it was his time to shine.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Enjoy the new chapter!
