I Digress…
This is when I sometimes regretted my decision to do the whole group thing again, when it came to not being around in case something bad happened at one of our hotels. John and I had started quite a business, the only thing was when it came to dealing with unreasonable people, John was not very good at that kind of stuff. Not that I was any better mind you, we are both far too nice to be as shark like as you sometimes needed to be in real estate but even so, he would cave in long before I would even think of doing so.
Another thing that tended to happen was major investors wanted to talk to me over my brother because they knew at the end of the day; it was my money they were dealing with. I know that bothered John, because most likely it would bother me if I was him. It’s not like we haven’t ever talked about that before though. One thing I never wanted to happen was to have anyone in my family secretly resent me for my fame or money. Thank God I was spared from that stuff.
My family for the most part, has always understood what it would be like for them being related to me. The one that’s had the hardest time adjusting is my father just because he’s kind of a traditionalist. He hated the fact that when I would come home from a tour, I couldn’t just take out the garbage like everyone else without being greeted by throngs of screaming people.
“Let them scream at you, cover your ears and take out the damn trash!” That was my dad and I loved him for it.
My parents have really helped me deal with this fame thing, always grounding me to who I really am, never letting my ego get way out of hand. It’s actually a good thing I am the famous one, because I can easily see Johnny being impossible to live with if he ever got to my status. He’s a bit of a diva and of course by just saying he’s not at my status, makes me sound like I’m a little bit of a diva as well.
Then there’s my girlfriend… Leigh sometimes hates the whole fame thing as well, but sometimes she likes it, a little too much. I guess maybe that’s why I never let us get to a higher level.
There is always that fear clawing at the back of my mind that she might be using me to get somewhere else. In that aspect, I hated being famous, never really knowing who you could trust.
At least I know I have my family at the end of the day, which I know is more than a lot of people have. Including one of my own band members, so I shouldn’t complain. I am just feeling a little helpless right now.
But I have digressed…
Getting back to this problem that John called me about, seems like one of our major investors without any notice has decided to pull out of one of our new developments. He didn’t give a reason, just like that, pulled the plug. Now if I was there to handle this in person, I would be on my way to that office to meet these people face to face. Unfortunately I’m thousands of miles away and my brother has to do it. Meaning we are not going to get this investor back.
The entire ride back to the hotel I prepped John on exactly what he needed to do and say, smile, be sweet but also be persistent. That’s how I have done everything to date and so far, it has worked.
I told him I could conference call with them, but he insisted he could do this on his own; I however should wait by the phone – just in case. Yeah, you can imagine, I’m not really crazy about that whole ‘just in case’ thing.
I walked into the hotel room and saw Kevin lying on the couch covered in a blanket watching TV with his arm over his head. He looked past me as I shut the door then mouthed the words, ‘where’s Nick?’ as I walked past him and sat at the table.
I was just about to answer him when my brother finally answered his phone, so instead I gave him the hang on a second gesture, “John?”
“I can’t believe you are already calling me.” My brother sounded annoyed. “I just got off the phone with you a few minutes ago.”
“Sorry, I know but I forgot to tell you something. Just remember no matter what he says to you…”
“Ask him for his reasons and don’t back down I know Howie – I have control of the situation.” He was really angry; I could hear it in his voice, so I instantly started to feel bad about it.
“Sorry John, just that this is really important.”
“Do you think I don’t realize that Howard?”
“You’re right…okay sorry. Just call me when the meeting is over okay?”
“Sure.” He hung up and I felt like such a jerk.
“Everything all right?” Kevin sat up and pulled the blanket around him as he did.
“Yeah, just having some business issues.”
“Where’s Nick?”
“He went to the beach without me; I had to take care of this.”
“Oh.”
“How are you feeling?”
“I have a stupid cold. Other than that I’m peachy.”
“Better to get it now than when we are actually recording though.” I decided to keep my distance from him just in case he had the plague or something. I am not a big fan of germs.
“Yes you’re right, that’s when Nick will get sick just like always.” I nodded in agreement.
“Yes or AJ, he’s another one.” I laughed.
“Think he’ll be okay alone?” He asked me after pausing for a few minutes to sniffle and cough.
“Kev, he’s a big boy and as much as you and I worry about him, at the end of the day Nick is going to do what Nick wants to do.”
“You’re right, I still worry though, I see him and sometimes I feel like I am staring at the old AJ, you know what I mean?”
I did know what he meant because sometimes I felt that way too. “He’ll be okay. Sometimes you just have to let people go ahead and make their mistakes. Get them out of their system.” Here I am doling out those words of advice after making my older brother feel like crap, can we say hypocrite?
“When did you get to be so philosophical Howard?” He asked me raising an eyebrow and smiling at me.
“I’ve always been like that, you just never noticed.” He laughed before taking a sip of his orange juice.
“I’m going to move back into my room now, not that I don’t love you Kev, but I really don’t want to get sick.”
“Understandable.”
I nodded and decided I was going to take this opportunity to move back into the master suite while young mister Carter was at the beach… that is as long as old master Kevin didn’t steal it away from the both of us.
God I love the water, nothing makes me happier then being surrounded by water. You know sometimes I have even contemplated going on one of those crazy around the world boat races, just me and a whole year to sail around the entire globe in my boat. How cool would that be? I mean I know it would get lonely and after a few months I’d be hurting for some company but at the same time, I’d be so far away from everything, all the problems and the drama. I bet I’d win too, just because.
I buried my feet under the sand and smiled at two little girls who were building a sand castle right by where I was sitting. One of them walked over and handed me a shell.
“Thanks.” I said winking at her and she just giggled and ran away.
Or maybe I could be a professional sand castle builder? Or better yet, surfer, nah that wouldn’t be very good because I really stink at surfing. I needed as much practice as possible for that one.
Oooh I know what I could do, I could be one of those synchronized swimmers…nah, too creepy. Besides you don’t really see too many of those out in the middle of the ocean. As I scratched my head contemplating all the imaginary jobs I could take having to do with water, I was kind of surprised that I didn’t even get one call on the cell yet from Kevin, you know…making sure I was still sober and not doing something stupid.
Then I thought about everyone else I wasn’t getting calls from anymore, thoughts of my siblings suddenly raced through my mind. I hated that, when suddenly my family crept into my thoughts just making my mood dark and sour.
My family was a mess and sometimes I felt like I was the only one who cared enough to try to pick up the pieces. I had given up on my parents completely; they were all but out of my life. Not by my choice, but more for my sanity. My brother and sisters were another story. Even though the ‘kid’ in me wanted nothing more than to bail on them, I just couldn’t do it. It’s funny really, when you stop and think about how often I get called immature and I’m not denying that I am, because hello? I was just talking about being a synchronized swimmer, but when it came down to it, this was the only time I was able to BE that immature guy. When I was with them, my boys, I could be a goofball.
“Maybe that’s why I always do such incredibly stupid things when I’m with them.” I said out loud as I stared down at the shell the girl had given me. I guess while I was in the middle of my deep thoughts, I had gripped it a little too hard and it ended up cutting into my hand. The same hand I had just burned with my cigarette earlier.
“Ouch.” It was a delayed reaction, but you know how that goes? It doesn’t hurt until you realize it’s there.
I let out a huge sigh, I was lonely already. Sure, I would do great on a trip around the world when I can’t even keep myself company for an hour. I hated being all alone.
Thanksgiving was coming up soon and I kind of reached a sobering conclusion that I would be spending it alone most likely. I mean I have kind of gotten used to that but in my mind I had the illusion that now that I was with the guys, things might be different. Let’s face it, maybe that’s why I was so eager to get back into this thing with them again. I needed my family. The last few days though, have really showed me that maybe they have kind of moved on without me. I mean I am here all alone again aren’t I?
Yes I know, immature thinking again, but I’m having a down day suddenly.
Maybe I’d feel better if I gave my brother a call, although lately that has only heightened my anxiety. If the guys think I’m a loose canon, they should spend some time with Aaron. That kid was a mess but who could blame him? Look who he has as his role model?
“Pffft!”
“Okay Nick, maybe coming to the beach alone was a dumb idea.” One of the little girls came back to me again with another shell.
“Thanks a lot, they are very pretty…” I winked at her and she just ran away from me again. I was curious to know if she recognized me or if she was just being friendly. The next time she walked over I was going to tell her that it wasn’t a good idea to walk up to a strange man and give him something. Where was this girl’s parents anyway? I looked up and down the beach for an adult that might be looking out for these two young girls but didn’t see anyone.
So I did the only logical thing I could think of to do, I called them over. I whistled at them and they both came running towards me, “Hey, I was just wondering where your parents were?”
“They are down there swimming.”
“Oh okay, you know you shouldn’t talk to strangers it’s not a good idea.”
They looked at me like I was a child molester suddenly and then darted off back towards the water. “Oookay then, I think it’s time for me to leave.” I said standing up and wiping the sand off of my pants. My mission was accomplished, maybe I wasn’t going to be a surfer dude, around the world racer or underwater welder, yeah didn’t think about the underwater welding thing until just now but, that would be cool too…today I was Captain Nick…beach patrol and I possibly saved two little girls from being abducted by a weirdo while their parents didn’t even give them the time of day. Although the way the kids were pointing at me as both parents looked up in my direction, I started to feel like I was the one they needed protection from.
I grabbed my shoes and decided to walk along the beach for a little while, maybe eat a fish taco and then head back to the hotel. Part of me even thought about calling AJ and Brian, inviting myself over to hang with them but then I saw a sign for cotton candy so I stopped thinking period.
I love cotton candy!
“My son loves cotton candy”
“Where the hell did that come from Rok?”
I pointed over at a little boy who was sitting on his mother’s lap eating cotton candy while his father played golf.
“Oh, since when do they sell cotton candy on a golf course? What’s next, funnel cakes?”
I smiled and shook my head, “So how does it feel to know you are going to lose this round Bone?”
“You’ve just been lucky today, that’s all there is to it.” He said placing his ball on the tee, our last tee before I beat him senseless.
“Perhaps, if by luck you mean skill then you are right, I am a very highly lucky person.” I just loved sarcastic gloating, it was my specialty.
“Shut up, God you get on my nerves.”
“I’m sorry AJ, look we’ll lie and tell everyone you ‘almost’ beat me, how’s that?”
He chuckled, “You’re such a son of a bitch I swear!”
I glanced back over at the little boy whose face was now all red as he picked away at his sugared treat. The mother was busy talking on her phone to hardly notice the mess her child was making. That just made me think of my family, but then again everything made me think of my family. Being apart from them was really killing me. To think of all the important things I may be missing out on in Baylee’s life. The words he was learning, the things he was discovering. I was missing it all.
“Well it’s official; you beat my ass Brian….congrats.” AJ extended his hand to me to which I took and kissed.
“What the hell? I swear you are turning into Carter.”
“Maybe he picked that up from me.”
“That’s a possibility.” He shrugged at me as we made our way back to the clubhouse.
“I was thinking of asking Nick to go to dinner with me tonight, just the two of us.”
AJ turned to me and smirked, “Sounds like a hot date, think Leigh will mind?”
“I knew your perverted little mind was going to go there.”
“Of course you did.”
“I just think we should, I have barely spoken to the kid since we all came together.”
“I think he’d like that Rok, actually I think he probably needs that.”
“You are welcome to come though.”
He smiled at me, “I don’t do well in threesomes besides I’m not really into blondes!”
I batted him upside the head. Truth was I was kind of anxious about just hanging out with Nick one on one. I know that probably sounds horrible because at one time we were inseparable, but just that nowadays he made me feel a little uncomfortable. It was a reaction I knew I was going to have, but I also know that eventually it will go away.
“Then why do you always feel the need to flirt with my wife?”
“Our wife Brian, remember we are sharing your family.”
“I don’t know if I like that little game plan of yours Bone.” He gave me a devilish smirk.
“Let’s get back to the hotel so you can go on your hot date. Maybe I can call our wife while you’re gone.”
“Hahaha.” I shook my head at him as we walked back to his car…if you could call it that.
I shook my head trying to find the source of this earache which was suddenly creeping up on me. I hated being sick and the one thing I hated more than anything was when my ears were affected. They felt like they needed to pop or something. “If I get an ear infection, I’m going to have to hurt somebody.”
Call it fate, but the second I said that Nick walked in the door humming while eating a huge piece of cotton candy. I almost laughed and would have if I wasn’t dying.
“Cotton candy?” I asked, not realizing how hoarse my voice was. I am getting sick! Ack!
“Are you sick?”
“I told you I wasn’t feeling well.”
He came and sat down on the couch beside me, sitting on my feet. When he did that, I kicked him so he slid himself over some more. “Yeah, I guess you did. So I take it you’re not feeling any better then?”
I shook my head at him, still staring at that damn cotton candy. “Why are you eating that stuff? You know its pure sugar.”
“I know…whoever came up with this stuff is a pure genius.”
“He probably doesn’t have any teeth either.”
He laughed and reached over me to grab for the remote. I forgot how grabby Nickolas was, I swear it kind of was like being around a child. So I treated him like one and slapped his hand when he reached over me.
“Ow! Why the hell did you do that?” He pulled away quickly and nursed the hand as if I had just stabbed him.
“Quit with the dramatics Nick, don’t be so grabby I was watching the TV before you even came in here.”
“That hurt!”
“I slapped you.”
“Yeah I know but I burnt myself earlier and then cut myself at the beach.”
“What?”
He held his hand out to me and sure enough, he had a blister and a huge cute on his hand. The same one I slapped. “Nick, what in the hell? Do we have to put protective mittens on you before you venture out into the real world next time? Did you even put ice on that cut or disinfect it?”
“I just got back Kevin…”
“I know but still…” I sighed and decided to stop; I was doing it again, being a nag.
He stood up while messaging his ‘boo boo’ and walked over to the fridge.
“Where’s Howie?”
“In his room, he was afraid I’d get him sick.”
“Are Rok and Bone back yet?”
I shook my head at him, “Nope, probably soon though.”
“What are we doing for dinner? Do we know yet?”
“I’m not going anywhere that much I know. It’s probably going to be a fend for yourself night.”
“Oh…” I watched him as he squatted down and searched the contents of the fridge, what he was looking for I have no idea.
“What are you looking for?”
“Ice.”
“In the fridge?”
“Yeah, where else would ice be?”
“How about a freezer dumbass!” I had to, I couldn’t help it.
“Right, stupid me.”
“There’s an ice dispenser down the hall.”
He nodded and grabbed the ice bucket, “I’ll be right back, you need anything while I’m gone?”
“Do I need anything at the end of the hall you mean?”
“I was being nice…forget I even asked.” He was right; I was being a jerk to him. I always did that. It was just easier to take out my anger on him than anyone else, for as long as I’ve known him.
“I’m sorry Nicky…I’m just sick and grouchy.”
“That’s okay.”
“Actually if they have a vending machine, I’d love a can of orange juice.”
“Sure thing.” He smiled at me as he walked out the door.
I decided to sit up and when I did I moaned like I was an 80 year old. My glands felt like they were swelling on the spot and suddenly I needed to cough. “I hate being sick!” I muttered to myself as AJ and Brian walked in the door.
“You sure do talk to yourself a lot Kev.” Brian quipped.
“I’m sick.”
“Sorry cousin.”
“That’s okay, not your fault.”
“Where’s Nick? Is he back yet?”
“Yes, he’s getting ice.”
“Oh, we didn’t see him when we came up.”
“He probably went the wrong way knowing Nick.”
“Yeah because Lord knows I can’t do anything right.” Nick said a little overdramatically as he threw my can of juice at me.
“Oh relax I was only joking.”
“Hey Nick, I was wondering if you wanted to go out for dinner just you and I?” The look on Nick’s face was priceless and I couldn’t help but smile. It was as if Brian had just told him he had won the lottery or to make it more Nick like, it was as if he had found the golden ticket.
“Sure, that would be awesome Brian.” AJ and I looked at each and smiled, sometimes the kid was too cute. Of course I would never be caught dead saying that out loud.
But I digress…
Getting back to my pounding head, swelling glands and aching ear, I was miserable. Have I mentioned that I hate being sick?
Have a Happy Thanksgiving and i'll be back next Monday with another chapter! :O)
