“Ok guys, let’s break for lunch. Meet back here in an hour and a half,” John called, flipping a few switches. The guys took their headphones off and filed out the room.
“Great job guys, it’s coming along nicely,” John smiled.
“Thanks John, see ya in a bit,” Kevin smiled as he made his way out the room, the rest of the guys in tow.
“I’m starving,” AJ groaned, patting his stomach.
“AJ, you’re always hungry,” Nick grinned.
“I wouldn’t talk Carter,” AJ muttered.
“So, are we calling out or what?” Howie asked.
“Leighanne made my lunch.”
“Awwwwww Brian got a homemade lunch!” AJ teased.
“Shut up!” Brian chuckled, shoving AJ playfully.
Kevin rolled his eyes, “Ok, everyone else, do you wanna just get whatever and meet back here?”
There were assorted “yes’s” and “year’s” from the other guys, and everyone left to get their lunch, while Brian headed into one of the conference rooms, with his bag. Nick headed out and across the street to the sub shop on the other side. He went in, ordered his sub and left a few minutes later, making his way back inside the building and into the room with Brian.
“Back already?”
“Yeah, I got a sub and pop from that place across the street.”
“Ohh yeah, they have the best meatballs subs,” Brian groaned, opening his bag and looking inside intently before pulling the contents out.
Nick opened the long bag and pulled the whole sub out.
“Want half?”
Brian eyed the sub longingly, “Nah, that’s ok. Leighanne will be hurt if I don’t eat this.”
Nick looked down at the sub and took one of the halves, sliding it over to him, “S’ok, save it for later.”
Brian’s eyes lit up, “Really?”
Nick chuckled, “Sure thing man, enjoy. God knows I don’t need a whole one.”
“Wow, thanks!” Brian grinned, taking the half sub and slipping it into his now empty bag
Nick shook his head, unwrapping the other half of his meatball sub, taking a bite.
“So Nick, how’ve you been?” Brian asked, opening a small Ziploc bag of Oreo cookies and popping one in his mouth, sliding the bag towards Nick.
“Mmm, ok,” Nick shrugged, licking his lips, swiping a cookie from the bag.
“We don’t talk much anymore, Baylee really misses you ya know.”
Somehow Nick found that doubtful, he knew Brian was just trying to be nice. He bit into the cookie, munching thoughtfully.
“I know, just busy all the time man, I’m always going out after we get done here, don’t have much time for anything else.”
Brian stared at him wordlessly, chewing on his half of a roast beef sandwich.
Nick looked at him and stilled, “What?”
“Nothing, just trying to figure you out. You’ve been so different over the last few months. You sure everything is ok?”
Nick took another bite of his sub, partially to keep from answering, he nodded yes, looking down at the table.
“You know you can talk to me Nick, about whatever.”
He swallowed hard, not just anything. He wasn’t ready yet, ready to share such a special person.
“I know Bri, thanks.”
Brian stared at him a moment longer before taking another bite of his sandwich, opening his plastic container of pop and taking a long sip.
Nick opened his bottle of pop, taking a drink as the other guys made their way in.
“Ya assholes, started without us!” AJ growled.
“Ohh too bad!” Nick groaned, rolling his eyes.
AJ slumped down next to Brian, leaning over to look at what he had. Brian slid his food closer to him.
“Back off AJ!”
AJ grinned, opening his bag and pulling out a large salad. “Whaddya say we trade lunches Rok? I’ve got this nice tossed salad and a hot bowl of chili with your name on it.”
“What, you want my HOMEMADE lunch now huh?” Brian smirked.
“That looks good, c’mon, share!”
“No way, you’ve got your soup and salad, deal with it.”
“Ya know, Leighanne wouldn’t like the fact that you’re not sharing. Didn’t your Mother teach you to share?” AJ pouted.
“She did, but that doesn’t include homemade lunches,” Brian winked, taking another bite of his sandwich.
AJ flipped him off and opened his salad, staring down at it with disgust, “Maaaaaaan.”
Nick chuckled, looking around as the rest of the guys all talked and ate their lunches. It’d been 12 years, but this was normal, natural for him. To him, he was having lunch with his family. There’d been a time when they had each gone their separate ways, doing their own things and he’d eaten with other people while on his solo tour, or alone. It never felt quite like this, comfortable.
“…So you’re all invited, Kristin wanted me to make sure to ask you all to come. Remember next Friday at 6:30.” Kevin finished.
“I’ll try man, I gotta see if we can find a sitter.” Brian replied, wiping at his mouth.
“Nah, don’t bother, bring Baylee, you know Kristin would love to see him, no problem.”
“You’re sure?”
“Of course I’m sure. So there, that takes care of that. Howie, AJ…Nick?”
Howie shrugged, “I’m in.”
“I gotta check my appointment book and get back to you,” AJ stated haughtily.
Kevin stared at him.
“Ok ok, I’m in!” AJ smirked, “I’ll have to cancel a few things, but I’m pretty sure I can pencil you in somewhere.”
Kevin rolled his eyes, “You’re too kind. How bout you Nick?”
Nick stared at him blankly, “Huh?”
“Cookout, my place…Friday at 6:30, you in?”
“Oh…uhh I don’t know yet.”
“Well, when will you know?” Kevin pressed.
“Uh, tomorrow, I’ll let you know then.”
“Fine.”
“Hey, how come he gets to get back to you but I had to tell you now?” AJ whined.
“Eat your lunch AJ, your salad’s getting cold.” Brian chuckled.
The table broke out in laughter, and AJ took a piece of lettuce and threw it at Brian.
“Homemade lunch hog,” AJ muttered.
Nick grinned, jumping a bit when vibrator on his phone went off. He pulled his phone out, turning it over and checking the ID, his Mom. Groaning, he pushed his chair back and stood slipping off to the far side of the room, flipping the phone open.
“Hello?”
“Hello Nickolas. Have you heard from your Father?”
“Well he called to wish me a happy birthday a few weeks ago, but that’s it.”
“What did he say?”
“Nothing really, he left a message cause I wasn’t home.”
“Oh so I take it you haven’t called him back either huh? Now I don‘t feel as bad that you didn‘t call me back.” She snapped.
“I’m sorry Mom, I’ve been busy and I haven‘t had the chance to call you or Dad back,” Nick muttered, casting a quick glance over his shoulder at the guys, who didn’t seem to notice or they were acting like they didn’t. Nick figured it was the later.
“I’m sure Nick, your Father probably told you not to call me, he did didn’t he? I still haven‘t heard from Aaron or Angel in weeks and I know he‘s told them not to contact me, just like he‘s told you!” Jane said coldly.
“Mom…”
“I want to know what he said Nick, tell me!”
“Nothing Mom! I’m telling you he left me a message wishing me a happy birthday and that was it! He never mentioned you or anyone else. I haven‘t actually talked to him in I don’t know how long. I keep telling you he hasn‘t said anything about me not talking to you,” Nick grated out, he was loosing his temper and fast.
“Damnit Nick!”
There was a click and the line went dead, she’d hung up on him.
Nick flipped the phone closed and slipped it back into his pocket, his body was shaking in frustration. Turning, he found the rest of the guys staring at him sadly.
“Hour and a half is just about up, we should get back to work,” he mumbled, walking over and grabbing his barely touched sub and tossing it into the garbage can on the way out.
Howie, Brian, Kevin and AJ watched him leave, sighing in frustration because Nick never wanted to talk about it. They stood, throwing out the remnants of their food, following him out and making their way back into the studio.
Nick stayed behind, pulling his phone back out, pressing a number and waited for someone to pick up.
“Hey, it’s me. Look, let’s go out tonight. I don’t care where, I just need to fuckin’ get away.”
