Chapter Six: Privacy Is A ‘Relative’ Term
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Nick Narrating:
Life has been a little insane lately. With the new album the four of us have been working on. The show starting tonight. And to top it off the fact that not only are we engaged that we’re having a baby too? It’s pretty much the icing on the cake.
Alyssa’s excited, she’s wanted to be a mom for a while now and I think she’s more excited that we’re having a baby together. I know her and Collin had talked about having kids one day when they were dating in high school. And to be honest if he were still alive, they would have gotten married and had kids right out of high school.
So honestly as horrible as this sounds, I’m kind of glad he’s not around anymore. I mean yeah he was an amazing person and treated her so well. But would she have been able to go to college like she did? Travel with me? Move out to LA?
I highly doubt that she would have been able to.
I guess fate has a crazy way of making things work the way they should. It’s sad that such a good person had to lose his life for her to see that high school romance isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
Even moreso now than anything it’s important that her and I are together, after everything we’ve been through? It’s tough right now trying to find time for each other, between doctor visits, morning sickness, work, family. For example not only am I recording, starring in another season of a reality show, but also I’m working on a movie with a few friends. Not to mention that Ali has work, her students, and her hormones to deal with. Which are a bit unpredictable I might add.
Not only will she get mad for no apparent reason but she cried at a freakin’ Downy commercial. You know one of the ones with that damn teddy bear? Yeah THAT one. I come home and she’s crying I’m like oh fuck what did I do now?
But at least it was nothing I did.
It’s weird how she’ll run hot and cold. Like one minute she’s like let’s fuck and the next she’s like I just want to be left alone. Confusing as all hell.
I mean granted I kinda understand her. A lot of times I’ll want to be close to her, just have her lay with me or just laze about the house with her in my arms but I won’t ask for that. I know she’d have no problem with it but still I guess I’m kind of afraid it’ll make me seem less like a man in her eyes or something. So instead we have sex, even though it may not be what I want it’s a good excuse to get her close to me without saying “baby hold me” which is such a chick thing to say.
I’m sure she’d be delighted by that and probably would end up screwing around anyways. But sometimes I don’t know maybe I’d like to be left wanting more?
Crazy I know, I have a beautiful woman who loves me and I don’t always want to be satisfied? I’m an idiot I swear.
End Narration.
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Nick walked through the door from the garage with Leslie and Mike not far behind. He’d picked them up from the airport so they wouldn’t have to pay for a cab.
Alyssa walked into the kitchen at that moment and grinned giving Nick a kiss and then going over to Leslie, “Hey sweetie how’ve you been?” She said warmly giving Leslie a hug.
Leslie grinned and sighed a little the drive to the house from the airport had been a bit intense. With Nick not really speaking much at all. “What’s wrong with Nick?” Leslie asked quietly.
Alyssa rolled her eyes and broke the hug, “He’s just butt hurt that Mike didn’t ask his permission first before proposing.”
Mike sighed, “I asked Bob though. Does that count for anything?”
Nick stopped and turned, “It does, but would have been nice to know my little sis was going to be asked.”
“Like you asked for permission to marry Ali?”
“He did actually, asked, Clark, my parents, my aunt and uncle and my grandmother.”
“Holy shit Nick!”
“What her family is everything to her, and I wanted to make sure they were all behind us because if they weren’t, if anyone had any doubts then she would have said no!”
Alyssa laughed and wrapped an arm around his waist, “Family does mean everything but I still would have said yes you bloke.”
Nick smiled and kissed her temple making her smile up at him.
“Ugh, Mike please tell me we’re not like that?”
Mike laughed at the display and said, “Nah we’re not old.”
Both Nick and Alyssa’s eyes widened, “You will be some day!”
“Yeah but you’ll be there way before us!” Leslie shot back.
Alyssa smirked, “Well then I think I may just have a few home videos for Mike here to watch circa 1996.”
“You wouldn’t dare!”
“Oh I would.”
“Videos?” Mike asked.
Nick shook his head, “From when they were younger, and much MUCH dorkier.”
Mike’s eyes lit up at the prospect of incriminating video of Leslie as a kid. “Where are they?”
“Ali no do not please I beg you!”
“I’ll show you later Mike, they’re really not that bad she’s just embarrassed by them.”
“Why?”
“Because I was such a geek!”
“So was I!” Alyssa defended. “And Nick’s seen my ballet recitals with Olivia.”
Leslie stopped and cocked her head to the side getting a sly grin. “You did ballet? Like pink leotards, tights and tu-tus?”
“Yeah I did until I was about 15 just taking classes mostly for fun and to help keep my legs strong for soccer. And I wore black with white tights I refused to wear pink.”
“And the dancer flexibility has done nothing for your sex life?”
“Oh ha ha Les.”
“You love me!”
“I do which is why you and Mike are going to take my old room. That is as long as you don’t mind sharing a bathroom with us?”
“That huge master bath that has a tub AND a shower?”
“Yep that’s the one.”
“Sweet.” Mike added.
“We figured you’d want a little privacy and so I figured it’d be the easiest way so you can lock yourself away in a nice space to just write or whatever.”
Leslie grinned and gave Alyssa a hug. “I’m so glad you’re going to be my sister!”
Just then the doorbell rang and Nick rolled his eyes figuring it was the rest of the calvary. He looked out the window seeing Aaron, Kaci, Bj, Emma, and Angel with Jada and what looked like a brand new teacup Chihuahua.
He opened the door, “What do you guys want?”
Angel cracked a grin and rolled her eyes, “Let us in whore!” She chided at him making him laugh and fling the door open.
Emma stopped before going in, “Hi again, I was just dropping Bobbie off we just got an apartment after her and Wes broke up again.”
Nick grinned at her, “No problem, why don’t you join us for dinner?”
“No I shouldn’t it’s a family thing for you guys.” She explained just as Alyssa came walking up
“Emma hey I’m glad you stopped by, come on in.” She said with a warm grin.
Emma shook her head, “No I wouldn’t want to impose or anything. Besides I have a date tonight.”
“Oh well then have fun on your date, and you totally owe me now. You have to come over for dinner sometime soon okay?” Alyssa replied.
“Thank you Alyssa you’re just as sweet as Bobbie says you are.”
Alyssa grinned, “Nick will you walk her to her car while I get dinner finished?”
‘Yeah sure thing.” He said not entirely sure he wanted to be really anywhere near Emma. It wasn’t that she wasn’t sweet or even a good person. It was the mere fact that he was attracted to her is what made him nervous. He shoved his hands in his pockets as he walked her down the drive way to her car keeping his distance. She opened her door and turned just as he put a hand on the corner of the open door.
“Thank you again for the invitation it was very kind of you.”
“Well it’s sort of a celebration tonight.”
Emma got a perplexed expression, “Really for what?” She asked curiously.
“Don’t tell Bobbie until later but we’re announcing that we’re pregnant.”
Emma’s eyes widened and her eyebrows raised. “Congratulations how far is she?”
“Six and a half weeks.”
“Are you happy?”
“Deliriously so.” He said confidently.
She smiled wide at him, “Well if you need anything like advice and stuff call me and we’ll hang out sometime.”
He grinned, “I will, thanks again for dropping off Bobbie.”
“Welcome anytime.” She said with a slight grin getting into her car. He shut the door for her and watched her pull out of the drive waving a little before going back into the house.
A few hours later…
Alyssa laughed as they all sat out on the back deck having just finished dinner. She relaxed back into her chair placing her hands across her stomach smiling to herself at how much the family had grown up in just the past few months.
Nick glanced over at her and leaned in whispering, “So you think now’s a good time?”
“Yep.” She nodded in agreement.
“Everyone…” Nick said attempting to silence the din of the family.
After a moment everyone calmed down and looked and Nick and Alyssa as he laced their fingers. “We sort of have something to tell you.”
Everyone looked at them with suspicion in their eyes as to what exactly they could be needing to say. Leslie, ever the smart-alec interjected. “You’re pregnant and waiting on the wedding until the little one gets here?”
Alyssa and Nick’s eyes grew wide at Leslie hitting it so squarely on the nose. “Well yeah actually.”
Leslie got a shocked look on her face, “Wait I got that right?”
“Oh…my…god…” Angel began getting a huge grin on her face.
Bobbie smiled, “Another Carter kid?”
Nick beamed, “Yep, ‘fraid so.”
“This is so cool we’re gonna have a baby to spoil!” Angel grinned back.
Alyssa’s grin faltered slightly at Angel’s statement, “Hopefully not too spoiled, I mean come on I do want our kid to be normal to some extent.”
Aaron chuckled, “Yeah and with three aunts and one uncle just on Nick’s side I don’t think this kid is going to want for anything.”
Nick sighed, “Yes but we don’t want a priviledged brat running around either, I expect at least to teach the kid some humility.”
“Let em watch the old backstreet videos from when you were like what 12? That’ll teach ‘em humility.”
“No I think the correct term Aaron is humiliation on that one, those were pretty lame.”
Nick got a shocked expression on his face and mocked a hurt look on his face. A second later he broke the expression in favor of a sly grin. “Okay they were beyond lame, but it was cool back then.” He defended. “Besides at least my band had a better name! What the fuck about TKO? Total Knockouts? A little conceited aren’t we?” Nick shot back.
“Hey! Dude what the hell?” Angel retorted getting a shocked look as everyone else erupted in laughter.
Alyssa bit her lip trying to hold back her laughter. “What you can dish it out but can’t take it? Angel don’t get offended you’re the one who brought up the humiliation thing about being in a pop band.”
Nick glanced at Alyssa smiling in appreciation for defending him and his comments.
Alyssa grinned back and squeezed his hand letting him know that she had him covered.
Late that night…
Alyssa walked in from the bathroom happy they’d already bid the cameras good night, unless of course something happened between then and when they’d be back in th morning. “It’s really weird having a camera watch me do the dishes with you.”
“Yeah it is, or just watch us sit on the couch reading or watching TV.”
She grinned and stood between his knees that dangled off the bed on which he sat. He looked up at her and sighed closing his eyes. In response she wrapped her hands around his shoulders and attempted to massage some of the tension away. “Damn honey you carry all your stress in your shoulders.”
He sighed and relaxed his shoulders. “Just stress with getting everyone settled and then work has been hell lately.”
She made him look up at her, “But you love recording almost as much as you love touring.”
“Yeah I know just everything right now is a lot to take.”
“I understand, but hey at least you guys are still a band. Though not the same but maybe it’s a good idea to give you four some new perspective on music.” She said with a reassuring tone in her voice.
He breathed slowly and sighed, “Yeah and I’m thankful for that at least, it’s just weird sometimes.”
She made him look at her and she grinned, “Everything’s weird at first, but then you get used to it. Remember when we started out, it was a little awkward.”
“Well yeah, it was but I think it was worth the little bit of awkwardness at the beginning to be where we are now.”
She grinned wider and pressed her lips to his briefly. “I completely agree.”
In response he pulled her to sit across his lap making her squeal. He put his hand underneath her knees tickling her lightly making her squirm and giggle. “You have the most infectious laugh I swear.” He remarked chuckling with her.
She leaned in and kissed him softly, she broke the kiss and pressed her forehead to his, “Love me?” She asked with a grin.
He grinned back and pushed her back onto the bed trailing his hand up the outside of her thigh to her hip holding her underneath him. He looked down at her seeing her smiling up at him, “Always…” He replied leaning to kiss her as her arms wrapped around him bringing him to rest his full weight against her. She sighed and moved her hands from his shoulders to his lower back sliding underneath his shirt letting her fingertips lightly graze over his back. He shivered slightly from her touch and moved his kisses to her neck.
She lifted her head up to graze her lips across his collarbone making him sigh into her neck. Simultaneously she shifted her hips beneath his which made him breathe sharply as she settled herself to wrap her legs around his hips but instead simply bent her knees and planted her feet flat on the bed. Slowly he moved his hand to the hem of her tee-shirt as he moved his kisses back to her mouth. She smirked into the kiss as he began to slowly gather the thin material of her top exposing her stomach. Just as he slipped his hand underneath the fabric there was a light rapping at their bedroom door. They both froze momentarily and glanced to the door where the noise happened again. Nick sighed and rolled his eyes.
Alyssa got an annoyed look on her face as he moved off of her. “So it begins….”
“What?” Nick whispered lightly putting on a pair of sweats.
“The whole no privacy thing… it’s already started.”
He leaned over and kissed her lightly, “I’m sure it’s nothing.” He said going over to the door opening it seeing Mike there. “Hey Mike what’s up?”
“Can I talk to you…ya know in private?”
Nick sighed, “Uh yeah sure gimme a second…”
Alyssa crossed her arms in front of her chest making sure to have an impressive pout on her face.
Nick turned and saw her face and sighed, “Mike wants to talk probably needs advice or something.”
She crossed her legs letting them dangle off the bed a clear indication she was pissed off.
“Aw baby come on don’t be mad.” He said placing his hands on her shoulders getting no response he left her be knowing he’d have to smooth things over later anyways.
After he left the room she fell back against the bed grabbing a pillow and pressing it to her face and screaming into it in frustration. A moment later she tossed the pillow to the side and stared up at the ceiling, “Talk about coitus interruptus…” She said to no one in particular.
Meanwhile…
Nick and Mike sat out on the patio, “I just wanted to apologize…” Mike began looking over at Nick.
“For not getting my consent to marry my sister?”
Mike sighed, “Yeah man, I’m sorry about that, I just wanted to ask her so badly and…”
Nick held his hand up stopping him, “You love her right?”
“Absolutely.”
“Then I don’t need to know anything else. She’s happy with you Mike, just treat her well.”
He grinned and nodded. “Will do…by the way was I interrupting anything?”
Nick chuckled, “Yeah and she’s mad because she’s less than patient.”
“Oh…sorry man…”
Nick shook his head, “It’s okay I’ll make it up to her in the morning.”
Later that night…
Nick yawned as he quietly slipped back into their bedroom. He looked at her sleeping form seeing her in an ankle length navy blue silk night gown with a lace bodice to it. Gently as he could he slipped off his sweats and climbed into bed wrapping an arm around her waist pulling her close then grabbed some sheets pulling them up covering them both.
Alyssa snuggled up close to him but stirred and pulled back. “Oh…you decided to come back…” She said with her voice hoarse and full of sleep.
“Ali come on… he was apologizing what could I say, come back later I’m fucking my fiancé?”
“Well that could have worked. It’s just I wanted a romantic moment with you and now we’re both too tired to.”
His expression softened and he kissed her forehead. “Sleep now and I’ll make it up to you in the morning.”
“Promise?”
“I swear…” He said with a grin as she settled herself against him getting comfortable once again to go back to sleep.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Phew I finally got done with this chappy. Took me absolutely forever. I hope that this will end my crappy mood and writing. And since I'm entering my last semester of college it shouldn't be too bad of a wait for the next chappie. As always R&R!
