Chapter 37

“So…..” said Samantha as her and Howie sat in the sauna and she looked over at him.

“Hot in here.” Said Howie.

“Did what I say about Nick bother you?” asked Samantha.

“I dunno how you could tell me something like that, we don’t really know each other. We do a little, but I know a lot about you because of Nick.” Said Howie.

“Well the reason I said it is because he always “goes out” with someone, since we’ve been friends again, he’s never really dated anybody.” Said Samantha.

“Uh I don’t wanna know.” Said Howie.

“Howie.. not like that. Just he’s such a nice person and just fine, nevermind…” said Samantha as she started to cry a little, “I don’t have anybody to tell these things to. Megan’s gone and Nick’s my only best friend and I can’t tell him that I think he might be gay and I don’t have anybody else to confide in, I’m sorry okay. I’m just really sorry.”

“I’m sorry I’m sorry…” said Howie, “Just I didn’t know, if you need someone to talk to besides the obvious, I’m here you know that.”

“Yeah… see I can’t talk about this with Nick, I just can’t.” said Samantha.

“I know… I know you can’t.” said Howie, “I tell ya what.. we leave here, we’ll go to this salon and we’ll get your hair and nails done and I like that new haircut, get a few highlights maybe, and then go shopping and then head on back to Nick’s, how about that?”

“That sounds good.” Said Samantha as she smiled.

---

Later, the four guys were all enthralled in the video game, giving each other tips on how to win. The game was called to a hault when Megan started screaming in her bouncer.

“Oh shit, I think she’s pissed hat we’re ignoring her” Kevin said, as he went over and picked her up.

“Shhhh, come on baby,” Kevin said, as he tried to bounce her up and down a little.

Megan kept crying.

“Let me try,” Brian said, as he picked her up and started talking baby talk to her.

Megan cried harder.

“Dude no, let me see her,” AJ said, as he took Megan and started making crazy faces at her, trying to get her to laugh.

Megan screamed.

“Damn AJ! You’re scaring the shit out of her!” Nick yelled, as he grabbed her bottle and took her from AJ.

“Come here girl,” Nick said, as he took Megan and was about to feed her. She stopped crying and he gave her the botle. He looked down and kissed her forehead and then back up at the other three who were all giving him weird looks.

“Ummm…” said AJ as he looked over at Brian and Kevin as Nick looked over at him.

“What?” asked Nick looking confused.

“Damn Nick, those father instincts are just all up in ya, ain’t they?” asked AJ as Nick smiled and looked around.

“Well I saw how Samantha does with her and all.” Said Nick as he handed her to Kevin who started to give her the bottle also, “Come on man, let’s finish that game.” As he sat back down on the floor infront of the TV.

“Yeah come on man.” Said Brian as Nick started back playing as Kevin started to sniff as he looked around.

“Dude what’s the problem, sniffles?” asked AJ.

“Somethin’ smells funky.. Nick you take a bath?” asked Kevin as Nick shot him a dirty look.

“Hell yeah..” said Nick, “You take a bath Rok?”

“Of course.. I smell it too.. AJ?” asked Brian.

“Dude don’t even, man Rok you pass gas?” ask AJ as Brian nodded his head no.

“Umm…” said Kevin as he looked at Megan and held her butt up to his nose and sniffed, “Uhhhh someone has done something in their britches…”

“Dude it was NOT me!” yelled Nick as he looked back and realized it was Megan.

“Oh well your turn to change Kev.” Said Rok laughing, “We all worked on the last time.” As AJ and Nick started to laugh.

“I’m not changing this diaper uhh no.” said Kevin.

“Your turn man.” Said AJ laughing, “Good luck.” As he threw the diaper bag over to Kevin.

“Man no, I’ll pay ya a thousand bucks… I ain’t changing this diaper.” Said Kevin.

“Me neither.” Said Brian.

“I second that.” Said Nick.

“$5,000 including the privileges to stay out as late as I want to when I’m on tour.” Said AJ.

“Shit deal man.. go change this man…” said Kevin as he handed Megan to AJ and put the diaper bag around his neck.

“Uhhhhhhh,” AJ yelled,frm across the room and Nick, Brian, and Kevin were laughing at him. “How can something so gross come out of somethin so small and cute?”

“Why don’t you figure that out and let us know man, no way in hell are we going over there,” Nick said.

“Five thousand dollars, dancing all night, I can do this,” AJ said.

Megan sat on the floor wiggling and giggling. “Hold still now,” AJ said, as he went to put the diaper on.

“How’s it going?” Brian asked.

“Ta da,” AJ said, holding up Megan for them to see.

“Wow, you got the diaper on?” Nick asked.

“Yep, start talking in dollars and I learn quick right Kev?” Aj asked.

“Man I don’t care, that’s money well spent,” Kevin said, as they all laughed.

“Man… when Megan gets 10 years old I’m gonna tell her what Kev did to get her diaper changed.” Said Brian laughed.

“It’s all good, she’s fresh and clean and well that’s how baby’s are suppose to be.” Said Kevin.

“At least we know we don’t have to do this 24/7.” Said AJ laughing as they looked over at Nick.

“What?” asked Nick looking confused, “Man I ain’t doing it 24/7 neither, Sam’s just staying here.” Said Nick.

“We’re joking man..” said AJ laughing, “Damn now where was that paper I was reading?” as Megan started to laugh, “Hey that’s not funny now… damn I had to whip stuff off with it….” As the others started to laugh. AJ brrought her back over to where they all where and laying her on the floor so they could all take turns playing with her in between the video game.

---

“Okay you know it’s 6:30 in the afternoon, I wish they would come back, I’m worried now.” Said Nick as Kevin sat there holding Megan.

“Yeah, AJ and Rok went to sleep.. poor things..” said Kevin as he looked over at AJ and Brian asleep on the sofa, “She’s not that much trouble… no she’s not…” as he started to do baby talk to Megan.

“Here let me see her….” Said Nick as he took Megan from Kevin and stood there, holding her.

“You do remember what I told you about Samantha don’t you?” asked Kevin as Nick looked over at her.

“Yes, believe me I do.” Said Nick as he looked at Megan, “She looks like Sam more and more everyday doesn’t she?”

“Nick.. did you hear me?” asked Kevin.

“Kev, dude I hear ya alright. Man I know better alright, because not only would management kill me, my parents would just shoot me, the label would…. You would.” Said Nick.

“It’s not that, I know you care about Samantha, but… she’s different than us.” Said Kevin as Nick looked over at him.

“How is she different? She’s a human being.. she’s from Florida, I mean hell, she’s even white, the only way she is different is she’s not famous and she’s not a guy, she’s a girl.” Said Nick.

“She’s different, yes she’s a girl, a girl with a young baby and she’s always hanging out around you Nick.” Said Kevin.

“Dude, don’t even go there, don’t. There ain’t no way this kid is mine.” Said Nick.

“You sure about that, because you two are certainly close.” Said Kevin.

“Kevin, man, yes.. I know this kid is not mine alright, she’s Sam and Jake’s. Damn Samantha got pregnant prom night when Jake raped her damn, Megan’s not mine alright, I’ve never even touched Sam like that, damn.” Said Nick.

“He did what?” asked Kevin.

“Hell yeah man, she told me the other night. I could shoot him, I really could.” Said Nick, “Just uhhh.. it’s so wrong to do that to someone ya know and then it be Sam.. and just that on top of everything else he’s done to her. Ya know he could have killed her, she was knocked out for two days Kev, two damn days.”

“Yeah I know someone like that deserves the shit beat out of him.” Said Kevin.

“Want to?” asked Nick in a serious voice.

“Nick, no.. but seriously, you’ve been thinking about Samantha like that haven’t you?” asked Kevin as Nick looked at Megan and wouldn’t look at Kevin, “You have haven’t you?”

“Yeah okay, maybe so.. just, ya know, she likes me for me and not everything else like all of these other chicks. She knew me way back in the day and then we lost touch and found each other before everything got kicked up here. I always kinda liked her, hell I liked her back then, that’s why we were boyfriend and girlfriend there for a few weeks.” Said Nick.

“I didn’t know that.” Said Kevin as he started to laugh.

“Yeah… it was like a few months before I started to get tutored. I was in the same classes with her and Jake and Megan, her friend. I didn’t know Megan as well as I knew Samantha because I’d known Samantha since I first started school there. But that first day I saw her again.. when I went into the school just because I was curious, I knew she looked familiar and just something about her. I was standing there looking at something on a bulletin board and she walked up to me, asking me was I lost. Time I looked at her, just clicked and then she started getting serious with Jake and I was like well let her be happy, I won’t try anything ya know, because she’s not gonna want a boyfriend that’s always away and is never home. Why would she want that when she could have one there at home, 24/7.. and she never told me about none of this even though I had my speculations since she went out on tour with us and then Thanksgiving..” said Nick.

“You’re in love with her.” Said Kevin.

“No I’m not, just,.. okay well maybe I am, but I can’t be ya know what I mean?” asked Nick.

“Yeah..” said Kevin as he stood up and took Megan from Nick, “I’ve been there before. Back a few years ago, well right before I met you guys, I dated this older woman who had two kids, but we kept it quiet. When I joined the group I just had to tell her no that I couldn’t be there anymore and I regret that, but I can’t help it anymore. I’ve moved on.. you’ll do the same.”

“I know… but her not being here and sleeping in my bed…” said Nick as Kevin interrupted him.

“Sleeping in your bed, you told me earlier you were having some whack dream and you fell off your bed last night.” Said Kevin.

“Uh yeah, well I’m in there too and no not like that, she just doesn’t want to be alone in there and Megan sleeps between us.” Said Nick.

“Oh boy..” said Kevin as he looked at Nick, “I hope you know what you’re getting yourself into, I really do.”

“Man I’m not getting myself into anything, I promise.” Said Nick, “I just can’t help it…” as someone knocked on the front door and he looked at Kevin, “I can’t help it okay.”

“I’ll get it..” said Kevin as he walked up to the door to see Samantha and Howie standing outside and he opened the door, “D, Samantha… you’re back.. wow you look great..”

“They back?” asked Nick trying to look around the door as Howie walked in, chewing on a toothpick.

“Oh yeah, we went and had a steak dinner too.” Said Howie, “Come on Samantha…” as he grabbed her hand, bringing her into the living room and Nick saw her, “What do ya think?”

“Uhh…” said Nick as he stood there looking at Samantha with her hair fixed with some lighter highlights, a lowcut, tight, black tank top, and a short black skirt, “D what did ya do to her?”

“You don’t like it?” asked Samantha, “These shoes are fucking killing me…”

“I like it myself…” said Howie smiling.

“She looks like a salsa queen or something…” said Brian who was waking up, “Hi Sam, welcome back!”

“I dunno it’s different, it’s a change. If Jake saw me..” said Samantha as Howie interrupted her.

“No no no no no no no no.. remember Sam, that’s a no no.” said Howie.

“Oh my god, Howie’s found a Barbie doll..” said AJ laughing.

“I like it.. I’m always dressing so conservative and tomboyish… I’m about to be 20.. I’m young..” said Samantha.

“Uhh… yeah…” said Nick as he looked over at Kevin who was giving him a weird look, “Yeah you are dressing more provocatively…”

“Yeah..” said Samantha, “Ohh there’s my girl.” Said Samantha as she walked over to Kevin and took Megan from him, “How was she today?”

“Great..” said Kevin.

“Super.” Said Nick.

“Terrific..” said Brian.

“Damn outstanding.” Said AJ as Samantha and Howie looked at them.

“Okay so she was trouble?” asked Samantha.

“Oh no, no she was angel.” Said Brian.

“Just like her mama.” Said Nick as Kevin and Howie looked over at him.

“Oh please..” said Samantha laughed, “Aww she’s tired… did she take a nap today?”

“A little one.” Said Kevin.

“Okay come on baby…” said Samantha as she started to walk upstairs, “Thanks guys for today…” said Samantha as she walked over and hugged Kevin, Brian, and AJ, kissing them on the cheek, “Thanks Howie.” As she hugged him.

“You’re welcome.” Said Howie as he started to whisper, “The secret’s safe.” As they broke from the hug and Samantha smiled.

“Okay… let me get her on up here and get her to sleep, thanks guys.” Said Samantha.

“No problem girl you take care of yourself.” Said AJ.

“Bye!” said Brian and Kevin at the same time as Samantha looked back and waved as they all looked over at Howie.

“What was that about?” asked Kevin, “Got a girlfriend now?”

“Man no, we just talked today that’s all.. she kinda confided in me and all.” Said Howie as Nick looked confused, “Guys we better get back going cuz you rode with me and if you want to get back to Orlando well.. get your ass to stepping…”

“Damn D all up and up.. alright Nick take care of her alright..” said Brian.

“And if you need help in kicking his ass, let us know!” said AJ laughing.

“Alright thanks guys, thanks D.” said Nick.

“No problem.” Said Howie as him, Brian, and AJ walked out and Kevin looked back at Nick.

“Don’t say nothin’.” Said Nick as Kevin smiled and walked out, “You guys have a safe trip back to O-Town.”

“We will!” said Howie as he rolled up his window and they drove off.

“Well…” said Nick as he stood there, shutting and locking the door, turning on the security system and looked back up the staircase, knowing Samantha was upstairs. He just stood there looking around a few minutes until he finally walked into his little office that he had a bunch of the guys plaques and awards. He walked around to his desk and sat down in the chair as he opened up a drawer to see a picture of him and Samantha from the New Years Eve that her and Megan had gotten into the wreck. He just sat there and looked at it, seeing how much that they both had changed in less than a year and a half’s time. Backstreet Boys were one of the biggest bands in the world and Samantha had become a mother and became engaged, “God… I don’t know if I can leave next week…”