Chapter 40

Nick pushed the end button on his cell phone, and sat it down on the counter looking confused. “What’s up Nicky?” AJ asked, as Nick looked over at him.

“Nothing, well I’ve tried calling Sam the past day and a half and she never answers,” he said, still looking confused.

“You tried her cell?” AJ suggested.

“Hell yes Bone. Her cell, the house, I would call the station but I don’t want to get stuck doin’ no interview,” Nick said, “She wasn’t feeling good last time I talked to her.”

“I hear ya bro, she’s probably just busy. I’m sure everything is fine. Calm down, damn it’s only been one day,” AJ said, trying to cover up his smirk.

“Almost two thank you very much, and it’s just unlike her is all,” Nick said.

“Well let’s go, we’ve got sound check in ten minutes,” AJ said, as he walked out of the dressing room at the arena.

Nick sighed, getting up from the table and sticking his cell phone in his pocket. Since the first day of the tour, the guys had been running around like crazy, taking care of all the last minute details. But now that they had all started to settle into the routine, the days away from Samantha were getting longer and longer. He missed her, and not talking to her made it worse. Especially since they were halfway around the world. He was falling for her more and more, but still didn’t know exactly what to do about it.

“NICK!” he heard Brian yell as Nick turned to look at him.

“What dude?” Nick asked, annoyed.

“You didn’t come in on your part, You sleeping over there?” he asked, as the others laughed.

“Sorry, I was just thinking. Let’s do it again. Sorry guys,” he said over his shoulder to the band.

“Uh huh,” Brian said, as he rolled his eyes.

“Kids” Kevin muttered, as he grinned at Nick when he saw that e was getting the evil eye.

Samantha woke up with a startle and sat straight up in the bed. She looked around the room, realizing she was at Jake’s apartment. “What the hell?” she thought, as she rubbed her eyes. Remembering about Megan, she jumped out of the bed and ran in the living room.

Samantha breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Jake sitting on the couch feeding Megan.

“Hey, you’re awake,” Jake said, smiling at her.

“What happened?” Samantha asked, “How did I get here?”

“You don’t remember? You passed out in the doctor’s parking lot. I brought you here so I could take care of you and Megan. You’ve been asleep for like, 30 hours now. You must have been tired,” Jake said, as he began to burp Megan on his shoulder.

“Yeah I guess so,” Samantha said, as she looked around confused.

“Do you remember what we talked about before you passed out?” Jake asked, looking hopeful.

“Yeah I do. You promised me no more of your crap, that is if I take you back,” Samantha said.

“If?” he asked.

“Yeah, we are going to be on a trial period Jake. I do love you, but I have Megan to think about too now. If there’s anything else, it’s over. Anything at all. This is your last chance, I mean it,” she said firmly.

“I know Sam. Believe me I know. I just want us to be a real family. There won’t be anything else. If there is, I’ll leave, I promise,” Jake said, as Samantha sat down next to him, taking Megan.

“I want that too. How has she been?” Samantha asked.

“An angel,” Jake replied, as Samantha smiled and kissed her.

A few days later, Samantha went back to work. Things with Jake were going good, but she knew she couldn’t avoid Nick any longer. She had left her cell phone off, but knew he had been calling. She didn’t know how he was going to take the news. Well she knew, but she just didn’t want to deal with it.

“Here goes nothing,” she said, as she started to dial his cell phone.

After a few rings, a groggy Nick picked up. “Hello?” she heard.

“Hey, oh shit, I forgot about the time difference, you sleeping?” she asked.

“Yeah, Sammy? Where have you been? You haven’t answered the phone in four days! You scared the crap out of me,” Nick said, as he was yawning.

“I know, I’m sorry. I was so sick, I slept almost two days straight. What’s that noise?” she asked.

“Oh, it’s the bus. I’m lying in my bunk. We are on our way to….fuck, I don’t know, somewhere,” he said. “You okay?”

“Yeah, I’m better now, just had a really bad head cold is all,” she said.

“Wait a minute,” he interrupted, “if you slept for two days, where was Megan?”

“With Jake,” Samantha said quietly. A little too quietly Nick thought.

“What?” Nick asked, starting to get pissed. “When did you see him? Did you call him? Were you with him these past few days?”

“Yeah Nick, I was. We talked about some stuff, and he promised that what happened at Thanksgiving would never happen again. We’re getting back together on a trial basis,” she said.

Silence.

“Nick?” she asked.

Silence.

“Nickolas Gene Carter, talk to me right now. You know I hate the silent treatment,” she said.

“You don’t want to hear what I have to say,” he spat out.

“Nick, please don’t be mad. You know I love him, I never stopped. I want us to work out, to be a family, for Megan’s sake,” she pleaded.

“He hits you Sammy. He’s abusive. He almost killed you for Christ’s sake. Are you out of your mind? He’s a goddamn asshole, and I can’t believe you’re going to take him back after what he’s done,” Nick yelled into the phone He was so angry, that he was starting to get out of breath.

“Nick,” she started, as he interrupted with his yelling.

“No! Don’t “Nick” me. How do you know he’s going to keep his promises this time? How many other times has he told you that was the last time?” he yelled into the phone.

“A few,” she answered quietly.

“Exactly!” he yelled back. “If you take him back, you are a damn moron. I hate to say it, but damn, Sammy. If you are going to keep running back, I don’t know what else I can do,” he said, as she started to cry.

“You just………you don’t understand Nick. I love him, I know nothing will happen again. The last time really was the last time,” she said, through her tears. “We are going to work it out.”

“Yeah, until next time,” Nick screamed into the phone. “Look, you know I love you, but I refuse to stand by and watch this anymore. I’ve tried to help, but you don’t want to help yourself. You made this decision, now good luck with it. I’m sorry, but I don’t approve. I won’t stand by you on this. Goodbye.”

Nick snapped his phone shut and threw it at his feet. “God dammit mother fucker!” he screamed, as he heard four familiar groans in the bunks around him

“Well now that we’re all up, who wants to watch a movie?” Howie suggested.

“I’m in,” AJ said, as he opened his curtain and stood up. AJ peeked into Nick’s bunk, looking at him.

“You okay bro?” AJ asked.

“Hell fucking no,” Nick snapped, “Just leave me alone god dammit,” Nick said, as he yanked his curtain shut again.

AJ looked at Howie, both of them knowing Nick was going to be a real bitch for the next few days. AJ sighed, as he walked towards the TV.

“God damn,” Howie muttered, as he walked past the bunk.

“Why don’t we all swear the lord’s name and go to hell together!” Brian snapped.

“Shut up Rok,” Nick snapped back.

“Everyone shut up and go to sleep,” Kevin barked, as Nick got out of his bunk and joined Howie and AJ, pissing and moaning the whole way there.