Chapter 17

“Nick…” said Megan the next morning as Nick sat on the floor in Samantha’s bedroom writing a letter.

“Shhh…. you’re gonna wake you’re mama up.” said Nick.

“Oh secret.” said Megan with a big cheesy grin.

“Yeah…” whispered Nick, “Remember I told you I had to go home… well I’m going to go now.”

“No please stay.” said Megan.

“I can’t baby, but I’ll be back okay.” said Nick as he stood up, looking over at Samantha who was asleep. It reminded him of the old days when they use to sleep in the same bed and nothing ever happened.

“Nick don’t go.” whispered Megan.

“I have to. But I promise… I’m going to be back okay. I keep my promises. Now you give this to your mama and you can call me anytime okay?” said Nick.

“Otay.” said Megan as she hugged Nick.

“I love you and you stay good now okay.” said Nick.

“I love you too Nick.” said Megan as she gave him a big kiss.

“Bye.. you give that to your mama okay.” said Nick.

“Otay.” said Megan as Nick smiled, looked over at Megan and walked out as Megan hopped up on the bed with Samantha and layed down looking at the envelope where Nick had written “Samantha” on it. Megan layed there tracing Samantha’s name with her fingertip.

Not too much later, Samantha started to move a little and realized Megan was in bed with her.

“Megan?” asked Samantha.

“Hey mommy. Here.” said Megan as she handed Samantha the envelope.

“Huh? Where’s Nick?” asked Samantha as she sat up.

“He went home.” said Megan as Samantha looked down at the envelope and realized it was Nick’s handwriting. She tore the envelope open so fast. She couldn’t get to the letter fast enough.

Samantha,

Hey, I’m sorry I left before you woke up but I needed to get going. I didn’t plan on staying last night but I feel asleep. I was so tired. I wanted to thank you for letting me spend the day with Megan. You were right, she’s so grown up for a 3 year old. I loved it, and I wanna see her again as soon as possible. I need to get home right now, but I will be back. I promise, and you know I always kept my promises. At the bottom is my phone number, my cell number, my beeper number and my email address in case Megan or yourself wants to call me or something.

Nick

Samantha sat there looking at the letter and then looked over at Megan.

“Mommy, read me the story.” said Megan.

“Oh this, Nick just says that he loves you very very much and that he’s coming to come back and see you very soon.” said Samantha.

“He told me that.” said Megan, “Mommy, can I ask something?”

“Yeah..” said Samantha as she looked down at the letter.

“Is Nick my new daddy?” asked Megan as Samantha looked over at her.

“He’s the closest thing you have to a daddy.” said Samantha.

“Can he be my new daddy?” asked Megan.

“I dunno, you’ll have to ask him when he comes back.” said Samantha as she laid back and Megan climbed up beside her.

“Mommy I love Nick.” said Megan.

“I do too.” said Samantha as Megan looked at her, “I’m sure you do.”

“I do.” said Megan as Samantha laid there and smiled.

A few hours later, Nick walked into the front door of his Orlando home. He was scared at what Amber was going to say but he was sure that she would understand what happened. Megan was the only reason he stayed, not Samantha. It was only because of Megan.

“Nick is that you?” asked Amber as Nick tried to sneak in the house but heard Amber’s voice.

“Yeah…” said Nick as he stopped to see Amber standing there in the doorway. He could tell that she was upset, “Sorry I didn’t come home last night baby. Me and Megan were just having the best time. She is .. she’s the smartest kid I have ever seen in my life and Samantha is just doing so good for herself….”

“It’s okay Nick.. I know.” said Amber as Nick looked confused.

“Know what?” asked Nick.

“I know what Samantha is to you..” said Amber, “I know…”

“What?” asked Nick.

“That she’s your true love… that you still love her and miss her and time you see her, you go to her….” said Amber, “I’m not going to play second fiddle.”

“Amber..” said Nick looking confused, “What.. what the hell are you talking about?”

“Nick… come over here and sit down…” said Amber as she took his hand and lead him over to the sofa.

“What is it?” asked Nick.

“I know who Samantha is… I know what she meant to you.” said Amber.

“And you’re point is, baby, what’s that got to do with us?” asked Nick.

“I can never be your first love… Nick don’t fool yourself if you think we’re going to last because we won’t. I have a career that is just mind boggling right now and so is yours. It’s great when we can spend time together but when we can’t.. and you’re off, who will you run to now that you’re talking. Samantha. I saw some videos of your’s last night Nick. I can never be that. You wrote that beautiful song for her.” said Amber as Nick looked away and looked back at her.

“Are you breaking up with me?” asked Nick looking in shock.

“Nick.. I can never be Samantha. I could tell in those videos what she meant to you. She seems like a great girl, someone that you just click with and that’s what you need. Not somebody that’s always gone. You need more than that. You always need to take care of somebody and that’s one of your best qualities, but I don’t need to be taken care of. I can do that on my own… you should take care who you really love.” said Amber as Nick looked down remember that those were almost the same exact words that Samantha said to him almost two years earlier.

“You’re breaking up with me?” asked Nick.

“Yeah.. Nick I am.” said Amber, “I don’t want to, but I know now that Samantha is in the picture that I’m just going to be put on the backburner and that’s not my thing. I’m just giving you what you need, and that’s freedom so that you can do what you really want.”

“Just… just get your stuff and go.” said Nick as he sat there looking away as she stood up.

“They’re already packed and in my car.” said Amber as Nick put his hands over his eyes, covering them.

“Uhh just go, go Amber, leave…” said Nick as Amber wanted to hug him but walked over to the door.

“I’m sorry Nick..” said Amber crying, “I’m really sorry..”

“Don’t say that!” yelled Nick, “Just leave!” as Amber walked out of the door, shutting it as Nick started to cry.

“God why does she come back and haunt me like that for?” he thought as he lifted his head up and looked around. He stood up and walked over to the phone, taking Samantha’s number which was still in his pocket out and dialed her number.

“Mommy!! Bubbles made a pee-pee!!!” yelled Megan as she was standing in the living room and Samantha ran in from the kitchen.

“Shit…” said Samantha.

“No shit mommy, he pee-peed.” said Megan.

“Don’t say Shit, it’s a bad word Meggy.” said Samantha as she looked around, “Damn dog.” when the phone rung, “We are getting you a cage my friend..” as she looked at the dog and picked up the phone, “Hello?”

“She left me…” whispered Nick as Samantha looked around.

“Nick?” asked Samantha, “You’re god damn dog pissed on my floor so since you’re going to take care of him, drive your ass here and clean it up.”

“Amber left me..” said Nick.

“She what?” asked Samantha.

“She said the same exact damn thing you did.” said Nick as Samantha sat down on the sofa, “She didn’t need anybody to take care of her and all that, it’s your fault, do you know that?”

“My fault? Nick.. I’ve never said two words to her. I don’t know her.” said Samantha, “It’s not my fault.”

“Yes it is..” said Nick, “It’s all your fault.”

“Nick, are you okay?” asked Samantha.

“It’s your fault.” said Nick, “You haunt me in every damn thing I do.”

“Um Nick.. you’re scaring me okay.” said Samantha.

“Samantha it’s all your fault… you’re always there.” said Nick as Samantha looked around, looking scared, “I’ll take care of the dog.. just clean that up. It’s the least you can do.” as he hung up and Samantha looked confused.

“Mommy was that Nick?” asked Megan.

“Umm.. yeah.” said Samantha, “He’s not having a good day. His girlfriend broke up with him.”

“She’s dumb.” said Megan as Samantha laughed.

“Yeah she’s dumb.” said Samantha laughing.

“Very dumb.” said Megan.

“Very very.. very dumb.” said Samantha as she picked Megan up and swung her around.