Chapter 22

Samantha stood there at the kitchen window looking at Nick and Megan outside, just watching them looking at the clouds. She just stood there leaning against the counter when she started to drift off into a daydream.

“Mommy! Mommy!” yelled Megan as she ran in holding some flowers, “Look what daddy picked for me?”

“Really?” asked Samantha, “Let’s put them in some water.” as she took a little vase and put some water in it, sticking the flowers in there.

“Here you go.” said Samantha.

“Thank you mommy.” said Megan as she ran out the back door as Samantha leaned up against the counter, watching Megan when she felt someone walk up behind her.

“What are you doing?” whispered Nick as he put his arms around her, “Isn’t it almost her nap time?” as he started to kiss her on the kneck.

“Umm… maybe.” said Samantha as she turned around and they begin to kiss

“Mommy…….”

“Mommy…” said Megan as she tugged on Samantha’s skirt, “Look what Nick found, a flower.” as Samantha looked around, turning all the way around.

“Ring around the rosey?” asked Megan as she started turning in circles.

“Umm no.. no.” said Samantha as Nick walked in the back door.

“Um Megan, can I talk to you a minute?” asked Nick as he picked Megan up and sat her in a chair at the kitchen table and he sat down across from her, “Can we talk?”

“Uh huh..” said Megan.

“Umm.. I have to go.” said Nick.

“No, Nick , stay!” said Megan as she started to get upset.

“I can’t,.. I want to, but.. remember I have to go sing for all those people?” asked Nick as Megan nodded her head yes, “Well that’s what I gotta go do.. but I promise, I’m gonna call ya every night okay?”

“Otay..” said Megan as she started to cry.

“Don’t cry okay.. I promise as soon as I can come back, I’m gonna come see ya okay.” said Nick, “You gonna be a big girl and not cry?”

“Yeah..” said Megan as she wiped her tears away.

“Alright now give me a hug okay.” said Nick as Megan got up and gave him a hug as he looked over at Samantha, “You can call me anytime okay. You’re mama’s got my numbers.”

“Otay.” said Megan, “I love you Nick.

“I love you too.” said Nick as Samantha turned around, having her back towards then as Howie and AJ walked in.

“You tell her?” asked AJ.

“Yeah… Megan, tell AJ and Howie goodbye.” said Nick as Megan hugged them.

“I love you Uncle AJ.” said Megan as she hugged him.

“First date and I get told I love you, damn I’m good.. I love you too girl.” said AJ as Megan hugged Howie.

“I love you Uncle Howie.” said Megan as Howie started to laugh.

“Awww I love you too.” said Howie as he hugged her and Nick walked up to Samantha, handing her the keys back.

“Heres the Eclipse keys and the house keys…” said Nick as Samantha looked down at them in her hand, “Um I’m gonna call Megan all the time so what hours do you work at the station and well what hours are you home so I can call her then?”

“I work from mostly 3 to 7, but sometimes I do the morning shit. I’m always home by 8 or 8:30.” said Samantha as Nick nodded his head.

“Alright and you got my numbers incase she wants to talk to me.” said Nick.

“Yeah..” said Samantha as AJ walked over to her.

“Alright give me a hug too.” said AJ as she hugged him, “You start your magic.” he whispered as Samantha looked at him wierd.

“Bye Howie.” said Samantha as she hugged him.

“Bye you take care now.” said Howie.

“I will.” said Samantha as she looked over to see Nick hugging Megan again.

“Alright.. well you guys ready?” asked Nick

“Sure enough..” said AJ as he looked over at Megan, “You be good alright and we’ll have a big ole present when we get back.”

“Otay.” said Megan as she hugged Nick yet again.

“Bye girl.” said Nick as he looked over at Samantha and they walked out. Samantha just stood there as Megan layed her head on the kitchen table, crying.

“Megan, baby, don’t cry.” said Samantha.

“I want Nick to come back.” said Megan as she looked up at Samantha.

“He will.. I promise, and that’s one promise I’m going to keep..” said Samantha as she kneeled down to Megan, “If I ask you something do you promise not to tell anybody?”

“I promise mommy.” said Megan.

“Do you really want Nick as your daddy, and I’m not playing, I’m asking for real.” said Samantha as Megan nodded her head yes, “Yes?”

“Yes.” said Megan.

“Really?” asked Samantha as Megan nodded her head yes again, “I’m gonna do my best okay, I want him to be too.. and I’m sure he does too okay, so that’s our secret okay.”

“Otay mommy.. I’m going upstairs.” said Megan as she ran out of the kitchen and Samantha sat there kneeling down on the floor.

“Damn I’m gonna try…” said Samantha as she looked over to the clock and looked over at the stove, “Shit.. I better fix something to eat..”

“Man Megan is like so big.” said Howie laughing as they pulled up at Nick’s house a few hours later.

“Man.. I know I told you guys.” said Nick as he sat there smiling, “She’s just the coolest little girl man.”

“Samantha did a good job with her.” said AJ, “And hell she’s not even 3 yet.”

“Yeah Sam did do a good job with her.” said Howie.

“Yeah.” said Nick as he got out of the car as Howie and AJ got out, “So you guys headin’ out.. going home?”

“Yeah you gonna be alright?” asked AJ.

“Yeah.. seeing Megan made me feel better.” said Nick as AJ smiled.

“Alright man, you call if you need anything.” said AJ.

“Yeah don’t hesitate.” said Howie.

“I won’t.. I’ll see ya’ll the day after tomorrow afternoon.” said Nick as he smiled.

“Good cuz we are gonna have a few days re-lax-ation baby before we have to hit the stage again over there.” said Howie.

“Damn skippy.” said AJ laughing, “See ya tomorrow.”

“Bye..” said Nick as he watched Howie and AJ get in the cars and drive off. He stood there and finally turned around to look at the big, empty house.

“Shit might as well go in.” he thought as he unlocked the door and walked in.

A week and a half had passed and Nick, Brian, Howie, AJ, and Kevin were now over in Europe where they had their first show a few days ago in Dublin, Ireland. The guys could tell that he was depressed about what happened with Amber, but they knew that having Megan back in his life was helping him get over it.

Nick talked to Megan on the phone atleast once a day. Through all the interviews, meet & greets, and shows, the one thing Nick looked forward too was talking to Megan on the phone, almost like it was with him and Samantha when they were younger. He did talk to Samantha some but it was just small talk, nothing extremely important.

Although their talks wasn’t that important, Samantha loved every minute of it. It was the closest that she could get to him right now and she wasn’t going to let what little time she had with him go.

“Yeah mom.. I know…. I’ve called and talked to Amber and she said it’s over.” said Nick as he sat on the back of the bus talking to Jane on the phone, “Yeah I know, listen let me go so I can call somebody before I have to go in there alright…. nobody…. oh Leslie’s in Sweeden? Dude for real.. alright I’ll call ya back, I’ll go check it out when we get there, but that’s in like 3 weeks, let me go mom alright.. love ya bye.” said Nick as he hung up the phone and looked over at Brian who was sitting there.

“Man you still haven’t told your mom that you’re talking to Samantha again?” asked Brian.

“I’m 21 hell almost 22.. I can do what I want and I barely talk to Sam.. I talk to Megan.” said Nick, “She said Leslie was in Sweeden working on her album, she had some really good song that she wanted me to go in and produce… when do we go over there?”

“Umm next week… I think.” said Brian, “And you don’t talk to Samantha my ass, you talked to her alone 30 minutes the other day.”

“About Megan.” said Nick, “She’s started working again.. after taking 2 weeks vacation off.”

“Yeah..” said Brian as he went back to reading his book.

“Yeah…” said Nick mocking him, “I’m not the one reading the book entitled “Keys To A Successful Marriage”.”

“No.. you’re the one who should read the book “I’m Still In Love With Samantha, Act On It” said Brian as Nick rolled his eyes at him.

“Whatever..” said Nick as he dialed Samantha’s number to hear the line busy, “Busy..”

“Oh god, now he’s gonna sit there until Samantha answers so he can hear her voice for today and then talk to Megan.” said Brian.

“Dude drop it, damn I’m tired of it. I’m getting over Amber.” said Nick.

“Over my ass, you were over Amber when you saw Samantha at your Grandma’s funeral.” said Brian.

“Oh goodness.. is Brian Thomas Littrell saying a bad word?” asked Nick as Brian started to laugh.

“Yes, if it knocks some sense into ya, then yes.” said Brian.

“Damn Rok..” said Nick as he laughed, “Samantha’s over.”

“Samantha’s over like teen pop is and let’s not go there… sorry.” said Brian as Nick rolled his eyes.

“Brian ya said it in that press conference that once and you think it’s the best phrase ever said.” said Nick.

“And yes it is.” said Brian rather quickly as Nick laughed.

“Whatever man.. whatever..” said Nick as his cell phone rung, “Hello?”

“Hey bro, what’s up?” asked Leslie, Nick’s younger sister who was also a singer.

“Hey sis, where are you, Sweeden?” asked Nick.

“Yeah, did mom tell you I wanted you to come to the studio when you guys are here?” asked Leslie.

“Yeah yeah.. I will.. I’ll be there.” said Nick, “What’s this song you were talking about?” asked Nick.

“Oh it’s called “What I Really Meant To Say”, it’s so good… it was originally passed to Jessica Andrews and ya know she’s on my label and they passed it on to me.” said Leslie.

“Sweet yeah… I’ll help ya with it.” said Nick as his phone beeped, “Let me go sis, my phone is beepin’. See ya in a few days.”

“Okay.. bye!” said Leslie as Nick hit the button and answered the next call.