Sitting backstage with the fans who won a local radio contest Nick couldn't keep his head straight. He was making all his commitments so the guys left him alone. He knew Howie told them he was going through something and that he just needed some space. They were giving it to him but soon they were going to have a few days off and they were supposed to play softball. By then he hoped he would be out of the funk he had been in for the past three weeks. He looked across the room and mistakenly made eye contact with a girl, she had to have been in her early twenties. He smiled and winked before breaking eye contact. However, he could still see her and he could see that she was excitedly talking to her friends. He watched as they made their way over. His face went sour as he saw them nearly trample a little girl to get to him. What the fuck is wrong with these girls he thought. Their faces brightened even more if possible as he began walking in their direction,
"Hi NI-" he kept walking and got on his hands and knees and began to talk to the little girl,
"Hi, my name is Nick. What's yours?" She looked down at the floor and whispered,
"Dana." He smiled,
"That's a nice name Dana. How old are you?" She looked over and Nick saw a woman smile and encourage her, must be her mother, he thought,
"I'm six." Nick's face appeared shocked and he sat down Indian style,
"Wow, six is cool. So you go to school and stuff huh?" She nodded and he patted the spot on the floor in front of him,
"You can sit here." He saw a few things in her hand and asked,
"What you got there?" She handed them to him and he looked through the magazines, posters and cards of him and the group,
"Is it ok if I sign my name on these?" She nodded her head and her mother leaned down next to him and handed him a pen,
"OK, where do you want me to sign?" He held them out to her and she pointed in the spot on the different pictures,
"So, what school do you go to?" She whipsered,
"I'm not supposed to tell people stuff about me." She quickly looked at her mom and Nick looked up at her before looking back at Dana,
"Did your mommy tell you that?" She nodded and he smiled,
"You know what? She's right, your mommy is really smart, you listen to your mommy and do what she says ok?" She nodded,
"Ok." He looked at her mother and smiled,
"Do you have a camera?" She nodded and held it up. He looked back over at Dana,
"Can I take a picture with you?" She nodded and he picked her up so she was standing next to him as he continued to sit,
"Ok say BSB." She did as he said and they took a few pictures. As they went back to talking as he looked through her magazines her mother took a few candid shots. He didn't mind, he just hoped they turned out ok for the little girl. He looked around and saw that for one, the girls were pissed at him, who gives a fuck they acted like total idiots. And two, everyone else seemed to be watching them as well. It was time to end the meet and greet and as Nick stood up his mother leaned in closer,
"I'm almost embarrassed to ask but-" He nodded as he saw her lift her camera,
"Of course." He looked around and saw one of their people, whoever he was, they had so many,
"Take our picture." He wrapped his arm around Dana's mother and smiled. He leaned in and gave her a hug,
"You have such a cute kid." She thanked him and he watched as they left. Before anyone else could try to come over to him he walked into another room and closed the door behind him. He was so taken with little Dana, he wasn't sure why but he just wanted to protect her. She didn't deserve to be pushed aside by some overzealous groupie wannabes. If that happened to MacKenzie he would be pissed. MacKenzie, how could he be so protective and loving with a stranger and he hadn't even tried to bond with his own daughter. He sighed and closed his eyes, he had to figure this out, accept that he was a father, get over the shock of it all and start enjoying it. He opened the door and called Larry,
"Hey man, could you come here for a minute?" Larry nodded and walked over,
"Can I use your phone? I want to call Quinn." He smiled and handed his phone over without hesitation. Nick rolled his eyes,
"The only reason you let me is because I said I'm calling Quinn huh?" Larry winked and closed the door, staying outside, giving Nick some privacy.
"Hello?" Nick was nervous, he hadn't talked to her in like three weeks,
"Hey Quinn, it's Nick." She sighed,
"Hey." She didn't sound like she was in a good mood at all,
"So, how's the baby?" She groaned,
"What baby?" He sighed,
"MacKenzie. Come on now." He knew she wasn't going to make this easy.
"Hmm, didn't know you remembered you still had a daughter." He took a deep breath, he wasn't going to fight with her, it wasn't going to be that way for them,
"I know I haven't called its been crazy. We hit a hard part of the tour. A lot of dates without too many days off. Radio, in studios, recording, interviews, photoshoots." She sighed,
"It only takes a few minutes Nick so cut the bullshit ok?" She was right,
"Ok, I'm sorry. So how is she? Is she over that crying thing yet?"
"She still cries some but not as much as before. She seems to be sleepy and tired, not as active." He nodded,
"So, she's lazy." She laughed,
"Just like her daddy." He smiled, he was unsure of what to say,
"So how is everything?" He groaned,
"I'm surprised the fans came out tonight, the weather is so bad." It had been raining so hard he thought there was going to be flooding,
"Is it raining?" He nodded,
"Yep, pussies and bitches." She laughed,
"What?" He rolled his eyes and laughed,
"Ya know, cats and dogs." She groaned,
"Stop you're an idiot." He smiled, happy he could make her laugh,
"What? Why I gotta be an idiot?"
She softens her voice, "You're not...I love you." He was unsure of what to say to that. Did she really love him? Was that a code? He shook his head, she was with James and they were just being silly together,
"Yeah, ok I gotta go. I'm backstage, the show is gonna start soon. Talk to you later." He hung up, unsure if he were going to go through with the plan he had thought of earlier that night.
Chapter 25
Reunited
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