I hadn't told anybody, except the family, about Dani. I had been planning on calling the guys later today. They deserved to be the second group of people to know about her.

"It's all over the damn internet, Nick! People saw you shopping for baby stuff. With a baby in your arms! What the hell is going on?"

I slapped my hand to my face. Of course. The girls at the store. Damn it. I had forgotten all about them.

"Brian, I can explain." I pleaded.

"You know damn well how excited Leigh and I are...were...that we were waiting for just the right moment to make an announcement. You have to spoil everything!"

"No Brian, I..honestly...I was going to tell you."

"When Nick? When she's three? Just like the damn album!"

"Brian! Please!"

"You've known about this for awhile Nick, why haven't you said anything? Babies just don't appear out of nowhere!"

"Sometimes they do." I whispered.

"What?"

"I said....never mind...I'm sorry."

"Sorry doesn't cut it this time Nick. Goodbye."

I jumped at the sound of the phone slamming down in my ear, then I slumped to floor.

"Nick?" Mom knelt down to me, concern on her face.

"No...not now." I waved my hands at her. "Just leave me alone."

"I'll take Dani in for her bath then."

Mom walked hesitantly away. I knew she was looking back over her shoulder, worried about me. I heard Dad slide a chair out and take a seat. He didn't say anything, which I was grateful for. I had to think about this. The guys were mad at me for doing this solo album. Displeased. Unhappy. Upset. Choose your word. I knew that. But, damn it, I wanted to do it and, in a way, needed to do it. The recording of it had made me clean up my act in some ways and that was highly needed. I secretly thought AJ was ticked because I got myself off the drugs - by myself. Just little old me all by myself. But who knows. I could understand why they were upset. I'd been a bit secretive about it and it all seemed to happen so fast, before I could let anyone really know. But I'll be damned if I was going to sit here and do nothing while Brian fawned over his pregnant wife, AJ cooed over his girlfriend, and Kevin and Howie worked with their charities. I needed to do something and the opportunity had arisen. But still, I could understand the anger. But to be angry because I had a daughter? He didn't even let me explain! I smacked my hand on the floor in anger. I deserved to be heard out! To explain what had happened to me in the last few days. I shouldn't have been the one apologizing. I banged my hand on the floor again. "Dammit!"

"Work it all out, son?" Dad asked calmly.

"Pretty much..I guess I need to talk to a few more people."

"They should know. Brian was pretty upset., wasn't he?"

"He thinks I'm trying to steal his thunder, that no one will care if he and Leigh are having a baby, if I've already got one."

"He's a damn fool, sometimes. A good man, but a little self-centered."

I smiled. Brian was just a good old country boy that still didn't like all the media attention after all these years. But when he did want it..look out..no one else should be sharing it.

"Could you hand me the phone?"

"You going to try to get through to him?"

"Nope. I need to talk to all of them. I'll get them over here. Or I'll go to them, I don't know. But I need to explain myself."

"Good work son. I'm proud of you. Call Kevin and get everyone together. Don't take any shit."

I smiled again. Sometimes it was nice to have parents that could almost read your mind.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Remember..."

"Sleep when she sleeps, so I won't be tired when she's up."

"And make sure you always..."

"Support her neck, because she can't do it yet."

"And don't forget..."

"The soft spot on the top of her head. I'll be gentle with her, Momma. I did help with BJ and Leslie and Angel and Aaron. They were all babies once."

"I know, honey, but they weren't my first grand daughter!"

Dad chuckled. "So your own children weren't as important as this squirt here?"

"Of course they were! It's just...different." Mom pouted at Dad and turned back to me and Dani. "She's just the most precious thing, Nick. Absolutely gorgeous."

I must say, I had to agree. She was just about the prettiest baby girl I had seen in my life. Every now and then when I looked at her, I wondered what her mother looked like. She must have been gorgeous for Dani to look like she did. I certainly couldn't take the credit for her beautiful features. I wished I could remember her, even a little bit, for Dani's sake.

"She's got your eyes, Nick."

"You think so, Dad?" I didn't really think she looked like me at all now. "I was a funny looking baby."

"You were not!" Mom was indignant. "You were the most..."

"..funny looking baby." I finished for her, laughing. "I looked goofy, Mom, admit it."

"No you did not!" Mom took Dani from me. "Don't you listen to your crazy father. He was a beautiful baby and so are you. You're gorgeous!" Mom cooed and fussed over Dani, drawing smiles and giggles from her.

"We should go Nick." Mom looked like the last thing she wanted to do was leave Dani's side.

"You don't have to." I shrugged. "She needs to be familiar with you, once I start promos and touring, she'll be with you a lot.

"How wonderful! But...Aaron's tour starts soon too. We can't take her on the road. It's not fair. Maybe you should look into a sitter."

I shook my head. "Uh uh. She's been pushed around enough in her young life. I'm not pawning her off on a stranger."

"Nick, it's not necessary right now, but in the near future I think you will find a sitter very handy. Even if you just want to go out for the night with the guys and we're not available." Dad explained patiently.

"I'll think about it." I reluctantly agreed. "I guess maybe I just don't want to share her. It's nice to have something, someone, that's mine."

Mom and Dad glanced at each other and grinned. "We're going to leave you two alone now. Be good Dani." Mom snuggled Dani to her shoulder and kissed her cheeks. "Be a good girl for Daddy."

"Goodnight baby girl." Dad planted a kiss on her forehead. "Sleep well."

Mom and Dad started down the steps and Dani and I waited. Dad turned back around to look at us.

"When's your thing, Nick?" he called out.

"He didn't answer, I'm waiting for his call back. It will be as soon as I can do it though."

"Alright, good for you son!"

I could see Mom getting in the car and bugging Dad to tell her what had upset me on the phone and Dad wasn't budging, bless him. He knew Mom would be upset and that I didn't want her to know what Brian had said to me. I raised Dani's pudgy little arm and waved as my parents pulled out of the driveway and started on their way home.

"Well Dani, what do you think?"

Her response was a huge yawn and to push her face into my chest.

"You tired? Spending the morning with Gram and Gramp tire you out?"

Dani yawned again.

"Okay, naptime." We walked back into the house. "I know you've got that nice new crib, but right now I just want to snuggle with you, okay? Let's go to our favourite chair."

So we did. And we both had a naptime.