Nick couldn't apologize enough as he passed the mashed potatoes at the table. "I'm so sorry!"
"Oh, honey don't worry. Someone always blows one up every year." Mrs. Hunter gave him a reassuring smile, but he knew it was a bunch of bullshit.
The freaks come out at night. The freaks come out at night. hut...hut...hut...
Nick's phone sang, he felt warmth creep through his body and settled at his cheeks. Quickly he pushed the 'end' button and gave everyone a nervous smile. Everyone looked at each other and continued to pass the food around.
The freaks come out at night. The freaks come out at night. hut...hut...hut...
His phone went off again and this time he took it in his hands, scooted out the chair and excused himself from the table. "I'm sorry, it's AJ my friend." He walked into the living room.
"Hello!"
"I know your bitch ass isn't ignoring my calls."
"AJ, I'm in the middle of Thanksgiving dinner. Aren't you?"
"Did you forget that Ro doesn't cook."
"Bananas!"
"She'll eat that later." AJ snickered.
Nick growled. "That's just too much info. What the hell is going on? Is the building on fire...are you dying?"
"No. But the monkey is having a hard time with the hours I spend at the gym and she said that I have till tomorrow. You will have to find someone else, dude. I'm sorry. Just grab the girl and come home."
"I don't think it's going to be that easy. Plus, she's pregnant."
"Oh crap! Yours?"
"Yes, of course!" He stated confidently, remembering that just yesterday he thought it was the cowboys.
"Congratulations man."
"Uh...thanks dude. Alright well hang in there and I will head back tomorrow."
"Cool. Talk then."
Nick pushed the button to end the call and groaned. He was out of time.
"You were gonna leave tomorrow and not tell me?"
Nick spun around startled, "What? No..."
"There you go lying..." Abby turned around and rushed through the dining room, through the kitchen and out the backdoor.
"Abigail!" He rushed after her.
Nick was right behind Abby as she made her way out into the fields in the dark.
"Abby, would you wait!"
"Just go back home! You should leave right now!"
"Stop! Abby..." He carefully grabbed her arm and brought her to a stop. "Would you stop acting like a brat and hear me out?"
She stopped and glared up at him, crossing her arms over her chest. "I thought we were done with the games and lies, Nick?"
Nick's frustration was apparent as he stood with his hands on his hips and his mouth in a straight line. "I didn't come here to play games Abby. Yet, I wrestled down a pig and managed to blow up a lawnmower...all for you to realize that I will do anything to have you back. But somehow I know that's not enough for you and I'm not sure how to convince you of that...I'm still in love with you." He stopped to let out a deep breath and wait for her reaction.
"I just...I thought we'd have time to work this out. That you would be here more time. Now, you are leaving tomorrow and you didn't bother telling me."
He ran a hand over his face. "I don't know what you want from me, Abby?" Nick threw his hands up in the air.
She shook her head, "I don't even know anymore."
They stood in silence for a quick minute and then Nick spoke up softly.
"I know that we started off on the wrong foot when we met. I wouldn't have it any other way though. I really wouldn't take back anything that has happened. Except that you never told me something really important...because this whole thing isn't just my fault. You kept something so important from me. You were going to let me marry her, knowing damn well that she was playing me."
Abby swallowed hard, knowing he was right. "I know. I'm sorry. I just didn't want to add to your stress and I didn't want to be the one to hurt you. I'm really bad at those kinds of things."
"It's ok. I'm putting the whole thing behind me. We can start all over."
"Nick there is so much we haven't even talked about. Like, why were you even meeting women online in the first place? You never told me."
"Crap! It's a really dumb reason. I was too scared to meet up with a woman in person. So I started talking to all these women online, to see if maybe one of them would make me feel different. Maybe, I just couldn't handle the fact that I didn't want to marry Tiffany. I was looking for a reason to cancel. Then there was you and we talked all the time and we got along. So I got curious to meet you."
"Then I wasn't what you were expecting." She whispered.
"Yes, like I said we started off on the wrong foot. I was an asshole." He smiled. "Alright, about what you overheard right now, I didn't lie to you. I was supposed to stay till Saturday, but it turns out that I didn't think about AJ and his marriage, not to mention his needy monkey! He called me to tell me that tomorrow would be the last day he'd cover me, so I have to go back. It took me a lot of work to bring that gym back up, which I haven't thanked you for. I don't know how you did it, but I love that place." He smiled.
"I won a jackpot in Vegas. It was the first thing that came to mind to spend it on." She shrugged.
Nick smiled again. "You should come back to California with me. We can work things out, try to be a little family...I can't stay here Abby!"
Abby sniffled back the tears, "I can't leave now, Nick. My mom and Annie are excited about the baby and...Well..."
"Babe, they will understand. The question here is...do you still love me? Because I do...much more than before." He placed a hand on each side of her stomach.
She seemed torn by her choices. She'd waited everyday for the past four months for Nick to reappear. Now, here he was asking her to go back with him and she didn't know what to say. Instead of giving him a straight answer, she felt like running away from it all.
"I...I don't know Nick."
He shook his head and pursed his lips in defeat. "Well, I guess that's my answer." Nick turned around and started walking towards the house.
"You were gone for four months. I didn't hear a damn thing from you. You gotta understand me..." She was yelling at him, but he wasn't stopping.
He stormed up the porch stairs, excused himself past everyone at the dining table and disappeared up the stairs to his room. He walked in and felt like throwing everything in sight around. Quickly he started throwing everything back into his luggage. He was dreading that he couldn't leave right that minute. He grabbed the phone and dialed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Abby wiped away the tears as she swayed back and forth on the porch swing. Annie crept up and asked if it was ok to join her, Abby didn't answer. So she sat down anyway.
"I'm guessing the talk didn't go so well. Nick is packing his bags."
"I'm so confused, Annie. I don't know what to do."
Annie rolled her eyes. "What's there to be confused about? The guy that I know you are in love with came down to get you back. You guys are having a baby and I know that you guys love each other. There doesn't seem to be a problem."
"What about you guys? I can't just pick up and leave you guys."
"We are going to be just fine, Abigail. You can't jeopardize your happiness for us. Didn't he come down and ask what you waited so long for?" Abby nodded her head. "Well then. That doesn't mean that mom and I aren't going to fly our butts out there to see this hopefully blue eyed baby."
Abby let out a heavy sigh as she stood up. "I'm going to sleep on it. I can't just decide right now. I can't."
She walked away and into the house. Everyone had moved to the living room and were chatting up a storm. She said good night and walked up to her room. The night had become very dark and not a star was in the sky. It looked like it might rain. She sat on her window seat and stared out into the darkness, wondering what she should do.
A door slammed in the hall and it made her jump. She cursed at whoever it was under her breath and continued with her thoughts. Then she saw the lights to a car turn on and it began to drive away. Her heart started to hammer against her chest when she realized who it could be. She jumped up and dashed for the door and down the stairs.
"Who left?" She looked around the room noticing that everyone she had seen going up, were still there. "It was Nick...wasn't it?"
"Honey!"
"He said he wasn't leaving till the morning."
"I can take you to the airport if you want? If that's what you want..." Annie piped up from outside.
"I don't know what I want."
Annie stormed into the house, went up the stairs and into her sister's room. She grabbed a suitcase from the closet and started throwing random things into it. "I'll make the choice for you. I'm definitely not having you regret staying here and letting him go, later on. Hurry up and get dressed in warm clothes, it's going to rain."
"But...but...Annie..."
"Don't lie to me Abigail Hunter. I know that you want to leave with Nick. I know that deep down you are scared, but I think you guys will be fine. So hurry the hell up and let's go."
Annie finished stuffing the suitcase and stood by the door waiting for her sister. Deep down it made her sad to think that Abby wouldn't be around, that the excitement of a baby would be far away. She wouldn't show her sister how sad it really made her. She smiled and rushed her once again as they came down the stairs.
She quickly said her goodbyes to her mother and Henry and they were off to the airport as it began to drizzle. After what felt like forever the girls finally made it to the airport. They excused their way through the crowd of people that were trying to stay dry by the doors. Annie took charge trying to buy a ticket for the next flight.
"Ok, here you go. This is the only flight back to California till the morning. So...I think he's there. You will have to find a way to get his attention, because they started boarding the plane already."
"Thank you!" Abby gave her sister a big hug.
Annie smiled down at her sister. "One of us deserves to be happy with a hot hunk." They both laughed. "Alright, this is as far as I can go. I love you little sis and remember everything will be ok."
~~~~~
Abby started to walk towards the security check and waved back at her sister, trying hard not to cry. When she reached the gate there were still people in line entering the plane. She was getting nervous and the bile was rising to her throat.
She had finally boarded the plane and her eyes were looking around the place to see if she could catch a glimpse of Nick. He had to be on that plane, it was the only one leaving back to California. She took a seat and tried to calm down.
"Is everything alright?" the stewardess asked.
"Can I please get some water? I can't breathe." Abby requested trying to breath slowly.
"Sure thing." The stewardess turned to walk away.
"Wait...um...is there anyway that you can find out if there is a Nick Carter on the plane. Um...he's my boyfriend and I need him right now!" She gave the woman a cheesy smile. Knowing her request sounded a bit crazy.
The stewardess nodded a bit confused and walked away. A few seconds later Nick's name was being called over the intercom. Abby felt her cheeks get warm and her breathing get heavier. What if he got mad? He wasn't really her boyfriend.
There was still a bit of commotion as everyone found their seats and put their carry-ons in the compartments. The water finally came and her eyes widened when she saw Nick standing next to the stewardess.
"I found him!" She smiled.
"Thank you" Abby smiled back. Nick stood quietly looking down at Abby.
"Uh...what are you doing here? On this plane?"
"Oh...um...I was looking for you, but I got stuck all the way up here."
He slid into the seat next to her and stared at the back of the seat in front of him. "Abby..." He turned his focus to her and they stared at each other for a bit. His hand caressed the side of her face and he smiled. "Really? You are coming with me?"
She nervously shook her head, finally breathing normally. "Yes. I'm sorry about earlier."
He leaned in and kissed her lightly. "It's ok. I love you." He leaned in again, but was stopped by Abby reaching over for the bag in front of her and heaving.
Nick sighed, "I think the baby doesn't like us having physical contact. It's gonna be a long six months."