- Text Size +
Faithfully
Chapter 25
By Dottie
Copyright 2016

Nick's POV

Two weeks ago, Haley Jo turned 3 months old. She's growing so fast. She sits up by herself and can roll over. Before you know it, she’ll be crawling. And Jessi thought I was silly for putting up the baby gates as soon as we moved in.

At the moment Jessi is playing with Haley Jo on the patio. I can see her laughing at our little girl's antics but that laughter isn't in her eyes. She woke up three times during the night sobbing. I should know because I was awake all night.

You see, today should have been our first anniversary. Instead it's an anniversary neither of us wants to commemorate. It's one I wish I could make Jessi forget. I see Hanna Jo come into the back yard with Todd. She puts him down beside Haley Jo and kneels by Jessi to give her a hug.

I hear the front door open and AJ comes strolling in. "Hey Nick. You ok?"

I shrug. "I wish I could make it all disappear."

He stands close to me and we watch our wives and children. "I wish we could too, Man." He clears his throat. "Listen, Hanna and I want to kept Haley Jo today. Give you and Jessi time to...I don't know...talk."

I glance at him. "I appreciate it AJ. But we haven't really talked today. Neither of us slept much last night. I don't...I don't know what to say."

He nudges me. "Just tell her you love her. That's all she needs now."


After they leave I join Jessi on the patio swing. When I sit down, she scoots closer to, laying her head on my shoulder. I lay my head against hers and whisper "I love you Jessi."

She shivers against me. "I love you too Nick." I put my arm around her and pull her against my side. We sit in silence for several minutes before she whispers, "I'm sorry."

I let my tears fall as I hold her tightly. "You have nothing to be sorry for Jessi."

Her arm slides across my stomach. "I'm letting him win today."

I force her head back so she will look at me. "No. He's not winning and he never will. We are together and we have Haley Jo. He didn't win."

She touches the side of my face. "But...you won't...we haven't...never mind."

She lowers her eyes from mine and it breaks my heart. "Jessi I just didn't want to push you." She doesn't say anything so I continue softly. "I love you. I want you. Every day of my life I want you but only when you're ready."

She tilts her head back and whispers, “I want you too. You have to know I do.”

I smile and nod. “I do know Jessi. I’ll wait until you’re really ready. I’m not going anywhere.” After a few minutes, I whisper, “I have a surprise for you.”

She pulls away from me and says, “I have one for you too. I hope you don’t get mad.”

She stands and pulls me behind her. “Mad? Why would I get mad?”

She pulls me down on the sofa beside her and reaches for the remote. “Because I…Hanna Jo and I…did something on our last shopping trip that…well…I didn’t tell you because I knew you’d try to stop me. And she didn’t tell AJ because he would have told you.”

Now I’m scared. “Jessi, I don’t understand.”

She smiles and kisses my cheek. “Just…watch this, ok? And please, don’t be mad. I couldn’t take it.”

So I turn to the television and she starts a DVD. I glance at her. “The Marilyn Denis show? I didn’t know you watch this.”

She shrugs. “I don’t. It’s a copy of the show that will air tonight.”

I turn back to the television with a sense of dread weighing my heart down. After the opening credits, I nearly faint when without preamble, my wife and her best friend are introduced as the first guests.

For the next half hour, I watch Jessi lay it all on the line…her past. How we fell in love. Donnie’s despicable deeds. And through it all she keeps her poise and her head held high. By the time it’s over, I’m more than proud of my wife. I’ve fallen even more in love with her. Because the last statement she made really hit home for me.

Without batting an eye, she says, “The last year has been difficult. But when Donnie Wahlberg was sentenced for what he did to my friends, to Nick and to myself, it was like closing the most difficult chapter of the book of my life. I spent several months thinking I hated my husband, when in all honesty I loved him with all my heart. I was shattered by what I thought was his betrayal. But learning why he did it…why he didn’t tell me about Hanna Jo, AJ and Denise being kidnapped, I…I felt relief. It never made sense that he made a deal with Donnie over money because I know money doesn’t matter to him. He did what he had to do. He did the RIGHT thing…because the only person in this world I love as much as I love my husband is Hanna Jo. If anything had happened to her, I never could have forgiven him.”

The hostess butts in. “But you did forgive him?”

I watch Jessi smile and I see love in her eyes. “Yes I did. I forgave him. I still love him. We’ve had a lot of counseling and probably will continue to get help, but I don’t think it will last forever. I love Nick with all my heart and that’s never going to change. We have a beautiful baby girl together and we’re a family. Maybe we’re a work in progress, but we’re working together. That’s all that matters to me.”

I turn to Jessi and whisper, “Why?”

She shrugs. “I needed to do that for me and for you. Nick I want you to record again. I want you and they guys to get back together and make music like only you can. I miss hearing you sing. You used to sing all the time and I ache for that. I just…I want to be US again…just like we were when we first fell in love. When we knew we’d be together forever because we will.”

I don’t know what else to do but kiss her. I pull her against me and for the first time in over a year, I’m kissing her as my wife, my lover, my best friend. After several minutes, we break apart, both of us gasping for air and I murmur, “I love you Jessi. God knows I’ll love you till the day I die. You didn’t have to do that for me.”

She shakes her head. “I didn’t. I did it for us. ALL of us.”

I can’t stop myself from crying. With tears falling down my face, I whisper, “Well, I don’t think I can top that surprise, but I’m going to try.”

She grins, hugging me. “You don’t have to…I mean, Nick all I need is you.”

I kiss her forehead. “You’ve got me Babe. But I also have a surprise for you.”

I run from the living room to my study and grab the cd I made for her over the last few weeks. When I come back into the living room, she’s sitting where I left her, with her legs curled under her body. There’s never a time I don’t want to just get lost in my wife and now is no exception.

Once the disc is in the stereo, I grab the remote and sit beside her. She looks at me and says, “What is it?”

I smile and say, “Just me and the fellas hopefully making one of your wishes come true.” I turn on the music and wait.

Her eyes widen when she realizes what she’s hearing. “You…you’re recording again?”

I just nod. “We did a few songs a couple months ago when everyone came up. Just to test the waters. But…well, this is special, so listen.”

I start the song over and watch her. Her eyes never leave mine and when the lyrics start, I see her lip tremble. I hold her close and sing along softly, hoping she knows I mean every word.

Highway run into the midnight sun
Wheels go round and round you’re on my mind
Restless hearts sleep alone tonight
Sending all my love along the wire

They say that the road ain’t no place to start a family
Right down the line it’s been you and me
And loving a music man ain’t always what it’s supposed to be
Oh girl, you stand by me…I’m forever yours…Faithfully

She launches herself at me and hugs me tightly. “Nick! Oh my God Nick, it’s beautiful!”

I pull away from her slowly and cup her face. “I love you Jessi. Now and always I’ll love you. I am forever yours…Faithfully.”


She listened to the rest of the disc nestled in my arms. When it was over we had a long talk about recording. The fellas are all in. Hanna Jo is on board. All we were waiting for was Jessi’s approval and did she ever give it. We didn’t make love. Today wasn’t about that. Today was about making the commitment to move on together in the same direction. The Backstreet Boys are back. A little older, a little wiser, and happier. Complete. We’re a family and we always will be. I know Jessi and I will be ok. So will AJ and Hanna Jo. Nothing can stop us now. Backstreet’s Back…Alright!



Chapter End Notes:
I hope you've enjoyed Jessi and Nick's story. Let me know!! :)