Five Backstreet's And A Baby - Part One
"Come on baby one more push!” Nick grasped his girlfriend’s hand as she struggled in labor.

“I...can’t!!!!!” she screamed.

The doctor kept watch over her. “Come on Kathleen you can do it. One more push.”

Kathleen’s face grew red as her heart monitor began to beep rapidly. Nick’s eyes widened.

“Kathleen? Are you ok?”

The doctor pushed Nick aside as more people ran into the room in attempts to save her. Nick tried to gather his emotions as he watched them. A nurse walked up to Nick and began to usher him out. “Come this way. You can wait in the waiting room, and we’ll let you know when it’s over.”

Nick took one last look at her while he walked back to the waiting room. Why her? he silently asked to himself. A single tear fell down his face as Brian walked in the room.

“Hey Frack.” he said. “What’s goin on with Kathleen?”

Nick tried not to break down. “She was in labor, and she had one more push, but then her heart went crazy, and-and the nurse took me out of the room and that’s all I know.”

Brian’s face grew serious. “Oh my God...I’m sorry Nick.”

“Thanks. I-I just don’t wanna lose her. I love her to death.” Nick replied as a nurse walked in.

“Kathleen O’Connor?”

Nick stood up and walked over to her. “Yeah, I’m her fiancé.”

The nurse took Nick into a room. There was a table, chairs and a box of tissues. “Please, have a seat.”

Nick sat down, nervous. “What happened to her?”

“She went into labor, then her heart began to beat abnormally, so we got the baby out ourselves. Then, we put her on oxygen and her heart stopped. We used the crash cart about 8 times but it was too late. We found that her main artery was blocked, and that it had been blocked for a long time. She probably inherited this condition from her mother, who had the same condition. She’s gone, son. I’m so very sorry.”

Nick couldn’t take every punch that was being thrown at him. First his girlfriend, then the baby. Then his mind clicked. The baby! Was it ok? “Was the baby ok?” he asked.

The nurse nodded. “Yes, we got her out just in time.”

“HER?”

“Congratulations, Nick. You have a daughter!” she exclaimed.

The twisting inside his stomach began to stop. “A...daughter?”

“Yes, would you like to go see her?”

Nick nodded as he walked out. “Can I bring a friend?”

“Sure. Go to room 526. That’s the nursery. We didn’t know the name of the child yet, so we named her ‘Number 21’. That’s what we do when the baby’s name is anonymous, we give them numbers.”

Nick and Brian walked up to room 526. They looked around until they spotted a label that said ‘#21’. There was a delicate little baby wrapped in a pink blanket. She was peacefully sleeping. “Oh my God. I have a daughter.” was all Nick could say.

***

“We are gathered here today to witness Holy Baptism.” Nick carried his daughter up to the altar along with his parents, brothers, sisters, Brian and Leighanne, Kevin and Kristin, Howie, and Sarah and AJ.

“In Holy Baptism our sins are forgiven and we are granted new life in Christ Jesus. I ask you anew, do you renounce the devil in all his works and all his ways?”

“I do renounce them.”

The pastor continued to recite the creed along with the congregation.

“Who brings this child to be baptized?”

“I do.”

“How is this child to be named?”

Nick thought for a moment, then remembered the name he and Kathleen had chosen. “Angela...” he decided to use Kathleen’s middle name. “Vitaliana...” then he used his last name. “Angela Vitaliana Carter.”

The pastor nodded. “Angela Vitaliana Carter, I baptize you in the name of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, Amen.”

“Who are the godparents of this child?”

Nick took Angela back into his grasp. “Brian and Leighanne Littrell, Kevin and Kristin Richardson, Howie Dorough, and AJ and Sarah McLean.”

“Brian, Leighanne, Kevin, Kristin, Howie, Sarah and AJ, do you promise to love this child, and if something should happen to her father, do you promise to nurture this child in her holy needs?”

“Yes.” they replied.

“All of you here today are witness to this holy baptism. Amen.”

***

“You did good in there, bro.” Brian said, patting Nick on the back.

“Thanks. Where’s Angel?” he asked.

“Right here.” Leighanne smiled, walking in with the now sleeping girl.

“Aww...look at her B-Rok. She’s so delicate and beautiful.”

Brian’s brow furrowed. “So...you’re nicknaming her Angel?”

“Yep...cause she’s an angel from heaven!”

Brian smiled. He took Leighanne’s hand. “I hope soon we have our own little angels.” he winked.

“You just wait mister!” She joked.

Nick took his daughter and looked at her face. She looked just like her mother. “My little Angel.” he whispered, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

***

“EheheheWAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!”

Nick jolted awake to the sound of Angel crying, again. Groaning, he slowly walked to her crib and picked her up.

“Shhh...it’s ok honey.” he soothed, rubbing her back. Angel kept crying.

“Oh come on baby I’m tired...” he whined, not knowing he was sounding like a baby himself. “You want a bottle? You tired? ANYTHING???”

The baby kept crying.

“Oh Jesus, come on what is it???” he whined again, feeling something warm on his hip.

“What the...” he said, feeling his hip. It was wet! “Oh no...oh no...Angel did you...”

Angel whimpered. “Great. PERFECT timing.” he said, setting the baby down on his bed and getting diapers out of his bathroom closet. Moments later he returned, and changed Angel’s diaper. Sighing, he picked her up again. “Now...how am I going to make you go back to sleep?” he said to her. She looked at him as if saying ‘I don’t know’. Then it hit Nick. “Ok, I’ll sing. Sure, it’s 3 in the morning and I’m not even fully awake, but anything for you baby.” he cleared his throat. “I promise you, from the bottom of my heart, I will love you till death do us part...” he continued singing and soon Angel’s eyes began to droop. Sleepily, she cooed, dropped her head on Nick’s shoulder and drifted off. Nick stopped singing, seeing her. A smile broke out on his face. “Aww...” he said. “Tell you what...let’s go on the couch so if you need a bottle I can get it for you quick.” he said, carefully walking down the stairs and reaching the couch. Sighing, he laid down and quickly fell asleep with her in his arms.

***

The next time he awoke it wasn’t Angel, it was the doorbell. He was still completely out of it. Slowly standing up, he moaned “I’m coming” as he opened the door. Brian was standing there, with Leighanne. Brian looked at Nick in shock.

“Oh my God Nick you look like shit.” Leighanne said, walking in.

“Duh.” was all Nick could manage to say.

“When was the last time you had a good night’s sleep?” she asked, taking Angel.

“Ever since she was born...7 months ago. The only sleep I’ve gotten is naps.”

Brian gasped. “Nick, we’ll take care of her for the day. Go upstairs and get some sleep. NOW.”

Nick said a quick “Thanks” and headed upstairs.

“Poor kid.” Brian said. “I think we should help him out more, Leigh.”

“Yeah good idea. He said he hasn’t slept good in 7 months!”

Brian looked around. “Where’s her crib?”

“Probably in Nick’s room. Wanna go get it?”

Brian nodded and headed up to Nick’s room. He walked in, noticing Nick sound asleep on the bed, his arms stretched out. Brian chuckled to himself and slowly carried the crib out. Once he got downstairs he set Angel in her crib.

“Oh my God this place looks like a dump!” Leighanne exclaimed. “I’m cleaning it up.”

Brian looked at her, confused. “And what am I supposed to do?”

“Uh, watch TV or something.”

Brian laughed and headed to the living room, where Angel was in her crib. Once he sat down she started whimpering. Brian walked over to her.

“Aww, what’s wrong honey?”

Angel looked up at Brian with her big blue eyes. Brian gave her a funny look back. “You hungry?”

The baby cooed. “Here wanna play some Playstation with me? Come on.” Brian sat up and turned Nick’s PS2 on. Soon ‘Crash Bandicoot’ began to play. Brian held Angel’s hands by the controller.

“Yeah that’s it! Good Angel! Yay!! You play better than your daddy, you know that?”

Brian picked Angel up and set her on the couch, softly tickling her stomach. She broke out into a laugh.

“Yeah...you’re such a cute girl, yes you are, yes you are!” he said, making her laugh. Leighanne noticed him.

“You know, I’m sure glad you don’t act this way with the dogs.”

***

The next morning Nick awoke, completely refreshed. He realized he had slept for more than 18 hours, but it didn’t matter to him. Yawning, he stretched and walked out. Leighanne was asleep on the couch, and Brian was sleeping in the chair with Angel in his arms. Nick smiled and walked into the kitchen. He’d never seen it so clean since Angel was born. Nick thought he should wake them up for a moment, but then decided not to. He then walked up the stairs and turned on the faucet of his bathtub. Just as he was sinking down in the tub, his bathroom phone rang. He quickly picked up the phone so they wouldn’t hear it.

“Hello?” he asked.

“Nick? You sound...alive.”

“Haha very funny Kevin. What’s goin on?”

“Well, you DO know what today is don’t you?”

“Not that I can remember.”

“Let’s see...October 3...maybe someone was born on this day...someone by the name of...”

“Oh! I forgot. Happy birthday. So, how old are you now?”

“Too high for YOU to count lil bro.”

Nick rolled his eyes. “So what are you doing tonight?”

“Well, you know, the usual, Howie’s letting me host at his club, and I was kinda wondering if you wanted to go and what the hell you did with my cousin.”

Nick laughed. “Yeah I’ll go, and your cousin is out cold in my recliner with my daughter in his arms, but don’t worry I didn’t drug him.”

“Ohhhhh, finally decide to stop being so damn independent?”

“Dude, I was completely out of it I didn’t know what the hell I was saying. I slept for like 20 frickin hours.”

“And you’re saying they showed up at your door?”

“Yeah! They showed up at my door, said I looked like shit, sent me up to bed and that’s all I remember.”

“Okay, well when Brian and Leigh wake up tell them about it and I’ll see y’all tonight ok?”

“Yeah sure Kev. But Leigh might want to stay with Angel.”

“Hey that’s a good idea! I’ll send Kristin over there, and Sarah, and we can have like a guys’ night out and get ourselves a stripper, it’ll be just like old times!”

“What the hell are you talking about? You were always so focused...and...”

“Nick, that was in the past. I had to set an example, dumbass. So now you’re 22 and you gotta have SOME fun, right?”

“Yeah, okay but do we tell the women?”

“No, cause if we do it’s our ass on the grill. Tell Leigh about it, and tell them they can take Angel shopping and stuff. It’ll work out, trust me.”

“Aight man. I’m kinda in the bath right now so I’ll see you tonight k?”

“Yeah see ya.”

Nick hung up the phone and sank back down into the tub.

***

Night soon came. Leighanne, Kristin and Sarah bought the idea and took Angel out for the night, while Brian and Nick went out to get a taste of bachelorhood again.

That night, Nick had the greatest night in a long time. Everyone partied all night and had a great time.

At 4 AM, Nick and Brian headed back to his place. Once they opened the door, they found Leighanne, Kristin and Sarah sleeping.

“Come upstairs.” Nick whispered as they carefully tiptoed up the stairs.

“Okay, they can’t hear us.”

“What’s the plan?”

“Wake Leigh up and tell her you’ve been here, then take her home. I think AJ took Sarah. He came in behind us.”

“Nick, I’ve been thinking...”

“About?”

“Well, maybe Leigh and I could come over every day and baby-sit. If that’s okay with you.”

“Y-you would do that?”

“Of course. We’re really sorry we didn’t help out before. We didn’t really realize it.”

“It’s ok.”

“And besides, if we ever have kids, I wanna be prepared.”

Suddenly they heard footsteps.

“Shit! Ok take this blanket and pretend you’re sleeping on the floor. I’ll take the bed.”

Brian nodded and laid down, closing his eyes. Nick did the same and turned off the light. Soon the door creaked open.

“Baby?” Leighanne whispered. Brian pretended to wake up and ask “What?” Leighanne smiled. “Come on baby let’s go home.”

“K.” Brian said, pretending to act tired.

“Goodbye Nick.” she whispered, closing the door.

Part Two