I wonder how JazzBean is doing, maybe I should drop her a line. I go to grab my cell phone when Briahna runs at me, jumping into my lap. "Daddy! Guess what I did in school today!" she exclaims. I'll have to remember to call Jazz later.
"What did you do?" I reply, trying to be as excited as she is and Kelly cooly walks into the house.
"I wrote a poem and I want to turn it into a song like you, Uncle JC, Uncle Justin, Uncle Chris and Uncle James used to! Then I drew some new outfits and Mrs. Murin said she would wear them! Then I won a soccer game in gym!" she tells me, bouncing around in my lap as she prattles off the events of her day.
Kelly walks behind me, taps the top of my head and I lean my head back for a kiss. "Do me a favor?" I ask her.
"What now, Joe?" she sighs.
"Remind me to call your third bridesmaid."
She furrows her brow and thinks. "Lisa?"
"No, honey, I mean Jazz," I chuckle.
"Have you talked to her lately?"
"No, it's been a couple months and I haven't spoken to he guys, either."
"Conference call them all," she suggests to me.
"Bri, you need to let me up, baby. I have to talk to mommy," I tell my 7 year old, lightly scratching her back. Kelly walks into the kitchen to start dinner as I hand Briahna a coloring book and utensils, following her right after her. "What's up?"
"Just that I ran into JC and he looks very antsy."
"She hasn't been in town for a few weeks and he's her brother."
"No, more than usual."
I look at her, confused. "How is he antsier than usual?"
"I invited him over and he said he needs to talk to you alone, you can't tell anyone a word of what he tells you because Sam would kill him."
"I can do that." I hear the doorbell and head to the door. "When haven't I not kept a secret?"
"True, you kept Bri a secret for a few years."
I look at the security camera screen for the front door and see it's an overly antsy JC, he looks borderline paranoid. What could have him this skittish? I let him in, greeting him warmly and he forces a smile when Bri comes over to him. "UNCLE C!"
"Briahna! How's my favorite niece?" he jokes.
"You just saw me!" She looks behind him, bewilderment adorning her face. "Where's Auntie Bean?"
"She's with her boyfriend, Nick. He was really sick and she made sure to get him feeling a little better, but now he has to go back on tour. She's going with him to make sure that he takes care of himself, they should be back around September 7."
"Sick? How sick?" I ask, folding my arms over my chest.
"That's what I want to talk to you about." His blue eyes show his fear and concern as if encased in crystal. "Why don't you draw me an outfit you think I'd look good in?" he suggests to my little girl, putting on the floor and she runs off.
"We can talk alone in the screen room," I offer, walking to the kitchen. I pop my head around the corner to let Kelly know and we go there. We sit down and he begins wringing his hands together like a scolded child.
"You can't tell anyone, not even Kelly or Oshannie will have my head."
"Promise. What's up?"
He sighs heavily. "Nick is fighting an addiction to cocaine and it's only because he found out he has cardiomyopathy."
I stare at him blankly, unsure if he's serious and blink a few times before clearing my throat. "That's pretty big. He hasn't hit her, has he?"
"Not that I could see."
"Was she doing it?"
"I don't think she'd touch it."
"Why stick by him?"
"She loves him."
"Justin says he doesn't see her much, not for the past 3 years."
"I don't know why, but she's been at Nick's side the whole time if she wasn't at mine."
"Or mine, Chris or Lance's. She's been hanging out with Trace's girlfriend, Jo."
"Yeah, I know."
"Do you think Kelly would know?"
"I don't think so."
"You're probably right."
"Think JoAnna might know?"
"No, not unless she was sworn to secrecy and she wouldn't even tell Ayala."
"But if Ayala knows somehow..." I think aloud, my chin falling into my hand.
"He was snooping or listened in on a phone call with her."
"Which means Justin might know because of him."
"Should Chris and Lance be told?"
"I want to live."
September comes and it's now the 9th, my phone rings at 10am. I almost have a panic attack when I read the display. "Hey!"
"You sound excited to hear from me," she laughs.
"Because I am and a little confused."
"I wanted to stop in and see your beautiful family later on today after the baby Fatone gets home from school."
"Um, sure. Will you be alone?"
"That's your choice."
"You know Nick's always welcome." I wince, hoping she doesn't think it's suspicious.
"He needs to talk to you anyway."
"Sure."
"See you around four?"
"Definitely." I hang up and look at Kelly when she comes onto the patio, I look like a scared child.
"What happened, honey?"
"Jazz called me, she wants to stop by to see Bri and Nick wants to talk to me alone," I tell her, regaining a little composure after looking like a fish on a fishing dock as it dies.
"Do you know why he'd want to talk to you?"
"Maybe it has to do with what C told me a month and a half ago."
"What was that?"
"C doesn't want her knowing I know and we both want to live."
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