*August 5th*<?xml:namespace prefix = o />
*Los Angeles, at the Terry Wendell Show*
*Twins 1 month old, Jaden 1 year 10 months*
A warm hand brushed against AJ’s forehand, pushing back a bit of hair from his eyes. AJ didn’t even bother opening his eyes. What was the point? He knew who it was. Knew the touch better than anyone else’s. “I’m fine, Bri.” He said before his husband could say anything. He knew exactly what it was Brian was thinking.
“I didn’t say anything.” Brian defended himself.
Cracking open one eye, AJ gave Brian such a baleful look that Brian chuckled reluctantly. “Ok, so maybe I was thinking it. But I didn’t say it!” he corrected.
“Yeah, well, quit thinking it so loudly.”
“Be quiet, husband.”
AJ closed his eyes again. “Make me.”
The little weight in his arms shifted, pulling his attention away from their play argument. Automatically he started to bounce gently, soothing without even thinking about it. He hummed softly in the back of his throat. Instantly the shifting stopped and he heard the even breathing that told him that his daughter had fallen back asleep.
What a picture I’d make he thought to himself. Imagine if the world saw bad boy AJ right now.
“If only everyone could see you now.” Brian echoed AJ’s thoughts in the way that only he could do. It was almost eerie sometimes, how connected they’d become. “You’d surprise quite a few people, I think.”
There was no way he could argue it. Sitting on the couch, he held his daughter in his arms. Jaden was curled up on the couch next to him, his head resting on AJ’s leg, one hand fisted in his jeans. At his feet sat Damien, or Damie as they called him, in his infant carrier seat. All the kids were asleep and it probably looked like AJ was too.
The door to the room opened and their friends came spilling in, talking and laughing. Almost instantly Damie and Amelia started to cry, their wails echoing through the waiting room.
AJ slowly opened his eyes, leveling his three friends with a single glare as he started to rock again. Brian moved to the carrier, reaching in and lifting Damie out, gathering him in his arms. To everyone’s amusement, Brian deposited Damie right into Nick’s arms. “You guys woke him, you soothe him.” He said cheekily. Then he moved over to sit down by Jaden, who was still sound asleep. That kid could sleep through world war three. He gently shifted Jaden over to snuggle against him so AJ could rise and walk Amelia.
The little girl wailed louder at the first movement, but when AJ started to sway and walk, she quieted down quickly. “Hey guys.” He said, looking over to his friends. A smile curved his lips when he saw Nick still struggling to quiet Damie. The little boy’s face was screwed up tight with his cry and he was bright red with the force of it.
Howie took one look at Nick and cursed softly. Then he stole the baby from him, easily tucking him into his arms. He started to sing a lullaby softly in Spanish that had the little boy going quiet.
Grinning, Kevin looked around at everyone like a proud Papa before settling his gaze back on AJ. “Hey back at you. How’s the family man doing?”
“Tired.” AJ answered. He was still smiling as he said it, though. It was true, he was tired. But it was a good kind of tired. He didn’t mind it so much. “Little missy here still doesn’t like to settle down at night.”
“Unless she’s in Daddy’s arms.” Brian chimed in.
The others laughed. “Who would’ve thought it?” Nick teased him. “AJ Mclean, Daddy.”
“Littrell.” The correction was automatic. Even though he hadn’t seen his mom in years now, it was still a knife to the heart to think of her. He wanted no connection whatsoever to a family that had abandoned him. First his father when he was just a kid and then his mother when he got sick. The Mclean name was no longer a part of him. He wanted nothing to do with it.
Some of that knowledge flashed through Nick’s eyes before he nodded. “Littrell.” He agreed gently.
Another head poked into the room, calling Kevin over. The older man moved to the door, whispering with whoever was there, before turning back around. “You guys ready to get geared up?”
On management’s orders the five of them were in the waiting room backstage at the Terry Wendell show. Though the twins were only a month old, the Littrell family had still packed their things up and made the trip. Mikayla had opted to stay at home; she was still recovering slightly from the labor. They’d readily agreed she should stay at the house and rest. In return, she promised to keep an eye on things at the center for them while they were gone.
Now they sat, ready to go out and do their interview and make their big announcement to the world. As a group they’d discussed their options and they’d decided what it was they wanted to do. All five of them were well pleased with their decision. They were ready.
AJ kept walking Amelia as the tech’s filled the room, putting on everyone’s mics and doing a few last grooming bits. When AJ handed Amelia to Brian so he could get geared up, the little girl instantly started to fuss. His tech noticed and so he rushed AJ through it so he could take his daughter back.
When it came time for them to go out, Kristen joined them in the room, taking Damie from Howie’s arms. She’d flown out with Kevin to help them out with the kids while they were doing the interview and just to be with her husband. She put the sleeping boy in his carrier and, thankfully, he stayed asleep there. But Amelia started to fuss after AJ handed her off and moved out of sight. Jaden was awake by then, standing beside Kristen, well used to the noise around him. He’d been with his Daddies before and watched as they’d done photo shoots or small interviews. He’d even been on stage before.
The guys had no time to waste; their cue came up and they moved toward the stage. But as AJ moved away, he heard Amelia’s cries getting louder and louder the further away from her that he got. He paused, making a split second decision. There was no real choice in the matter. He darted back, snagging his daughter from a grinning Kristen. “Go on, Daddy.” Kristen teased him, sliding a diaper bag onto his shoulder. “I’ve got the other two.”
“Thanks, Kris.” AJ said, kissing her cheek before moving back to catch up with the guys. Amelia, who they called Mia more often than not, was already going quiet in his arms. He caught up with the guys just in time to take his turn and walk out on stage.
The cries from the audience didn’t disturb Amelia in the least. She curled into AJ, one fist reaching toward her mouth, sliding back toward sleep. AJ kept her cradled in one arm and lifted the other to wave at the crowd of screaming girls.
He took his seat on the edge of the couch, settling in next to Brian who was grinning at him. Brian covered his mic to whisper “Couldn’t put her down, eh?”
AJ shifted his head so he could whisper without his mic picking it up. “More like she wouldn’t let me.”
Terry Wendell smiled at the five of them. She was a beautiful woman, in her mid to late forties, and the very popular host of this talk show. Her laughing green eyes and bright smile had stolen many hearts in the public and her easy humor made her a joy to watch. With her brown hair pulled back in a casual half ponytail, the rest of it free down to her shoulders, and fashionable jeans and t-shirt, she looked both casual and professional. Comfortable and yet fashionable.
“Welcome, gentlemen!” She said to them. The five boys were seated on a couch and two stools. On the couch from left to right was AJ, Brian and Howie and behind them on stools were Kevin and Nick. On Howie’s side was a little table, on the other side of which was Terry.
Nick grinned at her. “And lady.” He said, gesturing to AJ.
Chuckling, Terry corrected herself. “And lady. Is this the newest addition to the Backstreet family that I see over here?”
“She is.” Brian answered. He reached over, adjusting the receiving blanket around Amelia’s head. “She’s a little bit of a fusser and she doesn’t settle for anyone else’s arms but Daddy’s.”
“She looks beautiful.” The woman complimented them honestly. “Now, as I understand things, she is biologically yours, right Brian?”
Neither Brian nor AJ had any qualms explaining about their children to anyone. It wasn’t a secret to them. Brian was grinning as he answered the question. “That’s right. Her and her twin, Damien. We all call him Damie, though. He’s much mellower than his sister. A quiet little one, just like Jaden was. We’ve been pretty lucky there.”
“Jaden. He’s the one that’s yours, right AJ?”
“Well, now, yes.” AJ agreed. “But we don’t quite look at it that way. Biologically, Jaden is my son, yes. But they’re our children. We don’t look at them as his or mine, but as ours.”
From behind him, Kevin chuckled. “It’s not just DNA that makes a child.” He told Terry with a smile. “Jaden may be AJ’s, but he definitely has Brian’s joy for life. Just like his Papa, that kid is always laughing at something, always finding the happiness in life. He’s so social and friendly.”
“But he has his Daddy’s mouth.” Howie interjected, making everyone laugh. “That kid may be just shy of two, but he talks a mile a minute. Most of it we’re starting to understand, but a lot of it is still babble. Still, his mouth is always going.”
“That’s the truth.” There was twinkle in Brian’s eye as he added into the teasing. “Husband is much more of a jabber jaws than the public really knows. He talks constantly.”
As AJ turned to mock glare at Brian, Terry let out a laugh. “You call him Husband when you talk to him?” She chuckled.
“He does.” The four boys agreed.
Brian blushed slightly. “Everyone teases me about it. Our friend Mikayla says that it’s the southern in me. In most southern households you hear a spouse refer to her husband by ‘Husband’ almost more than by their name. My parents don’t though, so none of us know where I picked it up from. But it’s just what I call him.”
Smiling, AJ looked over to him. “I don’t mind. It makes me feel good. We had to correct Jaden once, though. He tried to call me that instead of Daddy.” That made everyone laugh once again.
They discussed the children for a little bit longer, each of the Uncles sharing their stories about the family. When Terry heard how much Jaden loved being on stage, she invited for them to bring him out. So Brian got up and went back to the green room. He returned a moment later with Jaden walking beside him, hand in hand.
The little boy instantly started to wave at the audience, grinning as they all screamed for him. There were quite a few of their teenage fans in the audience.
When Brian let go of Jaden’s hand, he ran straight over to his Uncle Nick, who was by far and above his favorite Uncle. In a routine they were well used to, Nick held out his hands and caught the kid right as he reached him, swinging him up before finally settling him down on his lap. Brian took his seat and grinned at Terry. “Jaden loves all his Uncles, but Nick seems to be his favorite.”
“No accounting for taste, I guess.” Kevin chimed in, making them all laugh and Nick stick his tongue out at the older man. Jaden just clapped delightedly.
Terry smiled at the little boy. “You’re a happy little boy, aren’t you?” she said. Her smile grew a little. “Handsome, too.”
“Han’som Jaden!” The boy agreed cheerfully. Laughter echoed through the studio.
After a few more comments on Jaden’s size and speech and some compliments on his looks, he was escorted back to Kristen. Once they were all seated again, conversation inevitably turned to AJ’s illness. It never failed, no matter who they talked to, that conversation turned there.
AJ gave his standard response; that he was feeling well and his medication seemed to be working well for him. Terry was the only interviewer that they had come across that actually made a comment about AJ’s glasses. “Now, I thought for a while that you were just wearing glasses with glass in them like some people do to go for a new look. Kind of like your sunglasses faze. But here I can see the line for the bifocals. You actually wear glasses now?”
“Yeah. I know a lot of people think they’re fake, but they’re not.” AJ told her. “Years ago I had to go in to the eye doctor and get a pair. My medication effects my eyes and things were starting to get blurry. I really can’t see well anymore without them.”
They talked a little about the center and the work he was doing there. The guys were quizzed on what they were doing with their spare time. Howie made the announcement that he had made to his friends already; that he was getting married next year. Kevin also made his announcement, which he’d told the guys just that morning. Kristen was pregnant with their first child.
Once all of that died down, Terry started to wrap up the interview. “Well, before we let you guys go, let’s discuss the main reason you’re here today. I was told you fellas have an announcement to make.”
As they’d decided earlier, it was Kevin who was going to speak now. They’d all agreed that he was the best one to talk. AJ sat back a little, shifting his stance so that he leaned into Brian just a little bit. His husband put a hand on AJ’s crossed legs, rubbing soothingly.
“After a talk with management, we had to make a few big decisions about our group.” Kevin started. “As of this morning, we are no longer in contract with our former management company. Our lawyer broke that contract for us. Management had called us and, over a conference call with all of us, said that they’d seen AJ performing at two different charity events and heard all the work he was doing with the center and had decided that it meant that he was well enough to tour.”
This part was AJ’s turn. He looked at Terry as he spoke, then out to the audience. “I hate to say it, hate to admit it, but I’m not. My health is good so long as I take care of myself, but I won’t ever be well enough to do a tour again. There are too many chances for me to get sick and, we have to face the facts on this. A cold could put me in the hospital. I could never come home from it. I doubt I’d even have the stamina to be up on stage, let alone sing a full show. There are days that going to the store exhausts me for a day or two afterwards.”
“Because of this, we made a very hard decision.” Kevin took up speaking again, drawing all eyes to him. “Though we won’t rule out doing more in the future, as it stands right now we are no longer touring or recording.”
As expected, a cry rose from the audience. Even Terry looked shocked by this news.
When things quieted down, Nick spoke. “We all have so much going on in our lives right now. Not just AJ. I mean, D’s getting married, Kevin and Kristen are having a baby, AJ and Brian have three children, and my girlfriend Sam and I just got engaged two nights ago.”
“We aren’t leaving entirely.” Howie added in. “We’ll do occasional charity shows for the Center. Fundraisers and such. We may do a single performance later. And I know both Nick and myself are planning on making solo albums. There’s always a chance we may record a group album later as well. We just won’t be able to tour it.”
The reaction wsa much as they had predicted it would be. The audience was visibly upset, but their reasoning seemed to make sense to everyone. By the time they left the stage, all five men were feeling good with their decision.
Damien was awake when they walked into the waiting room. He was in Kristen’s arms, fussing slightly as they all filed in. Instantly Brian went over, taking him in his arms while AJ put Amelia into her carrier. She stayed silent as she lay there. AJ buckled her in and then lifted the carrier, turning to smile at Brian. His husband held Damien with one arm and the carrier with the other. Jaden walked over, taking AJ’s free hand.
Looking at one another, AJ and Brian grinned. This had been the right decision for them.
Brian’s eyes sparkled as he told AJ “Let’s go home.”
No idea had ever sounded better.