Chapter 3 – Let's Take A Drive

As Nick waited for Macy to finish whatever she was doing at her house, he leant back in his chair, before glancing at his watch. There was about ten minutes left of lunch, and he knew that even if Macy came out of the apartment right now, they wouldn't make it back in time for their next period, so he quickly shot a text to Joe to cover for him, saying he'd explain later, and slipped the phone back into his pocket. He didn't tell Joe he was with Macy, so that Stella didn't call telling him to interrogate her, or wanting to know what she said. He loved her, but he was in the firm belief that if Macy wanted to talk to them, she would; and that from how hard he'd had to push to get her to even look at him, they needed to tread carefully around her if they wanted her to confide in them. Yawning against the back of his hand, he picked his phone up again, and started playing some default game he'd never looked at before. He was never one for single person games, preferring the challenge of playing opposite someone but he was bored, his guitar was in his trunk so he couldn't sit playing it, and his notepad and pen were on the back seat, and plus he wasn't feeling inspired right now anyway. After a while he got restless playing the game and put his phone back, glancing up at the windows of the apartment to see if he could see how long Macy was going to be, but she didn't appear to be in her room, which was the only one that faced out onto the road he was on. He knew Macy had said to wait, but if she was going to stay, how would he know if he was supposed to wait or not? He'd give it ten more minutes, and then he'd knock and see how long she'd be. But still he stared at her window, hoping to get a peek of her in it eventually.

He didn't know why he was so desperate to see her, not really. But something had been missing for him while they were touring, and somewhere inside him he knew that it was that he wasn't seeing Macy's smiling face every day. She wasn't there to scream at them, or faint around them, or make him laugh when she did something clumsy. He knew that Joe and Kevin saw her like a little sister sometimes, and treated her like that. Joe would tease her on the smallest things and embarrass her, whereas Kevin was always there for her to talk to or to act dorky to make her smile. But Nick couldn't see her like that, as a little sister. There was something there for him, and he knew she didn't see it, and probably never would as she was as crazy for all of them equally. But he never smiled, and yet around Macy, the twinkle in her eye, or the glint of her hair as she walked in the sun, or even just the sound of her voice would put a smile on his face. He tried to hide it so much, to keep it to himself when he was around people so they wouldn't guess, but it was getting harder. He knew his brothers would just roll their eyes at him being crazy for yet another girl, and Stella would squeal and probably try and set them up on a date, but Nick didn't want to go through the fuss. Didn't want to get his heart broken by Macy going on a sympathy date with him when she liked them all. No, he'd keep it to himself. It was better that way, then no-one would get hurt.

Looking at his watch again, he realised it had been longer than the ten minutes he'd allotted himself to wait – in fact, it had nearly been twenty, and there was still no sign of Macy. So stepping out of his car and locking the door, Nick paced over to the Misa's store, knocking on the back entrance he'd seen Macy go through nearly an hour ago. There was no answer, but the door was ajar, and he guessed Macy had just forgot to shut it properly in her hurry to get upstairs. Pushing the door open, he shrugged to himself. Macy had probably fallen asleep or something, or she would've let him know that she wasn't going back to school. All he'd do going upstairs would be to check if she was awake, and then if she was asleep, head back to school and explain where he was. He wouldn't look at anything in the apartment that wasn't Macy. Which considering she was normally the only thing he saw when she was around, that wouldn't be hard. Heading up the stairs, he heard a loud, constant noise, one he didn't recognise, but just shrugged to himself. It was probably the TV or something, nothing to worry about.

"Macy?" He called out once he reached the top of the stairs. The apartment was shut off from the stairs leading up to it by a door which led to the apartment, but that too was unlocked when he tried the handle, and carefully he pushed it, and the ear-piercing noise he'd heard as he was coming up the steps got louder, and knocked him back a little. He blinked a few times, getting his bearings, and over the noise, he heard Macy's soft voice coming from down the hall. He couldn't tell the words, but he knew it was her, and something in her voice didn't sound right.

He mentally prepared himself for the scenarios of what could happen now. He could turn away, pretend he heard nothing and go back to waiting in the car, but he'd always know that he left Macy when she was sounding so broken and vulnerable. The alternative was to bite the bullet, go and see what was wrong, and see if he could help. But that brought two other scenarios. Either Macy could open up to him and he'd know what was wrong, or she could push him away, and never speak to him again. Hearing her voice, and a small sob he took a deep breath, and walked into the apartment.

"Macy?" He called again, heading towards Macy's room.

"Nick go back to the car! I...I won't be a minute!" She answered, seeming to be stunned that she heard Nick's voice.

"Is everything okay?" He asked, a few steps nearer.

"Everything's fine, I'll be down just...give me a minute!" She answered again, but Nick was confused that the noise was continuing. "Really Nick just—." She froze as Nick appeared in the doorway of the room she was standing in, and his eyes widened at the sight of her holding the source of the noise. A baby's body was pressed against her chest and she was bouncing it as it's fist clung onto her hair. Nick looked between the baby and Macy, and he could see the tears spilling down her cheeks.

"...Macy?" He asked slowly, taking a step closer to them as she took a step away.

"I don't want to deal with this right now, Nick, I just...my mom couldn't stop her crying, and I think she has colic and she just won't sleep or calm down and I'm going out of my mind, and she's giving me a headache and—"

"The car" said Nick, still staring at the baby.

"Huh? Look I just, I don't think I can go back to school so-"

"No I mean, we'll put it...her in the car. And we can drive around. My mom said that worked with me and Frankie, at least." Nick looked at Macy, taking another step forward, and this time she stayed where she was. Nick was close enough now to place a hand on the small of her back. "Come on."

Nick waited patiently in the lounge while Macy put together a baby bag. None of this was making sense to Nick, about who this baby was or where it came from, but to him right now, none of the answers mattered. Macy was stressed out and unhappy, now was not the time for questions.

"I'm ready" he stood up as he heard Macy's voice again, and looked at her. The baby was now quieter, but still letting out loud cries every now and again, and Macy held out a bag and a car seat for Nick to take. He nodded and put the bag on his shoulder, leading the way out and down to his car, making sure Macy locked the doors this time. Once the car seat was fixed in place, and Macy had her seatbelt on, the car was started. The sound of the engine seemed to quieten the baby even more, and soon the only sound Macy and Nick heard were her unhappy murmurs. For a while they drove around in silence, Nick not really sure where to drive to, instead just following the road, and taking the occasional turn. The only rule Macy had given him was to go nowhere near the school, so he had taken off in the opposite direction.

"Her name's Mackenna." She said, after a long silence.

"Okay." Nodded Nick, glancing into his rear-view mirror to look at her for a second, then turning his attention back onto the road.

"...Don't you have anything else to ask?" said Macy, looking at him confused.

"Not unless you want to tell me anything, no." He said, shaking his head.

"Really? Why?"

"Because...if you went so far as to hiding from us to hide this, then you don't want me to ask, or know anything." They were silent for a minute, before Nick pulled over, but let the engine running. "But if you want to talk about it, I promise I won't tell Stella or the others." Macy looked back at the baby for a second, before nodding.

"...She's my baby." Macy said, swallowing hard. "She's...a month old now. Just about."

"She's why you weren't at school?" asked Nick, and Macy nodded.

"I didn't want to leave her, but me and mom didn't want me leaving school. She said she'd take care of her during the day, as long as I took over and took responsibility once I got home." Macy turned around in her seat to look at her, and saw she was fast asleep now. "I wanted to stay away from school longer, but then when Stella started to come by, and Joe too, mom knew I had to get back to school before people started asking questions."

"Does anyone know?" Asked Nick, cautiously, and watched as Macy shook her head.

"We were really careful. When I started to show I started wearing baggier clothes...then when summer came and I started getting bigger, I just stayed at home all the time, or worked in the store. I'm not ashamed, it's not that, I just...don't want to get called a slut or anything. I don't want people to judge me or her."

"Well... us and Stella wouldn't." Said Nick, avoiding asking the one question that was on his mind, about who's it was. He didn't even think Macy had a boyfriend, not one she'd talked to Stella about at least, otherwise he'd know.

"I wanted to tell Stella, eventually, but I didn't want her letting it slip by accident. And I mean by accident, I know she'd never mean to do something like that. And you guys..." Macy paused again, looking at her lap. "I knew if I was a mom, I had to grow up. Stop being so in love with you guys. And that's why I've been ignoring you all. I didn't want to...love you all again." Nick reached over, and pushed a piece of hair behind her ear after watching it fall in front of her face.

"You can trust me." He reassured.

"I know." She nodded, rubbing her eyes. "I just wanted to do it all myself, because...I chose to have her, I should be the one stopping her crying, or being there to hold her, or...anything like that."

"There's no shame in saying you need help. Like today. If you're so...afraid of being seen out with her, how else would you have been able to calm her down if I didn't offer to drive you around?"

"...I would've found a way." Nick sighed at her words. "That doesn't mean I didn't want you to help! I just...don't want to ask for it."

"Then I guess I'll just have to be extra vigilant to when you and Mackenna need it, won't I?" He smiled.

"You can be her guardian angel." She giggled, and Nick felt himself smile slightly.

"I'll do what I can, that's for sure." He nodded. "You want me to take you both home now that she's sleeping?" Macy nodded. "Do you want to sit in the back with her? Stop you hurting your neck from looking around?"

"Definitely. I don't like being away from her." She said, jumping out of the car, and climbing in the back.

They talked a little back and forth about things as Nick drove, about the tour, about the birth, which was a subject that freaked Nick out so much, about people in school, and about the homework they were probably missing out on after skipping the afternoon's lessons. Too soon for Nick did they reach the store again.

"Thanks for this afternoon." Said Macy, as Nick opened the door for her. She reached out for Mackenna, but Nick stopped her.

"It's okay, I'll get her." He said, rushing around to the other door, and opening it. He unclipped her car seat, and wrapped his arms around her tiny body, careful to support her head as it lulled sleepily onto his chest.

"You're a natural." Said Macy, taken in by the scene. She busied herself by getting the car seat and the baby bag, then started leading their way upstairs. Nick didn't put her down until they reached the nursery, and Macy watched as he carefully lay her down in her crib, and placed a blanket over her.

"There. All done." He said, turning to look at Macy, and found her leaning on the side of the crib, her head in her arms, practically asleep herself. Nick smiled, and nudged her. She jumped, and looked confused.

"I wasn't asleep..."

"Sure, sure." He chuckled quietly. He put a hand on the small of her back again, leading her out of the nursery, and into her room. He frowned at the lack of Jonas posters, but pulled back the comforter for her. "She's asleep, now you sleep, okay? And I'll see you tomorrow." Macy looked up at him as she lay on her bed, and smiled.

"Thanks again Nick. Night."