The worth of friendship

Epilogue

8 years later (2026)

"Mommy, where's Daddy?" my little daughter Neele is crying on my lap.

"Daddy will be back in a minute. He's still on stage. He has to rehearse, right? You know that!", I say, carefully trying to wipe the tears from her face.

"I want my daddy!" she whines, shaking her head in despair.

"Shhh, babygirl! Stop crying!", I try to calm her down. But it's useless. She cries and screams and desperately wants to see her dad. Neele and I are sitting backstage in Nick's greenroom. The boys have actually done it, they are back together. They celebrated their reunion in 2019 and since then they are one of the biggest bands in the world again. I'm so incredibly proud of the three of them. Today they have a concert in our hometown LA and me and the kids can be there. But since Neele is only two years old, she sits in the greenroom with me until the concert.

"Daddy!" cries Neele. I have her in my arms and walk frantically around the room with her. I cuddle her and lovingly run my hands through her hair. But nothing calms her down. She is so fixated on Nick that I can't do anything to calm her down. As a mom, sometimes it's super hard for me to accept that she needs her dad more than she needs me. And right now, when my hormones are going crazy anyway, it feels like a punch in the gut.

"Babygirl, you have to stop crying, please. Daddy will be right back!", I say desperately, bouncing her on my arm lovingly.

"Where's my daddy?" she cries, pressing her little hands against my shoulder.

"Oh fuck it!", I mutter and open the door from the greenroom. My nerves are raw and I can't take it anymore. I just don't know how to calm this little creature down. Everything was so easy with Leo. Leo was a relaxed baby, a relaxed toddler. But Neele isn't. At least not with me. I put the little soundproof headphones on her and walk towards the stage. "Daddy!" she still cries on my arm, angrily banging her little hands against my shoulder. On the inside, I'm already boiling. I am angry. Not angry at my little angel, but angry at me. Such moments always make me think I am a bad mother. Arriving at the stage, I already have tears in my eyes from despair. I see Leo dancing in front of the stage with his cousins Alena, Valentina and Willa. Dani and Sophie are watching the kids and talking. The boys are on stage rehearsing a song. When Nick sees me, he immediately stops singing, puts the mic on the floor and jumps off the stage.

"Daddy!" yells Neele and immediately stops crying.

"Hey, what's wrong?", worried, he looks at me. This question makes all dams break with me and I start sobbing. Startled, Neele on my arm looks at me and also Nick and all the others present look at me worried.

"I can't take it anymore!", I say and hand Neele to Nick, then I sink down.

„Hey, what's wrong?" Nick asks again and kneels down next to me. Neele on his arm is suddenly totally relaxed and she leans contentedly against her dad.

"It's fine," I mumble, wiping the tears from my face.

"I don't believe you!" says Nick seriously. "You don't just break down. What's wrong my angel?", worriedly he strokes my hair.

Nick knows me way too well. That he is worried makes me smile he is just the best husband in the world. "Thank you!", I say and fall around his neck. The hormones are going crazy. One moment I am totally sad and stressed and the other moment overjoyed.

Confused, he looks at me, but squeezes me tightly. "For what?" he asks.

"For making me feel better the minute you're with me!", I reply, smiling at him.