Let's Make A Toast

As a kid, I never understood why adults always wanted to make a toast. I thought they were actually making toast. It always made me hungry.

Hey, I didn't say I was a smart kid.

Of course now, we have a lot to celebrate… but I'll get to that.

I remember the first time I actually got to have a reason to do a toast. We'd been a band for a whole year. Not much compared to 25, but we were young. We had our whole lives ahead of us…..

“Where's Nick?”

He definitely wasn't under the covers playing his game boy, that's for sure.

Suddenly a hand yanked the blanket off me and pulled me out of my hiding space. Sometimes Kevin forgets how young I am.

“Why aren't you asleep?”

I rubbed my eyes, I was tired but I wanted to keep playing Zelda.

“I dunno.”

Kevin shook his head at me, smiling. He's hard to read. I used to think that he hated me but I feel like he sometimes likes me. You'll never get him to admit it though.

“Never mind that. Come with me.” he said. I looked at the clock, it was after midnight.

“Why?”

He didn't say anything else but pulled me by the arm. I didn't even get to put on pants. How rude.

“Would you mind telling me where we are going?” I asked grumpily as we continued upstairs of the hotel we were staying in. Up and up we went. Must have been three or four flights of steps but we made it to the roof.

“This is it…” I thought.

“Kevin's going to throw me off.”

“Kev, I'm sorry for the frog in your shower last week. I didn't mean it.”

“What?”

The other guys were all standing by the end of the roof, waiting for us.

“Never mind that, Nick. It's after midnight.” Kevin said, leading me over to them. I was really confused because usually we were all in bed at this time. Or rather, I was in bed playing my game boy. One of the two.

“Yes, thank you dad. Is there a point, because…”

“I want to make a toast.” Kevin interrupted.

He pulled out a bottle of champagne. I thought he was out of his mind, really. He poured out a glass for each of us and handed all of us one.

“Kevin, Nick is 13.”

“Brian, shut up…” I whispered. He rolled his eyes at me. Since when was I going to be able to have champagne again without getting yelled at? I'm totally taking advantage.

“This is a special occasion. Anyone know what today is?”

Kevin looked at all of us with this big stupid smile. I seriously thought he's lost it.

“Today is the anniversary of us becoming a group.”

We all looked at each other. Had it really been a whole year? It didn't seem that long.

“Wow.” AJ said, whistling softly.

“I want to make a toast….” Kevin started again. He stopped and smiled at us.

“I could go for some toast.” I blurted. All of the guys stared at me and Brian just cracked up.

“-a toast. To one year together….and hopefully many more to come.” Kevin said as he raised his glass in the air. We all raised ours as well and took a big drink.

“Kevin?” I asked after the others started talking amongst themselves.

“Yes?”

“Do you think we will be together forever?”

I really hoped we would. They were my friends and we had so much fun together. I liked to perform. It made me happy and I couldn't think of anything else I'd rather do with the rest of my life. If I was gonna be a Backstreet Boy forever, I'd like to be with them.

“I sure hope so, little man.” he grinned as he put his arm around my shoulder and hugged me tight. I smiled back.

“Nick, why are you so quiet?”

I looked up to see everyone at the dinner table staring at me. We were in Dubai, at the tallest building in the world. Having dinner with our wives and celebrating our 25th anniversary as a group. I thought back to that night on the roof when we were just kids and smiled.

“I want to make a toast.”

I stood up, holding my glass of champagne and looking down on everyone. Their eyes twinkled and they all waited for me to continue speaking. Kevin smiled at me.

“When we started all those years ago, I was just a dumb kid. I didn't know where we would end up. I didn't know if we'd be successful. I'd given up a ten thousand dollar contract with Disney for you guys. After all this time… I know I made the right decision. We might argue…”

I looked at Brian and he smiled.

“We might get on each other's nerves…”

Howie and AJ laughed.

“We might even piss each other off…..”

Kevin nodded.

“...but I can't imagine anywhere else I'd rather be than at this table with you guys.”

“To 25 more years with you idiots.”

Everyone clapped and nodded. My wife cheered the loudest.

I sat down and we continued eating our dinner.

“That was beautiful, Nick.” Kevin said, patting me on the back. I ate my steak and grinned at him. I wonder if he'd remembered that night on the rooftop. On our first anniversary. Cause I don't think I'd ever forget.

“Do you remember our first anniversary?”

Kevin sat for a while, silent and thinking.

“Kind of.”

“Well, I do. I remember waking you up at midnight.” Kevin said, taking a bite of whatever he was eating. We both kept eating and reminiscing. We were so young then. Had big dreams….but here we were. 25 years later. Still together and doing what we loved with who we loved. As I looked around the room, one more thought entered my mind…..

I wish I'd brought some toast as a joke.