Remember Forever (Book 9 in Nemi Forever Series)

Chapter 24

Nick

I tried not to lose my temper as I drove home from the hospital with Demi. I had hoped she would stop hating me & realize why I committed her. I had been sad & hurt after Demi told me she hated me & I was devastated when she rejected me when I came to visit her, but now she was being so awful, that I was just pissed off. I didn't deserve the way she was treating me & I wanted to scream that at her.

We got home & the kids were ecstatic when they saw Demi. She hugged them all, smothering them with kisses & then held Reid as she apologized to him for hitting him & yelling at him. He, of course, forgave her, telling her that he will love her no matter what. I kept my distance while Demi hung out with all the kids. I talked to my mom in the kitchen as she got dinner ready for all of us. Mom was pretty angry that Demi was still giving me the cold shoulder, but she seemed confident that Demi would come around. I hoped she was right.

I helped Demi tuck the kids in bed that night, then she went to our bedroom, so I followed her. "Is one of us sleeping in a different room?" I asked, crossing my arms.

"No, the kids will know, for sure, that something is wrong. Our bed is big enough that we can sleep in the same bed & not even touch." She answered me as she disappeared into the closet.

I sighed then went into the closet. Demi looked annoyed when she saw me as she was taking off her shirt. She turned her back to me, making me roll my eyes & laugh. "Are you annoyed that I'm seeing you naked? Because... uh... I have your naked body forever embedded in my brain." Demi clicked her tongue at me as I smirked at her. I took off my jeans & shirt then put them in the hamper before I headed to the bed. Demi came in a moment later & got in bed, not saying a word or even looking in my direction. I watched her as she made herself comfortable as close to the edge of the opposite side of the bed as she could get. She had her back toward me & I debated on saying anything to her or trying to talk to her. I decided not to, because I didn't want to start a fight & take the chance of the kids hearing. I decided, however, that I would kill her with kindness. I'd remind her just what she would be throwing away if she gave up on us. "I love you." I said to her back & held my breath, waiting for her response. She sighed, quietly, but said nothing.

I laid awake, barely breathing, trying to hear if Demi was crying next to me, but I heard nothing like that. All I heard was her breathing, but even that comforted me. It had been too long since I had heard that sound next to me & my heart hurt a little thinking there could come a time when I wouldn't hear it anymore.

When I woke the next morning, Demi wasn't in bed, so I got up & checked my sugar before heading downstairs. I found her sitting at the table with all the kids, eating breakfast. Each one of the kids was smiling, so happy to have their mother there with them. They all acknowledged me when I came in, but showed less enthusiasm as usual. Demi glanced at me, but quickly averted her gaze to one of the kids. I poured myself a cup of coffee, then helped send the older kids off to school. Demi turned to me, once Mercy, Jerry & Reid were gone.

"Are you taking them to your mom's? Or are they going to my mom's today?" She asked me.

"Your mom said she was coming to get them."

"Good. I think I'll go with her." Demi walked past me to pick up Harper. Riley was at my feet so I picked her up.

"Avery? Do you have your bag?" I called out to him as he played nearby. His eyes got wide, then he ran upstairs, probably to get his backpack that he always took to his grandparents'.

"Do you want me to pick you guys up later? I have phone calls to make today & some emails to go through, plus a meeting with my team, downtown this afternoon."