When Hate Turns to Love

Ch. 39

Kourt brought Charlotte to see her brother the next morning. The little girl had her mother's tendency to over worry and practically chew her hair off.

"Char!" Connor exclaimed, startling Ricky and Nini awake.

Charlotte ran up to the bed and grabbed her brother's hand.

"Are you better?" she asked him.

"Am I Ricky?" the little boy asked.

"Yep. You got all fixed up."

"Hi Auntie Kourt." Connor said.

"Hey squirt." Kourt said, hugging him gently, "Don't ever scare me like that again."

"I'm hungry." Connor said, rubbing his stomach.

"Let's see what we can do about that." Nini said, pressing the nurse call button.

They allowed Charlotte to sit with her brother up on the bed and they even got her a meal too. The kids thought the meal was gourmet; the adults looked at the food in distaste.

The party was complete when Red, Gina, and Ashlyn showed up with two dozen balloons, four potted plants, eight stuffed animals and at least 20 candy bars. Big Red bought most of the stuff for the little boy.

"I didn't know what to get, so I got everything." he said, stumbling into the room. Ashlyn and Gina right behind him. They'd all been introduced to each other not long after the two made it official. "Is he ok?" Red asked.

Nini let out an emotional laugh and hugged the red-head tightly. Such a wonderful man. She remembered wanting a sibling when she was growing up, an older brother. Now she felt as though she had one.

"Thank you Red. And he's just fine." she said, "Connor, what do you say?"

"Thank you Big Red." Connor said, grabbing a candy bar.

Nini snatched it out of his hand.

"Not this early." she said.

"Come on Nins, the kid just had surgery." Gina said with a snort.

Connor's puppy eyes appeared. Nini groaned and handed the candy bar back to Connor. He smiled victoriously.

"Only this once." she said, but she couldn't find it in her to be harsh about it.

Her little boy was healthy again. That's all that mattered.

LINE BREAK

Nini had just run home for a shower and a change of clothes. She was about to leave again when there was a knock on her door.

She opened it up and about had a heart attack.

"Brookelynn?"

"Can I come in?" the blonde asked, nervously, "Please."

"Um, ok." Nini conceded, but she was suspicious, "Come on in."

"Listen, um, I know you think I'm here to help EJ get the children, but I promise that I'm not. I need help Nina."

Nini examined the pale woman standing before her. Nini could see where Brookelynn had used make-up to cover a bruise on her face. Brookelynn appeared to be telling the truth though. Nini gave the girl a curt nod.

"Come on; let's go to the living room. I have to make a call first. And please, call me Nini."

Brookelynn nodded silently while Nini went into her bedroom and dialed Kourtney.

"Holy crap." Kourt said after Nini informed her of Brookelynn's arrival, "Do you think it's safe to talk to her?"

"I'm calling Mr. Mazzara. I think he should be here."

"Good call."

Nini ended the call and went back out to the living room.

"Brookelynn, I have to have my lawyer here, do you understand that?"

The blonde nodded. They waited in silence for the stiff lawyer. Mr. Mazzara arrived, along with a woman.

"This is Mrs. Kingston. I figured it would be best if Mrs. Caswell had representation as well."

"I-I don't have much time." Brookelynn said, "EJ will be home in an hour and a half."

Nini knew that fear, and she was starting to soften towards the cold-looking woman.

"Then let's get started." Mrs. Kingston said.

Brookelynn poured her heart out, telling them everything. Mr. Mazzara and Mrs. Kingston wrote notes like crazy.

"I-I have to go." Brookelynn said suddenly.

Nini put a hand on her arm to stop her.

"Not anymore Brookelynn, remember?"

"Sorry." Brookelynn said, "Habit."

"You'll stay here until the trial next week." Nini said, waving goodbye to the lawyers.

Brookelynn suddenly hugged her. Nini held her and Brookelynn just cried.

"Let it all out." she said.

"Do you think I could see my parents now?" Brookelynn asked in a child-like voice.

"Yes. You can do anything you want now. You're free."

Brookelynn cried harder, but Nini knew it was all the pent-up stuff she couldn't let out before.

That bastard was going to get it good.

She'd see to it.