Remember me

Chapter 30

By the third ring I'm ready to hang up when I hear Nicks voice.

"Hello? Mia?"

"Hey" I say in a half whisper, not wanting to disturb Marilee.

"Mia? Are you okay? What's wrong?"

"I'm fine" I say, "I just wanted.. I don't know. You know what? I'm sorry. I shouldn't of called. It's Christmas Eve and I'm sure your busy."

Nicks silent for a moment before he says "do you want to come over?"

"Uhm, sure. I mean yeah, that would great."

Nick gives me his address before hanging up and I grab Marilee's keys and head out.

I pull up in front of an apartment complex and count the numbers until I find apartment B10. I look around and feel out of place in my high heels and dress. I wish I had changed before coming. I raise my fist to knock on the door but it's opened abruptly. A tall blonde woman with pink highlights  and a nose piercing stands there eyeing me. April.

"Nick!" She yells "You're friend is here!" She looks back over at me "Well it sure seems like you've grown into your knees and elbows. No wonder Nick is always talking about you." Nick talks about me? I think.

"Cut it out, April" Nick says while strolling over and pushing her out of the doorway. "Hey Mia, come on in."

I smile shyly and walk inside. The apartment is small, but homey, with its many family pictures on the wall and a Christmas tree lit up in the corner. I spot Lina sitting on a bean bag in the livingroom and give her a small wave. She just nods in return. A little girl comes running up and latches on to Nicks leg. "Uncle Nicky, who dat?" She says, peeking at me shyly. Nick smiles down at her, placing his hand on her back. "That's my friend, Mia. Can you say hi Holly?"

The little girl looks up at me with familiar big blue eyes "hi" she says "You're pwetty." I smile and lean down "Hi Holly. I think you're pretty too." The little girl smiles and runs off to who I'm guessing is her mom, April. "I didn't know you had a niece" I say as Nick gestures for me to follow him to the couch. "Yeah, she's four" he smiles. "I hadn't met her before this year when I moved back. She's pretty awesome." I smile back "she's adorable."

"Want something to drink? Or eat? April made a pot roast and some pie."

"Try the pie, Mia!" I hear Holly say, hopping from foot to foot in the kitchen. April scoops her up in her arms and says "I think this one has had a little too much pie. It's time for bed little one, say goodnight." Holly sticks her lip out but waves as April carries her to her room and we all say goodnight. Nick stands up and walks over to the kitchen, slicing me a piece of pie and bringing it back to me on a paper plate. "Holly's orders" he says with a grin. I smile in thanks and take a bite. "Oh my gosh" I say, my eyes rolling back. "I think this is the best pie I've ever tasted. What is it? Apple? Pear?"

I hear someone snort and look up to see Lina rolling her eyes at me.  We lock eyes and she scowls "Nobody likes a fake Mia. I'm sure you've had many amazing desserts over at your catered family dinners with Cole."

I blink, caught of guard by her hostility and not really sure what to say. Coles family dinners aren't really for eating. They're for being seen. For socialization, conversation, networking. I don't think I've ever had more than a couple bites of anything they've ever served. No one does.

"Shut up, Lina" Nick growls.

She shrugs "it's the truth. How about you, Mia? Are you being truthful?" I continue to stare at her like an idiot. What is she talking about?

Lina scoffs "Of course you have nothing to say. Well I'll say it then. Mia comes over here to slum it with us but only after being with her real boyfriend. Or should I say soon to be fiancé? I heard the whole conversation on thanksgiving. Do you know they're moving in together, Nick?"

"What?" I finally managed to croak out. "No. No Lina, you've got it all wrong."

"Do I?" She says with a hateful expression.

"Knock it off Lina. You don't know what your talking about" Nick says with a frown.

"You should know-"

"I said knock it off!" Nick says, straightening up in his seat. I reach out and grasp his hand with my own, trying to tell him it's ok. Just then April re-enters the room "Anyone up for a game?l" she says, holding a bottle of eggnog.

The tension is eventually dissolved as April and Lina start drinking their eggnog and we all play a game of clue.

"It was the colonel!" April argues "that slut scarlet doesn't have the guts!" She throws her game piece across the floor and Lina falls back laughing. We're sitting on the living room floor together and Lina and April are obviously tipsy off eggnog. Nick snorts when Lina announces she's decided to crawl to the bathroom because it's less work that way. I stand up and yawn, stretching my legs. Nick stands up beside me. "Want to watch a movie or something? I doubt those two can function for any more games."

"Sure" I smile. Nick nods and starts walking down the hallway. I follow him and he leads me into his bedroom. He runs his hand over his hair and sighs "I figured it would be quieter if we watch in here."

"Yeah, ok" I gulp. I'm in Nicks bedroom. I scan the room as Nick bends over to grab the remote and pulls up Netflix. The room is strangely empty. There's no photos or trinkets. Just a bed, a desk, chair, and a tv. The only personal item I see is a small keyboard piano in the corner.

"You still play" I smile, nodding my head towards the keyboard.

Nick looks over at me "Yeah, I kept it up."

"I'm glad"

Nick nods as he sits down on the edge of his bed. "Look Mia, I'm sorry about Lina. She shouldn't of said those things"

"No, don't be sorry." I sit down beside him. "It's true anyway, right? She was working at the Vaughn's house on thanksgiving. She must of heard our parents conversation about our future. I would think I'm a big phony too if that's what I heard"

"Why didn't either of you tell your parents?" Nick asks "Well not Cole, I can guess why Cole didn't tell."

I sigh, "I just didn't want the confrontation with Marilee. Anyway I told her afterward.. not that she took me seriously."

"Why would there be a confrontation?"

I lean back on the bed and sigh in frustration "Marilee thinks Cole walks on water. He can do no wrong in her eyes. That family, they have a lot of money, and prestige, and reputation. All things she's always wanted"

Nick lays down beside me "she wants the best for you"

"I know" I say. "But I don't think her and my version of the best is the same."

Nods nods at that and then raises his arm up, aiming the remote at the tv and pressing play. "She'll come around" he says "she loves you."

I nod and then lean my head on his shoulder. At first I feel him stiffen and I think I made a mistake. But he eventually relaxes, leaning back as well. We lay there companionably as the movie plays, and I can't help but notice how at ease I feel. Like all my worries and fears have drifted away as I'm encompassed by Nicks clean scent and the feel of his body relaxed beside mine. There's no room for nerves when we're like this. No, the feeling of peace is too overwhelming.

It feels like I'm finally home.