Nick & Charlie (TV WORLD)

Chapter Thirty One

Chapter Thirty One.

Nick:
I take a deep breath before walking into the room to try and collect myself. As I open the door, I see my Dad's head turn towards me. He has a bunch of wires attached to him and an oxygen tube in his nose to help him breathe. He smiles slightly at me.

"Son, come here. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to see me again."

I hope me rolling my eyes were in my head. I know what he means, but really? He was afraid he'd never see me again? That wasn't a fear these past few years when he never even attempted to see me. Still, I walk over to him and hug him.

"Dad, it's good to see you. I'm glad you're okay. What are the doctors saying?"

He lets out a small laugh, followed by a lot of coughing; trying to catch his breath. 

"You know me, I'll be out of here in no time. They said I was lucky that this didn't happen when I was home alone; since it was out in public they had a lot more time to save me. I should be discharged in a couple of days."

I wonder if Mum is going to have us stay here until then. I'm trying to think of the right time to bring this up to him. I mean, Charlie is literally outside.

"You sure you're feeling okay?" I ask.

He nods his head.

"Are you feeling okay? You seem like you have something on your mind."

I feel all the words start to come out at once.

"I mean, this probably, well it definitely isn't the right time; but I also feel like you've given me no choice really. YOU COULD HAVE DIED, DAD. You could have died and you haven't tried to see me in years; that hurts. I try so hard to act like it doesn't bother me, but it does. You're the father, you're the one who should be making an effort to be in my life, not the other way around. And I'm sorry to be doing this to you right now but if this has taught me anything it's that time in so precious and I want to be able to tell you things. I want us to have a relationship. I hope you want that too; there are so many things I need to --"

I stop myself. I see my Dad wiping the tears from his eyes. 

"Son, you're absolutely right. I haven't been a good father; heck, I haven't even been a father to you. I promise you though, that's going to change. I'm going to be there for you; and for David."

I roll my eyes with a smirk.

"You don't have to be there for David if you don't want to."

He laughs as he holds his chest. He then places his hand on mine.

"Things are going to change, you'll see. So you said there are things you need to tell me, like what?"

To be honest, I'm nervous that what I say next will give him another heart attack.

"Well, these past couple of months, I've really been figuring out who I am and it's been a long journey but now I know and I am not ashamed and I hope you aren't either --"
"It may be the medicine, but you're not making any sense Nicky," he says.
"Please don't have another heart attack when I say this," I say.

He places his hand on mine again.

"You're not going to give me a heart attack. But you are making me nervous. Is everything okay?"
"I ... I have a boyfriend," I whisper so lowly that I'm not even sure if he heard me over all the machines around us.
"A boyfriend?" He asks. 

I nod my head.

"I'm bisexual. And I hope that doesn't change what you just said because I'd really like for us to have a relationship and Charlie, that's his name, is so wonderful and I think you'd really love --"
"Nicky, I just want you to be happy. Am I surprised by the news? Yes. But I'm not going to not be a father to you because of it. So, Charlie?" He asks, genuinely interested.

I smile.

"Yeah, we met last year and nothing has been the same ever since."
"I'd like to meet him," he says.
"Well, that's good because he's here," I say with a nervous chuckle.
"Wow, must be pretty serious if you asked him to come with you."
"It is. Dad, I love him."

He brings me in for another hug.

"Well, go bring him in!"

I smile and walk back out into the waiting room. Mum and Charlie both stand up.

"How is he?" They ask in unison.
"He's great, actually." 

I focus my eyes on Charlie.

"You want to go meet him?"

Charlie's eyes widen.

"You told him about me?"
"I told him everything," I said. "And now he's asking to meet you."
"Oh, I'm so proud of you Nicky," Mum says as she pulls me into a hug.

I smile at her and take Charlie's hand in mine.

"Come on, lets go meet Dad."

[TIME JUMP NEXT CHAPTER (: ]