More Than Business

Chapter 96

NICKI POV

I was contemplating how to tell Aubrey the news, never knowing when was the perfect time, what were the perfect words.. the whole works. I didn't want Lydia to know before I told him. Or anyone else for that matter..

"Hey," Lydia interrupted my thoughts as I walked into the house that night.

"Oh.. hey." I knew she could see through my awkwardness.

"You left the office before me, how'd I beat you home?" she continued, I could tell she was waiting to call me out.

"I stopped at the store, and got gas" I replied truthfully.

"Oh okay." She accepted, then she dropped the question, "Are you not gonna tell me whats bothering you?"

I shook my head.

"But everything is okay right?" She sounded concerned.

I nodded.

"I can live with that, I guess." She sighed, "But you know that I am here for you, no matter what."

"I just.. have to talk to Aubrey first, once I figure out how to tell him." I explained.

"You'll figure it out." She pulled me into a hug.

"Thanks for understanding."

The next person I ran into was the absolute LAST person I could handle at the moment.

"I think Ali has been missing you today." Aaliyah was exiting the nursery with Allison in her arms.

I motioned for her to go back inside, "Are the boys awake too?"

"Yeah they're-" She began as I shut the door behind us.

"I need to talk to you." I said sternly.

"O-Okay."

"I had a chat with your mom today." I opened up.

"Like.. my birthmom?" her voice cracked. "What did she say?"

"She asked me to tell your father something.." I began, but as I spoke I found confidence in a new realization, "but I told her it wasn't quite my place to do so."

"Tell him what?" she sounded worried.

I continued as if she hadn't interrupted, "So I think its best if you tell him... who you really are."

She was silent.

"He has to know." I added.

Her response was hesitant, "but what does this mean.. for me?"

"We'll figure that out later.. but right now, the important thing is that you tell your father the truth. We can go from there." I told her.

She shook her head and the tears streamed down her cheeks slowly, "He's going to hate me!"

"Why would he hate you?" I touched my hand to her cheek.

"Because he never liked me as much as her.." she vented.

"Thats not true."

"Do you know he didn't even cry at 'my' funeral?" she insisted.

"Babe-"

"And when it was over, he looked at me and said-"

"Your father loves you. People cope in different ways, so it may have seemed like he was unphased.. but I promise you, it killed him losing her.. you.. ugh" The confusion of the conversation was becoming too much.