Unexpected

Chapter 16 - Jealous and relieved

Alone that evening, he thought of Lily's prognosis and his encounter with Sara. He impulsively texted her.

🗨N: Did you visit?

She didn't respond until a while later. Was with her infectious disease doctor?

🗨S: Just left. It was hard.

He looked at his phone for a minute before he typed.

🗨N: Are you feeling any better?

🗨S: Yes. The visit helped. I might sleep tonight.

🗨N: Hopefully I will too.

🗨S: See you in the morning

He was glad she felt better, but it would get worse. He lost his wife, but as bad as that was he still couldn't imagine losing one of his children. It was the reason he was so overprotective.

In the morning, she looked different with her hair not in a ponytail. She looked nice, but different. He spent too much time thinking about how she looks. She was pretty. No. She was beautiful, but not glamorous.

"You didn't run this morning?"

She looked at him funny. "How did you know?"

"I saw you on my way to the hospital. You just look different. Um. Your hair."

Pink crept into her cheeks. "No, I slept in after I hardly slept the night before. I got some rest. You?"

"Yes." He lied. Sleep had come slowly, and it wasn't just because of Lily.

He wasn't sure why he commented about her running. He'd been feeling odd since the scene after Lily's meeting. It was as if holding her and connecting with her in their mutual grief had cracked the wall he had erected around himself. He had shut himself off from so much since the accident. He could only handle work, his children and his family. He had an occasional night out with friends, but he preferred the security of home. Suddenly she was disrupting the safe little world he built.

Christmas was coming, and Nick couldn't stop it. Bridget understood the holiday and begged for a tree and a visit to Santa. The tree, he could handle, but Santa was too painful. Julie would take them to visit the old bearded guy. If she had an opinion, she kept it to herself. That was another reason he loved her so much.

Growing up, they'd always cut their own tree at the farm, but they stopped years ago. Now they purchased one from the tree lot the Lions Club set up at the gas station. He and Tim went together. Bridget insisted on going, but Julie kept Jack home. He would be in the way.

The first snow had fallen overnight, so they dug out their boots. Nick liked snow in December, because it helped even a scrooge like him get in the mood for the holidays. By February, he hated snow and wearing boots and all the other messes that went with it. They were looking at trees when Bridget ran away from him with the clomping of her boots. His pulse quickened as he ran after her, but he stopped when he saw Bridget throw her arms around Sara. Sara return the hug as she made eye contact with him. She bent down.

"You can't run away from your daddy like that. You scared him."

He wondered if the panic on his face was that obvious. He approached her.

"Tree shopping?"

"Yes, just a little one, since I have a small place."

He nodded. "I'm not sure we need a big one either. We have a little monster this year."

Bridget said, "Jack! He gets naked and pee pees."

"Bridge, you don't have to tell everyone. He's only two."

Bridget was a piece of cake at two, compared to Jack. The boy was like a human tornado.

Sara laughed. He'd be blind not to notice that she looked nice in her jeans and Bean boots. Almost as nice as when she wore her short black skirt. Luckily, Tim came over and broke his train of thought, because he was heading places that he shouldn't.

"Oh, look here's Betty!"

"No, Uncle Tim! Her name is Sara." He upset Bridget.

Sara laughed. "Uncle Tim was just about to tell me why he calls me Betty."

"No, he wasn't." Tim shook his gloved finger and laughed.

They found trees and Tim helped Sara with hers. Nick wondered where her boyfriend was, and why he wasn't helping. He watched as Sara thanked his brother with a hug which gave Nick an odd twinge remembering.

Bridget asked, "Can Sara come decorate our tree?"

Before Nick could answer, Sara said, "Sorry sweet thing, but I'm busy. I have to go home and get ready."

Nick let out his breath. He wasn't sure if inviting her over was a good idea. His brother would invite her to his house without a second thought, but for Nick it was more complicated. Knowing she had a date made him feel a mixture of jealous and relieved.