Another Man's Treasure

13. The Beginning Of Nicholas Lane's Story

"I love you." He said. "Everything will be okay again. I promise, Flower."

...

Nick called his brother to come over.

"So what's up? You good?"

"I just need to get this off my chest. You're the only one I can talk to, brother."

"I was in the area. You look like you've seen a ghost and you didn't sound quite well over the phone. What's wrong?" Nathan asked genuinely.

"I don't think I can do this anymore." Nick seemed tired of it all, he wanted to give up so bad but he knew he couldn't. He was searching and hoping for everything to be like it was when he first met her, but now he wondered if she still loved him the way she said she did.

"Do what? Was it Delilah again?
What did she do?"

Nick took a deep breath. "When I got home I heard Daisy crying from the bathroom. The faucet was running and no one answered when I knocked on the door so banged it down. I saw Delilah sitting on the floor with drugs next to her while Daisy was in the bathtub crying." He said surprisingly in one go.

Nathan couldn't believe what he had just heard. "Daisy could've died!" He yelled. "Did you just hear what you said? For christ sake, she recently just learned how to sit upright on her own but still! Anything could've happened."

"Yes, I fucking know that!"

Nathan paced up and down the living room. "This is unacceptable, Nick. This is wrong. Why are you still with her? She's shown you time and time again that she will not change." He turned to his brother.
"Do I need to remind you that this is not the first time she's taken that stuff. She's an addict."

Nick stood up. "And what about Daisy? Huh? It's not as easy as you think."

Nathan decided it's best to lower his voice, maybe then his brother would actually hear him. "I get that you love her, but this is not worth it. Your daughter doesn't deserve this."

"I'll send her back again, s-she will get better, she will, and we will be a family again." Nick was hopeful. He was going to send her back to the rehabilitation center for the third time.

"Do you really think she deserves another-"

The two brothers were interrupted by footsteps that entered the living room.

Nathan looked at Delilah mad as hell.

"Nick?" She called out in a whisper, looking around.

He instantly walked to her. "I'm right here, baby." Held her hands in his.

"Where's Flower?"

"She's sleeping." He answered, observing her eyes.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry" . She suddenly breaks down in his arms. "I tried but I c-can't stop. I'm sorry. Forgive me, my love."

"It's okay, shh, it's okay. I'm right here, I'll help you remember."
She hugged her husband tightly still continuesly apologizing. Delilah sees Nathan and her whole face changed.

"You know what, it's not okay! Nothing is fucking okay!" Nathan declared.

"Nathan please." Nick warned.

The long stare his sister in law gave him felt like silent mocking. And he came to terms with himself and admitted he never liked her.
Not one bit.

Nathan walked past them, down the hall and straight into the bathroom. He sees the small open see-through bag with powder that's white as snow inside, it looks like herion, and two white pills along side with it. He takes them.

"No, no, don't!" Delilah came running in. "Please don't do it." And tried taking them away from him. "Don't."

Nick came running in too, trying to keep peace by convincing Nathan to put the drugs down. But Nathan threw all the white powder and pills into the toilet and flushed it down.

Delilah screams, with tears running down her face as she slides down to the floor.

The shocked face on Nick's face was evident. "What'd you now do that for? This is not how we're supposed to help her, brother!"

She looks Nathan dead in the eye. "Te odio." I hate you.

Before the younger brother left the room he gave her one last final look in the eye, and said: "I know."

"Come back here!" He heard Nick yell from the bathroom.

Nathan entered Daisy's nursery, caressed her cheek for a few seconds then walked out again.

He walked to the front door.

"Nathan, wait!"

He stopped and turned to look at Nicholas.

"That what you did back there was unacceptable."

"Why?" Nathan frowned. "Because you couldn't do it yourself? You hate to see her cry?"

"You're so much more cold-hearted than I am."

"Yeah. I'm not a bitch like you." He tried walking away.

"At least I don't walk away when shit get tough. She's my wife goddammit, I will help her with all my might."

"Then why can't you see she's bad for you? Look at yourself, you're under some kind of love spell that's called manipulation. That's why you can never see the worst in her. You know what's best for you and Daisy. Do the right thing before it's too Late, brother."

The hopeless look in Nick's eyes made it hard for him to look his brother in the face. "It's love. You'll know when you find it one day, Nathan."

Nathan didn't like that answer. "If this is love then I don't want it."

__________________

23 January 2021.
__________________