Not What I Expected

Part 4

Nicole quickly pulled her hand away from his and stared at him incredulously. She didn't want to be in the same room as him right now. She couldn't bear the thought of trying to fix this after he had already been with Anna for a year. How did she not see this coming?

"I can't believe you were with her for a year Chad," Nicole spat back, "And that you were together in our home! I'm not giving up on what we had, but it's going to take me some time to process this. I need you to leave. I can't be in the same house as you right now. I'll leave to give you some time to pack the things you need."

Nicole looked at him for a moment before she grabbed her purse and left the house. She had no idea where she was going to go, but she knew that she couldn't be there with him.

After about an hour of driving around her neighbourhood, tempted to drive over to Anna's place and give her a piece of her mind, she decided that the best thing would be to go and see her mom. She hadn't told her mother anything yet and she thought it would be best to fill her in before she found out from someone else.

She pulled into her parents' driveway and pulled her phone out of her purse. There was a text from Chad – I've got what I need for now. When you get home I will head over to Trevor's place. I'm so sorry Nic. Take your time. She quickly texted back – I'll be home in a bit. At my parents' house. She turned off her phone and threw it in her purse before she turned off the ignition and slowly began the trek up the driveway to the front door. Sure enough, the door opened before she even knocked. Her mother stood there with an undecipherable look on her face. It was almost like she knew what was coming next.

Holly led Nicole into the kitchen and sat her down at the table. Without asking, Nicole's mom poured her a glass of orange juice and then sat down at the table across from her. While growing up her mother would always pour her a glass of orange juice when something was wrong. Nicole didn't know why, but for some reason orange juice always made her feel better.

"Where is Hudson?" Holly asked.

"He is with Chad," Nicole replied quietly before she took a sip of her juice.

"What's going on sweetheart?" Holly questioned, "You have been off for a few days now. I've been worried about you."

"My loving husband has been having a scandalous affair with Anna," Nicole stated faintly, "I don't know why I never saw it. I never clued in to how traitorous he was being."

"How did you find out?" Holly inquired as she reached over and grabbed her daughter's hand.

"He told me on Friday that he wanted a divorce, that he was no longer in love with me. He even told me that he wasn't having an affair, just that he no longer felt anything for me," Nicole whimpered, "Which was why I brought Hudson over here that night. I didn't know how to deal with it. Beth put two and two together and figured out that he was having an affair with her lying two-faced sister."

"Does he want to fix the damage?" Holly questioned, "Is he willing to fight for your marriage?"

"He is...and so was I until..." Nicole began before she took a deep breath and continued, "...until he told me they had been seeing each other for a year and that they have been together in our home! I don't know how to deal with this! How am I ever going to trust him again? I kicked him out tonight. He is leaving when I get home."

Nicole looked up at her mom who looked pained, but was unable to let the tears fall. Holly was a woman who would never let herself appear weak in front of her children, but the moment they left the dam would break and she would cry. But this time was different. The moment they looked into each other's eyes the emotions overtook both of them. Holly slid her chair next to Nicole's and wrapped her arms around her little girl. They cried together for what seemed like hours.

After a little while Nicole pulled away from her mother and looked down at her hands. She wanted to tell her the other part, but she wasn't sure how her mother would deal with it. Her mother never really liked Chad from the moment she met him. She knew that Nicole had fallen for him the moment he walked into her life so she did her best to tolerate him, but when it was just the two of them, Holly never hid her feelings. Ryan, on the other hand, she had loved him from the moment Nicole had introduced them and was devastated when Ryan ended things.

"What's wrong sweetie?" Holly asked curiously.

"I ran into Ryan today on my lunch break..." Nicole stated like it wasn't a big deal.

Her mother stopped in her tracks and she locked eyes with Nicole. Nicole knew she was about to get a mouthful from her mother if she didn't explain.

"Mom, before you start freaking out about this, please know that Ryan saw me at my spot down by the water," Nicole stated, putting her hand up to stop her mother, "He sought me out to say hello. Nothing else has happened and that's as far as it has gone."

"I'm just worried that this might be too much for you too soon Nic," her mother pointed out, "I know how you felt for Ryan and that's not a feeling you experience every day. Just be careful sweetheart, that's all I can say to you. I know that you will do what's right for you and Hudson."

Nicole couldn't come up with a quick response to that statement. She knew her mother was right about this. She had to be careful and she knew she couldn't focus on what her heart mostly wanted and what she knew was right. She knew she had to fight for her marriage even if her heart had been put back together, even if just for a short moment, when she saw Ryan that day.