To Mend a Broken Memory - [Troy Otto]

Chapter XXXII

Someone escorts all of us to our place. It's an empty room, with sleeping bags on the ground, very similar to the place we slept before leaving. It's a bit packed, but who cares. No time to be choosy now. Victor and Nick lay Lucian down on one of the fluffy bags. It's beginning to worry me that he doesn't wake up. Perhaps he had a concussion or something.

"Is there a doctor here?" I ask to the person who's accompanied us, and he makes an uncertain expression.

"There is. Good luck finding him though, he's overwhelmed with work" Lee sees my concerned face while all other others are unpacking.

"I will go find this doctor. You go check on Whisper" he tells me. I love how he understands me in the blink of an eye. So I shake him a grateful look.

"Thank you, Lee. Nick, are you coming? I am going to find your sister" he briefly nods, dropping his things and following my lead. Then while we're walking among all these people, some weirder than others.

"Does she have to follow us the whole time?" Nick points at Shadow, who's been diligently doing whatever we did, quietly and without creating any trouble. If only they were all like her.

"Yes, Nick. She does" he shrugs and we keep going, blending into the chaotic bazar once more. I am not too good at orienteering, but the first place I visited was the paddock so I remember perfectly where it is. Meanwhile I use this time to clear the air with Nick. Even if he didn't seem too bothered by what I did to Madison.

"Nick, I am sorry about what I did. But your mum will never learn if she doesn't taste her own medicine" as I am speaking, he's already shaking his head and raising a hand to stop me.

"I am not mad at you" his tone is flat, and truth be told he doesn't really seem angry. But it only felt right to explain myself. I am not really sorry for Madison, but I needed to set things straight with Nick.

"You're not?"

"No. I didn't like how she benched me. And as long as I'm with her, she'll keep deciding for me. Besides, Victor will go with her to a safe place. They'll be fine" never doubted it for a second. I know Madison's resourceful. She'll find someone else to fool.

"I love you, Nick. But I just couldn't let this slide"

"Let's go to Alicia, shall we?" and it that moment it hits me.

"Will she hate me for it?" he stops walking, and so do I for reflection. Then he pats my forearm and comes a little closer as if he had to reveal a secret.

"Don't tell her I said that but she's tougher than me. She'll survive"

As expected, Alicia and Omar are indeed at the stables, which is a bit isolated from the rest. But they don't hear us coming so we catch them kissing and that's awkward. Even more so considering Nick's face.

"Don't mind us, really. We just survived against all odds" Nick breaks the ice, and the surprise and consequent happiness I see on Alicia's face is one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. They hug tight and Alicia literally jumps on him and wraps him with her legs. Then she runs to hug me and that is always embarrassing for me. I just can't help myself.

"I knew it! I knew you were coming home and you were going to win"

"Sorry to spoil your epic tale Alicia but things went a little differently" I confess. And she opens her eyes wide, afraid we came to tell her something bad happened.

"What do you mean, did you all come back? And why do we have a wolf?!"

"Yes, we did. There are even more of us now, long story. Wolf came with Leyla, you know how she is. Let's just hope we never bump into an elephant or we'll need a bigger room" Nick says, and I roll my eyes at him.