"Nicole?" A voice called out to her, she frowned, confused because who in the world would know her here in New York?
"Nick, is that you?" The voice called out.
Nick.
She didn't know why she stopped. She hasn't been called that name for a very long time that she was certain that it wasn't meant for her. She felt a light tap on her shoulder, startling her. "Nick, wait! Hey – "
She sighed. "I'm sorry I think you've mistaken me ..." She turned around but her voice trailed as soon as recognition leapt into her eyes. "Liam?" She said his name in disbelief.
"I can't believe it," he said as he grabbed her into his arms for an embrace.
Neither could Nicole. Liam was from her past. A past that she had tried to forget, yet here she was in tears, reveling from the emotions overtaking her heart.
"Grams..." He whispered as he sighed.
Her heart melted as soon as she heard the name he had fondly called her. She had almost forgotten about that, but yes, he had always called her 'Grams'.
"How's it going, Lee?" She smiled as she said the name she fondly called him.
"I can't believe it's really you," Liam said after he released her, gently wiping the tears with his thumb. "Shit, don't cry."
She looked up into the familiar eyes of the young boy, now a man, she had known years ago. "I'm just ..." She wasn't even sure - there were so much emotions. "I still cant believe I'm here with you, I swear I didn't think I would see you again. I means it's been forever, Lee."
"Five years," he supplied, still not letting her go.
Yes, it has been five years.
"So I guess this is it, Lee," she forced an encouraging smile, taking his hand in hers. They may not be related by blood but he will always be her brother. The eighteen-year-old boy smiled at her pretending to be brave but there was uncertainty in his eyes. She knew she had to be brave for him, she had to be brave for all of them - even for that one person who had just caused her world to crumble.
"I'm scared, Grams," he admitted in a whisper.
She tightened her hold of his hand. "We all are. But just remember our DREAM. Hold on to that and every bit of this is worth it. Have faith."
Liam nodded, straightening his stand. "I'll make you proud. I promise," kissing her gently on her forehead.
Nick let go of his hands and held his face. Meeting his gaze she smiled at him lovingly, "I'm already proud of you Lee."
Her words were enough for him to believe, enough for him to have faith. He took her into his arms and held her, wishing he could bring her with him to Germany. She had always believed in them, encouraged them, helped them, and somehow managed to share with the rest of them the profound love she had for one of them.
A voice announcing their flight signaled that it was time for them to leave for Germany. It was time for them to chase their DREAM - to sing, to entertain, to make music. A dream to make a name for themselves, a dream to make the name, Glory Box, known to the world.
"That's you, love," she bit her lip as she fought the tears that were building in her eyes.
Liam nodded. "You are coming to visit us, right?"
She nodded, even if she knew it was not going to happen. "Take care of yourself, okay?"
"You take care of yourself too," He insisted as he looked down at her with concern.
All she could do was nod again. "Lee, watch after him, okay? I know he wants everyone to believe that he's okay but we both know him too well to believe that." She requested.
"You don't even have to ask, Grams." He smiled in assurance.
She tip-toed to kiss him gently on his lips and enveloped him again in a tight embrace. "I'm gonna miss you," she whispered. "I'm gonna miss you so much."
It took all her strength to let him go but she knew she had to. And as soon as she watched Liam rejoin his entourage, she scanned each face hoping to see the man she loved for the last time, but he was no longer there.
Goodbye.
"Look at you!" She smiled up at him after he released her. "You're so grown up and..." her voice trailed off as she studied him. He was no longer that skinny, lanky boy that said goodbye to her at the airport five years ago. In front of her was this handsome and ... she was trying her best not to think sexy as he might as well be her baby brother, but yes, there wasn't any way around it - sexy (ewwww!), Adonis. "TALL! Damn you're tall!"
His eyes sparkled as he gave a light laugh. "You don't look bad yourself Grams." It was his turn to study her, instantly recognizing the changes in her. Liam saw maturity, simplicity and grace. "And at the risk of sounding like a hormonal twenty-three year old, can I just say that, damn you're HOT! Look at you in a dress!" In all the time he had known her, he had never seen her in a dress. Well maybe once or twice but NEVER looking like what she looks now. She looked so feminine, so beautiful.
She shook her head as she smiled. "I cleaned up good, huh?" She was blushing.
Liam nodded. "I like your short hair, very cool," he reached out to brush a wisp of hair away from her eyes.
They were interrupted by someone clearing his throat. "Liam."
They turned to find a man resembling Hulk minus the green stuff walking towards them. "I think you've managed to attract enough people that might keep us here for hours." The man's Goliath voice matches his Hulk-like figure and presence.
Nicole looked up at Liam questioningly.
"Grams, this is Mike, my bodyguard. Mike, this is Nick, an old friend," Liam paused long enough to smile that made Nicole sigh.
"Hi," Mike the Hulk smiled, offering his hand.
Nicole smiled back, taking in the warmth of the giant's smile as she took and shook his hand. "You have a bodyguard?" She turned to ask her younger friend.
Liam shrugged. "Just when we go out on our own and stuff," he tried to explain.
"For some strange reason, women, girls and those who swing the other way? Yeah, young and old, they want him ... them ... and I don't get it!" Mike teased with a frown as he shook his head.
"Shut up, Mike!" Liam snapped.
But Nicole laughed because she gets it. This boy ... man has stolen her heart long before any of the women and girls and those who swing the other way have laid their eyes on him.
"I don't know if you knew but we did it, Grams! We made it."
Of course she knew. Not on purpose at first since she wanted to forget and was able to for the first two years when they were in Germany, where their record label sent them to test the waters with their music as the music industry at home wasn't ready for them just yet. But apparently as soon as their songs became popular not just in Germany but all over Europe, the US has gotten a whiff of their talent they were asked to come back home and instantly got a top ten hit on the Billboard Charts. Finally, they got the recognition they wanted and deserved that it was pretty much hard not to know what was going on with Glory Box even in Argentina.
"I know." She admitted.
"You kept tabs on us?"
"It was kind of hard not to. You guys are everywhere!"
Making it very, very hard for her to really forget ... to let go ...
"Didn't I tell you that I'm gonna make you proud of me?"
She looked up at him trying to hide the emotion that was enveloping her in that instance. She didn't want to ruin the moment because she knew she DESERVED it. She smiled at him adoringly. "And didn't I tell you that I was already proud of you even then?" She said, reminding him of their last conversation before they parted years ago. She shook her head as soon as she realized that she was taking herself back again to that fateful day. NOT NOW. This should be a happy moment.
"Thank you, Grams, for being there for us since day one. We couldn't have done it without you." He hugged her again, still incredulous that finally, he found her.
"Lee, whether I was there or not, I knew you were going to make it. You guys are ridiculously talented!"
Liam sighed before he let her go. "Come with us!" He said.
"Huh?" She asked, surprised by the offer.
"Come with us back to the hotel. I'm sure the guys would love to see you again."
She froze. See the guys again? " Liam. I can't. I'm sorry." I am not yet ready to see the guys. I am not yet ready to see HIM.
He poked his bottom lip out, batted his eyelashes at her. "But..."
"Liam ..."
"Please?"
"Look, I really don't ... wait, which hotel are you staying at?" She was almost too afraid to hear his answer.
"No. We're staying at the hotel near the recording studio we're using for the new album."
Nicole was secretly relieved. Like she told Liam, she wasn't ready yet. "You guys flew all the way here to record?"
Liam nodded. "For three of the songs, yeah. Our producer owns his own studio so we did it here."
"Wow." She was definitely impressed. "Are you guys still based in ..."
"Yes," Liam nodded even before she finished.
She took a deep breath. "I see."
"So how about it, Grams? Let's surprise everyone." He gave her a hopeful look.
This time she frowned, guilty that she can't share her younger friend's excitement. "Uhm ... I ... I can't... I have a plane to catch soon but I still have time for coffee or something."
Liam sighed and turned to Mike, he asked, "Is it okay?"
Mike looked at his watch as well and then nodded. "Well, we need to pick up your ..."
"But we still have time, right?" Liam interrupted before his bodyguard ruined it for him. They needed to pick up his brother, Chris, from his interview with Ryan Seacrest. The same Chris whom he knew was the reason she disappeared five years ago.
"Yes." Goliath Mike said.
"I'll take it then." He grabbed her hands and led her to the register. "Come on lady, God knows you have some serious 'splainin' to do."
Liam watched Nicole as his mind still tried to process that she was actually sitting in front of him, animatedly telling him bits and pieces of her life the past five years.
Nick.
He had met her when he was sixteen, when his brother, Chris, took her home and introduced her as his girlfriend.
Liam actually had a hard time believing that at first. Chris was definitely an extrovert - a social butterfly, carefree and loud while Nick was gracious, reserved and chill. But as different as their personality was to one another, they were like two peas in a pod. While she complimented his craziness and carelessness with her rationality and direction, he was the push and encouragement that she needed in her cautious and insecure life.
Maybe the old adage is right - opposites DO attract.
They had an instant connection that Liam too, fell in love with Nicole. Not in the same way that Chris loves her but in a platonic-brotherly love kinda way. Liam felt how genuine her heart was. Nick has always been honest and caring and has a way of making anyone feel special.
This became more evident when he and Chris decided to take the chance on Glory Box, the band that they have put together with their good friends, Theo and Jason. Nick didn't question their decision and have supported their dream from the very beginning. She became part of the all-family crew that pushed Glory Box to everyone's faces - calling places for gigs, assisted in making flyers, photo-copied flyers, distributed flyers, stayed up late with them rehearsing, missed meal, run all over the town, did practically everything just so Chris' dream, Glory Box's dream would come true.
And then one day, just when that dream was almost within reach, she was gone.
Chris didn't offer any explanation except that they broke up and that everyone should get over it even though it was so obvious that he was hurting. God knows how many times Liam asked his brother the dreaded 'What-happened-to-Nicole' question but it almost always ends up in either a shouting argument or a curt 'We-are- not-talking-about -this-anymore' walk out.
The more Liam asks his brother to open up the more Chris shuts down, throwing himself in the grinding work of making a name for themselves so he can at least try to forget.
Liam had resigned himself to the fact that he would never see her again.
Until today ...
Seeing her was definitely a shock. He had never expected to actually see her again after all those years, much less be sitting with her in a corner booth of a coffee shop in Melrose.
"So Grams, is this where you have been hiding all these years?" Liam asked as he watched her take another sip of the coffee she had ordered.
"New York? Oh no, I've been living in Argentina," she answered nonchalantly.
"Argentina?" Liam repeated.
She nodded as she looked down on the cup of coffee she was holding. "I was able to go there to do TESOL work."
"TESOL?"
"Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages." She informed. "I took a course on English As A Second Language at the community college when you guys..." her voice trailed, not really wanting to revisit that time that very moment.
"Grams ..." Liam gently placed his hand on hers, knowing exactly what was going on.
"It's fine, Lee," she assured him. "Don't worry about it," she said , taking a deep breath to settle the racing of her heart. "What was I saying? Oh, uhm ... I also took an English-Spanish translation class then later on took the certification test. I applied to various agencies and was offered an opportunity to go to Argentina."
"So you're also a teacher there?"
Nicole nodded. "At first I was teaching at a high school in Córdoba then I was offered a part time private tutor job that eventually became full time. I didn't just tutor the kids, but I took care of them as well."
"Like a nanny?"
"Yup," she smiled.
"Do you like what you're doing?"
"I love it! The kids, Robert and Angela, they're awesome. I love them."
"That's great, Grams," Liam smiled. "So is that why you're back in the US, you are visiting with them?"
"No. They're in Argentina. I am here alone."
"Vacation?"
"No, it's for work."
"Like a teacher's seminar or something?" He sipped his iced tea.
"Uh - no."
"Then what? Did you quit and came home?"
Nicole shook her head. "No. I head a charity through our company and ..."
"Wait, hold up," he raised a finger. "Your company? I thought you were taking care of kids?"
"Well, you can say I got promoted."
Liam simply raised a brow.
"What I meant was I ... " nervously, she held up her hand to show off her rings. "I am proof positive that those Harlequin Romance fairy tale novels do come true. I married my boss." She held her breath, bracing for Liam's reaction.
"Holy shit! You're married!" Liam exclaimed.
"Yes," she tried to smile as she felt the sad hum in her heart.
"When did you ..."
"Two years ago. November fifteen."
"That's good, Grams. I'm happy for you," he said earnestly.
"Thanks ..." she stopped when she saw the look in his face. "What?"
"What what?"
"You have that look in your face, Lee."
"I have a look?"
"Uhuh," She nodded. "And I know that look."
"Are you gonna tell me how well you know this look?"
"That sigh-y , sad eyes look you've been using since I've met you look when you are not in agreement or not happy about something."
"You got married and we weren't there." Liam sighed.
That tugged at Nicole's heart. "Well, what did you want me to do? Hire you to sing at my wedding?"
"You know that's not what I meant. It's just that... well... you got married and I didn't even know. You said that you kept tabs on us so how hard would it have been to try and get in touch with us?"
"Very hard, Lee, at least for me. Do you have any idea how many times I tried to reach out to you? To contact you?"
"Then why didn't you?"
"Did you?"
"I did but ..."
Nicole shook her head as she already knew what Liam's BUT meant. "I have no idea what he told you but I disappeared because I was told to. Not because I wanted to." She answered bitterly.
Liam's heart suddenly ached for her. He sat right next to her and took her right hand, purposely avoiding her ring hand. "I'm sorry Grams."
The ringing of the phone interrupted them and Nicole was actually relieved.
"Hello?" Mike answered his cell phone. "It's for you," he said gently, throwing the phone at his ward.
"Yeah?" Liam said as he placed the phone to his ears.
"Where the heck are you? And why aren't you answering your phone?" It was his brother Chris but he was not about to tell her that. He could see that she obviously could not handle him right now.
"We're on our way." He replied giving Mike the knowing look.
"You'd better. I don't feel like waiting around here for eternity."
"Okay."
"Now, Liam!"
"We're going! Geesh!"
"Good. Bye." Chris snarled as he hung up.
"We need to get going, Grams, Johnny is looking for us, " he knew he lied, using their manager as an excuse but he just didn't want to ruin the moment just yet.
"You are still with Johnny?"
He nodded, giving Mike his phone back. He then dug out his own phone that he had purposely silenced and ignored as soon as they reached the coffee shop. He just wanted some uninterrupted time with her. Unlocking it, he handed it to her.
She looked up at him questioningly.
"What? You think I'm going to let you go easily this time?" He shook his head to her. "No way. I need your digits, Grams." He said almost in a command.
"My digits, huh?"
He nodded with his charming smile that no one can resist.
She sighed and began typing her number. She handed it back to him after she was done. "Do I get yours now?"
"Of course. Here let me text you and you can save it under Liam the Magnificent," he beamed.
"Actually, I was going to save it under pompous ass."
Mike's incredible hulk laughter boomed as Liam made a face. "And I thought Chris was the comedian."
It was the first time that his name was mentioned and Nicole's body immediately went rigid.
"I'm sorry, Grams," Liam apologized quickly realizing his slip.
She tried to smile, pushing away her emotions. "It's okay, Lee. I'm sorry too. It's just that a lot of things are going on in my life right now and... seeing you and now...," she sighed. "I never really expected to see any of you again. I mean I hoped but .... it's just all too much for me to take in, especially right now... " her voice trailed off.
Liam immediately stood up and took her into a comforting embrace. He didn't say anything.
"I've missed you, Liam." She said, breaking the silence.
"I've missed you too, Grams."
"So after Mexico are you going back to Argentina?" Liam inquired after he had released her. He took his jacket that he had earlier draped behind his chair and put it on.
She shook her head. "Nope, I'm flying to Miami later tonight then back to Argentina then possibly Mexico again then I'm going home."
"Back to Argentina?" Liam asked.
"No." She then took a deep breath. "Back to Florida."
================================================================================
"What the hell, Liam? Where were you?" Chris demanded when Mike and Liam finally arrived at the studio a good twenty minutes late.
"Sorry, we lost track of time," Liam mumbled, still deciding whether to tell his brother the real reason why they were late.
Chris' eyebrow arched.
"He saw his Grams," Mike supplied, thinking it would help.
"What? You saw our grandmother here in LA?" Chris asked in confusion. "Nana?"
Shit.
His younger brother sighed, folding his arms to his chest. Guess there was no hiding it now. "No Chris. Not Nana," he said, shaking his head. "Grams !" Liam clarified.
It didn't help Chris, to him Liam was talking in Pig Latin. "I swear Liam, I have no idea who you are talking about."
"Nick. We saw Nick," Mike's voice interrupted before Liam could say another word.
"Backstreet Boys Nick?"
"No shit. Chris, we saw Nicole." Liam held his breath as he waited for his brother's reaction.
Finally it made sense to Chris. He immediately looked up at Mike questioningly. What did he just say? "Nicole?" He asked stammering, hoping that Mike would say he was just kidding.
Mike nodded as he met Chris' questioning eyes.
"Nick." Liam dared to say.
Chris stood motionless for a few seconds. His mind went totally blank and for a moment he almost forgot how to breathe.
Nick.
"Who's Nick?" A female voice joined the conversation as gentle arms wrapped around Chris's waist. "Who's Nick?" She asked again as she noticed Mike and Liam staring at her boyfriend. "Chris, sweetie, are you okay?" She asked, seeing the sudden change of Chris' demeanor.
It took a lot of strength for Chris to snap out of shock. "I'm fine, Melissa," he gave his girlfriend a reassuring smile.
"Are you sure? You kinda looked like you just saw a ghost," she asked skeptically.
Yes ... a ghost of his girlfriend past.
He nodded. "I'm fine." He insisted.
"So who's Nick?" She asked again.
Chris heard Sebastian Bach screaming in his head.
"Remember yesterday - walking hand in hand ... love letters in the sands - I remember you. Through all the sleepless nights, through every endless day ... I remember, I remember you!*"
"Someone we knew a long time ago, babe. A long, long time ago."
/end
=================================
END CREDITS:
* I Remember You by Skid Row; Written by Rachel Bolan and Dave Sabo.
* Cover Photo Credit: Inspiration Lane @ http://inspirationlane.tumblr.com
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