by Cee, DW
Since the night of Nick’s confession, I actually hadn’t seen him. All four times he showed up, I wasn’t around, and eventually, he needed to go into hiding and study for finals. We texted a few times, but we both left one another alone to live life. That bizarre night of hearing about Nick’s insecurities was a complete eye-opener, but I left the talk and the good feelings back at home. It never did any good to get my hopes up.
Luke now showed up with dinner at the warehouse rather than the loft. I enjoyed his company, but soon saw this joy coming to an end. If I hadn’t been so busy working, I would’ve ended our “relationship.” Right now, I didn’t have the energy to fight anyone. I went along with the program and kept anything not work related, status quo.
“Hey, your phone’s ringing.” Missy nudged me out of my reverie.
“Hello?”
“Hey, Bee. It’s me, Jane. How are you feeling?”
“I’m so much better. Being debilitated is not fun.”
“I’m sorry I never even stopped by. I’ve tried almost daily to make it into your warehouse and I’ve had one thing or another stopping me.”
“There’s no need to apologize. You must be up to your eyeballs in wedding planning. I hope everything is going well?”
Jane started laughing hysterically. “Bee. We would need the entire plane ride from here to Florence for me to explain all that was not going well. But, we finally have a location.”
“What do you mean? I thought you found a place back when we all went to London together.”
“Long-ass story! I’ll explain one night after this is all over. We are now having the wedding at the Belucci Villa, aka the Bennington Villa.”
“What the hell, Jane?!?”
“You see what I mean? It’s been hell. I’ll explain the important parts of this never-ending drama when I see you tonight. I assume you got the edict?” Jane laughed.
“Dictator Donovan called earlier,” I joined in the humor. According to my nephew, his precious wife wasn’t feeling well so the fitting had to happen on the cul-de-sac and not at the warehouse. Who could argue with a man so besotted with his wife? “Is he feeding the lot of us tonight?”
“Apparently so. He called in a caterer and everything will be set up in my parents’ home. I’m sorry for the inconvenience, Bee. You now have to bring all your equipment with you.”
“It’s not you who needs to apologize.” I didn’t begrudge my nephew in the least. Laney was getting quite heavy, and taking her last set of finals probably wore out both her and her husband. “I’ll see you in a bit. I’m about to leave.”
With everything already in my trunk, I wrapped up at the warehouse and headed for the cul-de-sac. Something about that street put a big smile on my face. I loved the warmth of Reid Place—so aptly named. Though it wasn’t my home, it felt like home.
“Auntie!” I got my first welcome as I stepped onto the cul-de-sac. My niece was sitting on her swing, waving furiously at me.
“How are you feeling?”
Laney giggled. “I’m fine.”
“Your husband made all of us change our plans because he said you were ill.” I tried to sound upset, though I wasn’t.
“Pshaw! I told that hubby of mine that I had indigestion from eating too much last night. I really need to cut back on the porterhouses. I think the babies are protesting.” She rubbed her belly and sipped her Perrier. “I stuck to a plain chicken salad today and am feeling much better.” She couldn’t stop touching her belly. Oddly, I saw parts of her belly pop. I assumed the kids were kicking and punching. To someone who’s never been prego or close to anyone prego, it was freaky to see parts of her body jutting out.
“I’ll see you inside.” I waved farewell, unable to hide my fascination from the alien-looking stomach of hers.
“You need some help?” I looked up, and the ever-friendly and very handsome groom addressed me. “Gem sent me out here to carry your bags in.”
All I had to do was point. Max and Garret, who appeared out of nowhere, carried every bag into the living room that was set up as the makeshift sewing room. Surprisingly, a sewing machine claimed center-stage.
“Where did that come from?” I asked.
“It was Gram’s.” Jane answered, walking in with drinks for all of us. “Hi Bee.”
“Hi.” I started unpacking my belongings.
“The machine was sitting in Emily’s basement so I had the boys bring it over.”
“Fantastic. Then, I can do everything here.”
“Where do you want me now, Gem?” Max and Jane looked incredibly beautiful and deliriously happy.
“How about right here so Bee can work on you boys, first? Go change while I call my brother and the dictator over.”
“I’ll need your father and grandfather as well,” I added. I left Nick out, purposely. Touching his body was not something I needed after our two nights together.
All the men showed up, and one by one, they went into the dressing screen and put on their tuxedos. Every man in the room could model for one magazine or another; they were that handsome. Once the men were done, the women tried on their dresses, and the fitting went off without much ado. Except for Laney’s dress, there wasn’t anything to alter.
“Donovan,” Laney called, “is it dinnertime yet?”
My nephew came and escorted his wife to the sumptuous dinner awaiting us. After grabbing our dinners, we all sat outside around the communal table on this beautiful spring evening.
“Bee, I assume you will be on Gimpy’s plane with us? With your back and all, that’ll be the most comfortable place for you.”
It was kind of Jane to think of me. I had a hard time explaining that I wouldn’t be attending her wedding. “I don’t know if I can.”
“Why not?” Nick surprised me from behind, and sat next to me with his plate full of food. “Scoot over, Laney.” Laney smiled, and scooted even closer to her husband.
“I was told the plane is leaving in a few days and I can’t take that much time off.” I explained apologetically. “The clothes fit perfectly on everyone, and I put in loose pleats on Laney’s that she can easily pull out herself if she gets any bigger between now and the wedding day.”
“We don’t want you there as our seamstress.” Laney huffed. “You’re family. We want you there because we want you there.” She now puffed.
I didn’t want to be back in Florence—not with Nick, not at a wedding.
“I don’t think I can get away for more than a weekend.”
“Then come for the weekend.” Nick had already finished his plate and was getting up for seconds. “You want more cheesecake?” He asked knowing that was my favorite food here. I nodded.
The topic of conversation turned to Laney’s safety on the plane once Dr. Henry Reid arrived, and I was able to get out of explaining my absence at the wedding.
“How did finals go?”
“They went well.” Nick placed his hand on my lower back and asked, “How are you feeling? How’s the bruise?”
“It’s finally bearable.” I wanted so badly to tell him how much I missed his presence in my bed. He made those first two nights much, much better. “If you have a moment, I have something for you.”
Nick gently pulled me up and took me back into his parents’ home. He wouldn’t let go of the hand he held. I only took my hand out of his when I used both to lift a box out of one of the bags and handed it to Nick.
“Happy birthday!”
Nick looked surprised. “It’s not my birthday.”
“I know, but I won’t see you on your birthday so I’m giving it to you early.”
“How could you not see me when we’ll be in the same town? We’re probably staying at the same villa.”
I didn’t hesitate in telling Nick the truth. “I won’t make it to the wedding.”
“And why the hell not?”
“Jane is generous in wanting to take me with her, but I can’t
leave the warehouse for that long and with this accident, I can’t sit through a long flight. There are no direct flights to Florence. By the time I land there, I will have been on a plane for fifteen plus hours. My back can’t take that.”
Nick sighed. “If I can figure out an easier way, will you go?”
I shook my head no. “Don’t bother your family on my account. Between Jane and Laney, your family is already in a tizzy. I don’t need to add to their worries.”
What I said weighed heavily on Nick’s mind. He didn’t look happy. “How’s it going at the warehouse? I’m sorry I haven’t been by.”
I squeezed his hand that was back in mine. “I know you’ve been busy. Are you done with school?”
“I have one last exam first thing in the morning. Otherwise, I’d help you home. You have a shitload of stuff to take back.”
“I’m sure everyone will lend a hand.”
“You’re not headed back to the warehouse tonight, are you?” he asked in a menacing way.
“No. I’m going straight to sleep. Between the new business and this accident, I don’t think I’ve gotten more than a few hours’ sleep the past couple of weeks. I need my beauty rest.” I laughed.
“Then let’s get you out of here.” Nick pulled me up again, and helped me gather my belongings. I said my good-byes to everyone with Nick by my side the entire way. “You’ll go straight home and sleep?”
“I will.” I nodded a promise. “Do well tomorrow and I’ll see you after the wedding.”
“I put my birthday gift back in your trunk,” he informed me. “I expect you to bring it with you to Florence. Since we celebrated your birthday in Florence, it’s only fair you do the same for me.”
I rolled my eyes at him. “I hardly call my thirtieth birthday a celebratory day. It may go down as the worst day of my life.” With all that had happened since February, our breakup seemed like an eternity ago.
“You wound me.” By the signature grin on his face, I did nothing of the kind. “Go home,” he commanded again. “I have something to take care of back at the house, then after I take my exam tomorrow, I’ll stop by with lunch.”
I didn’t answer. Whether he was going back into his parents’ home or the home he shared with Lily, and whether he’d show up with lunch tomorrow—it was too much to dread and hope. The Nick I saw tonight was a different one. He was no longer shy about expressing his thoughts and feelings in front of his family or me. This was a new, more confident Nick.
Somehow, in the course of the night, he made me feel like an expected part of the Reid family. His actions were casual and natural, and the family saw nothing out of place with me at the dinner table. As wonderful a feeling as that was, I wouldn’t forget that I was only there to help with the clothes. I was not family, and the Reids were kind to anyone at their dinner table.
As sad as it was, this was the only way to think.
May 22, 2014 NICK: “Let Her Go” ~Passenger
“Unca Nick!” My gorgeous imp ran to me and yelled out my name.
“I’m finally your Uncle? Why the sudden change, my she-devil?” I picked her up and spun her around on my shoulders.
“More Unca, more!” She asked, and I gave into her heart’s desire.
“Me too, Unca.” James had his arms out.
“Mmmmmm” JR imitated his siblings.
I carried both boys in my arms and spun them together. All of them loved it, and I loved putting a smile on all three kids.
“What brings you by, Nick?”
“Hey, Emily. I was hoping Jake was in.”
“He’s still at the hospital. He might not come home tonight. Last I heard, there was a major accident nearby, and I believe he and Uncle Henry are in surgery.”
“Shit.” I hadn’t meant to say that aloud.
Somehow, my she-devil caught on to the naughtiness of my action and started singing, “Shit, shit, shit, shit,” while cackling away. I picked her up and tickled her, hoping she’d forget the word.
“Can I help you with something?” Emily joined in our fun and picked up both boys to hug and kiss.
I stared at my sister-in-law and thought if Jake wasn’t around, she was probably the next best option.
“Hey, Nick. What brings you by?”
“I’m here to see Jake. Why are you here, Laney?”
“Jake’s not home so I’m helping Emily put the kids down.”
Sometimes my cousin bugged the hell out of me, but for the most part, she was all right. She was the size of a small house right now, but her smile never faded and her enthusiasm was at its highest. I guess this was what people called a pregnant glow.
Since there were three kids and two adults, I thought, what the hell? I’d help put the kids down as well.
I followed the ladies to a T. We were in the upstairs room that was recently converted into a gigantic bedroom. I was now in charge of James and placed him on the changing table, following Emily’s actions. Emily explained that the twins were potty trained, but they needed a little help at night. That explanation was seriously not necessary, but I nodded and placed a pull-up on my nephew. Then, we all put a one-piece pajama on our respective kids and sat with a kid on our laps to read a book. Each adult read while the kids listened, and after a long round of hugs and kisses, the lights went off and the door closed.
“That’s it?” I asked. “They won’t get up and come downstairs?”
“No. They know that after the bedtime routines are done and the lights go off, they are expected to sleep. We are no nonsense.” Emily said the last two words like a drill sergeant. Laney and I laughed.
“You have more of that cake left, Emily?” My cousin was uncontrollable.
I warned, “You’re going to look as big as your beach house if you keep up this eating.”
“Is that what you will tell your wife when she’s six months pregnant with twins???” She raised her eyebrow, which was kind of scary. I shut my mouth because I knew I couldn’t win this argument.
“What’s on your mind, Nick?” Emily sat us down and brought out milk and cake.
Did I want to say this in front of a hostile Laney? “Don’t you have somewhere to be? Isn’t there an all-powerful lawyer looking for you?”
“He’s in a meeting with his even-more-powerful boss. I’m told we have some good news coming our way with the building.”
“Yeah? What’s the good news?”
“I believe, Nicholas, that the building is fully occupied and rent checks are coming in! AAP LA real estate is in the black already and we’re all going to get a bonus in the next few months.” Laney clapped her hands like a little child. I agreed with her sentiment.
“What will you and Donovan do with all that money?” I asked.
“Hubby says we can’t touch any of the real-estate money. Whatever comes in will be reinvested in the next building venture. And in the words of Donovan Taylor, this will go ‘on and on and on and on.’ Since the money comes in electronically and Donovan takes care of everything, I have no idea how much is even in there.” Laney took a massive bite of her cake and asked, “Are you here to talk about AAP, Lily, or Bee?”
No one would ever accuse my cousin of being dumb. “Lily and Bee?” I questioned my own answer.
“You want me to leave?” Laney asked with no malice. “If I make you feel uncomfortable, I’ll get out of your way right now. I can always take my cake and milk home.”
Her offer was tempting, but I thought it might not be bad to hear her opinion.
“Stay, but just hear me out before you get on my case.”
She nodded and answered, “Fair enough.”
“I believe I’m in love with Bee.” I announced proudly to the two ladies. They both looked at one another, and then busted up in laughter. They laughed so hard, Laney practically had milk coming out of her nostril. “What’s so funny?” I couldn’t believe I was confessing my heart to two ladies whom I thought would be thrilled
, but instead they regarded my confession no differently than a punch line to a joke.
“What’s so funny, Princess?” Donovan sat and pulled his huge wife on his lap.
“My cousin here…” she was still guffawing, “he thinks he’s in love with Bee.” Laney and Emily started laughing hard all over again.
“What’s so funny?” Jake was home. I knew he’d be on my side and take my life more seriously than these two.