Rearview Mirror
Page 32
“Someone has to. So, Nic, what are your plans?”
“I’m staying here with Amber. We’ve been through that. I’ll be coming home at some point, but Amber and I have to talk about what to do with the house and everything.”
“Are you sure?” Erik pressed.
“Yes,” Nicole said, her tone telling everyone that she was done with this subject.
“We’ll be right back,” Amber said, standing and pulling Nicole up and behind her as they made their way to their bedroom.
“Amber?” Nicole asked, confused by Amber’s move.
“Don’t let him get to you,” Amber said once they were in the bedroom, and she had pulled Nicole into her arms.
“I’m tired of him second-guessing everything I say and do,” Nicole said through gritted teeth as she held Amber close.
“I know, but this is their last night here. Don’t let it bother you. I know you love me and that we’re in this forever,” Amber said before cupping Nicole’s face and kissing her gently.
“How is it, even at my most frustrated point, you can make me relax?”
“My lips cast a spell on you.” Amber gave Nicole a sultry smile.
“Mmm, and what kind of spell can they cast on me later?” Nicole pressed her body tightly against Amber’s.
“We’ll have to see,” Amber said before kissing Nicole again. “Now let’s go spend some time with our friends.”
The two left the bedroom and joined the others. It was obvious from the tension hanging in the room that something had transpired while they were gone.
Jill, Heather, and Erik watched as Nicole and Amber left the living room.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” Heather snapped. “Are you a fucking moron?”
“Hey, I was going to ask that,” Jill said.
“I just want to make sure that Nicole is doing this because she wants to, not because she feels obligated or because it’s Amber.”
“Of course she’s doing it because it’s Amber. Nicole has been in love with Amber since we were kids,” Jill said. “They’re both in love and want to be together.”
“Why can’t Amber come back home?”
“Erik, have you not seen the life she’s built here? Were you not at the gallery with us for her art show?” Heather asked. “Amber is strong, confident, self-assured, and most of all, happy.”
“She could be happy back home, too.”
“No, she couldn’t,” Jill said. “Amber has become the person she is now because she got away. She has more things to haunt her there than she has for reasons to be there.”
“She has us.”
“Yeah, and she also has the memories of the mental and physical abuse she suffered for all those years. She doesn’t need to be reminded daily about what she went through.”
“You and Heather don’t get it. We could make it better for her. Make new memories for her. We’d have her and Nicole.”
“It’s her choice. I think it’ll be good for Nicole to get away and heal, as well,” Jill said, looking down the hall to where Nicole and Amber had disappeared. “Plus, look at this place.”
“Yeah, and did you hear the rain last night?” Heather asked. “I sat by the window like Amber says she does and listened. It was amazing.”
“I’m glad you like the rain,” Erik said sarcastically. “I’m worried about Nicole. I don’t think it’s fair that she gives up her life because of Amber.”
“I guess that’s good you don’t make her decisions for her,” Jill said angrily. “Nicole is an adult and can make her own decisions.”
“I know that,” Erik said. “I just don’t know that she’s making them for the right reasons.”
“Again, not your decision,” Jill said.
“I thought you learned your lesson on doubting them when you were out with Zach. What changed?” Heather asked.
“We’re leaving, and Nicole isn’t coming with us. I’m worried about her and will always worry about her. I’m supposed to protect her. I failed once, now how am I supposed to do it when she’s here?” Erik said.
“You do it by being a friend and not an asshole. That would be a good start,” Jill said as they heard the door down the hall open.
Nicole and Amber rejoined the group. The tension was intense, but nobody was sure where to start.
“Erik, I know you don’t want me to move here,” Nicole started, looking at him. “But this is where Amber and her life are. I want to be with her.”
“I get that, Nic, I do,” Erik said. “I just don’t understand why you’re giving up everything you have. You and Amber haven’t been together for that long. You’ve both changed a lot over the years.”
“Erik!” Jill and Heather exclaimed.
“I don’t mean to sound like an ass. I love you, Nicole. I love you, too, Amber. I just think it’s a huge step.”
“You’re right, it is a huge step, but it’s our decision to make,” Amber said calmly.
“Yes, we haven’t been back together long, but we were truly only apart physically. The love and devotion we’ve felt for each other, that hasn’t changed. If anything, it has grown,” Nicole said.
“So, no matter what, you’re staying?”
“Exactly. We’ll be back once we decide what to do with the house there. We’ll be back to visit, as well. I like it here, I love Amber. What more is there?”
The tension in the room started to subside and allowed them to enjoy their last day together.
Over the next few months, Nicole and Amber made several trips back to Eagle Peak to visit their friends and to prep Nicole’s house for Erik to rent. He had been living at the fire station so much prior to Nicole moving that he had let his lease lapse.
“Nic,” Erik said as he entered the house.
“Hey, I was just finishing up packing the last of my things. Are you sure you don’t mind me keeping things in one of the spare rooms?”
“It’s still your house. You keep stuff wherever you want. I’m just going to mooch off your kindness and cheap rent.” Erik laughed.
After returning to Eagle Peak, Erik started to see a lot of their past, the good and the bad. It was then that he was able to understand why Amber could never live there again and why it would be good for Nicole to move, as well. Once he realized that, he embraced their decision.
“Hello?” Amber called from the front door.
“Back here, baby,” Nicole called from the lanai.
Amber smiled when she saw Nicole and Erik standing together. She was happy that the tension was gone and that it was no longer awkward to be back here or at least in the same room as Erik. Amber made her way over to Nicole and kissed her.
“I missed you,” Amber said softly. Erik heard her and rolled his eyes, causing both women to laugh.
“How are things going with you two lovebirds?”
“Amazing,” the two women said in unison, earning them another eye roll.
“We’ve had our moments of tension, but after everything we’ve been through, they’re trivial,” Nicole said as Amber wrapped her arms around Nicole from behind.
“Dr. Dyer has helped us a lot, as well.”
“How so?” Jill asked as she and Heather entered with a pizza and beer.
“I don’t want that greasy, stainy stuff in here.” Nicole pushed Jill toward the door.
The five made their way to the living room before finishing their conversation.
“Dr. Dyer has helped us to see that the past is behind us and only we can allow it to get closer and overtake us. Trina has been helping with the physical frustration,” Amber said.
“Some of it,” Nicole said before she and Amber blushed.
“Details?” Heather asked hopefully.
“Still no.” Nicole and Amber laughed.
“You can’t blame a girl for trying.” Heather laughed along.
“Yes, we can,” Nicole mumbled playfully.
Nicole and Amber explained how they had rearranged the house and how the
y were making things work.
Once they returned from Eagle Peak, Amber and Nicole were unpacking when they heard a knock at the door. Amber opened the door to find Mrs. Phelps standing there.
“Good evening, Mrs. Phelps,” Amber said, opening the door wider for her to enter.
“I’m sorry to interrupt. I know you two just got home.”
“You never interrupt,” Nicole said as she entered the room and escorted Mrs. Phelps and Amber to the couch. “What can we do for you tonight?”
“Well, I was hoping we could do dinner tomorrow night.”
“Of course,” Amber said, taking Nicole’s hand. “What can we bring?”
“Oh, just yourselves,” Mrs. Phelps said.
“Are you certain?”
“Positive. Max and I have something we’d like to talk to you two about tomorrow night.”
“Any hints?” Nicole asked.
“None,” Mrs. Phelps with a laugh. She then left the two women to themselves.
“I wonder what that was about,” Amber said.
“I guess we’ll find out tomorrow night.”
“What do you say to us showering together, and then some naked snuggles in bed?”
“I think that sounds perfect, my love.”
The couple made their way to the shower, and then to bed. It wasn’t long before they were sound asleep.
Nicole and Amber made their way down to the Phelps’s apartment for dinner the next night. They had opted to bring a bottle of wine.
“Oh, you two didn’t have to do this,” Mr. Phelps said as he took the bottle from Nicole.
“It’s just a little token of our appreciation and love for you both,” Amber said.
“Well, it’ll go great with tonight’s dinner.”
Amber and Nicole took a seat in the living room while Mr. Phelps put the wine in the kitchen and Mrs. Phelps was finishing up dinner. Over dinner, Nicole and Amber talked about their latest trip to Eagle Peak and how they had finally gotten Erik settled into Nicole’s house. After dinner, they retired to the living room again, and Mr. and Mrs. Phelps sat together on the loveseat and Nicole and Amber sat on the couch.
“We wanted to talk to you both about something,” Mrs. Phelps started.
“You have our undivided attention.” Amber took Nicole’s hand in her own.
“Well, since we’re both getting older, we met with our attorney over the past week, and we’ve decided we’d like to leave you girls the brownstone. You’re like daughters to us. And since we didn’t have kids, well, we just wanted to make sure you two were okay with this,” Mr. Phelps said.
“Wow, I don’t know what to say,” Amber said.
“Wow, that’s huge,” Nicole added.
“Will you accept the brownstone when we pass?” Mrs. Phelps asked.
“Of course, but that isn’t going to be for a very long time,” Amber said.
“Be that as it may. We needed to make sure that our girls are looked after and taken care of.”
“Thank you, and we love you both, as well.” Nicole got up and hugged them. Amber followed behind, hugging them and feeling truly blessed to have found such amazing people to integrate into her life after all she had been through.
Amber Knight had been dealt a rough hand in life, but she had overcome every challenge. Now, she had the woman she had loved since they were little in her arms nightly, friends who truly cared and looked out for her, and a career she loved. The rearview mirror now contained the past, a past that no longer hindered her future.
About the Author
BL Clark lives in Southern Wisconsin. As a child, BL dreamed of becoming an author, she is now living her dream. In her free time, you can find BL working on various story ideas, or playing with some form of technology.
You can follow BL Clark at:
Twitter: bl_clarks
Facebook: blclark.author
Website: blc.bkclark.net
Check out BL’s other books.
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