Chapter 1 Nicholas and Emma
Chapter 2 Jenna and Colby
Chapter 3 Moving Day
Chapter 4 Adjusting
Chapter 5 A Night Out
Chapter 6 The Morning After
Chapter 7 The Dates
Chapter 8 The Talk
Chapter 9 Time Alone
Chapter 10 Letting Go and Moving On
Chapter 11 Friendship and Dating
Chapter 12 The Games
Chapter 13 Waking Up
Chapter 14 Party
Chapter 15 Crushed
Chapter 16 Two Sides
Chapter 17 Bait and Switch
Chapter 18 Making Love
Chapter 19 Labor Day Pains
Chapter 20 Talk with Mom
Chapter 21 Work Work Work
Chapter 22 Ooops!
Chapter 23 Acceptance
Chapter 24 Here Fishy Fishy
Chapter 25 Sweet Dreams
Chapter 26 So Tired
Chapter 27 Worlds Come Crashing Down
Chapter 28 Time to Wake Up
Chapter 29 Saying Yes
Chapter 30 Home Sweet Home
Chapter 31 A Little TLC Goes A Long Way
Chapter 31 The End of House Arrest
Chapter 32 All Was Right With the World
MENDING THE SOUL
Alexis Lauren
All Rights Reserved © Alexis Lauren
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Chapter 1 Nicholas and Emma
Nicholas Tiller carried his daughter Emma up the stairs to her bedroom. He lay her sleeping body down on the bed before he covered her up. "Goodnight Princess." He whispered and kissed her forehead lightly. He stood by her bed for a few minutes, just watching her sleep. She looked so much like her mother, even at seven years old.
Nicholas wished that Leslie could see Emma. She would be so proud of her daughter. It had only been two years since Leslie's accident, since the night that she was taken from her family. The memory was fresh in Nicholas' mind as if it happened just yesterday. He remembered the way the lightning lit up the sky and the pouring rain flooded the streets. He could still see the way his best friend, and also the sheriff on duty at the time, looked when he told Nicholas the news. The words were still fresh in his ears. "I'm sorry to be the one to inform you Nick, but Leslie was in an accident. She was driving too fast for the wet roads and as she went around the bend on Millers Road, her car spun and hit a telephone pole. The impact was on the driver's side door and she was killed instantly. I'm so sorry man. If there's anything I can do, let me know."
Nicholas felt like his world had ended that night. If it weren't for Emma, he would have given up and died right along with Leslie. Emma needed him though. She didn't fully understand why her mommy wasn't with her anymore. It took a lot of late night talks for Nicholas to get her to understand that she didn't do anything wrong and that she wasn't the reason her mommy left her.
Two years felt like an eternity, but at the same time it felt as though it was only yesterday. Nicholas spent that time in mourning, constantly sifting through the memories of the times he spent with the only woman he ever loved. He felt like a part of him was lost, to never return to him again.
He went through the motions of life, never truly happy since the night he lost Leslie. The only time he was even able to feel was when he was with Emma. She was the only one that could make him smile, that could make him feel like life was worth living. Yeah, he had a few friends that he hung around with, and he went to work daily, but Emma was now the center of his life. He had no interest in dating, or 'finding a new mom for Emma' like his friends suggested. He was content to remain single for the rest of his life. Nicholas didn't think he'd ever find another love like he had shared with Leslie, so there was no point in looking.
Nicholas walked out of Emma's room and went to his own. He passed by the wall where pictures of him and Leslie hung, as he made his way to his empty bed. 'If only I could hold Leslie one more night, tell her one more time just how much I love her. But that'll never happen.' Nicholas thought just before falling asleep. He dreamt of a different time, a time where he was happy.
Emma was a particularly carefree child. For a time shortly after her mother died, she was sullen and withdrawn, not really understanding why she would never see her mother again. Death is a rather hard concept for a five year old child to comprehend, but all that really mattered to Emma was the fact that she would never see her mother again, no matter what the reason for it was.
Shortly after the accident, Emma rebounded and went back to being the bubbly five year old that she had been before the accident. Two years later, her life revolved around cartoons, baby dolls and Barbies. She loved school and never gave her father a fight about going. She was one of the smartest kids in her class, something her father was very proud of.
Though Emma liked her dolls, she was also somewhat of a tomboy. She preferred jeans to dresses and loved to play in the dirt. Her long, corkscrew blonde curls were usually tied back in a ponytail to keep them from bothering her while she was playing. She chose to play sports with the boys during recess most days, rather than playing with the girls.
Looking at Emma, you could tell that she was Leslie's daughter. She got Leslie's eyes, nose, and hair, but her personality was all Nicholas. From the time she was born, Emma was a definite Daddy's girl, which helped her get over her mother's death with fewer emotional scars. She missed her mother, but the memories of her were fading fast. All she had now was her father, and Emma seemed okay with that.
Chapter 2 Jenna and Colby
Jenna Chase sat on her couch waiting for her no good husband to come home from 'work'. It was 10:30 pm, and she knew he had left the office hours ago. How did she know? Jenna had seen Kyle walking down the street holding hands with some bleached blonde bimbo in a very short and very tight skirt. She was driving down Main Street on her way to pick their son Colby up from t-ball practice when she saw them. She parked on the side of the road and watched them from her rear view mirror as Kyle pulled the woman into a tight embrace and kissed her. It wasn't a kiss someone would give their friend either. It was a long, deep, passionate kiss. 'He doesn't even kiss me like that!' Jenna thought as she had watched them. Kyle then dragged the woman into a fancy French restaurant, and Jenna pulled out of the parking spot and drove away.
The door finally opened and Kyle swaggered in. "Hello Jenna. What are you doing awake still? I told you I had to work late and not to wait up." He leaned down to kiss Jenna on the cheek.
Jenna put her hand up to intercept the kiss before his lips touched the skin of her face. "Don't bother Kyle. Your bags are packed, we're over. You promised months ago that you were done with that slut and I saw you with her today. You know, it's pretty bad that you don't even try to hide the fact that you're having an affair. What if Colby had been in the car with me today, watching you devour that whore's face? Nice role model you are to him."
"Jenna, let me explain. It's not what you-"
Jenna interrupted him. "I know, I know…it's not what I think. It's never what I think. It wasn't what I thought when it involved Diane, Sue, Melissa, or Gina." Jenna stood up from the couch. "The only thing I think right now is that you can get the fuck out of here. I already called my lawyer to start the divorce proceedings. I will have sole custody of Colby since it's pretty obvious that you care more about the pussy you get on the side than your family. You can have the house as soon as we find somewhere else to live. Now get out."
"Jenna, don't do this. Think it over before you do something you'll regret." Kyle pleaded.
"You
know what Kyle? I have been very calm about all of this. I haven't lost my temper or raised my voice once. Don't make me start now. Get your shit and get out. I've had it with you. I deserve better and so does Colby. Like I said, you'll be hearing from my lawyer. Now, if you aren't going to leave, I'll call the cops. You can go quietly, or cause a big scene. It's your choice, but either way, you're leaving." Jenna told him.
Kyle picked up his suitcases and turned to the door. He opened the door and turned around. "You'll be begging for me to come back. I might be nice and even consider it at some point, if you're lucky."
"Don't hold your breath. It'll never happen." Jenna said and slammed the door in his face. A single stray tear slipped down her face and she wiped it away furiously. 'I refuse to shed anymore tears over that man. It's all I've done for the past 11 years, it's time to move on.' Jenna thought as she made her way upstairs to the bedrooms.
She peaked in on Colby, sleeping soundly in his bed. He was such an innocent little boy. Almost eight years old, and not a care in the world. Jenna tried to shelter him as much as she could from her fights with Kyle. She didn't want Colby to feel any negative effects from his parents' marriage, like she did when her parents fought.
Colby was never very close with his father. Kyle 'worked' late most of the time, and often got home long after Colby was asleep. Jenna was the one to teach him sports, take him to practice and go to his games. On the weekends, Kyle always made excuses to get out of the house and not spend time with his family. Jenna ended up becoming both parents to Colby because of Kyle's lack of participation. Though Jenna knew the divorce and the move would affect Colby, she knew that living with the lack of love from his father would be worse for him in the long run.
Jenna continued on to her room and collapsed into bed. She let her exhaustion take over and was soon asleep, sleeping better than she had in years. As rough as the divorce was going to be, things in her life were finally looking up.
The next morning, Jenna and Colby went out on the road in search of a new house. Jenna tried to explain to Colby what was happening, but he wasn't listening. He was too busy playing with his Gameboy to really listen to his mother. Jenna took the Gameboy away and finally got his full attention.
"Colby, do you remember your friend Billy, how he lives with his mom and visits his dad on the weekends?" Jenna asked.
"Yeah, his parents got a divorce, right?" Colby answered.
"Yes, they got a divorce. Sometimes moms and dads don't get along, and it's better for them to live apart." Jenna explained.
"Billy said it's really cool. He gets twice the presents for his birthday and at Christmas." Colby told her happily.
"Well, honey, your dad and I have decided to get a divorce. We both love you but mommy and daddy can't live with each other anymore. You and I are going to move into a new house, in a new town and start over. How does that sound?" Jenna asked.
"Cool. Will I have to go to a new school?"
"Most likely, but just think of how fun it will be to make new friends. After we get settled, you can still have some of your old friends come and spend the night whenever you want." Jenna said.
"Cool. Can I have my game back now?" Colby asked.
"So you don't have any more questions?" Jenna wondered and Colby shook his head no. "You don't want to yell at me and tell me you hate me?"
"No, I don't care." Colby said indifferently.
"Ok, here's your game. I love you honey." Jenna said and handed back the Gameboy to Colby, then ruffled his hair.
"Aw, mom! Don't touch the 'do!" Colby whined.
Jenna laughed and drove towards the first house they were going to look at. 'He certainly took that better than I thought he would. Let's just hope it's not an act.' Jenna thought and pulled into a driveway. "Here we go sport. Let's go see if we like this house."
Chapter 3 Moving Day
Four weeks later, Jenna and Colby pulled up behind the big moving truck. Their new house was in a town about half an hour away from where they used to live. The school district was one of the best in the area, and the neighborhood was in a low crime area. Living here, Jenna could afford more house for her money, so that her and Colby weren't stuck in a tiny closet that the realtors had the nerve to call a house.
Instead of the 'closet', they found a large three bedroom, two-story house with a full basement and a big back yard. It was a charming house, and was in great shape as it was only three years old. It had an attached two-car garage and a big storage shed that sat in the fenced back yard. One of Jenna's favorite features was the hot tub that sat on her back deck.
Colby was excited about the new house too. Jenna was letting him pick out the paint for his room and he was even going to get a puppy at some point. There was so much room to play in the back yard, he could already picture the intense games of wiffle ball and kickball.
Jenna and Colby spent their day unloading the moving truck and bringing boxes into the house. New furniture was being delivered as Jenna didn't want any of it from their old house. She didn't know which furniture Kyle had his little trysts on with his whores, so she went for all new stuff.
While they were carrying some boxes, Jenna looked and saw an SUV pull into her neighbor's driveway. The man that stepped out was amazingly good looking. He went around to the passenger side and helped a little girl out of the Nissan XTerra. He stood a little over 6' tall, and had wavy brown hair and a goatee. The little girl with him had the most adorable blonde ringlets, her hair so light it was almost white.
The man saw her and smiled, an almost sad smile. He held onto the little girl's hand and walked towards Jenna. Colby walked up at the same time, and Jenna put down the box that she was carrying.
"You must be the new neighbors. I'm Nicholas Tiller, and this is my daughter Emma." Nick said and held his hand out to Jenna.
"Hi Nicholas, nice to meet you. I'm Jenna Chase, and this is my son Colby." They shook hands and after, Jenna squatted down so her eyes were level with Emma's. "Hi Emma, nice to meet you. How old are you?"
Emma smiled wide and said, "Nice to meet you too ma'am. I just turned seven years old."
"Wow, you're very polite, maybe you can teach my son some of your manners. Colby is seven years old too but he'll be turning eight in two weeks. Maybe he'll be in your class at school." Jenna said sweetly.
Emma turned to Colby. "You want to play? I have a swing set in the back yard that my dad built for me."
Colby looked at his mom, pleading with his eyes. "Can I mom? Please?"
"Well, as long as it's ok with Mr. Tiller you can. You've helped me a lot today, you deserve some time to play." Jenna said and the three of them looked up at Nicholas.
"I don't mind, you're welcome over anytime Colby. Just be careful." He said as the two kids ran toward the back yard.
"Thanks for letting him play with Emma. I think he's going to need all the friends he can get right now. This move may be kind of rough on him." Jenna told Nicholas. "He really has been working hard today. I think he was just trying to act all macho in front of the movers since I told him he was the man of the house now." Jenna chuckled.
"Do you need any help with anything?" Nicholas offered.
"Oh, no thanks. I only have a few more boxes. The movers brought the heavy stuff in already, and the furniture was already brought in by the store's delivery men, so I just have a few small boxes to go. Thanks for the offer though." Jenna said.
"I don't mind at all. Let me grab what you have left." Nicholas said and walked to the moving truck. He stacked the remaining boxes and picked them all up together.
Jenna picked up the box she had been carrying and led him into the house. Boxes upon boxes were scattered throughout the house, leaving hardly any room to move. "Just put them where ever you can find a spot." Jenna said, as she looked around, a little overwhelmed. "Well, since there's no chance of me cooking tonight, how would you and your family like to come over for pizza tonight? We can eat out on the deck and enjoy the nice weather we'
re having? I think there's a picnic table out there somewhere." Jenna offered.
"That sounds good, as long as it's not too much trouble. It's just me and Emma though, my wife died about two years ago." Nicholas informed her sadly.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I had no idea." Jenna apologized and blushed.
"That's ok, you had no way of knowing. It's a legitimate question when seeing my daughter and I, to think that I would have a wife to join us. What about you? No husband?"
"Well, as of yesterday, nope. The ink is now dry on the divorce papers. Ah, sweet freedom!" Jenna said with a smile. "Colby and I are much better off alone."
"Well, at least you're at peace with the divorce." Nicholas joked. "So, let's call for that pizza before it gets too late to eat outside. I'm sure you and Colby will want to sleep early, with all the work you've done today."
"Know of a good place to order from?" Jenna asked.
"Sure do. Pepperoni and cheese ok?" Nicholas suggested and Jenna nodded in agreement. Nicholas took out his cell phone and ordered the pizza and gave them the address for delivery.
"Well, I did stock the fridge before we moved anything in, so can I get you something to drink? We have Pepsi, lemonade, and water." Jenna offered.
"A Pepsi sounds good." Nicholas said and took the bottle from Jenna hand when she held it out to him.
"Smart man, good choice in drinks." Jenna approved as she took her own Pepsi.
"Coke is too over-rated and it tastes so bitter. Pepsi has a sweeter taste…it wins hands down in my taste test!" Nicholas told her. Jenna laughed and agreed with him.
Shortly after, the pizza showed up and Jenna and Nicholas brought it out to the picnic table, along with more soda, and some paper plates and napkins that the pizza place had sent along with the pizza. Nicholas called over to his yard where Colby and Emma were playing and told them to come eat.
Colby and Emma raced over to the deck, giggling the whole way over. The two kids had thankfully become fast friends. After talking about her teacher, Jenna realized that Colby would be in the same class at school as Emma. They would also be playing on the same t-ball team.
Mending the Soul Page 1