As they pulled up Tom's driveway and he pulled the car to a standstill, Nicki didn't seem all that eager to get out the car and Tom started to wonder if this was a good idea. But the moment that Josh opened the front door, Nicki seemed to brighten up almost immediately after laying her eyes on him. Tom could tell that after recent events Nicki really was starting to see Josh like her son too, even if they weren't together that way, and Josh was looking up to her too. It was good to see that Josh had someone other than himself to talk to that he trusted. Not like the psychiatrist, he could tell that Josh didn't trust him one little bit. But it was a necessary thing.
Josh jogged to Nicki's side of the car, and opened the door for her, and who was it that said shivery was dead. Nicki showed the first honest smile she had given since the Kyle incident. Josh grinned back at her and waited for her to get out the car. Nicki slowly slipped out the car, and Tom mouthed a 'thank you' to his son. Nicki put her arm around Josh and they walked in, Tom didn't know how he did it. He had barely managed to get a word out of Nicki since she agreed to go with him back to his house for tea, and here Josh was getting Nicki to laugh and smile and talk as if nothing happened. She had not long gotten out the car, and barely stepped through the door.
Tom shook his head and followed them both closing the door behind him. He could hear Nicki's laughter coming from his living room, he didn't know what Josh had said or done but obviously it had cheered Nicki up completely. Tom dumped his coat and bag down by the stairs, and slowly walked towards the living room door. From where he stood he could see all the food had been laid out on the coffee table three pizza boxes and the suspicious smell of peperoni, Tom shuddered he did tell him to get what he'd want to eat. He also noticed Josh had been sneaky and bought a big bottle of Diet Cola that was also placed by the pizzas and three small glasses were stacked next to it. Josh really had thought this through. When Tom walked closer he noticed what Nicki was laughing at. Josh had brought Nicki in and was showing her the video they had promised to keep hidden. Tom glared at Josh but both him and Nicki were laughing too much to notice Tom's displeasure. The video was of Tom dressed in a ballet dress, dancing and singing around their living room. Tom thought he had hidden it well, since both him and Josh had agreed, Josh agreed after Tom's blackmail, never to show anyone the video again. Tom didn't think he could stay angry for long at Josh, considering Nicki had brightened up a lot, she was laughing so hard her cheeks had turned red and her lovely blue/grey eyes had started to water. She was clutching her stomach and close to falling of the sofa. Josh was in a pretty similar state.
Tom stood leaning against the door leading into the room, he stood their smiling. She really was perfect, her smile lit up the room, her smile that made her look even more beautiful. Hang on, where did that come from. Tom froze; this was Nicki he was thinking about. This can't happen. She's his friend, he's her friend. She'd slap him if she knew what he was thinking. Just like Kyle had punched her, she would punch him. But probably a lot harder than Kyle. Tom felt the smile slip of his face, he turned and walked into their kitchen. He needed something ever so slightly stronger than the Diet Cola, Josh had brought in. Walking to the cabinet, Tom pulled out a bottle of red wine and a cork screw opening the bottle he pulled out a glass for himself and a glass for Nicki just encase he filled his glass up to the rim and drank it straight down, then filled his glass again at a reasonable measure and filled a glass for Nicki too. The feeling wasn't going away though and now he was starting to feel sick. All he had to do was hide it till Nicki went home, and a little voice in the back of his head was saying and for the rest of your life. Tom drank some more wine; he needed to shut the voice up. He was here to be a friend to Nicki she needed that at least after today.