Anything can happen
Chapter 7 – Remember Harry
Nikki could feel the ray of sunshine reaching through her eyelashes and when she opened her eyes she saw that she was in her old home. She was sitting on the sofa in the living room and her mother was sitting on the armchair with her back turned to her.
She tried to get her attention but the woman in the blue dress ignored her.
"Why don't you want to talk to me?" she asked but still there was no reply.
"It's beautiful here" she heard herself saying sometime later "reminds me of the best time of my life. We were so happy here, don't you remember?" she asked but still her mother did nothing to show that she could even hear her.
"Why won't you talk to me?" she asked frustrated. This was all she ever wanted, another day with her mum and now when she finally had it her own mother ignored her.
"You said you will take care of me" she could feel anger in her voice. "You said it and I trusted you! You said it, when dad left; you said that you and I will make it through. You said you'll be there for me" she could feel her eyes filling with tears. "And then you left me, too" she said and for some time could do nothing as she felt familiar pain in her back. When the pain has finally stopped she looked again at the woman who was still sitting with her back turned to her.
"I've let you hurt me again. You said you'll take care of me. I should've known not to trust you."
It was then that woman turned around and looked at Nikki. She wasn't crying but her eyes were filled with tears. Immediately Nikki regretted her words. She didn't really mean it. She knew her mother would never leave her if she had any other option.
"I don't want you here" she heard woman say. Again she could clearly hear her voice although her lips weren't moving. "I don't want you here, Nikki. But I don't know anything else to tell you that could help, except this" she said.
"What is it mum?" she was so happy that the woman was finally talking to her that she didn't have the time to process her words. She listened anxiously to what she'll say.
"Remember Harry." her mother said quietly and then again she turned her back on Nikki.
"Harry?" Nikki repeated. Who is Harry? She couldn't place that name. Harry?
She felt herself drifting away.
When Harry opened his eyes next morning she saw that it was already 10 am. He felt strange. Numb. His mind was blank. He decided that it must've been side effect from the pills he has taken night before. He looked around for his cell phone but it was nowhere to be seen. Eventually he found it under the bed. It was turned off. When he turned it on it started beeping. He hoped that it would be message from Nikki, as he proceeded to his kitchen to make himself some coffee.
He looked through the window to the beautiful January morning outside. Weather was so different then yesterday. There was still snow on the streets, but the air was clear and he even saw sun reaching through the clouds.
When his phone finally went quiet he looked at it and what he saw shocked him. He knew immediately something terrible has happened. He had 26 missed calls and 7 unread messages. He saw that most of them were from Leo and a few were made from Janet's number.
He knew it right then. He didn't need to call them or read any of Leo's messages to know that things were never be the same. He fell to his knees, his phone still in his hand. He heard it ringing again few minutes later but he didn't look down as he felt tiny drops of water on his face.
Next thing he knew was that someone was knocking at his door. Whoever it was he seem to know that Harry was in there. He didn't care. He'll wait till Nikki comes. And this couldn't be her because she knew where he kept his spare key.
Suddenly he saw Leo. He was saying something to him, but the numbness from this morning was still there and he decided that he won't listen. Leo put his arms on Harry's shoulders and forced him to look at him.
"We have to go to the hospital" was all Harry heard him say. Then he remembered Nikki's words from just 24 hours ago. Be careful, please Harry. Weather is a mess, anything can happen.
"But what if she dies?" he asked, like a small child would ask his parent, like a small child who didn't know what the death was.
"Then you'll be there, holding her hand" he heard Leo say and just then he realized his eyes were red and he looked like he aged 10 years since the last night.
He knew that there was no choice, really. Nikki needed him. It didn't matter what happens, his place was by her side.
