Hiya, everyone. It's been a while! Hope you enjoy...
"Where's Jasmine?" Zoe whispered, reluctantly leaving the embrace of her fiancé. She'd felt as if she was neglecting her daughter slightly in the previous weeks- she was determined to make more of an effort and that started as soon as physically possible.
"Tess is with her in the staff room" Nick spoke softly, reaching out to stroke her delicate face. "She's a little upset"
Nick could barely finish his sentence. She was off- her usual strutted motion in full swing. The way she walked always did indescribable things to Nick.
"Let's be absolutely reckless" Zoe suggested, a broad smile capturing Nicks attention. Her steps were light and her hair swayed to the same pace as Jasmine's. They were all exiting the hospital- with no idea about where they were going. Zoe received nothing but puzzled faces.
"Let's just be spontaneous. We can go anywhere, the three of us and leave all this behind" She chuckled, gesturing to nowhere in particular. She looked so carefree with the wind blowing her hair softly and her Dolce & Gabanna sunglasses sitting in pride place on her head. With her glittering eyes and outrageously expensive outfit, she looked a million dollars.
"Anywhere?" Nick asked, his game changing smirk finding it's way on his lips. "We never did get to Barbados."
Jasmine's attention was caught then, a holiday was exactly what she needed, what they all needed.
"Are you serious? I'd better start looking for shoes then." She ran ahead, dark hair flying out behind her, catching the sunlight perfectly.
"You're one of the good ones" Zoe confirmed as she smiled up at him, her hand tightly grasped within his. She adored how content he made Jasmine; he was such an unexpected father figure. It suited him.
"Come on Mr- you've got two girls to buy very, very expensive shoes for" she laughed, completed with a cheeky wink. Letting go of his hand she followed her daughter to Nicks Jaguar, arms swinging.
"That's it"
"What's what?" Nick questioned towards Zoe who was sat opposite him with a flyer held between a perfectly manicured finger and thumb.
"This. This is what I want to do" she stabbed the leaflet right in the centre, promoting both Nick and Jasmine to peer at it.
"A skydive? Jasmine spat, holding back her laughter at the thought of her mum jumping out of a plane for no apparent reason. "Why would you want to skydive?"
"You know, it's what people do. I want to do something before I go- something for charity. So people will remember me, I want everyone to know that I'm really not the careless bitch they think I am"
"Nobody thinks that" Nick assured, shaking his head towards her.
"Oh trust me they do" Zoe smiled sadly, her mind skimming over all the times that she had upset somebody, intentionally or not.
"Since when did you care about anyone else's opinion anyway?" Jasmine asked, attempting to take the edge of Zoe's painful thoughts.
"Oh thanks, so you think I'm heartless too" she rolled her eyes sarcastically. "I'm sorry for wanting people to actually care about me when I'm not here to have a go at like that"
"Stop it!" Nick cut in, his eyes resembling a look of slight anger mixed with something else, hurt. Pain.
"I didn't do anything" Zoe sighed, like a teenager being lectured by her parents. Her immaturity irritated him at the best of times.
"Why is it all about being remembered? Why do you need everybody to love you and be your biggest fan? You want someone to admire you? You've got somebody. You have me, Jasmine and the Ed team- that's your life. And if you can't accept that, I'm sorry but I love you Zoe. I love every last thing about you! This isn't easy on me or Jaz" The tears were falling, falling hard and falling fast.
"I-I, I'm sorry" Zoe mumbled, looking between her fiancé and her daughter, everything had taken over her thoughts as of late. She had been too distracted that she had lost sight of everything that mattered.
"Just please, promise me that you'll stop wishing for the world- appreciate what you have right now" Nick smiled between tears. He gripped Jasmine's hand as he spoke.
Holding their joined hands up, he made a promise, a vow. "We're here now and we will be here tomorrow. Believe me when I say this- we're never going to stop loving you, stop thinking about you. How could we? The Zoe Hanna I know is pretty unforgettable."
Of course tfios inspired Nicks little speech there ;) Please let me know what you thought, lots of love xxx