A few days later John T. was at Nicole's. They were going out to her home studio that she had built. She unlocked it and they went inside. She turned on the lights.

"Have you talked to your dad lately?" She asked as they went up to their easels.

"Yeah." "Just yesterday."

"How is he?"

"Good." "He's coming to town Thursday." "We're gonna go to dinner?"

"Good."

"What did he say to you?"

"When we talked you mean?"

"Yeah."

"It doesn't matter."

"I want to know."

"I know." "I'm not telling you."

"Why?"

"I know how protective you are of me John." "Your dad's issues with me are of my own doing." "I deserve it and I don't want you fighting with him because of it." "I just want you to build your relationship with him." "All I want is for you two to have a good relationship." "If he and I don't, that's not your concern."

"You still love him don't you mom?"

"How's your painting coming along?" She said changing the subject.

"Good."

"I like your use of color there."

"Thanks." "I like how yours is coming along to."

"Thanks."

"I bet those judges at those bodybuilding competitions would be surprised to know I'm a painter on the side."

"Yeah." "You wouldn't guess that's a hobby of a bodybuilder."

"I got the best of you and dad."

Two days later Nicole was driving on the highway. Suddenly her tire blew and she lost control of the car. She tried controlling it slamming head on into a guardrail hard. The impact caused her seat to go up and her left leg snapped.

When John T. got the call that Nice had been in accident he hurried to the hospital as fast as he could. She was in surgery for two hours to reset the bone. John T. called John while he was waiting and gotten his voicemail. The doctor came out to get John T. He stood up.

"Is she ok?" John T. asked.

"She's going to be fine." The doctor said. "You can see her now."

John T. went into Nicole's room.

"Hi mom." He said.

"Hi John." She said weakly.

"How do you feel?"

"I can't really feel anything."

At around nine o' clock that night John T. was in Nicole's hospital room. She was sleeping. John T's cell phone started to vibrate. John was calling. He went out to the hall to take the call.

"Hello?" He said.

"Is your mom ok?" John asked worried.

"She's gonna be fine." "She broke her leg, she needed surgery to fix it."

"Should I come down?"

"If you want to you can but you don't need to."

"Can I talk to her?"

"She's knocked out from the medicine."

"When she wakes up tell her I hope she feels better."

"I will."