Chapter Four
The Ever present A/N: This chapter is dedicated to my sister Becky and her
friend Nicole. Thank you to all who have reviewed. 22 reviews so far on
this story! I am sooo glad people seem to like it.:)
To those who wonder why I haven't updated in a while: School has started so I have less time to write. Another reason is I have gotten two reviews about miss-characterization of Nicole and Chase in this story so I had to have my sister and her friend read it. They find it all right so it is here for your opinion.
*** The rain poured down on her, making her already wet body soaked. The raindrops mixed in with the salty tears that ran down her face. Her eyes were shut as she sat on the park bench, thinking over her utterly wasted adult life. Nicole was right, she had made everyone miserable because she was.
Alicia opened her eyes and looked around the park. No one was there at the time and she was glad. She hated people seeing her when she cried. She had fallen in love with Andre when she had walked into his class and had been blind to the manipulative ways he dealt life with. She had fallen under his spell and it was only now that she realized what had happened.
"Mrs. Seldon?" came a voice. Alicia turned to find Martha Wider, Andre's sister.
"Hi Martha. Please don't call me that." Martha smiled and sat beside her.
"Let me guess, Andre."
"Yes."
"I'm sorry Alicia. He does this all the time to people. Come on home. We'll help you go back home. I am truly sorry about how he treated you." Alicia made an attempt to smile at the young girl's kindness.
Nicole opened her eyes to intense white. She shut them again as the pain of suddenly having light poured into her pupils hit. She moaned, moving her head to the side. The sound and movement alerted the only other person in the room, Her mother. Laura Maris walked over to her daughter and moved the hair off her forehead. She leaned down and kissed her daughter's forehead.
"Good morning, Hun." she whispered. Nicole opened her eyes and looked into her mothers. She noticed her mother's eyes were filled with worry.
"What's wrong?" She asked, not realizing where she was. Her mother looked confused. "Don't you remember what happened Nicky?"
"No, not really." Nicole managed to pull herself up against the headboard and looked around. She suddenly realized that she was in a hospital room and the memories of what did happen came rushing back. "Where's Ana!"
"Calm down Hon, and lay back down. Annie's fine. Chase took her out for breakfast with Rob."
"Why?"
"I made them. Chase was here with you since you passed out at Dee's house. I made him go home and eat at least. Annie went with him to the hospital, but Rob took her home because it was uncomfortable here for her."
"Oh."
"Rob called a little while ago and said He was going to be coming back soon with Ana. Chase has some things he said he had to do." Just as she said that, Ana and Rob walked though the door.
"Mom!" called Ana as she ran and jumped on the bed. Nicole hugged her daughter and waved hello to her future stepfather.
"Hi Nicole, how are you feeling?" Rob asked as he walked over to stand by her mother.
"Fine I guess. Where's Chase." Nicole asked, wondering where he actually was.
"He had to do something."
"He promised to take me to take me to the river with Uncle Dave and Aunt Dee next weekend!" Ana said excitingly. She loved the river, and asked Nicole to take her whenever possible. Dee and Dave took their Lila down there often.
"Really? I bet you loved that, Annie." Ana nodded. Nicole smiled. She was glad Ana and Chase were getting along so wonderfully. But then it didn't surprise her; Chase was always good with kids.
"Well, hello everyone." came the voice of the doctor as she walked into the room Nicole was in. Nicole recognized her as Chloe Baumann, formally Chloe Frost. Chloe had married another intern last year before she had received her certificate and was allowed to be an actual doctor. Mark Baumann was very nice and Nicole was happy for Chloe that she found someone she loved.
"Hi Chloe." Nicole said as she leaned against the pillows behind her, still holding onto her daughter. Chloe smiled at her.
"Well, I got the tests back and there is nothing major wrong with you. It seems you have low blood sugar and add that to the exhaustion, you collapsed."
"That is what knocked me out for twenty four hours?" Nicole asked.
"Oh, that was the exhaustion kicking it. You needed that time to rest. You need to learn to eat right and take some time off and not work so hard. I don't want to see you in here as one of my patients."
"So basically I need a vacation?"
"That's the jest of it. That and a new diet. What on earth were you eating the past couple of days?"
"Well." Nicole thought a moment. She really hadn't eaten much. Mostly she ate when she felt like she had the time to eat. She told Chloe this and was met with disapproval.
"No wonder you collapsed like that. You spend too much time working. You may be a lawyer Nicole, but you are way too hard on yourself. If you keep this up, the stress is going to get to you. I insist that you take the next two weeks off." Laura nodded her agreement with Chloe and agreed to make sure her daughter spent time away from the office. Chloe left to design a new diet plan to help Nicole have a healthier diet that would prevent this from happing.
************
Chase walked down the street, hands in his pockets. He had an interesting three days. He had come home for his dad's wedding, found out he had a daughter and then had seen his ex-girlfriend collapse. He wondered what would be next.
"Chase?" came a familiar voice. Chase looked up and saw Alicia standing in front of him with another girl beside him.
"Alicia?"
"Hey, Haven't seen you around here for a long time."
"Well, I came back for my parent's wedding. I thought you were living in Chicago?"
"I was till yesterday. I moved back today. By the way, this is Martha Wider, a friend of mine from Chicago." Marsha and Chase said hello and the three began to walk down the street. "So how's Nicole?" she asked.
"She's alright I guess. She is in the hospital right now though."
"What happened?"
"She collapsed. Apparently it is stress, low blood sugar and not enough sleep getting to her."
"I hope she feels better soon. I wanted to talk to her."
"I'm sure she wouldn't mind seeing you now if you want. I'll take you to the hospital to see her."
"You would?" Chase nodded. Alicia smiled and then hugged Chase." Thank you soo much. You have no idea what this means to me." Chase just looked at her, agreeing with the fact that he had no idea why she would want to talk to Nicole. Right then he was hoping Nicole really would want to see Alicia.
****
"Sorry about the dress appointments Mom." Nicole said
"That's alright. The wedding is not for two months; there is plenty of time to reschedule. Besides you are much more important then the dresses. If all failed, we could always wear jeans and be original!" Nicole laughed.
"Sure Mom. I know you would never go for that."
"Ok, maybe Khakis, not jeans, but you know what I mean."
"Yeah, I think so."
"Laura, we have to go now, we had the lunch reserved to meet with Stacy and Callie." Nicole's Dad had married Stacy and the two had moved into a house about an hour away. Callie had of course come along, and was now Nicole's stepsister and still called from time to time for a math question. Nicole figured she just wanted to make sure Nicole was ok. The two had become really close since Nicole started tutoring her in math.
Unfortunately her father had spilt and at that point in time no one was sure where he was. Apparently the words commitment didn't seem to apply to him. Therefore, he was not communicating with anyone at the moment, and Nicole had no idea what would happen if he did actually call her.
Laura and Stacy got along, and Stacy had been invited to the wedding. The now 17-year-old Callie was also invited. Of course Nicole's dad was not, but no one knew where to send an invitation anyway.
"Alright. Well, I have to go sweetie." Laura smiled and then gave her daughter a hug goodbye.
"Bye mom." Nicole said as her mother left the room and Rob was giving her a hug. She repeated her goodbyes to him, and then lay back on the pillows and closed her eyes. She was actually feeling tired again. Maybe Chloe was right and she did need a vacation.
"Hey Nic," came Chase's voice from the doorway. Nicole opened her eyes as her daughter jumped off the bed and ran to her father. Chase picked Ana up and walked over to Nicole.
"Hi Chase."
"How are you feeling?"
"Better then before, thanks." Chase smiled.
"I brought someone here who wanted to talk to you, although about what I don't know."
"Who?"
"Alicia."
"Alicia? But I thought she was living with Andre Wider in Chicago?
"Not anymore." Alicia said as she entered into the room. Nicole and Alicia stared at each other for a moment.
"What do you say we go rent some video games?" Chase suggested to his daughter, wanting to get out of the tension filled room as well as leave Nicole and Alicia alone.
"Sure." Ana replied and the two said goodbye and walked out of the room.
"Why are you here Alicia?" Nicole asked.
Another A/n: Don't worry! Alicia will not be here forever. She has a reason for being in the story, which you will find out soon. I have two more chapters written and typed to go up, but I have to proof read them and find reaction on this. Btw, what do you all think about Misha. She has a major part in the next chapters and I may have to re-write them depending on what you think of her.
To those who wonder why I haven't updated in a while: School has started so I have less time to write. Another reason is I have gotten two reviews about miss-characterization of Nicole and Chase in this story so I had to have my sister and her friend read it. They find it all right so it is here for your opinion.
*** The rain poured down on her, making her already wet body soaked. The raindrops mixed in with the salty tears that ran down her face. Her eyes were shut as she sat on the park bench, thinking over her utterly wasted adult life. Nicole was right, she had made everyone miserable because she was.
Alicia opened her eyes and looked around the park. No one was there at the time and she was glad. She hated people seeing her when she cried. She had fallen in love with Andre when she had walked into his class and had been blind to the manipulative ways he dealt life with. She had fallen under his spell and it was only now that she realized what had happened.
"Mrs. Seldon?" came a voice. Alicia turned to find Martha Wider, Andre's sister.
"Hi Martha. Please don't call me that." Martha smiled and sat beside her.
"Let me guess, Andre."
"Yes."
"I'm sorry Alicia. He does this all the time to people. Come on home. We'll help you go back home. I am truly sorry about how he treated you." Alicia made an attempt to smile at the young girl's kindness.
Nicole opened her eyes to intense white. She shut them again as the pain of suddenly having light poured into her pupils hit. She moaned, moving her head to the side. The sound and movement alerted the only other person in the room, Her mother. Laura Maris walked over to her daughter and moved the hair off her forehead. She leaned down and kissed her daughter's forehead.
"Good morning, Hun." she whispered. Nicole opened her eyes and looked into her mothers. She noticed her mother's eyes were filled with worry.
"What's wrong?" She asked, not realizing where she was. Her mother looked confused. "Don't you remember what happened Nicky?"
"No, not really." Nicole managed to pull herself up against the headboard and looked around. She suddenly realized that she was in a hospital room and the memories of what did happen came rushing back. "Where's Ana!"
"Calm down Hon, and lay back down. Annie's fine. Chase took her out for breakfast with Rob."
"Why?"
"I made them. Chase was here with you since you passed out at Dee's house. I made him go home and eat at least. Annie went with him to the hospital, but Rob took her home because it was uncomfortable here for her."
"Oh."
"Rob called a little while ago and said He was going to be coming back soon with Ana. Chase has some things he said he had to do." Just as she said that, Ana and Rob walked though the door.
"Mom!" called Ana as she ran and jumped on the bed. Nicole hugged her daughter and waved hello to her future stepfather.
"Hi Nicole, how are you feeling?" Rob asked as he walked over to stand by her mother.
"Fine I guess. Where's Chase." Nicole asked, wondering where he actually was.
"He had to do something."
"He promised to take me to take me to the river with Uncle Dave and Aunt Dee next weekend!" Ana said excitingly. She loved the river, and asked Nicole to take her whenever possible. Dee and Dave took their Lila down there often.
"Really? I bet you loved that, Annie." Ana nodded. Nicole smiled. She was glad Ana and Chase were getting along so wonderfully. But then it didn't surprise her; Chase was always good with kids.
"Well, hello everyone." came the voice of the doctor as she walked into the room Nicole was in. Nicole recognized her as Chloe Baumann, formally Chloe Frost. Chloe had married another intern last year before she had received her certificate and was allowed to be an actual doctor. Mark Baumann was very nice and Nicole was happy for Chloe that she found someone she loved.
"Hi Chloe." Nicole said as she leaned against the pillows behind her, still holding onto her daughter. Chloe smiled at her.
"Well, I got the tests back and there is nothing major wrong with you. It seems you have low blood sugar and add that to the exhaustion, you collapsed."
"That is what knocked me out for twenty four hours?" Nicole asked.
"Oh, that was the exhaustion kicking it. You needed that time to rest. You need to learn to eat right and take some time off and not work so hard. I don't want to see you in here as one of my patients."
"So basically I need a vacation?"
"That's the jest of it. That and a new diet. What on earth were you eating the past couple of days?"
"Well." Nicole thought a moment. She really hadn't eaten much. Mostly she ate when she felt like she had the time to eat. She told Chloe this and was met with disapproval.
"No wonder you collapsed like that. You spend too much time working. You may be a lawyer Nicole, but you are way too hard on yourself. If you keep this up, the stress is going to get to you. I insist that you take the next two weeks off." Laura nodded her agreement with Chloe and agreed to make sure her daughter spent time away from the office. Chloe left to design a new diet plan to help Nicole have a healthier diet that would prevent this from happing.
************
Chase walked down the street, hands in his pockets. He had an interesting three days. He had come home for his dad's wedding, found out he had a daughter and then had seen his ex-girlfriend collapse. He wondered what would be next.
"Chase?" came a familiar voice. Chase looked up and saw Alicia standing in front of him with another girl beside him.
"Alicia?"
"Hey, Haven't seen you around here for a long time."
"Well, I came back for my parent's wedding. I thought you were living in Chicago?"
"I was till yesterday. I moved back today. By the way, this is Martha Wider, a friend of mine from Chicago." Marsha and Chase said hello and the three began to walk down the street. "So how's Nicole?" she asked.
"She's alright I guess. She is in the hospital right now though."
"What happened?"
"She collapsed. Apparently it is stress, low blood sugar and not enough sleep getting to her."
"I hope she feels better soon. I wanted to talk to her."
"I'm sure she wouldn't mind seeing you now if you want. I'll take you to the hospital to see her."
"You would?" Chase nodded. Alicia smiled and then hugged Chase." Thank you soo much. You have no idea what this means to me." Chase just looked at her, agreeing with the fact that he had no idea why she would want to talk to Nicole. Right then he was hoping Nicole really would want to see Alicia.
****
"Sorry about the dress appointments Mom." Nicole said
"That's alright. The wedding is not for two months; there is plenty of time to reschedule. Besides you are much more important then the dresses. If all failed, we could always wear jeans and be original!" Nicole laughed.
"Sure Mom. I know you would never go for that."
"Ok, maybe Khakis, not jeans, but you know what I mean."
"Yeah, I think so."
"Laura, we have to go now, we had the lunch reserved to meet with Stacy and Callie." Nicole's Dad had married Stacy and the two had moved into a house about an hour away. Callie had of course come along, and was now Nicole's stepsister and still called from time to time for a math question. Nicole figured she just wanted to make sure Nicole was ok. The two had become really close since Nicole started tutoring her in math.
Unfortunately her father had spilt and at that point in time no one was sure where he was. Apparently the words commitment didn't seem to apply to him. Therefore, he was not communicating with anyone at the moment, and Nicole had no idea what would happen if he did actually call her.
Laura and Stacy got along, and Stacy had been invited to the wedding. The now 17-year-old Callie was also invited. Of course Nicole's dad was not, but no one knew where to send an invitation anyway.
"Alright. Well, I have to go sweetie." Laura smiled and then gave her daughter a hug goodbye.
"Bye mom." Nicole said as her mother left the room and Rob was giving her a hug. She repeated her goodbyes to him, and then lay back on the pillows and closed her eyes. She was actually feeling tired again. Maybe Chloe was right and she did need a vacation.
"Hey Nic," came Chase's voice from the doorway. Nicole opened her eyes as her daughter jumped off the bed and ran to her father. Chase picked Ana up and walked over to Nicole.
"Hi Chase."
"How are you feeling?"
"Better then before, thanks." Chase smiled.
"I brought someone here who wanted to talk to you, although about what I don't know."
"Who?"
"Alicia."
"Alicia? But I thought she was living with Andre Wider in Chicago?
"Not anymore." Alicia said as she entered into the room. Nicole and Alicia stared at each other for a moment.
"What do you say we go rent some video games?" Chase suggested to his daughter, wanting to get out of the tension filled room as well as leave Nicole and Alicia alone.
"Sure." Ana replied and the two said goodbye and walked out of the room.
"Why are you here Alicia?" Nicole asked.
Another A/n: Don't worry! Alicia will not be here forever. She has a reason for being in the story, which you will find out soon. I have two more chapters written and typed to go up, but I have to proof read them and find reaction on this. Btw, what do you all think about Misha. She has a major part in the next chapters and I may have to re-write them depending on what you think of her.