Chapter 6

Nick stood waiting impatiently for someone in the Baldwin household to open the door. In normal circumstances he realized that it might have been better to call first, but then again his cell phone was somewhere at the bottom of Lake Michigan. Add that to the need to get away from his parents before he committed an act of violence and the need to get to his wife… well, calling just wasn't an option.

He was about to start banging on the door again when he heard Michael's familiar voice loudly grumbling and cussing from inside as he struggled to unlock the door.

Nick stood back and waited for Michael's response as he swung open the door. The poor man's response was almost comical… He went from a deathly pale to an interesting shade of green and then finally a red flush began to creep up his neck.

Nick offered a half-smile, "I know… I know… I should've…"

Before the statement was even half-way past his lips a fist came out of no where connecting with his jaw and sent him to the sprawling to the ground.

"What in the hell was that for?" Nick growled as he rubbed his jaw.

Michael shrugged, "Just checking' to see if you were real…" He grudgingly offered his hand to the man on the ground.

"And what? You couldn't just pinch me?" Nick muttered as he allowed Michael to help him up. He still wasn't in the best shape and it irritated him to need the other man's assistance.

"Nah, that wouldn't have been as much fun… But, I have to admit I am REALLY glad that you're alive… because that mean I get the chance to kill you." Michael growled as he turned and went back into his home leaving a puzzled Nick to follow him.

"Look, until a day ago, I was half out of my mind with a fever… There wasn't any way I could've called…" He began to explain the reason for his over-long absence.

"Save it Newman… I could care less why you were so long in returning home… What I am pissed off about is the less than stellar condition in which you left your widow and daughter? What? Where you just too busy to change your will? They didn't rate up there in your priorities?"

"Whoa, I don't know what the hell you are talking about and not that it's any of your business, but I took care of all of that the week Phyllis and I decided to move in together… and as for my daughter… my family knows that she inherits equally with Noah… they would've taken care of both Phyllis and Summer."

"Your family… what a joke! Let me tell you what your family did… a week after you died… Your mother and sister fired your wife… they had one of their lackeys make sure Phyllis wouldn't see a dime of your money or life insurance… for her or Summer. Then they evicted her… how's that for a display of family obligation?" Michael sneered in disgust as he leaned against the fireplace mantle.

A rage unlike anything Nick had experienced since the summer of Cassie's death filled him… there would be hell to pay for this…

"Alright… I get that there are some things that you better fill me in on, but they can wait until we get on the road…" Nick rubbed his jaw and sank on to the couch with his elbows resting on his knees.

"The road?" Michael arched an eyebrow.

"Yeah, before we go I'd like to get some clothes out of Phyllis' stuff… at least until we can come and get it. Then we are going to get my wife." Nick stated quietly as he looked Michael dead in the eye.

Michael must have liked the look he read in Nick's eyes because he smiled.

"Lauren! You can come out now… Victor was right… he is pissed…" Michael called up the stairs.

Lauren slinked down stairs her arms folded across her chest… she looked ready for confrontation.

"Well, well, well… I see that not even death can touch a Newman…" Lauren glared in a show of hostility.

"You ass! You hit me… My father called to tell you I was alive and that I was on the way over here and you…" Nick yelled as he stood up and started walking toward Michael.

"Hey… How was I supposed to know you were real? The whole thing could have been a dream…" Michael shrugged innocently.

Lauren stepped between the two eager to fight young men, "BOYS! Cool it…" Turning toward Nick she eyed him in assessment. "You serious about going to get Phyllis?"

"I am." Nick replied.

"She's changed Nick… I don't know…" Lauren softened as she remembered the last time she had visited her friend.

"I have to see her… I have to try to reach my wife… I want to bring her home with me and our daughter… She needs me Lauren." Nick stated this so sincerely and with so much certainty that Lauren didn't have the heart to argue.

Turning to Michael she smiled, "Gloria is with Fen and Lily is coming over with Daniel to help out… I'll go pack some stuff for Phyllis… you guys sit down… make coffee… Please, do something other than glare at each other…"

"You told Daniel?" Nick sat back down and glanced at Lauren.

"Yeah, we called him after Victor called us… Does Sharon know?"

"No… I don't how I should tell Noah I'm home…" Nick looked away as he thought about the anguish his son must have gone through thinking he was dead. He wished he could ask Phyllis… she would know exactly what to do…

For now he would call Jack and let him deal with Sharon…

"Would you guys mind if I borrowed your phone?" He asked.

After Michael handed him the cordless, Nick dialed the number to Jack's house. He really hoped that Jack would answer and not his ex-wife.

"Hello…"

Damn… he prayed his luck would get better from here on out…