As I mentioned in my profile, I've been really uninspired lately, I want to finish this and I know where I'm taking this. But be patient, I don't know how often I'm going to update.
"She said they arrested him for assault, she doesn't know anything else" Amanda took a step towards him "want me to go check it out?"
Nick hesitated, he didn't care about his father. He didn't want to hear from him or about him. But now he was here and Nick felt like he had to know.
"I don't know" he sat down on the couch and Amanda joined him, her hand resting on his shoulder "I just don't know why he's even here. When I saw him at the playground…I don't want anything to do with him so maybe I shouldn't get involved"
"You don't have to decide now" she said softly.
"I hate even thinking about it, I don't want to make things right with him, I don't want to forgive him…I wish he would disappear"
Amanda wasn't sure what to say, she had no words that could comfort him, just her presence. He leaned back on the couch and looked at her.
"I don't even have a single happy memory of him, all I can remember is him hurting my mom or me, I tried to make him proud, I wanted him to…" Nick couldn't say the words but as a child he wanted his father's love, instead he was beaten, screamed at "I promised myself I won't be like that"
"You are not like him Nick" she entwined her fingers with his "you are such an amazing father Nick. Zara and Gil love you so much and Ethan, he adores you" she smiled at him "he's growing up with a dad who loves him, who makes him feel safe. And not only him" she whispered the last four words.
Nick tightened his grip on her hand and pulled her in for a hug. He wanted to tell her how much he loved her, how she was the one making him feel good, how she changed his life for the better. But he decided to just hold her, feel the fabric of her shirt under his fingers, her breath against his neck.
"I love you" she hissed into his ear before pulling away so she could sit back down. She turned the TV on, knowing they could use the distraction.
"I think I've seen this one already" Amanda couldn't remember the name but it was a dumb reality show.
"You like this?" Nick looked at her as if they haven't met before "I don't know if this can get any worse"
Amanda chuckled and handed him the remote, she enjoyed sitting on the couch with Nick no matter what was on the screen. Nick was content with a channel after a few quick moments. He laid his head on the arm of the couch, his feet right by her knees. Amanda caressed his toes and her touch got her a soft smile from him. She placed his feet in her lap and started rubbing them.
"That feels good" he didn't even know he needed a massage but the way she treated his sore feet really made him feel better. He sighed and closed his eyes, enjoying her touch.
Amanda was no longer focused on the screen, she looked at Nick and loved his expression, how he reacted when her fingers pushed harder against the rough skin. When his eyes opened Nick was greeted by a seductive grin.
"Come here" he wanted to kiss those lips and Amanda gladly did as he asked, lying on top of him and allowing him to connect with her mouth.
Once in a while Nick heard a car pass by, but it was mostly quiet. Still, he couldn't fall asleep. Amanda was lying next to him, her left hand on his chest, her hair covering her face. Nick gently moved it away, not wanting to disrupt her sleep. He loved how peaceful she looked, like she was really resting.
All those years ago, when they first started sleeping together, she looked different when she slept, like she was carrying something heavy even when she was dreaming. But now, she was calm, at ease. The weight was lifted, at least some of it, now she didn't have to hide it, she didn't have to carry anything alone, neither did he.
Nick tried to close his eyes again, he was tired, was going to have a long day tomorrow, he was taking Zara to lunch and Ethan was going to join them. But sleep eluded him and Nick knew very well why.
It was his father. He didn't want anything to do with him, but still, he was lying awake in his bed, thinking about him. Why did it bother him so much? He could just ignore everything, not get involved, go on with his life. It may have been complicated, but it was good, there was so much love in his life, so many people he cared about and who cared about him.
But he couldn't push the nagging thoughts aside, why was his father in the city? What did he want from him? Why was he arrested?
Nick needed to know. Even though he wanted nothing to do with him, he still wanted to know what was going on.
Amanda wasn't in bed when Nick opened his eyes. He was able to fall asleep eventually, but got maybe three hours. After a few minutes in the bathroom he walked to the living room and smiled when he saw Ethan holding Frannie's water bowl and placing it on the floor.
The boy patted the dog and walked to Amanda who was washing a plate.
"I gave her the bowl mommy" he said.
"Good morning" they both turned to look at Nick.
"You looked like you could use the sleep" Amanda smiled and he gave her a quick kiss.
"Daddy I took Frannie for a walk!" Ethan was proud, he loved holding Frannie's leash.
"You are so helpful" Nick gave him a high five and ruffled his hair, he really needed a haircut.
"And I gave her water and I helped with juice" he pointed on the table and Nick saw two glasses with orange juice in them, there was some on the table too and Amanda smiled at him.
"How about you pour me a glass, ha?" Nick asked "please"
Ethan nodded and got on the chair so he could reach the bottle. Nick handed him a glass and Ethan poured him the juice.
"That's enough" he was about to overflow the glass "thank you"
Nick drank and watched as Ethan brought the other glasses to Amanda and stood by her as she washed them. Why was he over thinking about a meaningless man when his family was right there, there was no need for him to ask questions about his father, that man wasn't important.
Ethan ran to Frannie to check on her bowl, thinking he might need to refill it and Amanda turned to Nick.
"You ok?" she rested her hand against his back.
Nick nodded and smiled at her "what we talked about last night, I don't want to get involved so…I'm letting it go"
"Yeah?" Amanda was a little surprised, she thought Nick would want to know, but if he preferred not to, she was fine with that.
"Yes" he nodded.
"Let's play" Ethan walked back to them and Nick picked him off the floor.
"We're gonna play and we're gonna see Zara later" he let the boy know "does that sound good?"
"Yes"
"Well you boys have fun" Amanda gave each of them a quick kiss "I have to go to work"
"Go choose a game" Nick let him down.
"It's gonna be a long one, I have court after lunch…" she shrugged.
Amanda changed her clothes and walked back to the living room, where Nick and Ethan have been working on a puzzle.
"Be good boys" Amanda sat down and hugged Ethan tightly.
"We'll do our best" Nick promised.
Nick took Zara out for lunch once a week, just the two of them. He did the same with Gil, drove to San Diego and spent a few hours there, just the two of them. But Zara was happy to have Ethan join them and the boy felt just the same.
"How's abuela?" Zara asked when they sat down, Ethan was sitting between them and the waitress gave him a small coloring book and a few crayons.
"She's having fun" Nick let her know, Zara was happy for her grandmother, she thought it was a good thing she had a boyfriend.
"Look" Ethan showed the picture to Zara.
"It's pretty, you are a talented artist" she smiled.
"So how's school?" Nick started the interrogation and they talked about school until the food arrived.
"This is for you" Nick placed the pasta in front of Ethan and took away the coloring book.
"…we're working hard on the play, you will come, right?"
"Yes" Ethan nodded, his chin a little red from the sauce, the question was intended for Nick.
"Of course, we will all be there" Nick caressed the boy's head.
"Me too" Ethan looked at his dad and Nick nodded to reassure him.
They finished eating and walked to the mall, Nick wanted to but a few things for Ethan and Zara was happy to help.
"This one is adorable" she picked up a shirt, there was a guitar on it "do you like it?" she asked Ethan.
"Yes" he nodded and Zara placed it in their shopping bag.
"He only needs a pair of shoes and a pajamas" his daughter loved shopping and Maria had a good job and could afford it.
"Come on dad, it's gonna be so cute on him and this one…" she took another shirt and showed it to Ethan, it was in the bag so fast Nick didn't even notice what was drawn on it.
After a pair of jeans and two more shirts Zara and Ethan chose a pajama with dinosaurs and a pair of shoes.
"I think we have everything we need" Nick took the bag and they walked to the register. There Nick finally saw what was on the second shirt Zara picked 'I have the coolest dad'
Amanda was at the courthouse, she was just done testifying and needed a few minutes to herself, work never got easier, but with the support she had at home Amanda knew she could handle everything.
"Detective Rollins" she heard an unfamiliar voice and turned, a man she's never seen before waved and walked to her direction.
"Yeah?" she didn't recognize him.
"I'm ADA Frank Kendrick" he shook her head "can I have a quick word?"
"Alright" he looked pretty young and she figured he was new.
"I'm working on this case and I hoped you could help" Frank said.
"A sex crime?"
"No, an assault charge, but I don't want it to be just an assault charge" he continued, Amanda listened without interrupting, not sure how she could help him "the man we arrested, I know there was a trial in New York, but he freed and now…I don't want that to happen again, and with your help…"
"Just get to the point"
"The man I'm talking about is Nicholas Amaro, I believe you know his son"
Amanda called Nick and asked him to meet her by the ADA's office, he had a few important things to say and she had to tell him. Nick said he didn't want to get involved but he still had to know.
Zara agreed to watch Ethan and Nick drove there, not sure what was so important.
"Hey" she met him at the parking lot, and he gave her a questioning look "are you ok?"
"Yes, I'm fine" Amanda bit her lip "I know you didn't want to be involved in the investigation, but there's something you have to know"
Nick realized she was talking about his father, what could be so important?
"Come on" he followed Amanda to an office and she looked at him before opening the door "apparently your dad has a new girlfriend" they walked inside and Nick saw a man, that must have been the ADA, and a woman, younger than him, younger than Amanda probably. She was wearing a long sleeve shirt even though it was a hot day. But that was the second thing he noticed.
The first one was that she was pregnant.