CHAPTER TEN

A month had passed since Nick had walked to Laurie's house. He'd grown to hate her even more, because he'd ended up loving her more. He refused to accept that fact. If he couldn't have her, what was the point? He and Brian had spoken, they just didn't mention the incident. A.J. had called and said that Nick needed to get help. Nick hung upon him after using some rather colorful language. A.J. accepted it and didn't talk about it again.

"He needs help Kevin, you know it," Brian told his cousin, who was in Atlanta for a visit.

"I know it, but we can't make him get it. We can guide him, but that's it. No one can make him get what he doesn't want," Kevin said.

"There maybe someone," Brian said.

Kevin looked at Brian. "Don't put her in the middle of this. That's wrong Brian."

"If she would do it, he might get help. What's our little brother worth Kev?" Brian asked.

"Not our little sister," Kevin pointed out.

"Only if she wanted to Kevin. I can't make her do anything."

Kevin said nothing else. He simply shrugged. Brian ran to his phone to dial Laurie's number.

Laurie sighed. She thought about what Brian had said.

"You don't have to do it. But he needs help Laur. You know it as well as us. He'll listen to you."

"What makes you so sure? He hates me, remember? He won't just listen to me."

"Do whatever you have to do. Lie, beg, whatever. We'll stand behind you, you know we will Laurie..."

She walked up to the gate of Nick's house and pushed the button on the wall. "Who's there?" Nick said, through the intercom.

"I, it's me. Laurie," she said. She wasn't sure if she'd get in or not. Slowly, the latch on the gate flipped and she walked through, headed for the door. As soon as she approached it, it flew open, Nick standing in front of her.

"What are you here for?" he asked, angrily.

"I'm here to talk to you," she said.

"About what?" Nick snapped.

"Look, I don't care if you want to yell at me, go ahead. But at least do it inside," she said with her hand on her hip.

Nick stepped aside, allowing her in. She walked inside, hiding nervousness with attitude. She spun around in the front room. "It's nice," she commented.

"Thanks. Now what are you here for?" he asked.

"I wanted to apologize for the way I acted that morning. I should have been more understanding. I'm sorry," she lied. Apologizing to him made her sick. She had every right to be mad at him for what he did.

Nick looked surprised. "You, actually sorry?" he asked sarcastically.

Laurie narrowed her eyes. "Yes, and I think that I deserve an apology in return."

Nick's amused expression disappeared. "Fine. I'm sorry. But you deserved to know how I felt," he added.

Laurie's jaw dropped, then she got a hold of herself. "Right, you hate me. I almost forgot. You hate me now like you hated me then. Tell me Nickolas, if you hated me then, then why did you stay as long as you did?" she asked.

Nick was at a loss for words. He looked into Laurie's dark brown eyes, which were filled with crystal tears, threatening to stream down her face. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that part. I loved you then, and you know that."

Laurie nodded. "So you just hate me now. Why?"

Nick licked his lips. "I don't know," he snapped. It was none of her business.

She nodded again, this time the tears forming a clear stream down her cheeks. She quickly wiped them away, entertaining the illusion that he hadn't seen them.

"Please don't cry. I'm sorry I said it." He moved closer to her, putting his arm around her shoulder. No matter how he felt toward her, he couldn't stand to see her that way.

"I should probably go," Laurie mumbled, turning to the door.

"No, you don't have to. Unless you want to," Nick said.

Laurie turned back around. "Thanks."

         

They laughed a little uneasily pulling into Nick's driveway. They were returning from dinner, and they'd had a pretty good time together. It was all a little haunting, reminding them both of what they'd had.

"Well, thanks for dinner," Laurie told Nick.

"Yea, sure thing. Anytime," Nick said.

"I'll talk to you later. I don't know if you have my number, I don't think I ever gave it to you. Here," she said handing Nick a piece of paper with her number scribbled on it.

"Thanks," he said with a smile. "Hey, listen, I know what Bill did, and I think it was really low. I know that's not the way it happened. I was there at the funeral. I'm sorry," Nick said. He really did mean it. It hurt Laurie that she'd never seen her niece and that her brother hated her. And now he had to spread shit about her all over TV.

Laurie smiled. "Thanks," she said. She got out of the car and walked to hers. She drove home and opened her door with joy. She was glad to get away from Nick. There was too much in between them, it made it hard to have a normal conversation with him. Her phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Laurie? It's Bone. Brian called me. I'm sorry, you shouldn't have to do that if you're not ok with it," A.J. said.

Laurie almost laughed. "It's ok Alex. I'd do anything for you guys, you know that. It's just a little hard to get Nick to talk to me. Brian told me to do whatever it took, that you guys would stand behind me," she told him.

"And we will, but I don't want you getting hurt."

"I won't. Everything will be fine," she said, assuring A.J. and herself at the same time.

"How are you going to get through to him?"

"Just, I don't know, try and establish a friendship with him. Nothing more, just a friendship," she said. That sounded like a sensible thing to do. That way she'd have limits on the relationship, while still being able to get through to Nick.

"If you ever need to talk or change your mind, call me Babygirl," he told her in a brotherly tone.

"I will Alex. Thanks."