Chapter 50

Nicolas

As the taxi was approaching my apartment building, I saw Geoffrey standing outside which was weird, I mean it was cold out. I paid and got out walking towards Geoffrey. “Hi Geoffrey what you doing outside?” “What happened between you and Nicol?” Okay father Geoffrey is here, sometimes Geoffrey and Isabella act like they are my parents like I’m still that naughty kid he had to drive around and Isabella had to make me eat my vegetables. “Why?” “Answer me first.” “She told me why she left; I told her I need a minute to process that is why I walked home. Why?” “She came storming out of the apartment building crying insisting she needs to go to her apartment.” “Oh fuck.” “Oh, fuck What Nicolas?” I took out my phone and googled myself and the first photo that came up was of a few minutes ago with me walking hand in hand with Karen into her apartment building. “Is Nikki still here?” “Yes.” “Take me to Nicols place.” “What did you do?” “It’s a misunderstanding okay; she has a google alert on me and the paparazzi took a photo of me going into Karen’s apartment hand in hand.” “When?” “Just now.” “Fuck Nicolas.” “Yes, I know okay I know just drive.” Geoffrey didn’t say a word on our way to Nicols place but I could feel the disappointment in the SUV. When we got there, I jumped out and Geoffrey behind me “Where are you going?” I asked a bit irritated at him. “Do you know which apartment is hers Nicolas?” He asked me with that same disappointing attitude. I realized I did not know which apartment was hers. “No.” Geoffrey walked in front and then knocked. But no one answered, then I started to knock and called out “Nicol it’s me we need to talk.” “Go away.” She said from inside the apartment. “You can wait outside Geoffrey I’ve got this.” “You sure.” “Yes.” “Nicol please open the door or I’ll have to shout through the door and then all your neighbors will hear our dirty laundry.” She didn’t answer and then I heard her opening the locks on the door. I didn’t give her time to open the door I did it, when I close the door, she was standing right in front of me with red puffy eyes.

I just looked at her, I couldn’t believe I had the power to do this to her, I mean she left me I know she told me she still loved me and that it was always me but I never thought she was actually telling me the truth. “I’m sorry.” Was the first thing that came out. “For what, for going with that that ….” she couldn’t finish the sentence. “Or that you got caught.” “Nicol first of all you need to know nothing happened nothing not even a kiss, no wait she tried to kiss me but I pushed her away.” “It’s really non of my business Nicolas.” “Then why are you crying? Why did you leave Nikki alone with Isabella and ran to your apartment?” “First of all I left Nikki in capable hands and I promised you I won’t take her away from you again, at least not without discussing it and second of all I’m hurt I told you I love you I told you it has always just been you and you ran to the first bimbo you can find and she looks nothing like me she even made a point of pointing it out at the Gala.” “Okay thank you for keeping your promise of not taking Nikki away and for the Karen thing, I was wondering the streets we walked into each other she asked me to come up for a drink so I did. When I got to her apartment, I realized she didn’t have a drink in mind and I left I promise you that I didn’t touch her.” “But you held her hand as you walked in.” Then she started to cry all over again. Fuck I hurt her today of all days I had to go and fuck everything up. I pulled her towards me but she was fighting me “Leave me alone Nikki, leave me alone.” She was pounding my chest but I held on tight until she relaxed. And I just held her. Then I started to stroke her hair I knew how calmed it made her. She started to relax. Then on a sob she said “You really hurt me, I had hope for us I know I’m stupid to have hope I mean I hurt you to but I still had some hope with that one photo you pulled the rug from under me and shattered all the hope I had for us Nikki.”

I picked her up and carried her to the sofa where I went to sit with her in my lap. “You calling me Nikki all hope can’t be that lost.” “I’m sorry.” “Don’t be, but while we are on the subject, why did you call our daughter Nikki?” “I wanted one more piece of you and I was the only one that ever called you Nikki so it was an easy choice boy or girl his or her name would have been Nikki.” “I see.” I gave her a kiss on the forehead. “Angel I’m still processing everything and I know today didn’t go as plan, I really didn’t mean to upset you or even go into Karen’s place but all hope is not lost, don’t lose hope now you’ve been clinging to it for 12 years why lose it now?” “I was clinging to the old Nicolas my Nicolas but you have changed and you have had so many girlfriends over the years I had no one Nicolas no one.” “Just for the record it wasn’t my girlfriends the last girlfriend I had was you those girls where one-night stands.” “I don’t know if that is better?” “I know I’m a pig.” I said with a smile. “Clearly you don’t think so.” She said but at least she also had a smile on her face. “Nicol please don’t run from me again let’s talk, I know we can bud heads some time and I know you don’t want that to happen in front of Nikki but don’t run, I would have explained everything to you.” “When Nicolas when I confront you about it or out of your own?” I didn’t have an answer “See there’s the problem.” “I can work on that.” “I won’t run Nicolas but don’t give me false hope if you think this thing we had we can never rekindle it then tell me as soon as possible don’t drag me through loving you more each day and then you drop the bomb on me.” “I won’t but we have a bigger problem, we need to tell Nikki.” “I know.”