Back to Luck Petrelli

He looked at me strangely, as if he didn't buy the lie. But then he nodded. - Okay. Let's go. - He took my hand.

- Are you sure you don't want to listen to me, Ethan? I think you'll thank me this time.

He continued walking past her.

- You know they already knew each other? Huh? Or that she already slept with him? Huh? And now, how does it feel to know that your future wife didn't tell you about that?

He stopped and turned to her, still holding my hand.

- Enough! - Ethan yelled. - I've taken too much from you! Too much! Now, you've tarnished my wife's image, no. Look! She's upset because of you. She shouldn't have to feel that way anymore, you are my family and I should never have to choose! Only you didn't give me a choice. Stay away from us. From my family. Everything we had contact with in respect to my dead aunt ends here! - He spun on his heels to leave, taking me with him.

- Ethan! No," she begged, whimpering. - I swear, I'm not lying. Am I lying, Nicole? - she directed her question at me.

- Come on! - Caroline shouted, startling me. - Answer me! Or I swear

I'll drag Luck's ass back here.

- As if that weren't enough, you're still involving Gregory? Jesus, Caroline, you need therapy.

No! Insistent, she ran towards us. - I heard everything. For

Please, Ethan, I know I've been wrong about you. But I'm not lying. Ask her.

I trembled and prayed and did everything, my hands sweating inside his, I just wanted him not to believe Caroline. That he would take me home, it wasn't the right way for him to find out. No, good God, not like this, not here. Please don't let him ask me. And since God is good, he really didn't ask me. But unfortunately it was not enough. He looked at me expecting me to deny Caroline's story, but I couldn't. I just didn't want him to find out either. I just didn't want him to find out that way either.

- Ethan. - I said so softly that I could barely hear my own voice. - I... I think I'd better...

- Shiiii! Come on, just tell the truth," Caroline grunted, "I-I-I-I-I think we should talk at home.

Ethan looked at me with a strange look on his face that I didn't recognize.

- Nicole, what's going on here?

- I-I-I-I-I N-n-n-n-no I don't see... - A tear ran down my cheek.

- How could you not know? Caroline is accusing you of a lot of crap, you have to deny it, it's easy! - he said, throwing his arms in the air, clearly annoyed.

- She can't deny what's true, Ethan, you just can't see it," Caroline said debauchedly.

- Shut up, Caroline. There's some shit going on here and I'm trying to understand it. I swear if you've done anything to her, you'll regret it deeply.

- I didn't do anything. - She put her hand on her chest, looking offended as she pouted. - I happened to be walking by and overheard part of their conversation.

- Nicole, what does this mean? I think the only intruder here is me. Please, baby," he said tenderly. - If someone has hurt you...

- Noooo... Please come home, Ethan, I promise I'll tell you everything... not

now, not here.

Ethan's features hardened.

- Damn it, Nicole. What the fuck happened here?

- Ethan... Please... Please...

Stop fucking begging," he shouted. - God damn it, baby! You better

you tell me everything, or I swear I'll hear Caroline's version.

The tears blurred my vision and I had to blink to get them to fall. I saw that Ethan was looking at me in anger, but his eyes betrayed him: they were worried, almost fatherly. Caroline looked at me with disgust, as if I were covered in manure.

- I didn't know... - I tried to control the wavering in my voice. - I didn't know he was your brother.

As if he had been punched, Ethan took a step backwards. His nostrils flared, his body gasped, his hands clenched into fists. He was angry, very angry.

- It was way before," I added. - I was young, I was in love. I had never been with anyone before, then it happened and I got pregnant. It wasn't planned, I swear.

- Is he Nicholas's father? - Ethan said in a terse voice.

- No... No, baby, you're Nicholas's father, no one else. - I tried to reach up and caress his face, but he pulled away. And my heart hurt like hell.

- You lied to me! - he grunted.

- No, it wasn't like that, I tried once or twice...you wouldn't listen, if I had known that Luck.... Gregory, was your brother, I would never have hidden it from you.

- Last night, Nicole! Damn it, last night! You could've told me, but you waited quietly! What the fuck is your problem? Look me in the eye and tell me you didn't think to hide it from me! Huh? Say it!

- I was afraid! - I shouted. - Do you have any idea how hard this is all for me? I just couldn't... But I swear I would tell you, I wouldn't hide it. I just couldn't.

- And how hard is it for me? You thought? Huh? It was Luck who left you broken like that. The girl I met who didn't smile, who had no sparkle in her eyes. It was my fucking brother! You know what I want to do now, Nicole? Beat him until all the anger I'm feeling goes away. But I can't even do that because you lied to me... and I'm so upset that I don't even want to talk to you.

More tears streamed down his face.

- Please, Ethan. I'm sorry. - He was serious, and he clenched his jaw so hard that I heard a snap.

I need to think, Nicole, now just don't... Please drive home.

home. I'll call Benjamin to pick me up.

He was pushing me away. It wasn't my fault, but he was still pushing me away. Damn Caroline. I wanted to fly into his neck. But I was also trying to keep Ethan from hating me for good. I grabbed his key and left.

I walked around town for what seemed like hours. He was hurt by me, I didn't blame him totally, I was just afraid and wanted him to understand. There were no more tears to cry. Ethan preferred to stay with Caroline. That cow pushed me to my limit. I hated her, even though I knew she was only defending her cousin, even though she wanted to have sex with him afterwards.

Night was beginning to fall. I looked at my cell phone and there were twenty-five missed calls from Ethan, from Vivian, from Alice, and a few from an unknown number. I turned the device off, I would deal with them all when I was ready. I was tired of feeling pressured.

I drove down the residential street to my old house. The houses looked beautiful with Christmas decorations. The house, which was at the end of the street, was the only one that was not decorated. I stopped the car in front of it, typed in the code and went in. I didn't think it would still be the same, but it was. The date of my birthday.

What was I doing here?

I was supposed to come back.

It had been too much for one day, but something inside my heart pushed me there.

I was scared to death, but there was no place for lies anymore. I

needed to free myself.

I walked slowly around the back of the house, not wanting to interrupt if she was with visitors, a boyfriend, or working and exhausted.

God! Who was I kidding? I was shaking with adrenaline, afraid of rejection. I was hard on her. I was mean when she just wanted to apologize.

I got to where I could see a huge dining table with twelve chairs, but only one occupied. My mother. Sitting alone at Christmas time. She was eating slowly, enjoying her wine, her eyes were sad, tired. I saw myself. She was my older, more exhausted version. Wrinkles appeared as she chewed. God, it would kill her if anyone told her that.

But who? There was no one, just me and Nicholas, and I threw her out of my life, out of my house. A pain radiated in my chest, a huge sadness. I wanted to go and talk to her, but I didn't have the courage. Not after all that I had said. When I looked, she was no longer at the table. I felt my heart squeeze again, we should be there with her. Then we would all have dinner together and we could put up a big Christmas tree. As a family. The thought came quickly, and before I knew it I was making my way back. Reality was not so easy.

- Nicole.

A call. Not a shout. A soft, but firm call.

I turned around and found Madeleine. She was wearing a nightgown, hair loose, barefoot. Suddenly, there was no longer any fear or any feeling to stop me from going to her. I took one step, then another. The next thing I knew, I was running, my mother coming towards me. My mother. We met in the middle of the road with a slap. It wasn't painful, it was loving and gentle. She took me in her arms and hugged me tight.

- I-I-I'm so sorry... - I cried aloud.

- Me too, my love. I'm sorry too.

- M-m-m-me forgive me, mom, I was scared to death and you were not

there.

-I'm sorry, my love. I'm so sorry. I will never leave you again, ever.

The tender moments turned into hours. I told her everything that had happened.

- It was just a bad moment," she said. - He was upset, but have no doubt that he loves you.

- I know, Mom - the word floated strangely, it had been so long since I had used it. But she was in the place where she should be.

- He looks at you with tenderness and love. And he loves Nicholas. That's why it hurt so much.

- The truth is, I understand," he said, sipping from the cup of tea she had made. - It doesn't mean that his words didn't hurt me. I had no choice, I did what I could.

The phone rang, and Madeleine answered it. Her face changed. And I knew that look: something was not right.

- Is everything okay? - I asked strangely as she hung up the phone.

the phone.

- Nicole, honey. Ethan's here, I'll open the gate for him.

Seconds later, the doorbell rang and he walked in.

- Nicole, baby. - He walked over and stopped in front of me. I stood up and walked toward him. He was serious.

- Had something happened?

Suddenly, it was as if the blood had been drained from my face. I felt dizzy. I didn't want to listen.

- We called your cell phone. - he sighed. - You didn't answer. My goodness! I've been looking everywhere for you.

- Ethan... What happened? - you said slowly.

- Baby ... I'm so sorry. - His eyes turned dark.

- Oh, God! Colle. Tell me Nicholas is safe and well. Please tell me my baby is okay.

- I-I'm sorry, Nicole. I'm so sorry.