|
|
Chapter 2
“I have to find her.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Nick—“
“How didn’t she tell me? Why?!”
“Well, did you ever stop to think that maybe that was because she cared
about you?”
“How do you figure?”
“Well, she must have really cared about you to be willing to take care
of Emily—which is your daughter’s name, by the way—all by
herself. She never asked for help. She didn’t want to ruin your career!
One that rests on your being a hot teen. Not a father.” Nick sighed.
“I need to find her. I need to tell her—I don’t know. But
I need to see her. Where is she?”
“I—I can’t tell you. I—I promised.”
“You mean you knew about this shit the whole FUCKING TIME AND YOU
DIDN’T TELL ME!?”
“Nick—Yeah. You just don’t understand. She’s one of my
best friends—and no matter how bad you were hurt; she was feeling what
you felt a hundred times worse. She loved you.”
“If she really loved me, she wouldn’t have left. She would have
known that I wouldn’t leave her—that I would stay with my
dau—Emily.”
All those feelings he felt when she left came flooding back. He remembered
the scars—both physical and emotional. In a fit of rage and confusion,
he’d put his foot through a window. No one had understood him—no
one could reach him. Scott and Brian had tried—but Nick had just closed
himself up for months. Just as he thought he had been healing the wounds
Brooke left, they opened up again. And this time the pain was a thousand
times worse—he was a father.
He didn’t know how he felt about that. He had a daughter. How? They
had used protection. And then it had occurred to him—they hadn’t
that time, at her uncle’s house. They loved each other—protection
had definitely not been the first thing on their minds. He didn’t need
a daughter—but then, Brooke was there, caring for someone they had both
created. She shouldn’t have to do it by herself. He needed to be there
for her—and for his daughter. Emily needed a father.
It suddenly occurred to him that Scott was still on the other end, silently
contemplating what to do, just as Nick was. He seemed to understand what
Nick felt.
“Scott? Are you going to give me the number?”
“I—I can’t. I’m sorry. But I can’t betray her. She
made me promise.”
“Fine! I’ll look up the fucking number myself!” Nick shouted,
slamming down the phone in rage.
Nick was staring at the picture again, wondering what had just happened.
He picked up the phone, and dialed the number of someone he could count on
for advice. After two rings, he picked up.
“Sup, Nick?”
“Bri,” Nick said slowly.
“What’s wrong?” Nick could picture Brian sitting down in one
of the huge chairs he had in his house, putting his feet up, and waiting.
“I—It’s, um, Brooke.”
“What happened? I thought you hadn’t seen her in a few years. You
told me she just got up and left.” After Brooke had left, he figured
he no longer had to keep the relationship a secret, as he no longer owed
Brooke anything, and he had told Brian everything.
“I hadn’t—until now. She ran into me today, along some street
by my house. And she—“ –he took a deep
breath—“—she has—a daughter.” Brian took a deep
breath.
“Is she married?”
“Nope.” Nick waited, knowing fully well that Brian could figure
this out—it was too painful for Nick to speak.
“Is she—is she yours?” Nick breathed in, then out again.
“Yeah. Scott told me. She looks exactly like me—blonde hair, blue
eyes, everything.”
“What are you going to do? What’s going to happen?”
Nick sighed. “I have absolutely no idea.”
“Are you going to find her? Who knows? About—your daughter, I
mean.”
“Her name is Emily. Just Scott and me. And Brooke, of course. And now
you. I have to find her—I need to talk to her. But I don’t know
how.”
“Unfortunately, Nick, there’s nothing anyone can do about
it—except for you. You have to find her yourself, and tell her exactly
how you feel.”
Nick sighed. “I know. Unfortunately, I know.”
“Do you still? Care for her, I mean.”
Nick sighed again. “I don’t know. I mean, I know I once did, and
I’ll probably never care for anyone as much as I cared for Brooke. She
obviously doesn’t care for me, or she wouldn’t have left.”
“Maybe that was why she left.”
“Huh?”
“Maybe she left because she cared so much for you—you know, she
didn’t want your career ruined, maybe she thought you didn’t need
a child.”
Nick sighed yet again. He knew he couldn’t deny it any longer—both
Brian and Scott had said the same thing—but he still needed to see Brooke.
But would she see him?
“Thanks, Bri.”
“No prob. Tell me what happens.”
They both hung up, and Nick went to his closet, to find the stupid phone
directory. Once dug up, he heaved it onto his kitchen table, and found her
number. There it was.
Conner, Brooke
675-2947
With shaking hands, he picked up the phone, and slowly dialed the number.
“Hello?”