*~*~*2 years later~*~*~
Nicole sat on the couch and watched Steven playing on the floor, he was three now and he was really energtic. It was hard to believe how much Steven was starting to look more and more like Nick everyday. He had Nicks beautiful blue eyes, the eyes that she used to love to look into. The same blonde hair that she loved to touch.
Nicole smiled at her son who was almost lost in his own little world playing games. She loved him so much, he was her only connection to Nick. They had kept in touch but their phone calls had become less and less frequent. She regreted that, she was still madly in love with Nick, but she couldn't let him know that.
Steven got up and picked up the remote to the TV and started to flip through the channels. He stopped when he came across MTV where they were playing "Shape of My Heart" Nicole only looked at the TV.
"Mama look dada!!" Steven said.
"Yeah that's dada," Nicole said trying to hold back her tears. She missed him more than she could have ever imagined. She tried to convince herself that she only missed this much because he was the father of her son and not because she was in love with him. She was in love with Josh, she kept those thoughts running through her mind. Just as the video end, the door bell rang and Nicole went to get it and she was glad to see that it was Josh.
"Hi Josh," she said as he kissed her cheek.
"Happy 21st Birthday," he wishpered into her ear.
"Oh my god, you remembered."
"How could I forget?" Josh smiled at her.
"Josh!!!" Steven yelled and ran up to Josh.
"Hey little man!!" he said as he picked up Steven. Nicole smiled at this, she knew that this was a great thing. Steven had really taken to Josh and she was glad that she had someone to help her out.
"Steven go back to the living room and watch tv ok?" Nicole said looking at him, smiling.
"K mama, wuv you!" he said and walked into the living room.
"Love you too," she said as she watched him walk away.
"Sweet kid," Josh said.
"Yeah."
"So how about you leave him with your mother and we go out tonight for your birthday?"
"Yeah that sounds like a good idea."
"Alright, look, I just dropped by to ask you out, I was on my way to a class, I gotta go."
"Ok, I'll see you tonight."
"Yeah," he said and kissed her cheek lightly.
Nicole smiled as she shut the door behind Josh. In the last two years they had become very close. She was glad that she had someone she can turn to. She sighed when she heard the phone ring. She walked over to the phone and answered it.
"Hello?"
"Hey there!!! Whats it like to be 21?" Nicks voice said. She smiled glad to know that he still cared.
"Well, I don't know."
"And why not? Hasn't your college man taken you out yet?" Nick joked.
"No, were going out tonight."
"Oh cool. So how has everything been?"
"Alright."
"Cool, look I'm really busy right now, the new album is coming out next month. So that means where busy. I just wanted to call and say happy birthday while I had the chance. I have to go. Talk to you later if I can."
"Ok, c-ya," she said hanging up the phone.
"Who dat mama?" Steven asked looking at her innocently.
"No one honey."
"Otay mama. I wuv you!" she smiled at him he was so innocent, he didn't know what was really going on.
"I love you to. Look, tonight I'm going out with Josh, you're gonna stay with grammy ok?"
"Otay mama."
*~*~*Later that night~*~*~*
"Mom, thank you for watching Steven for me," Nicole said running to get ready.
"No problem, just have a happy birthday," her mother smiled.
"I will, don't worry."
"Good." Nicole smiled at her mother. She really hated to ask her mom to baby sit, she only asked was it was nessicary. It killed her to leave Steven with a babysitter that she didn't know. She was glad to have her mother around to do a few things for her.
Nicole had gotten a job at a bookstore close to where she lived so that she wouldn't be too far from her son. She knew that she needed to have a job, but she didn't want to take on a job that took up so much of her time and forced her to spend a lot of time away from Steven. He was her whole world.
*~*~*~Nick*~*~*~*~
"Nick, whats wrong?" Stacy said noticing that Nick had something on his mind.
"Nothing," he said looking at her.
"Are you sure?"
"It's just Nicoles birthday and I can't help but fell that me and her have grown apart."
"Have you talked to her?"
"Yeah."
"Then whats the problem?"
"I think I might still be in love with her," he said looking at Stacy fearfully because he knew that she was going to have something to say about that.
"Yeah?" she said with anger in her voice, "So I guess the other night when you told me that you loved me, and all the nights before, it didn't mean anything?"
"Stacy thats not true," he said.
"Nick you're in love with another woman!!" she yelled, "You can't love us both. You know what Nick? I'm sick of hearing about her. Nicole this, and Nicole that. What the hell is that all about? Come on, I'M you're girlfriend, NOT HER!! So you know what, its time for you to make a decision. Its either me or her."
"Stace...."
"Who do you want? Me or her?"
"Shes my best friend and I'm not about to dump her like that, but you're my girlfriend and I want to be with you, please understand that."
"Yeah I understand that you still love her and I'm not going to be second to anyone. Either you love me and leave her behind or I'm gone." Nick looked at her, what was he supposed to do?? He loved Nicole and he had fallen in love with Stacy since he had gotten to know her. This was going to be a hard decision.
"How about this Nick, I'll come back in the morning. By then you better have your decision or its over," she said walking out of the house.
Chapter 15