Chapter 7
toilet to wash herself and Nicky was determined to pick up his jaw and say
some decent things rather than ‘God!’.
Stella had just told Nicky what had led to Emily’s isolation in silence and
he couldn’t believe things that happened to Emily in past few years. He was
amazed at her. If he was her, he’d probably killed himself already. He shook
his head, trying to dismiss what he just heard. ‘Nicky, ready?’
Nicky turned his head, smiled and nodded. They got up, paid and left to pick
Emily up. He knew they were still early but he didn’t want to point that out
to Stella. It was already good that Stella took a break, even though it
wasn’t too long.
He drove rather slowly, enjoying the day and Dublin, something he hadn’t
enjoyed in a long time since everything seemed to be a rush. He opened the
sun-roof, letting the rare sun of Ireland touched his pale skin. He turned
on the radio and started humming to the song. ‘Nice voice.’ ‘Thanks!’
He turned his head and grinned, in which he received a gorgeous smile in
return. He wanted to stay looking at her smile but she turned her head back
to the other side of the road. He went back concentrating on his driving.
She looks really sad, he thought. But he immediately realised why she was
sad and what was he doing, being all cheery and singing when someone else
was as gloomy as the cloudiest day. Nicky felt really guilty so he pressed
the close button so that the sun-roof would close.
‘No, don’t please. The sun’s nice.’ ‘Your wish is my command!’
Stella looked over again and gave Nicky another smile. ‘Thank you.’
They then let the music flowed in between them and before they knew it, they
got to the counselor’s office.
They got off the car and waited in the waiting room in silence. Stella was
flipping another old magazine and Nicky was just playing with his mobile
phone.
He was starting to get bored although this time it took longer for him to
get bored after all those waiting he had done with the band.
Suddenly Stella stood up and ran towards the bathroom. He yelled for her
name and ran after her. He followed her right to the door of the ladies’
toilet. He didn’t care that he was in ladies’, he only wanted to know what
was wrong with Stella.
He knew there was something wrong because he heard soft sobs coming out of
the toilet cubicle. ‘Stell, what’s wrong?’ ‘Nothing. Just go. I’ll be fine.’
‘Pull the next one. Come on, please get out.’
Nicky kept knocking on the door. He knew it would annoy Stella sooner or
later but she kept crying. It hit him that it might be her who cried the
other night. But what was wrong with Stella? ‘Stella, please get out.’
‘I’ll be fine. Could you please go and check if Em’s out yet?’
Nicky looked at his watch. He wasn’t about to be fooled by her. No way, he
thought. ‘Have you looked at your watch?’
Nicky started chuckling. Em was still going to be with the counselor in
another fifteen minutes and she never got out early, usually late even. ‘Oh.’
There was silence but then he heard a click and Stella emerged from the tiny
cubicle with red eyes. Nicky stepped back to give her some room to come out
and once she was out, he put his arms around her. She buried her head in him
and he put his chin on her head. ‘I’m so sorry, Nicky.’
‘What are you sorry for? That’s it, let it all out.’
Stella kept sobbing and Nicky ran his palm through her long mahogany hair.
‘No, I gotta be stronger. I can’t be like this. I have to be strong for
Emily.’
‘Hey, hey, you’re a human too. You can cry, you don’t have to be strong
everytime.’
They heard a sound of click and both of them turned their heads in respond.
Emily watched them with eyes that were full of shock. ‘Ah..erm..’
Stella freed herself from Nicky and Nicky automatically stepped back,
distancing himself from Stella.
Emily moved quickly to lock herself in the toilet cubicle, did her business,
got out, washed her hands and got out of the ladies’ without even glancing
at Stella and Nicky. When Emily got out, Stella finally moved and ran after
Emily, yelling her name endlessly, while Nicky was still standing there,
quite unsure about Emily’s reaction. Only Heaven knows why, he thought,
shook his head and ran after Emily and Stella.
But wait! Why don't you send Emily some feedback?