Chapter Two
Nick wasn't sure what to do with himself until it was time to meet Kerry and Miah again, so he went ahead to Baskin-Robbin's and sat, allowing himself to assess the situation.
He thought that Kerry most likely wouldn't have agreed to meet him here if she had a boyfriend, but she'd obviously been serious with someone in the past. And from what she'd said, about getting too close too fast, something hadn't turned out too well. Had it been Miah's dad or someone else? Then there were her reactions to him- both times he'd touched her- or tried to touch her, she'd pulled away from him, and it didn't seem like it was because they hadn't known each other that long. Her movements seemed very... what was it? ... almost... practiced, like she'd done it many times before, trying to escape someone's grip.
While Nick sat waiting, Kerry was running around her parents house trying to clean Miah up and avoid the questioning of her seventeen year old sister, Haley.
"You just met him, K. How do you know he's not some kind of freak?" Haley asked, leaning on the doorframe of the bathroom watching Kerry pull Miah's long curls back into a ponytail.
"He's not a freak, Haley. He seems like a really nice guy. He didn't have a fit when Cole pounced on him, he helped me find Miah- he's sweet." Kerry said, defending him.
Haley slid into the bathroom and hopped up on the counter. "I can't believe you just said that. You've known him, what an hour? And you're already convinced he's sweet? Josh seemed pretty charming when you met him, too, didn't he?"
Kerry looked her sister in the eyes and hissed, "I'll thank you very much to not mention that bastard's name again."
Miah turned to look at her mom, "What's a bas-"
"You ever say that word, Miah, and we will never be going to the park again." Kerry said. "Now go find your shoes." She scooted Miah out of the bathroom and towards her room. She turned to Haley and said, "Not all guys are like ... him."
"How do you know? Maybe they all are." Haley retorted, looking angry.
Kerry was sorry that her own awful experiences had effected Haley so much, making Haley even more leery of guys than she was. Kerry leaned back against the door and took a deep breath, "Hayhay, some guys suck, and that's all there is to it. But I can't believe that they all do. Dad's a good guy isn't he? It's just... my heart refuses to let me believe that there's not a few good guys left in the world. And maybe, one of these days, I'll find one. And so will you." She poked Haley in the stomach and walked down the hall to help Miah with her shoes.
When Miah finally managed to find a pair of shoes and get them on, Kerry grabbed her backpack full of coloring books and other things to keep Miah occupied and started ushering Miah out to the car. They were already a little late, no thanks to Haley's little rant. Kerry glanced in the rear view mirror as she went to back out of the driveway, and realized she should have take a little time to do something with herself. 'Oh well, no time now. What he sees is what he's gonna get.'
As she drove towards the ice cream parlor, Kerry thought about the conversation she'd just had with Haley. She knew she couldn't avoid guys forever, though for a long time that had worked just fine for her. But she knew it was time to get a grip and move on. And she wasn't going to be able to do that sitting around the house with Haley bitching about how horrible guys were.
Kerry parked next to the Durango that she recognized as being Nick's. She looked through the window, and saw him sitting in a booth, appearing to be deep in thought. She and Miah walked into the shop and snuck up behind him.
Kerry leaned over his shoulder and said, "I know 31 flavors is alot to choose from, but is it that hard to decide?"
"Wha?" Nick asked, obviously startled. "Hey, hi!" he smiled when he realized who was talking to him.
"Sorry we're late. Someone was having shoe trouble." Kerry said, glancing over at Miah.
"It's all good. I'm just glad you made it. Now, what would you ladies like to have?" Nick asked, looking first at Kerry and then stooping down to Miah's level and smiling at her.
Miah looked from Nick to her mom and back to Nick, smiling, obviously liking the attention he was giving her.
"Do you know what you want, sweetie?" Kerry asked.
Miah shook her head no.
"Let's go see what they have, okay?" Nick said, holding his hand out for Miah to take. The two of them walked over to the counter to inspect the flavors, leaving Kerry shocked.
The only guys Miah ever had anything to do with was her grandfathers, and it seemed odd to Kerry that she would be so trusting of Nick. Kerry watched as Nick scooped Miah up and held her as he read off the different flavors to her.
Miah pointed to something and Nick said "excellent choice", causing Miah to giggle and told the guy behind the counter what she wanted and then called to Kerry asking what she would like.
"Oh, uh, I don't know." Kerry had been watching them so intently she had almost forgotten where she was.
Nick shook his head and teasingly said, "Well, make up your mind!"
The guy behind the counter handed Miah her ice cream cone and then asked Nick what he wanted. Kerry had no clue what she wanted, her stomach was feeling funny- sort of tingly and warm, from watching Nick with Miah. She glanced around at the signs and decided to go with something that she wouldn't have much of a chance of making a mess with. When Nick asked again what she wanted she told him a chocolate blast, and hoped the chocolate wouldn't give her a sugar/caffiene rush and have her acting silly.
Nick came back to the table Kerry was standing near, and handed her the cup of slushee chocolate.
"Thanks", Kerry smiled. "Miah, come back over here with me, babe."
Miah, who had settled herself next to Nick, looked across the table at Kerry and said, "I wanna stay over here."
"She's fine over here." Nick said, playfully tugging on Miah's ponytail.
"Oh sure, gang up on me." Kerry frowned, trying to look hurt.
"I love you mommy." Miah said, her eyes wide, hoping her mom was just playing.
Kerry laughed. "I love you, too, goofball. What did you get?"
"I got bubba-gum." Miah replied, sticking her cone across the table for Kerry to inspect.
"Very nice. And what did you get, Nick?"
"Mint chocolate chip. The only kind of ice cream in the world, if you ask me." he said, and took a lick across the ice cream.
"I didn't ask, but thanks for telling me anyway." Kerry smiled, surprising herself by wishing she was that ice cream as she watched Nick devour it.
Nick turned his attention back to Miah and asked, "Hey Miah, how old are you?"
"I'm four." she replied between licks of her ice cream.
"Wow. So you'll be starting school soon, huh?" he asked.
"I'm in school now." Miah said, then handed Kerry her half eaten ice cream cone. "I'm done."
"Um, okay... go throw it away then, babe." Kerry said, pointing to the trash can.
Miah threw the cone away and started digging through the bag of stuff Kerry had. She grabbed a Blues Clues coloring book and sat back down beside Nick. She quickly became engrossed in her artwork, and Nick felt like it was okay to ask Kerry a few questions.
"So, Miah's in preschool?" he asked, watching Kerry's lips purse together as she sucked the chocolate slush through the straw. He couldn't help but think how much he'd like to kiss her, those perfect lips, tasting ever-so-slightly of chocolate.
"Yeah, she'll start kindergarten this fall. God, I'm old." Kerry sighed.
"Not to be rude or anything, but can I ask how old you are?" Nick asked, sure she wasn't much older than he was if she was at all.
"Twenty."
"That's what I thought."
"Most people have no clue what to think, I look young, but then they find out she's four and they're like, that doesn't seem right." Kerry paused for a moment, like she was going to say something, and changed her mind. "Thanks again, for everything- helping me find her and the ice cream, of course." She looked at Miah and whispered almost inaudibly, "I don't know what I'd do if I lost her..."
Nick knew she wasn't just talking about Miah wondering off, so he decided to try to find out whatever he could while there was a slight opportunity. "Lose her how?" he asked softly.
Without thinking, Kerry said, "To her father." As soon as she said it she realized she'd just started a conversation she most likely shouldn't have ventured into just yet.
That got Nick's complete attention. He figured almost anything he needed to know about this girl was somewhere in this story. Now he just had to get her to tell it.