After the swimming lesson was over everyone slowly made their way out of the pool. Nikki scooped up Courtney and carried her over to their stuff. She tried to be quick in gathering all of her stuff because she really didn’t want to have to talk with JC again. She knew that he wanted to finish the conversation, and she didn’t want to.
As she was bent over and putting on her shoes she heard JC yell, “Nikki, wait up!” He grabbed his stuff and threw Steven up over his shoulder and made his way over to Nikki. He gave himself a mental slap on the way over there. He couldn’t believe that he was actually trying to be friendly to a girl who cheated on him, got pregnant, and moved away for two years. JC couldn’t help it though. He still loved her. She was the only one that he ever clicked with, and he missed that connection. “Can I help,” he said as he put Steven down and reached for one of Nikki’s bags.
She looked over at him and said, “sure.”
“So, could you maybe introduce me to her?” he asked.
Nikki grinded her teeth together and then said, “JC, this is .... my daughter Courtney.”
“Hey there Courtney,” he said as he knelt down near her and set down the bag. “I’m JC. I’m... a friend of your mommy’s.”
Courtney let out a cute and quick smile and said, “hi.”
JC stood up and said, “she’s beautiful Nik.”
Nikki wanted to just burst out in tears and tell him everything, but she couldn’t. “Thank you,” she finally managed to say. “Thank you.”
The four of them headed towards the double door and then out the main door. Steven and Courtney wobbled behind JC and Nikki, and laughed over the little things that they were mumbling.
“He my Uncle C.”
“Uhnkle C?”
“Uh huh. He a friend of Justin.”
“Oh! He my Uhnkle Uztin.”
“Wow,” Steven said surprised.
Nikki looked back at the kids and smiled. She was so glad that Courtney and Steven were getting along so well. The last thing she wanted was for her to not have any friends when she got here. “Come on baby,” Nikki said as they got to their car.
JC had kept his mouth shut for as long as he could. He really wanted to know more about that night. He had waited for two years to fully understand this, so he was hoping that Nikki could make that possible. He waited until she had gotten Courtney all buckled up in the back seat and then he walked over to the drivers side with her. Steven held on to JC’s leg and tried to wait patiently. Finally JC said, “Nikki, where’s Courtney’s father?”
Nikki sighed. “JC,” she started.
“I know, I know. You don’t want to talk about this. Nikki, I have waited two years for this. I deserve to know something. How can you all of a sudden leave me and not even really explain it.”
“You walked out on me, remember?”
“You cheated on me, remember?”
“JC, please.”
“Where is he?” he continued to ask.
“He’s around. Alright?”
“Who is he?”
“JC,” she started again.
“I want to know Nikki. I wanna know who you left me for and why you are just now coming back. You said it was a mistake, so why did you leave?”
“JC I cannot and will not talk about this right now. Okay? I had my reason’s and maybe they weren’t good ones, and maybe they weren’t good for you, but I did it okay?” she said and sat in the front seat of the car.
“Fine, you know what, fine. Maybe someday you will have the decency to explain all of this to me. I want you to know that I haven’t been happy. I haven’t found anyone to love the way that I loved you, or even the way that I still love you. I don’t even know why I try Nikki. I don’t know why I don’t hate you for what you did to me. I don’t know why I don’t hate you for making me so miserable. Just,” he stopped and took a breath and then continued with, “just go.” He grabbed the top of her door.
“JC I am so sorry. I just....” she said.
“You just didn’t love me the way that I did you. I’ll talk to you later Nikki,” he said and then picked up Steven and walked off.
“What wrong Uncle C?” he asked.
“You wouldn’t understand Steven. You wouldn’t understand.”
Nikki had her head on the steering wheel and a few tears fell from her eyes. “Mommy you sad?”
“Yes baby I am,” she said back between gasps of air.
“I sowwy. I love you mommy,” she said.
Nikki smiled and then looked back at her and said, “I love you too. Mommy is going to be okay. She just needs to think for awhile okay.”
“Otay,” she said and then looked out the window and watched Steven and JC get into their car and drive off.
Nikki saw them drive off and then said, “okay, let’s go home.”
“Justin how could you do that?” Nikki said into the phone.
“Nikki sorry, jeeze. I had a AOL chat to do.”
“I’m sure you did, but you sent JC with Steven on purpose didn’t you.”
“Did the two of you talk?”
“Justin!”
“Okay okay, yes, I did! I just knew that if I left it up to you that it wouldn’t ever happen.”
“Well I wish that you would have given me the chance at least. I think I made him even madder that I intended to.”
“Did you tell him?”
“No,” she said.
“Well then how did you piss him off more?”
“Just the way I handled it I guess. I just wasn’t ready to talk was all.”
“I’m sorry Nikki. I was only trying to help. You know that right?”
“Yes J, I know that. I just haven’t had the time to think about things, and figure out how to tell him what is going on. And most off, why I did what I did.”
“Nikki he still loves you. You know that too right?”
“He kind of mentioned it, yeah.”
“He did?”
“In a nonchalant type of way, yeah.”
“I did hear that the kids got along great! We’ll have to let them hang out more.”
“Totally,” she said back and smiled.
“Oh and just so you don’t think I got off too easy, JC gave me hell too.”
“Did he now?” she laughed.
“Yeah. He said that I knew that you were in town and I didn’t tell him, and that I specifically made sure that the both of you would be there yesterday.”
“Well it’s true now isn’t it?”
“Well yeah I guess so,” he chuckled. “He’s gonna hurt the other guys too I am sure.”
“Yeah well, they’ll get over it, as will he.”
“Same ‘ole Nikki,” he laughed.
Nikki heard the beep on her phone alerting her that she had an incoming call. “Justin I have another call, can you hang on a minute?”
“Hey I gotta run anyway. I’ll talk to you tomorrow okay?”
“Okay, talk to you soon babe,” she said and then clicked over. “Hello.”
“What are you doing in an hour?”
“JC?”
“Yeah.”
“Uhm, nothing I don’t guess. Why?”
“Will you go out to dinner with me? I made reservations at La Sal’s at 7:30.”
“JC,” she began.
“Please?”
“I don’t have anyone to watch Courtney.”
“No worries. Joey and Ann said that they would be glad to. I just have to call them and tell them what time.”
Nikki twirled a piece of her hair and looked over at Courtney laying on the floor watching TV. “Okay, pick me up at 7.”
“Okay, thanks Nikki.”
“I’ll see you soon,” she said and then hung up. “Damn damn damn. What the heck am I supposed to do now?”
“Huh?” Courtney yelled back.
“Nothing baby. Uncle Joey and Ann are gonna come over and watch you for awhile so I can go out to eat with a friend.”
“I not know Uhnkle Oey,” she said.
“He’s best friends with Uncle Justin and Uncle Lance. You’ll like him I promise. And Ann is who helped mommy when she had you.”
“Wow. Otay. I make them picture too?”
“Go right ahead baby. I am sure they would like that a lot. Mommy is going to go get ready. You stay right in here.”
“Otay,” she said and then started to color on a piece of paper that was on the table.
Nikki ran down the stairs and put on her other shoe quickly once she got to the bottom. She pulled her skirt down and fixed her shirt and then opened the door. “Nikki!” Joey said and wrapped his arms around her. “How are you?!”
“I’m good! How are you? And Ann, hey!”
“We are doing just great,” he said and then put his arm around her. “I’m so glad she helped with your child, otherwise we might not have gotten back together,” he said and then kissed Ann on the cheek.
“Well I am glad too. She helped out a lot. Physically and emotionally.”
“Oh stop it, both of you!” she said back with her cheeks all red from embarrassment.
“So, where is she? I still haven’t seen her ya know!”
“Right in here. Courtney,” she yelled.
Courtney got up off of the floor and ran over to the door as fast as her little legs would carry her. “Yes,” she said and then grabbed a hold of her mother’s hand.
“Baby this is your Uncle Joey, and this is Ann.”
Courtney smiled but didn’t say anything at first. Then she ran back into the living area and everyone watched her stumble on the way back. “Here,” she said as she handed them each a colored paper.
“She’s too adorable,” Joey said softly to Nikki. “Well thank you little one,” he said to her and picked her up. “So do you think we can have some fun while your mommy and JC go out to eat?”
She giggled and answered back with an “uh huh.”
“Good!”
“Well come on in and we’ll have a seat. JC should be here any minute.”
“I’m glad to see that the two of you are getting along,” Ann said.
“Well we weren’t yesterday that’s for sure. He just called me out of no where today and asked me if I would go to dinner with him. I was quiet surprised to say the least.”
“Well I really hope that things work out with you two. He never did get over you Nikki. You were a huge part of his life, and I don’t think that she’s,” he pointed to Courtney from behind her back, “is going to change that fact. He loves you even though he thinks that you cheated on him and had another man’s child.”
Nikki sighed and said, “I know Joey, believe me I do.”
Just as she said that, the doorbell rang. She jumped up to get in and Joey said, “damn girl, don’t rush or anything,” and then laughed.
“I’m calm, I’m calm,” she said. As she got closer to the door she slowly muttered, “no I’m not, no I’m not.” She opened the door to find a JC Chasez holding a small bouquet of flowers.
“For you,” he said and handed them to her. “I’m sorry I pushed the issue yesterday. Thank you for agreeing to go out with me tonight. I’d like to get to know each other again if we could.”
“I’d like that,” she said. “And that you for the beautiful flowers. Excuse me while I go put them away.”
JC walked into the living room and sat down next to Joey. “Thanks for watching her dude,” he said. He looked over at Courtney and then reached his arms out and she did the same. “Uhh,” he groaned as his picked her up and sat her on his lap. “So is it okay if I take your mommy out tonight little miss?”
She giggled and said, “yup!”
“Thank you,” he said and held her closer.
Nikki was about to walk back in and then she saw Courtney on JC’s lap and stopped dead in her tracks. She felt her eyes start to water up and had to take a deep breath to keep herself from crying. She gently whipped her eyes and then walked in the room and bent over to pick up Courtney. “I’ll be back later my love. Be good okay?”
“Otay!” she said and then stood in front of everyone.
“Try to put her down for bed a little before nine or so. She should pass out before that, but if not, make sure she does,” she laughed. “Thanks you two,” she said and gave each of them a hug.
“You ready?” JC asked.
“Yes,” she smiled and saw him reach out a hand. It frightened her to take it, but she did. She couldn’t help but smile after seeing JC smile when her hand hit his.
“Let’s go,” he said and then they headed for the door and left.
Joey picked up Courtney and then they all walked over to the window and watched JC and Nikki drive off. “Who’s up for ice cream?!” Joey then yelled.
“Me me me!” Courtney yelled back.
“Oh brother,” Ann laughed and then they all headed for the kitchen.
JC and Nikki got out of the car and held hands up to the door of the restaurant. The guy at the front opened the door for them and then they casually walked up to the front desk. “Mr. Chasez and Miss Taylor, nice to see you again. Your table is ready.”
A cute little waitress escorted them to a table on an incline in the back. “What would you like to drink?” she asked.
“She’ll have a Strawberry Daiquiri and I’ll take a Beer.” Nikki smiled because he knew exactly what it was that she wanted.
“I’ll be right back with that.”
“So, how are you?” he asked Nikki.
“I’m alright actually. A little tired. I have been working on getting things the way I want them around the house. And I’ve been trying to rearrange one of the rooms for Court.”
“I see. I’d be glad to come over sometime and help. If you want me to that is.”
“I’d like that,” she said back with a smile from ear to ear. She looked into JC’s deep blue eyes and watched as the sparkled every time he would slightly tilt his head. She had missed him so much. She missed the way his skin felt against hers, and the way he looked at her like she was everything to him.
“I’d like that too,” he replied back.
“JC, I’m really sorry that I hurt you the way that I did,” she said.
“Nikki,” he said and then placed his hand on top of hers. “Let’s not talk about that right now. Okay?”
“Okay,” she said back and then licked her lips and looked down at her hands as JC put both of his on top of hers.
“Let’s just enjoy the evening and try to start this over okay?”
“I’d like that JC.”
“So would I,” she said and then flashed her that million dollar smile that she loved ever so much. “I’d like it a lot in fact.”