AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Nick shifted to stare at her. “You’re fucking joking. She kidnaps you, binds you, and asks for grandchild visitation?”
It sounded so ridiculous she wanted to laugh. Or cry. “Yes.”
“Did you tell her to go fuck herself with a spoon?”
His outraged response made her laugh despite the tears lurking yet again. “Since she had me in chains at the time, I didn’t think that would be prudent.”
“Jesus Christ. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry you had to go through that. But if anyone had to, I’m glad it was you.”
She wasn’t drifting off, not exactly. But that remark certainly woke her all the way back up. “Excuse me?”
“You’re so strong. You can handle it.”
“No, I’m not that strong.” Her voice wavered. “Completely the opposite.”
“No? Look at you. You’re just as tough as I’ve ever seen you. Crying doesn’t have a damn bit to do with it. There’s nothing fucking wrong with crying. But this woman didn’t break you. She couldn’t. You’ve lived with Simon for years. She is not that skilled.”
She laughed weakly through her tears. “Are you saying this stuff to try to get me angry at you, so I don’t think about the rest?”
“Maybe. Is it working?” His smile came and went. “You’re going to think about it, and that fucking sucks. There’s nothing I can do, or Li can do, or Simon can do to take away those awful memories. But we can help you build new ones that make those fade. And we can love you and support you and throw you one hell of a baby shower. Not me,” he added quickly when Margo smiled and reached for his hand. “Because I surely don’t do that shit. But I’m sure Li will be all over it.”
“Going to be a bit for that. It’s early days yet. Can I have a hug?”
She’d never seen his face soften that way. At least not toward her. He nodded and stood to lean over the bed, doing the heavy lifting of the hug so she could just lie there and absorb. She needed every ounce of love she could get right now, and she wasn’t ashamed to admit it.
“Thanks. You give good hug.”
“I give good other things too, but I’m sure you’ve already heard.” He eased back with a grin. Again, it was fleeting, so she knew he was struggling with this conversation just as much as she was.
They’d been in a band together for years, and the fact that Li was her best friend and Simon was his had given them lots of opportunities to spend time together. But they’d never been buddies. Not exactly. This was probably the longest conversation they’d had in years, if not ever. Definitely the most personal.
And i
t was about to get way worse.
“Sit for another second. Please.”
“What, I can’t run out of here before things get too emotional?”
She smiled and didn’t say anything as he took a seat.
“I know you and Simon have had your rough patches over the years. I also know how hard they were on you. But I want you to know they were hard on him too. He just shows things differently than you do. Or doesn’t show them at all, sometimes not even to me.”
Nicky waved a hand. “Water under the bridge. All good now.”
“Yeah, I know that. You guys came through it and the band came through it and we’re all so much stronger. But something may happen again.”
“You have insider information that I don’t?”
“No. I’m just saying. That’s life,” she said, echoing Lila. “People fight over dumb stuff and egos and pride get involved and relationships get messed up. We all lose so much time.”
Which reminded her—she needed to talk to her sister. Soon. Just not quite yet.
When she’d been more lucid, she realized that Jules had been through so much in the past year, and with the baby, the last thing her sister needed was more to worry about. Margo was back, and she and her baby were safe. Though she’d gone through a horrific event, thankfully it had been brief.
Someday she’d tell Jules what had happened. But now now. There was too much living for her little sister to do to burden her with one more thing to make her scared and uncertain. She’d only just begun to get her footing back after last fall’s tragedy. She had a baby to think about now.
Margo cupped her belly. As did she.
