Elle found herself awake at 1:00 in the morning. She kept thinking about Carrie and how she was doing in Heaven and about Nick and if he even missed her. Finally when she could take no more, she got up and walked in to the kitchen of her hotel room and made a pot of coffee. She decided to go over the February press schedules and interviews. Suddenly, something caught her eye. The Backstreet Boys were going to be interviewed again in 2 weeks for a "life after chaos" insight. She quickly scanned the list of people who were signed up to conduct interviews and found that no one was scheduled for that particular one.
"Maybe if I could talk Maranda into giving that position to me, I could make things up with Nick," Elle thought, "Maybe."
At exactly the same time, Nick was also wide awake, thinking about Elle. Hours passed and Nick realized that he probably would never get his mind off of her. At 6:00 in the morning, Nick finally rose out of bed and began another day.
"Elle," Maranda said, "I don't see why you wouldn't be able to conduct the interview, but these past few weeks, you haven't really shown much effort in this office at all. The last report that you wrote for me looked as if you spent a total of 20 minutes on it. I may sound like a mother on this one, but if you don't start showing improvement, then I am afraid that I am going to have to let you go, without conducting the interview. However, if you can show me this week and next that you can work like you used to, then, the interview is yours."
"Thank you Maranda. I will try my hardest." With that, Elle walked out of Maranda's office and into her own.
For the first time in a month, Elle finally felt as if things were going to be okay. Moments later, the phone in her office rang. After the second ring, she picked it up off the cradle and began her usual introduction. On the other line, James Murphy was reviewing his list of candidates for the leasing of his newly renovated penthouse complex on Maple Ave., which overlooked the city. Elle Bradley was on the list of people who were accepted.
"Mrs. Bradley," he began. "After careful consideration, our complex has decided to grant you a housing lease. Beginning on February 1st, you will be allowed to move into Penthouse #142. Thank you and we will see you soon."
"Thank you Mr. Murphy." Elle said as she replaced the phone on the cradle. She smiled as she realized that finally she would have a place to call home again. She would no longer have to live in a filthy, seedy hotel room. Instead, she would be living in a luxurious and coveted penthouse on Maple Ave.
A week later, Elle was moving into her new home. From the first time she opened the door to penthouse number 142, she fell in love with the house. The wood floors, which were newly waxed, covered most of the house except for the kitchen and bathroom. The wall painting that she and Carrie had done together hung perfectly in the dinning area. Everything from Elle's old loft seemed to fit flawlessly in her new home. When she was finally moved in, Elle discovered that all her neighbors were extremely cordial which was, in her mind, a major plus. The Tuesday after she moved in, Elle's phone service was connected. She decided that she was going to try to call Nick one more time before the interview, which was going to take place in 3 days, to see if they could talk things through. Elle picked up the phone and dialed long-distance to Nick Carter.
Meanwhile, Nick was sitting on the floor of his apartment playing Mario Kart on Nintendo 64, when he heard the phone ring. Reluctantly, he paused his game, stood up, walked over to the phone, and checked the caller ID:
Nick stared at the phone as it rang for the third time. His machine clicked on and he heard his own voice echo through the apartment. As he heard Elle's voice, he grabbed the phone and pushed the TALK button. "Hello," he said, as flatly as her could manage."
"Hello? Nick?"
"This is he. What do you want?"
"Nick, it's Elle. Um…I think that we need to talk…"
Nick thought back to Christmas when he and Elle had kissed, and when everything had exploded in his face. He decided that this time, he would listen to his heart, which was telling him in every way to go for it.
"About what?" He asked.
"Well, first I guess I should tell you that I am conducting another interview with all five of you in 3 days. You probably already knew that, but I was just calling to confirm."
"No, you weren't Elle, you know that you don't take care of that kind of "confirmation" stuff." Nick said.
Elle took a breath and said, "You're right. On Christmas, as you well know, you and I kissed. After this kiss, you told me that the only reason you kissed me was because 'I was just there.'
For the past month, I have been trying to call you only the find that you refuse to pick up the phone and work things out. So, I am going to ask you for the final time before I stop making an effort. What are you thinking right now, as we speak? Did that kiss mean anything to you? Are you going to keep this fight going, or do you think that we could work something out?"
"Let me just start by saying that I wanted to kiss you Elle. Ever since the day we met again, it's like, I want to be with you, but, on that day, I listened to someone else's advice rather than my own heart, which is why I gave that stupid reason for kissing you. If I hadn't been so dumb, I would have said that the reason for kissing you was because, I think that I am falling in love with you."
Astonished, Elle waited a few seconds before replying. "I feel the same about you, but you actually like me?" Elle asked, as if the word "love" was incomprehensible to her.
"No," Nick replied, "Elle, I love you. I always have had some sort of romantic feelings for you. Ever since you and I met in kindergarten, there was something there. I was just too blind to realize what I had until it was gone. I'm sorry for not being there and especially for thinking that I was too "all that" to keep in touch with you when I left with the group. Can you forgive me?"
"Already done," Elle said, smiling.