“So how is everything?” Leighanne asked, setting a drink down in front of Nick.
Nick smiled. “Better. Much better, actually. She’s done a complete one-eighty in the last month.”
“Well, that’s good,” Leighanne patted his hand and then glanced at her watch. “I think Brian should be here any minute. I didn’t think he would be gone too long.”
No sooner had the words come out of her mouth when her husband and AJ walked through the door. “What’s up kids?” AJ asked, leaning down to give Leighanne a kiss on the cheek.
“Nothing much,” Nick answered. “Where have you two been?”
“Driving range,” Brian replied, sitting down at the table. “Where’s Hunter?”
“Sleeping.” Leighanne stood up and carried the empty glasses back into the house. “I’ll leave you guys alone. Nick, tell Katelin to call me later.”
“Will do!” Nick called after her. He turned back to Brian and AJ. “What do you guys want to do?”
“How about we call Howie and Kev and get a game together,” AJ suggested.
“I’m up for that,” Brian agreed. “You really willing to give me all your money again AJ?”
“Funny Rok.” AJ made a face at his friend and then turned to Nick. “Kate expecting you home at any time?”
Nick shook his head. “Not that I know of. If she needs me, she’ll call.”
***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****
“Hi Grandma!” Brian shrieked, as Jane opened her front door.
“Hi guys!” Jane bent down and the three children ran into her arms. “Come on in.”
Katelin followed her children inside the house. “Thank you so much for watching them this afternoon, Jane. I really couldn’t reschedule this.”
Jane shook her head. “It’s no problem, honey. I think BJ’s going to come over and work on wedding plans with me while they’re here. I think she wanted your opinion on some stuff when you get a chance.”
Katelin smiled, nervously. “I’d love to.” She turned around and looked at her children. “I have to go, kids. Come give Mommy a hug.”
One by one, her three little ones walked into their mother’s arms. Aaron was the last. “Bye mommy. I love you.”
“I love you too, baby,” Katelin replied, fighting emotion. “I love you.”
Jane watched the scene, a puzzled look on her face from what was going on. “So, what time will you pick them up?” she asked, as Katelin stood back up.
“I think Nick is going to,” Kate answered as the kids scampered off in search of toys. “I’ll let him know.”
“Alright.” Jane walked Katelin to the door. “I’ll see you later, then.”
“Bye.” Katelin waved as she walked out of the house.
***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****
“I’m in.” Nick threw his chips out on the table.
“Me too.” Brian agreed.
AJ sighed and then tossed his cards down. “Damn damn damn.”
“What’d I tell you AJ?” Brian laughed, before turning to Kevin and Howie. “What about you guys?”
“I fold,” Kevin said, tossing his cards on the table.
“I’m in,” Howie threw more chips out.
“I don’t know why we do this,” AJ remarked.
“Do what?” Howie asked.
“Agree to play and let Brian and Nick take all our money.” He folded his arms across his chest and pouted.
“Aw poor baby,” Brian snickered. “What do you have, Nick?”
“Two pair,” he replied, throwing his cards down on table. Howie and Brian followed suit.
“Looks like I am the winner again!” Brian announced happily, collecting all of the chips.
“Hi guys,” Leighanne entered the room, Hunter following behind her. “Nick, where’s your wife? I’ve been trying to get a hold of her for a few hours now.”
“Did you try her cell?” Nick asked, shuffling the cards.
“Yeah,” Leighanne replied. “She’s not answering.”
He shrugged. “Couldn’t tell you then. I’ll try in a little bit.”
***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****
Katelin sat on the bed and just looked around the room. Her cell phone started ringing again. She looked at the number. This time it was Nick calling her from his cell phone. She ran her fingers over the number on the caller i.d. and debated whether to answer it or not. She squeezed her eyes shut as it kept ringing and ringing. And then it just stopped, beeping a few seconds later to let her know that there was a message.
She never did listen to that message. If she heard his voice, she probably never would have gone through with it. Instead, she stood up and threw the phone on her bed, before walking into their bathroom.
***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****
Jane glanced at her watch again, wondering where the hell her son was. Not that she minded having her three grandchildren stay there. It was just that it was so unlike both Nick and Katelin to not let them know that they would be late in picking them up.
“What’s wrong, mom?” BJ asked, walking back into the kitchen.
“Huh?” Jane shook herself out of her thoughts. “Oh, nothing. Just wondering where your brother is.”
“Did you try his cell?” BJ suggested.
“Was just about to.” Jane replied, as she picked up the phone and started dialing.
***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****
“Alright,” Nick threw his cards down. “I’m done. Sick of giving Rok all my money.”
“Same here,” Kevin agreed.
“You guys should’ve quit with me and D a long time ago,” AJ called from the couch. “We’ve been having much more fun terrorizing Hunter. Haven’t we Hunter?”
“Uncle AJ!” Hunter shrieked as AJ started to tickle him again. “Stop!”
“Someone’s phone is ringing!” Howie called. “Nicky, I think it’s yours.”
Nick stood up from the table and walked over to where his phone was sitting. “Hello?”
“Hi honey,” his mother’s voice flowed through. “Where are you?”
“At Brian’s,” he answered. “Why? What’s up?”
“Kate said you were picking up the children,” Jane informed him. “She was supposed to call you.”
“She never called me.” Nick was confused. He had his phone around him the entire time. He didn’t miss any calls. “I tried calling her a couple hours ago. No one answered at the house and she didn’t answer her cell.”
“That’s odd,” Jane commented. “She specifically said that she was going to call you to come get them. She said she had an appointment to get to that she couldn’t reschedule.”
“She never called me, mom,” Nick told her. “I don’t even know what appointment you’re talking about.”
“I wonder what’s going on,” she wondered aloud. “This is so unlike Katelin.”
“I’m leaving now to come get them,” Nick told her, grabbing his keys off of the coffee table and waving to his friends. “I’ll keep trying.”
***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****
Nick walked into the dark house later that night. Kayleigh was asleep in his arms and the other two dragged behind him.
“Where’s mom?” Aaron asked, sleepily.
“I don’t know, bud,” Nick replied, quietly. “I have no idea. Why don’t you guys go upstairs and get ready for bed. I’m going to put your sister down.”
The two little boys ran up the stairs ahead of him while Nick carried Kayleigh into her bedroom. He carefully changed her clothes, trying not to wake her, before laying her down in her bed. “Daddy?” she asked, sleepily.
“Go back to sleep, baby,” Nick whispered.
“Wuv you,” she told him, her eyes fluttering shut.
“I love you too, babygirl.” Nick leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead before standing up and slipping from the room.
After saying good night to his two sons, Nick lazily made his way into the bedroom he shared with his wife. He switched on the light and looked around, taking in the appearance of the bedroom and the little silver cell phone laying in the center of the bed. Squeezing his eyes shut, he walked into the bathroom. He flipped on the light and opened his eyes. They bulged out of his head at the sight in front of him. “Oh my god.”