Chapter 16
“Hi…” Jeanie’s voice was
apprehensive. The last person she expected to see at midnight was Nick. “Are
you okay?” They were knee-deep in preparation and rehearsal for the tour, why
was he here?
Nick entered carrying just a
backpack. He forced a tiny smile and kissed her high on her cheek, then walked
straight toward her bedroom.
She locked the front door and
followed him. As soon as she entered, he forcefully grabbed her, his mouth
crushing down on her, his kisses hard and arduous as he ripped at her clothes.
She’d never seen Nick like this before…as if he was trying to prove something.
He bit and tugged on her ear lobe
then began to rake his teeth down the side of her neck, his hands squeezing and
pulling her breasts until she couldn’t tolerate the pain and yelped. His tongue
and mouth were everywhere, biting and lapping at her naked skin. His passion
was furious and rash and reckless. He was borderline out of control and all she
knew to do was surrender to his aggression, not understanding why he was being
so forceful, but trusting him to not hurt her. He wasn’t mad or drunk…but he
was clearly desperate.
It happened so fast, she wasn’t
anywhere near ready for him when Nick slammed into her and began furiously
pumping. She was far from turned-on and when he entered her it felt as if he
was tearing her wide open.
"Oh, oh...Nick..." She
winced from the pain, digging her nails into his back and burying her face into
his sweaty shoulder. All she could do was hold on. She tried desperately to
relax and to calm him down…find his rhythm, but it was impossible. Nick had one
fist tangled in her long hair, his other hand harshly gripping her ass, lifting
her slender hips up to meet his raging thrusts. His orgasm was violently
explosive and he came with such ferocity that what began as a throaty moan
gurgled into a scream. However, his cries of pleasure quickly dissolved into
tears of anguish and he began to weep uncontrollably.
He lay heavy on top of her and she
wrapped her arms around him and let him cry. “I love you, Jeanie…I love you.
Don’t leave me…” he wept.
Eventually, she eased out from
under him and pulled him to her. Nick laid his head to her breast and she
embraced him and quietly rocked him back and forth, as she would Madi. “It’s
okay, shh. I know…I love you, too. I’m not going anywhere.” She tried to
comfort him and reassure him, but it was hopeless. Something or someone had
pushed him to the brink of despair. “Baby, it’s going to be okay. Shhh, calm
down…”
She tried desperately to ease his
pain, not knowing the source. Emotionally exhausted, they both eventually
drifted off into sleep, Nick quietly whimpering and begging, “Don’t leave me,
please…”
***********
The next morning Jeanie awoke to
the sound of Nick and Madi giggling. She forced open her eyes to see them both
in her bed. Nick, his eyes puffy and red, was lying on his side facing Jeanie.
Madi, wearing only a diaper, sat in between them. Nick had taken off his
necklace and she beating him with it and laughing.
“Hey…” she moaned. “Watcha guys
doing?” Madi rolled back onto Jeanie and wriggled around. “Hey, punkin, are you
a wiggly-worm?” Jeanie lazily tickled her then gently traced Nick’s jaw line.
“Hey punkin…how about you? You okay?”
“I guess…” he tried to smile.
“Wanna talk?” she whispered.
“We can, but there’s nothing to
say.” He buried his face in Madi’s tummy and playfully tickled her eliciting a
screech of delight.
“Nick, you hurt me last night…”
“I’m sorry…I-I…” he looked as if
he would cry.
“No, baby. I’m not mad. I just don’t
know how to help you right now, that’s all,” she kissed the top of his head.
“I just wanted you to know how
much I love you. I didn’t mean to hurt you…”
“Nick, I know how you feel. You
don’t have prove yourself, especially like that.”
“Yeah, I do…” a fresh tear broke
free from his left eye. Madi quietly watched. “Jeanie, Kevin knows…”
She remained silent, but he could
tell by her breathing, now shallow and rapid, that she was upset. “Last night,
A.J. and Linds told me he’s ready to come back…” Tears streamed down his
cheeks. “I love you…I really do. I know this isn’t what you want for you or for
Madi, but that doesn’t change how I feel. Just because I’m younger than you
are, doesn’t mean I can’t love as much as you do.”
Jeanie closed her eyes as tears
inched their way down her face. Madi, seeing Nick and Mommy crying began to
wail. Nick held her and rocked her.
For someone so in tune with her
emotions, she was ashamed that she’d taken Nick’s love so lightly. Love is
relevant and proportional to each person’s circumstances. Age has nothing to do
with love.
In his own way and to his heart,
Nick loved her every bit as much as Kevin, probably more. Jeanie had been so
blinded by her love for Kevin that she didn’t appreciate or fully see how much
love Nick had to offer.
They both knew this would be their
last time together…the last time Nick would playfully wrestle with Madi. The
last time Jeanie and Nick would make love. When Katie came to get Madison for
breakfast, they loved each again. However, this time there was no desperation
or force…just bittersweet love in its purest form.
*****
Nick had been her angel. He came
to her when she at her lowest and lifted her from broken-hearted despair. He
made her laugh and he loved her.
Jeanie had been Nick’s angel. She
guided him and nurtured him, giving him insight into love and relationships and
trust. She made him feel like he was the most important man walking the face of
the earth and he would miss her terribly.
Together they were good…apart
would be hard, but it was time.
Nick slung his backpack over his
right shoulder and fought to control raw emotions. Jeanie stood in front of
him, her head resting lightly on his chest.
“I will always love you, Mr.
Carter,” she whispered.
He smiled briefly and winked.
“Back atcha Mrs. Richardson.”