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Olivia and Yasmin sat at the kitchen table sipping their tea. "So, you leave Saturday?" Yasmin asked.
"Yeah. Saturday afternoon." Olivia said with a disappointed sigh. "Well...You will just have to make sure you come back soon." Yasmin said with a smile as she squeezed Olivias' hand. "I plan on it."
The women sat and talked til mid afternoon, then Yasmin left to go home. Olivia headed up the stairs and followed the sound of the music. She opened the door to the room where the sound was coming from to see Nick, sitting in a chair playing an acoustic guitar. She stood and watched him play with tears in her eyes. At that moment she knew what it was to truly love again with all her heart. She had found her soul mate in this man.
He was warm, gentle, loving....everything a woman could want. But, she also knew in a few days there would be an ocean between them. She quietly shut the door, and went to Nicks' bedroom. Suddenly feeling drained, she curled up on the bed, and hugging Nicks' pillow tight, fell asleep.
Nick laid down the guitar and let out a sigh. He decided to go downstairs and crash the girls party for fun. He descended the stairs and found the living room empty. He looked in the kitchen, it was empty too.
"Where could they be?" he wondered. The whole house was quiet.
Nick noticed Yasmin's car was gone, but Olivia wouldn't leave without saying bye to him. He went back upstairs and peeked in her room-empty. He
walked down to his room and saw Olivia curled up on the bed, sleeping.
A flood of thoughts and emotions ran through his head and his heart when he saw Olivia. He approached the bed and looked down on her.
She was peaceful in her slumber. Nick heard his mother saying "Make this one happy, Nick." and Yasmin telling him not to let her go. God knows
he didn't want her to go. He wanted to keep her here with him, but what could he do?
"This is her career." he reminded himself. He would do anything to keep her there, anything to make her happy.
Nick sat next to Olivia and gently ran his fingers through her soft hair. He longed to hold her close to him and make her sadness and tears go away.
"Nick...." she whispered.
"I'm here, sweetheart."
"I must've fallen asleep. What time is it?" she asked as she sat up.
"You were sleeping quite sound, luv. It's about 6:00pm now."
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to fall asleep. I just felt so tired."
"It's ok, luv. Did you have a nice visit with Yas?"
"Yes I did." she replied with a smile.
"Are you hungry? Would you like to go somewhere?"
"I'm not hungry, but thanks for asking."
"I care about you, Olivia. I want to take care of you."
Tears filled her eyes and began to stream down her cheeks.
"Don't cry, sweetheart. I didn't mean to make you cry."
"You didn't." she sobbed "I just...."
"Just what, luv?"
"Nick....I love you so much. I'm happy for the first time in years." she cried
"You're the reason I'm happy. You make me happy, Nick."
He wrapped her in his embrace. She melted into him as her sobs grew harder.
"I love you too, Liv. Everything's going to be fine, I promise, luv."
Nick laid Olivia back on the bed and held her in his arms. He wished with all his heart that he could do something to make this easier for both of them.
Ever since she told him that she would have to cut short her holiday, he had been crying inside. And for the first time, as he lay holding a sleeping Olivia in his arms, let them out.
The tears were slow coming at first, but within minutes Nicks' body was racked with sobs.
He gently got up from the bed and made his way to the bathroom. He had to pull himself together.He needed to be strong for Olivia.
CHAPTER 22
Nick let the tears continue to flow. No matter what he did, they wouldn't stop. He decided to go downstairs and relax with a glass of wine. On the way out of the bathroom, he glanced in the mirror. The reflection made him wince. "You look like hell." he said.
He walked quietly over to the bed and looked down at Olivia. She was sleeping deeply. Nick put his fingers to his lips and then gently touched her cheek with them. The tears began to sting his eyes again. He turned and left the bedroom and went downstairs. Nick went to the kitchen, got a
wine glass and filled it up and went into the living room to relax on the sofa.
He drew in a deep breath before he took a long drink of the wine. He laid his head back and rubbed his eyes. He was startled when the phone rang.
"'Ello?" he managed in a raspy voice.
"Nick? Umm...it's Yas."
"Hi Yas."
"Are you ok?"
"I've been better."
"Talk to me Nick. What's going on?"
"Nothing's going on, I'm just trying to deal with Olivia's leaving, and I'm having a hell of a time with it."
"She's having a hard time too, Nick."
"I know she is. She's cried almost all day, save for when you were here. I've been strong for her and tried to comfort her and I'm trying my damnedest to make her happy."
"Nick, you do make her happy. She's just so devestated right now that all she can do is cry. She loves you."
His eyes burned and hot tears rolled down his cheeks.
"Nick?"
"I'm here." he whispered.
"Everything's going to be fine for you and Liv. Don't doubt that. You love each other, you care for each other and you want to be together more
than any two people I know."
"I don't want her to go Yas, but I can't very well ask her to stay and blow everything she's worked so hard for. It wouldn't be fair to her."
"Oh Nick. I know you don't want her to go. She doesn't want to go either, but she has to."
"I know."
"Just love her. Get her back to you as soon as you can, or else go see her."
"Visiting her is easier said than done. I can only imagine the reaming Simon would give me for going to the States."
"John will understand, and if Simon gives you shit, I'll handle him."
"Thank you, Yas. You don't have to do all this."
"Nick, I'm doing this because I'm your friend and Olivia's friend. I love you both and I care about you. I want to see you two together and happy."
"Me too." he sighed.
"I'm going to go now. Go to her Nick, tell her how you feel. Love her."
"Thanks, Yas."
"You're welcome, luv. Anytime. I'm here if you need anything."
Nick laid the reciever in the cradle and looked upstairs. He knew Olivia would still be sleeping, but he wanted to hold her close to him. He went upstairs and entered his room.
Olivia was still curled up and sleeping soundly. He laid on the bed behind her and wrapped his arms
around her. She didn't stir. Nick laid there trying to find the sleep that eluded him. His mind was so clouded with thoughts, he knew there was no
chance of sleep for him. He was content to just hold Olivia.
"Dammit." he mumbled when the phone rang. He picked up the handset.
"'Ello?"
"Nick?"
"Mum." he sighed as he walked out in the hall so he wouldn't wake Olivia.
"Son, are you alright?"
"I don't really know." he said, feeling the tears in his eyes again.
"Nick, it's ok."
"What is?"
"It's ok if you cry, luv. I know you're sad and upset."
"I feel like my heart is breaking, I don't know what to do or what to say."
"Just be there for her, luv."
"I have been and I will be. I just want to be strong for her, mum. I don't want to break down in front of her."
"Nick, I know you're being strong. Crying and showing how you feel doesn't make you weak, luv. It shows her how you feel."
"Right now, I feel like an emotional wreck. I love her so much, mum. I don't want her to go."
"I know you love her and that you want her to stay. You and Olivia will
find a way to be together.
"Yes we will."
"I love you son. Go take care of Olivia."
"I will. I love you, mum."
Nick hung up and laid the handset down on the floor. He put his head in his hands and let the tears flow freely this time. Nick raised his head
and stood to go bakck into the room. He turned and saw Olivia., with tears in her eyes.
"I'm sorry, luv. Did I wake you?"
"No. I heard the phone ringing.
""Sorry, it was mum."
"I heard. she whispered, tears streaming down her face.
"What is it? Why are you crying." He asked as he went to her.
"I overheard your conversation with your mother. I heard what you said, Nick."
"I'm sorry." he said as he pressed his forehead against hers.
"I'm not. Hearing you talk to your mother, brought tears to my eyes. I know this is hard for you too."
He pulled her close. They held each other tight.
"I love you, Nick. I love you." she whispered.
"I love you, Liv. More than you know."
Nick pulled back slightly and lifted her chin up with his hand.
"Let's go downstairs." he said "I'll make some tea." "That sounds really good." she replied with a smile.
He took her hand and held it tight as they made their way to the kitchen. Nick and Olivia set about making tea. He noticed for the first time all day, she was smiling.
Nick and Olivia took their tea into the living room and settled on the sofa.
"Thank you, Nick."
"For what, luv?"
"For being so patient with me today. For understanding."
"Of course I understand, sweetheart. This is hard for both of us." he said, wrapping his arm around her.
"I'm just not ready to go." she sighed.
"I'm not ready for you to go either, luv. We'll just have to get you back here very soon."
"I'd like that. Do you think there's a chance you can come see me?"
"I'd be willing to bet there's more than a chance."
"John and Simon won't be mad?"
"John will be fine. Yasmin will handle Simon."
"I bet she will." Olivia laughed.
"You still have a lot of holiday time left, right?"
"Yeah. Still have about 3 years of vacation time that I never used."
"We'll have to change that, won't we?"
"Umm-hmm." she purred.
Nick and Olivia continued talking late into the night. They fell alseep on the sofa, holding on to each other.
con't. next pg.
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