“Yeah, don’t you correspond with him?”
“No, I most certainly do not. Whatever gave you that idea?”
Ronni, you lying bitch, he thought. He wasn’t surprised. The Ronni he’d known had always been playing games. She hadn’t changed much, he guessed.
“Um…I saw a letter from him when I was there last month…in a basket in your study. There was a bunch of cards and stuff about the wedding. I thought it was okay to go through them.”
“Of course, it was okay. I left them out for you to look at, for us to look at together. And it wasn’t a letter. It was a note, a simple congratulations to both of us.”
“Did you answer it?” It didn’t really matter, but Nick had to know.
“Yes, I did. It was the polite thing to do.” Abby always did the polite thing, with the possible exception of the tuna casserole incident.
“What did you say?”
“What did I actually say or what was I thinking?” Abby laughed, hoping to break the tension. “They aren’t the same thing.”
“What did you say?”
“I said, thank you very much, Nick and I appreciate the good wishes, hope all is well with you.”
“What were you thinking?”
Abby chuckled. “I took a major step up, didn’t I, you loser?”
Nick laughed. “That would have told him off, but good.”
“Oh, I think I made the point last year with the tuna casserole,” laughed Abby. “I felt I should be much more polite this time. After all, I wouldn’t want him to think I harbored any ill feelings…or any feelings at all.”
“Yes,” said Nick, “you wouldn’t want that. Civil and polite, that would be the way to go.”
“Yes,” said Abby, wondering why they were even having this conversation. “Civil and polite and then over and out.”
“Over and out,” said Nick, half to himself. “Right.”
Gap.
“Abby, it would be okay if you wanted to, you know, like…keep in touch with him…or anyone. It wouldn’t bother me.”
“Nick, I have no interest in Philip Randall. None. Not even as a pen pal.”
“I know, but I just didn’t want you to think that…like I thought I owned you or something…like you couldn’t have other friends…or whatever…”
“Okay…” said Abby, slowly. She couldn’t see where this was going.
“Abby, I…”
“Hang on, Nick, someone’s at the door. Probably my dinner.”
Nick waited through the sounds of Abby’s dinner being delivered. He’d been about to confess to the Ronni emails, laugh them off as harmless, business really, all about the concert. But he didn’t know how Abby would react and he didn’t want to do anything to spoil her big day. He was, however, going to stop answering Ronni’s emails. Over and out. And when he got to Chicago next, he was going to tell Abby all about it, face-to-face, clear the air, even about the kiss. Well, maybe he’d wait until he saw how she reacted to the email before he confessed about the kiss. And he was damn sure staying away from Ronni while he was there.
When Abby came back to the phone, Nick said he’d better go, Abby would want to eat her meal while it was hot. Abby lied and said that she had just ordered a sandwich and salad and it could wait.
Abby wasn’t letting Nick off the phone until she absolutely had to. She was so glad he’d called. She’d been missing him all day, what with so many people mentioning him. She’d wondered what she’d say to Lawrence the next day when he asked about Nick’s call. Now she knew.
She’d wondered about a lot of things lately. Nick had been so remote. Abby wondered why. Was it the symphony concert? Did he not want to do that? Apparently, it was Kevin that had taken the ball and run with it…and now, of course, people way higher up the management food chain had control of it.
Was it her book? Did he really not want her to do it? He had said so little on the subject in the last two weeks, it was hard to tell. Did he think she was using him to get publicity? She didn’t think so, but…
Was it her? There was the question that plagued her when she woke up in the middle of the night. She had certainly made a wonderful impression last month, she knew that. She had ruined their time together by being sick. Nick had enough things to concentrate on, what with the tour and all, without having to deal with a fevered, dehydrated woman.
“What are you going to sing tonight in the ‘quiet, little thang’?” she asked.
They talked about music for awhile, neither paying much attention to the words, both just absorbing the sound of the other’s voice into their soul.
“Just a couple of weeks,” said Nick, finally, “and then I’ll be home again.”
“Yes, for a whole week. I’ll be healthy this time, I promise.”
“Yes, please. You scared me, Abby.”
“Well, I know I looked awful, but I don’t think it was frightening…” laughed Abby.
“You know what I mean,” said Nick. “You were so sick. Even Terence thought you looked…sick.”
Abby snorted at Nick’s substitution for the word ‘awful’. “Well, I’m perfectly fine now. It’s going to be a very busy week, but I guess you’re used to that.”
“Yeah, every week is a busy one when you’re on tour. At least this time, I get to be busy all in the same place.” That didn’t sound right somehow. “I mean…”
“I know what you mean,” said Abby softly.
Gap.
“I can’t wait for you to meet my Aunt P.,” she continued.
“I’m looking forward to that, for sure,” said Nick. “From all you’ve told me about her, she sounds wonderful.”
“She’s a kindred spirit, all right,” said Abby.
Nick wasn’t sure what a kindred spirit was. He hoped he was one of Abby’s. “Abby, I…”
A sharp rap at the door interrupted him. “Meet and greet time, Nick!” Terrence’s voice came through the door.
“I gotta go,” said Nick.
“I know,” said Abby.
Gap.
"I gotta go,” he said again after several seconds of silence.
“I know,” said Abby softly.
Gap.
“Go on, go to work,” said Abby. “Thanks for calling.” I love you, she mouthed to the phone.
“My pleasure,” said Nick with a sigh. “Bye.” I love you. His lips moved silently.
Nick disconnected but didn’t move. He cradled the phone in his hand like a precious jewel. He closed his eyes and he made some decisions. He was not going to fuck up what he had with Abby. No way. No how. He was going to put the past in the past and leave it there.
And he was going to tell Abby how he felt about her. He didn’t care about rule number one any more. He would make it clear that she didn’t have to feel the same way. It didn’t make any difference. She just had to be there. And she was. He knew she was.
Nick grimaced to himself. He wasn’t sure how she’d react. A deal is a deal. She was always saying that. What if she got mad or upset or something?
Then a smile spread slowly across his face. She could hardly get mad in the middle of the wedding party now, could she? Yeah, that was it. He’d tell her then. In public. People wouldn’t be surprised. The groom told the bride he loves her. Hardly big news. He’d make a toast or something. Even if she didn’t like it, she’d be polite. Nick chuckled to himself. He’d better make sure there was no tuna casserole handy.
“Nick!!” Kevin’s voice came through the door. “Get off the phone and get out here. Tell Abby you love her and come on.”
Oh, I’m going to tell her, said Nick to himself. I’m going to.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A changed man bounded out of the dressing room a moment later. The old Nick was back, smiling, laughing, carefree. Whatever burr he’d had up his butt for the past two weeks seemed to be gone.
He told the guys all about Abby’s book signing and interview. They were thrilled for her and told him he’d better sharpen his pencils, he was going to have a lot of illustrating to do. There was going to be a high demand for her stories.
“We’ll spend some time on that when I’m home in a couple of weeks,” said Nick.
Brian snorted. “I don’t know when. It’s going to be a pretty busy week.”
“Yeah,” said AJ, “and when you’re alone with Abby, I don’t think you’ll be illustrating.” He did a little dance, turning the word into a four-syllable song.
“Better sharpen up that other pencil,” said Kevin and they all laughed. Nick blushed and that made them laugh even harder.
They carried the good mood through the show. The audience was thrilled. The Boys seemed so ‘up’. This was the best ‘quiet little thang’ ever. The fans were excited and proud that they could be there for it.
Yessir, thought Nick, when he went to sleep that night, life is good. Everything is wonderful and in two weeks, everything is going to be perfect.
Of course, Ronni had other plans.
