December 15, 2000 Tampa, Florida

Storm clouds started rolling in during the late afternoon. Tina was always a fan of a good storm and got distracted watching the sky get consumed by darkness as Nick rushed around putting away cushions from the patio furniture and anything that might be an invitation for lightning. Thunderstorms were always very dramatic this close to the gulf, but they were nothing compared to the storms she was used to living in the Midwest. They just weren’t normally during the Christmas season.

With a sudden flash of light the skies opened up and rain poured down. She couldn’t stop herself from opening the patio door to listen to the slap of the raindrops against the patio tile, the little droplets jumping off the surface of the pool. She could hear Nick slam the doors shut to the pool house as she stepped out into the winter rain, the water cold between the bottom of her feet and the marble tiles.

Tina stretched her neck and looked up at the sky, inhaling deeply as the downpour fell against her skin. She felt so free then, enjoying the rain. In her imagination she wasn’t standing in the backyard of some oversized, overpriced mansion but instead in a simple field, a meadow somewhere peaceful and beautiful. It stayed peaceful and beautiful of course until a yank on her arm pulled her from her reverie.

“Are you nuts? Go inside, it’s crazy out here!” Nick yelled over the sound of the rain, his soaking wet hair pressed to the top of his head, t-shirt nearly see-through.

“Let go of me!” she snapped, pulling her arm back from him. She felt like everything she did he always tried to ruin, always telling her what to do and what not to do. It was like she was never able to make her own decisions, even about something as simple, as stupid, as standing out in the rain.

“You’re going to catch a cold!” he tried to mother her and she shook her head.

“You can’t catch a cold from the weather,” she rolled her eyes then started to move away from him, not surprised when he followed, “Would you just leave me alone for once?”

“No!” he answered and she continued to move away, feeling her pants getting heavier as the water bogged down the denim.

She didn’t even notice when tears started mixing with the rain that was dripping down her face, “Why can’t you just let me have this one thing? Why do you have to take everything away from me?”

His eyes were wide and he threw his hands up in the air in frustration, “What are you going on about? What have I ever taken away from you?”

“EVERYTHING!” she screamed, not knowing where the energy came from, “I should be...” she paused, her breath coming in fast gasps, “...doing things with my life. I should be in college, having fun with my friends, and learning but instead I’m stuck here! I’m like some caged animal, some sideshow for you to entertain yourself with! I hate it here! I hate it!” gradually she had moved well into his space, her fist connecting with his chest with every heated consonant, “And most of all... I hate you!”

Before she could hit him again Nick grabbed her shoulders firmly, shaking her as he yelled back, “You’re a crazy bitch! You think everything is about you! It’s not! You think you’re the only one who feels stuck? Well, newsflash baby, you’re not! Every time I walk into the same room as you it’s just a reminder of everything that should be. I should be having fun too, you know? I should be at big Hollywood parties, fucking groupies and hot blonde pop stars but instead I’m always coming back to you, playing with toys and watching Bob the Builder. The difference between me and you is that I fucking love you. Sometimes I hate the fact that I love you, and maybe I do take it out on you but... I do, okay? I love you.”

Throwing her arms up she broke out of his vice-like grip, “You’re a liar!” she yelled, now sobbing, “How can you stand there and tell me you love me when you treat me like garbage? I don’t feel loved, and I don’t for a second think you’re not already fucking groupies and hot blonde pop stars. You can’t stand there and tell me you’ve never cheated on me, and you can’t stand there and act the saint like you’re some happy, loving boyfriend and father. Liar!”

“Fine!” now Nick was yelling, water spraying from his wet shirt as he threw his arms in the air, “You want the truth? I have cheated on you! I felt so awful afterwards that I swore I’d never do it again!”

“You poor thing,” Tina said sarcastically, “I can’t imagine how horribly guilty you must have felt! Someone should give you an award for how selfless you are for deciding to stop fucking around.”

He was laughing now but she knew it was no joke, “And you wonder why I treat you the way I do.”

Running her hands over her wet hair she took a quick second to listen to the thunder rolling overhead, “I can’t do this anymore, Nick. I want to go home. I know you still want to be in Parker’s life...”

“Wait,” he interrupted, leaning his head down to catch her eye, “Are you breaking up with me?”

With a heavy sigh she reluctantly nodded, “This isn’t working; you can’t tell me it’s working for you. I want you to be able to do whatever it is you want to do without feeling some obligation to me. I’m tired of having my heart broken over and over again.”

“I just told you I loved you and now you’re breaking up with me?” Nick asked incredulously and she nearly laughed at the fact that he was surprised, “You’re pregnant with my child.”

 “You don’t even want this baby! You told me you as much!” she yelled and turned to walk away, feeling him on her heels, “An hour ago you wanted me to have an abortion and now you’re trying to use it against me? How dare you!”

“Don’t walk away from me!” he growled, pulling at her arm but she kept pulling away, trying to get back towards the door.

Her feet were sliding against the tile as she rounded the pool but she kept speeding up to make sure she got to the door before Nick. Her footing failed her though as she tried to keep her balance on the slick tiles. Between Nick’s hands grabbing for her, and the lack of balance, she suddenly found herself falling, quickly, towards the rough surface of the pool. The water would normally have made for a cushioned landing, but she felt the sharp blow of her head hitting the metal ladder and then nothing at all. Just heard the distant sound of Nick screaming her name before it all went silent.