Chapter 14
Amanda took a hot shower after talking to Aaron, and she could not wait to sleep in a real bed. For the last few nights she had slept in a chair next to Nick's bed...waiting for him to wake up. Now that her fiancé had come out of the coma, she didn't need to be at the hospital so much. She planned on visiting him the next morning, to check up and see how he was feeling. After putting the baby to bed, Amanda slipped into her pajamas and walked into the bedroom, her pink slippers warming her feet. The bed had not been made since the day of the accident. Amanda laid in bed and rolled to her side....that's when she smelled it. Nick's cologne lingered on the pillowcases and sheets. It suddenly hit her full force. Nick was not coming home that night. In fact, he wouldn't be home for quite awhile and that meant Amanda was on her own. She grabbed onto the pillow and sat up, burying her face in it and simply drinking his scent in...before it turned into heaving sobs. She cried and cried, hot tears streaming down her face.
"Oh God, Nick....why?" she asked out loud, without meaning to. His scent washed over Amanda, her heart aching for him. She felt helpless...she had always been there to protect Nick from harm, and the one time she wasn't there he nearly died. Amanda felt horrible, her chest hurt as she cried.
"Amanda?" a voice called from the doorway. It was Aaron, his blonde head poking through the door. She didn't answer him, she just cried louder. Moments later...Aaron returned with AJ, who held her in his arms and attempted to calm her.
"Amanda, what's wrong?" AJ asked softly, rubbing her back.
"Nick..." was all she could get out before burying her head in his shoulder and crying again.
"Nick's gonna be okay, Amanda." AJ responded. Amanda shook her head and cried louder.
"Aaron, call Brian." the boy ran to call Brian, who was off duty at the time. Brian rushed over and came into the room. Amanda was hugging Nick's pillow and crying uncontrollably into it.
"Sweetheart, its okay. Shhhh..." Brian said, his arms around her and rubbing her shoulder.
"He's not coming home, Brian...." she whispered finally, her face buried in his chest. Brian reminded her so much of Nick....they were so much alike. She calmed down a bit, feeling safe with him there.
"Amanda, he will get better..." Brian started. Amanda looked up at him and saw tears in his eyes. She had only seen him cry once....and it shocked her to see him crying in front of her again.
"Brian?"
"I was there....I didn't do anything....this is my fault..." Brian said suddenly.
"Oh, don't blame yourself. There is nothing you could have done."
"I know. That's why this is so hard for me." Brian sniffed. When he closed his eyes, he could see Nick laying in the wreckage, blood coming from a wound on his head...his face drained of color. Brian had tried to see if he could help, but in the end he couldn't
because Nick was trapped so much that the police who arrived had to cut the car open to remove his body. The paramedics were saying he was dead but one of them had detected a faint pulse. Brian would never forget looking at his best friend like that.
"Don't beat yourself up. You did the right thing and called for help, it saved his life. You're a hero." Amanda said as they embraced. Brian cracked a slight grin.
"You gonna be okay?" he asked, wiping his eyes.
"Can you stay with me tonight? I'm not ready to be alone just yet." Amanda replied. Brian was shocked when she opened the covers for him and laid down. He felt his heart beat a little quicker in his chest, and he thought back to when they had broken up. Brian was not over Amanda yet, and she was asking him to stay the night in bed with her. He didn't feel comfortable, Nick was his best friend...this was Nick's fiancé and his bedroom.
"Sure, I will stay." Brian said, smiling warmly at her. He lay in bed next to her, trying not to get too close. Brian kept thinkin about Nick in the hospital bed...and hoped he was not in pain that night.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Sorry for the delay in updating! Hope you all like this chapter
