[ - ]
Table of Contents [Report This]
Printer Chapter or Story Microsoft Word Chapter or Story
- Text Size +
“Mommy! We going to Grammy’s house t’day?” Lucy “ Nicola’s five-year-old daughter “ asked eagerly. Lucy was sitting in her booster seat at the small kitchen table with her mother. Lucy set her spoon down on the table, waiting for her mother’s response. The child’s bright blonde curls bounced against her slender shoulders as she tapped her hands against the table after a few moments of complete silence. Lucy had inherited her mother’s impatience when it came to waiting for answers. “Mommy?” Lucy called again.

“Mommy told Grammy, Uncle Danny, and Aunt Rose-Lynn to come to our house and play today,” Nicola answered quickly with a tiny yawn. She popped the lid for her morning Pepsi and took a large swallow. Nicola detested the taste of coffee and received her caffeine fix from soda in the morning. Nicola was a striking twenty-two year old physical therapist with big dreams for her future and a child-like heart.

“Can we play in the pool?” Lucy pleaded as she took large bite of cheerios for her mother. She had learned from her Uncle Danny that it was always good to bribe parents into doing things. Nicola had scolded Danny repeatedly for the teachings, but Lucy never forgot the lesson even at her young age.

“If that’s what you want, Lucy,” Nicola answered with a smile. She would give her daughter the moon if she asked for it. Nicola’s life revolved strictly around her daughter and her daughter’s needs. Lucy was the only person left in Nicola’s life besides her mother, brother, and sister. Nicola had no husband to tend to, so Nicola put all her energy into raising Lucy. She couldn’t have asked for a better gift, though. Nicola never regretted having a child. Lucy made Nicola’s life worth living since Nicola’s husband had abandoned her and Lucy earlier in life.

“Yes! Mommy! That’s what I want!”

“Then we’ll play in the pool and we’ll throw Uncle Danny in!” Nicola declared loudly with an impish grin. Lucy squealed with delight as she clapped her hands in approval. Nicola laughed, knowing her daughter had inherited her playful nature. She sat back in her chair, taking another long sip of her drink, pondering her life in bits and pieces.

“Mommy thinking?” Lucy asked, sensing her mother’s sadness. Lucy had a keen sense that absorbed her mother’s thoughts, feelings, and fears. Nicola’s mother, Marie, had told Nicola that she had never seen a child be so in tune with a mother. Nicola was impressed that her daughter had such a gift.

“No, Lucy, Mommy’s fine.”

“Want kissies?” Lucy squeaked.

“I will take all the kissies that you have to offer “ AFTER you eat,” Nicola ordered with a caring smile. Lucy nodded with understanding, hurrying to finish her cereal. Lucy was an extremely affectionate child.

Nicola was glad that Lucy never argued with her about finishing her meals. So, with relief, Nicola sat back in her chair to admire her daughter. Lucy was an amazingly intelligent child for her age. She could already read and had just finished kindergarten. Nicola did her best to find things that interested her daughter and benefited Lucy by feeding her knowledge for her hungry mind. Lucy was also strikingly beautiful like her mother. Lucy had her mother’s unruly blonde curls that bounced along her tiny shoulders when she grew excited. Her tiny rosebud lips were always pursed in intense thought. Her eyes were a lovely shade a teal and almond shaped. Women gawked and fawned over Lucy as if she were a rare porcelain doll when Nicola traveled through Orlando with her daughter. Nicola couldn’t have been more proud of Lucy.

“Mommy?” Lucy called again.

“What, Babe?”

“Phone!” Lucy cried eagerly.

Nicola cringed as the annoying ring of the phone echoed around her home. She jumped to her feet and raced to the phone in the living room. She fell onto the couch as she grabbed to the wall to snatch the phone off its charger. Nicola ran a hand through her messy locks as if she were talking to someone in person. She then flicked her eyes toward the mirror that sat on the wall near her front door before speaking. “Hello?”

Nicola found herself day dreaming again as someone replied an abrupt hello. She ignored the voice and began to study her own reflection in the nearby mirror. Everyone had always teased Nicola for being a natural woman. Nicola never fussed with makeup and forbade herself to wear any type of cosmetics, except for lip-gloss. Her cheeks and nose were graced lightly with freckles, which caused others to stereotype her with a bubbly personality. Her light pink lips were always curved into some type of smile. Her eyes were matched with a unique color of deep emerald and had bright gold rings circling the pupils. Her hair was a mess of thick curls the color of light brass with brilliant red highlights “ a gift from her Ireland heritage. She had a curved figure with slim hips, broad shoulders, large bosom, and a thin figure. Her peaches-and-cream complexion gave off a warm glow, which matched her honey-coated personality. She cared for everyone as if she knew them personally and did her best to help anyone in need of her services. She was humorous, but had the tongue of a serpent when someone behaved ill toward her or her family.

“TILLEY!” a voice shouted with irritancy.

“Eric?” Nicola called, finally focusing back onto her phone call.

“Nicola! I’m your boss, not your damn buddy! It’s always going to be Dr. Jacobs to you. Please use my respected title when addressing me,” her boss, Dr. Jacobs, raved with anger. Nicola smirked as she twirled a strand of golden-red hair against her index finger. Dr. Jacobs was an angry man with a feisty temper, but he never intimidated Nicola.

Nicola was one of seven physical therapists that worked under Dr. Jacobs in his private clinic. His private clinic reached out to every type of family in the Orlando city. Most of his clinics were sent directly from the Orlando Hospital. Dr. Jacobs was a respected man, but know for his hotheaded temper. Nicola only noticed his temper spark out at her every once in awhile. He always seemed to cut Nicola the most amount of slack when it came to tiny disturbances. Nicola always assumed that it was because she was one of only two physical therapists that agreed to do therapy with patients at their private homes.

“Sorry, Eric,” Nicola apologized with a laughing tone against her soft voice.

“NICOLA!”

“Jezz, Eric, what do you want?”

“You are such an irritation, Nicola!”

“Get over it, Eric.”

“Nicola””

“Why did you call?” Nicola asked, changing the topic quickly.

Dr. Jacobs cursed loudly, causing Nicola to suppress a giggle of amusement. Dr. Jacobs snorted with frustration, trying to gather back his wits. He spoke slowly through clenched teeth, “Another rehab referral came in today. Patient wants home rehabilitation. Immediately. You need to pick up the file on the patient.”

“When do you want me to pick up the file?”

“I suggest today “ the patient starts therapy on Monday.”

“Wait a minute… Are you serious, Eric? Today is
Saturday for goodness sakes!” Nicola exclaimed with anger. Dr. Jacobs knew how Nicola felt about being dragged to work on Saturdays and Sundays. Those two days were her only days off during the week. Her boss knew that Nicola spent the entire day with Nicola during the weekends to make up for just the evening playtime during the week. He knew that Lucy was extremely important to Nicola, but he liked to push Nicola’s buttons for the amusement.

“The file is at my home office,” he answered, ignoring Nicola’s fury.

“Eric””

“I expect you to arrive here in less than an hour.”

“Eric, please, my mother””

“Your job has been assigned and I expect you to complete it, or I will have your final paycheck drawn up and delivered to you from a personal friend.”

“ERIC!”

“Goodbye, Ms. Tilley. See you in an hour.”

Nicola growled with annoyance as she slammed the phone against its charger. She loathed Dr. Jacobs, but he was the best paying job for a physical therapist. She needed as much money as possible in order to keep Lucy well. Lucy was only on a one-parent income and Nicola needed to keep a steady income. Nicola walked back to the kitchen in anger to find Lucy finishing all of her breakfast. Nicola slumped into her chair, knotting her fingers into her curls and pulling. Lucy frowned immediately, “Mommy, you o’tay?”

“What Lucy?”

“You o’tay?”

“Fine, sweetie,” Nicola answered, not wanting to worry her child. She scooped Lucy out of her booster seat quickly. Lucy shrieked with delight when Nicola kissed Lucy’s sweet curls. She hugged the child close as Nicola figured out plans in order to pick up the file. Lucy could stay with Nicola’s mother while she went to pick up the file from Dr. Jacobs. Then Nicola could come back and spend more time with her family. After all, she couldn’t blow off this assignment because Dr. Jacobs was being egotistical, Nicola needed the money to support her precious child.