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Chapter 42 – Miracle Maker

Howie shifted carefully in the humongous bed, not wanting to rouse his slumbering lover. He gently ran his hands down the length of his slowly strengthening legs, his eyes drifting to Nicola’s sweet form. Nicola had instantly drifted into an exhausted state of slumber, but Howie found it difficult to do the same. He was too worried about Nicola’s welfare and the fact that her independence would prove a mean stubborn streak. She meant everything to him. So, if she suffered, he suffered. Yet, she almost flat-out refused his help. Howie hadn’t a clue where to go next within the jumbled sorts of his life. Unable to clear his mind, Howie reached for the phone and dialed the first number to spark in his brain.

“Hello?” Hollie yawned after a several rings.

“Is this Hollie?” Howie checked.

“Let me check my underwear… Yes, this is Hollie… A Hollie Baker even. So, who’s this?”

“Howie—”

“You didn’t elope did you?” Hollie immediately burst, not allowing Howie a word in edgewise. She was infamous for jumping to outrageous and hungry conclusions. Her mind seemed to race like a fevered car hoping to strike rich by claiming the race. “I would never forgive Cola-Pop for not inviting me! It is my right as the best friend to be there! Who else is going to catch the bouquet for the next marriage? And besides, I’m the one who pushed her toward marriage in the first place! Never in my life—”

“Hollie, we didn’t elope…” Howie tried to soothe.

“You…didn’t?”

“No…”

“Well, now that you brought up the subject—”

“What?”

“Would you marry her?”

“We haven’t even talked about marriage.”

“Well, isn’t it a good time to start talking? Cola-Pop’s not getting any younger and Lucy-Lou needs a sister or brother.”

“Wait, we jumped from marriage to kids…”

“Why not kill two birds with one stone? Well… I suppose kill is not the word to describe such a happy event. Maybe feed two cats with one bird? No…that still implies death—”

“Hollie, are you always this inquisitive at two in the morning?” Howie groaned openly, unable to decide why he had called the baffling woman so early in the morning. As much as he regretted his decision, he found it slightly absurd. She did prove to be an interesting piece of entertainment, but had the power to drive him mad.

“Only when it’s my best friend’s boyfriend on the phone and she’s not around—”

“She’s asleep…”

“How do you know?”

“Because she’s beside me?”

“Shouldn’t you put the ring on her finger first before the babies start popping? I mean, pregnant women find it difficult to be happy about planning a wedding knowing they’ll be exploding from their gown in the meantime—”

“Hollie!”

“What?”

“Did it ever concern you why I might have dialed your number at two in the morning?”

“Because…you love me?”

“Guess again…”

“That’s kind of rude—”

“Hollie!”

“Okay, Nicola?

“Well, it does concern Nicola.”

“Oh…” Hollie trailed quietly.

“Did she tell you?”

“About getting fired?”

“I’ll take that as a yes,” Howie sighed softly, running his fingers through Nicola’s beautiful curls. She looked to have not the slightest care in the world as she cuddled beneath the blankets, breathing softly against his skin. He needed some honest advice about how to move throughout the situation without trampling on Nicola’s autonomy. “Did she tell you why?”

“Didn’t she tell you?” Hollie quickly countered, obviously hiding something.

“No.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

“Dam—”

“Hollie, cut me some slack.”

“Sorry.”

“Did she tell you—”

“No, but you just have to understand that Jacob’s is a complete and utter asshole. Nic only worked for him because it was the best paying job at the time and she just wanted to feel useful. But, he doesn’t care who the Hell he hurts to get what he wants… The point is that Cola-Pop and Lucy are hurting because of him! She loves to help people and she made good money. Now, she’s unemployed and she needs to—”

“What if I furnished a clinic for her—”

“She refuses to open her own clinic. She’d never do it, Howie. She’s scared to do it because of her late husband—Did you just say you were going to buy it for her?”

“Yes, I’d like to fix up a building for her own personal clinic.”

“That’s always been her dream!” Hollie gasped.

“Didn’t you just say she’d never do it?” Howie teased.

“That’s besides the point! This is your doing! She’d accept it from you! Oh my gosh! Her dream is coming true!” Hollie screeched with disbelief.

“It’s gotta be a secret, Hollie!”

“I know! I know! You think I’d never kept a secret before—”

“From what Nic told me—”

“Point taken!”

Howie chuckled with amusement. “I’m going to ask you and the girls to keep her busy while I search for the perfect place. Then I’ll have everyone together to help decorate. It’ll be absolutely fantastic if you’d agree to help—”

“On one condition.”

“What’s that?”

“Kevin has to help if I do.”

Howie muffled a laugh, “You’ve got the boy’s heart in your pocket and you’re already driving him insane!”

“So?”

“Call him already! You have his number!”

“It’s fun to play hard to get!”

”Oh, really?”

“Yes, you should try it.”

“Don’t think I could keep my heart from, Nic.”

“You don’t have to. You only condition is to run.”

“I’m going to try,” Howie murmured, flexing his toes beneath the sheets.