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Chapter 8 - Starting Anew

Nicola lazily stretched out on her living room carpet while Lucy played happily with her American Girl Doll named Josephina. Nicola listened to her daughter's happy chatter turn to a soft humming. Nicola watched while Lucy began to rock her doll to sleep. Lucy loved imitating her mother's actions with her doll, allowing Nicola to swell with pride. Nicola closed her eyes, thanking God again for her daughter. At seventeen, Nicola had thought her pregnancy a curse from the Heavens, but God had provided, nonetheless. In God's kind mercy, He had allowed Nicola to marry the caring man that she had created life with. Her lover and God had carried her through the messiest times in her life. However, just as God had provided for Nicola, He had also taken away. Now, she no longer had her husband to comfort her in the times of distress. Although it had been many years since the fateful accident, Nicola was still bitter.

"Mommy?" Lucy called, tugging softly on Nicola's denim shorts. Lucy had became irritated with her mother's laziness. Lucy's large eyes sparked with a happiness only a mother could create when Nicola scooped the child into her arms. Nicola immediately layered Lucy's rosy cheeks with kisses, causing Lucy to squeal with delight. Lucy wrapped her small arms around her mother's neck, squeezing her tightly at Josephina fell gently to the floor.

"Is that what you wanted?" Nicola teased after the final kisses.

"Yes, I wanted kissies, but... wait... There was something else I wanted, too... Mommy!" Lucy cried out, becoming extremely confused at her mother's intelligent guessing talents. Her cheeks turned bright red as the frustration grew inside her small body. "Mommy! That's no fair!"

Nicola laughed, kissing her daughter's forehead. She immediately noted that her daughter had retrieved a hairbrush from the coffee table, holding it expectantly. Nicola smiled with amusement. "Do you want me to do your hair, Lucy?"

"Yes," Lucy awed. "How'd you know, Mommy?"

"Lucy, you're holding Mommy's brush!" Nicola answered with a laugh.

Lucy glanced down at her small hands to see the brush settled in her little fists. Lucy glanced up with a playful glimmer dancing in her eyes. "Oh, yes!" Lucy declared with a silly giggle. With that said, Lucy plopped herself down into Nicola's lap. She reached up and tugged the ponytail out of her hair and handed it to Nicola. Lucy loved when her mother fussed with her hair and paid special attention to every detail. Lucy was a very affectionate child and always had been that way since she was an infant. Nicola adored the fact that her child was so lovable and had always dreamed of being able to have more children for Lucy to love, but it was unlikely. Alas, Nicola had no husband to feed her desire for more children.

"Mommy, can we go out for pizza tonight?" Lucy asked as Nicola slowly finished the last of two braids. Lucy's bright teal eyes watered with hope as she patted her mother's bare thigh in hopes for a pleasing response. Nicola mumbled something, causing Lucy to frown with disapproval. Lucy immediately smacked her mother's thigh harder, causing Nicola to jump. Lucy thrust out her bottom pink lip into a pout. "Mommy? Please?"

Nicola rolled her eyes with a joyous laugh. Lucy always knew how to tug on Nicola's heart-strings. Nicola pulled Lucy into a tight hug, nestling her child against her chest. Nicola loved taking her child for pizza. Everyone admired the beautiful couple as they waited for their food. "Sure! I'm hungry for pizza, too, Lucy."

"Good! We're hungry, too!" Danny called loudly as he ran into the living room without an invitation. Lucy squealed with delight at seeing her Aunt Rosa-Lynn following behind her Uncle Danny. Lucy squirmed away from her mother's hugs to leap into Danny's arms, showering him with affectionate kisses before moving to Rosa-Lynn for attention.

"Don't you ever knock?" Nicola complained with a groan. She pushed herself off the floor and grabbed Lucy's doll. Nicola ran her fingers through the doll's black hair while glaring at her brother. Rose-Lynn and Danny always intruded into the house when Nicola was looking forward to spending private time with Lucy. Nicola loved her siblings, but sometimes they became annoying. Nicola sighed in defeat, setting the doll on the couch in time for Lucy to jump back into her arms.

"Sorry! Mom told us to come pick up Lucy before you went to work, but, it's obvious that you won't be going to work today," Danny answered, glancing at Nicola with worry. He arched his eyebrows with confusion, praying that Dr. Jacobs hadn't done something to his sister. "Did Dr. Jacobs do something stupid again?"

"No, Danny," Nicola groaned.

"Then what's the matter?" Danny asked.

"It's not that big of a deal, Danny, just forget it."

"Is Howie okay?" Rosa-Lynn blurted, watching her siblings bicker.

"Rosa, Mr. Dorough's case is none of your business," Nicola immediately reprimanded.

"I just figured I'd ask! Jezz! The media is saying that the boys are ignoring him and they are planning on firing him from the group!" Rosa-Lynn complained, annoyed that her sister was so stressed about a simple question. Nicola bit down hard on her tongue, collapsing on the couch with Lucy in her arms. Nicola could never compete with her sister's outrageous behaviors.

"Rose, shut up," Danny hissed, sitting by Nicola on the couch. He reached out to brush away Lucy's honey curls, glancing at his older sister with worry. "Are you okay, Nic?"

"I'm having issues with my client, okay?" Nicola finally divulged, regretting that she had said anything.

"What kind of issues?" Rosa-Lynn inquired with interest.

"He's depressed about his injury and I think it might be hopeless," Nicola explained, realizing that she was breaking her patient confidentiality obligations. Nicola sighed, not really caring anymore, and began to rock Lucy back and forth in her arms. Nicola had called every day to see if Howie needed her, but the family had the same response on every occasion. Howie just wasn't ready for therapy. Nicola feared that Howie's body might become useless before he realized he needed her.

"I'm sorry," Danny whispered with regret.

"Me, too, Nic. I wished we could have helped in some kind of way... I would have laid off on the questions and all... But I didn't know it was that big of an issue," Rosa-Lynn immediately apologized, looking extremely sympathetic toward her sister's cause.

"Thanks," Nicola whispered gratefully. She was about to say something else, but the phone began to ring loudly. Nicola groaned, allowing Lucy to crawl into Rosa-Lynn's arms before she pushed herself off the couch. Rosa-Lynn took Nicola's place on the couch, bringing Lucy's doll into her arms to occupy Lucy. Nicola hurried to the phone in the kitchen when she saw that Lucy was fine. She leaned against the counter in her kitchen, grabbing the phone and speaking quickly, "Hello?"

"Hello, is this Nicola Tilley's residence?" a male voice questioned with nervousness.

"Yes, this is her. How may I help you?"

"Hi...um... it's Howard Dorough...ah...Howie--"

"How are you?" Nicola interrupted with relief. She had prayed he would call her. She had prayed every night that he would realize her importance to his situation. She realized though that God could not do everything to cure Howie. Nicola also needed to have some kind of break through with him if she intended to do him any good.

"It's been rough," Howie admitted honestly.

"Yes, I understand that it has been rough on you."

"I'm really stiff, too. I have immense pains in every part of my body."

"That's because you haven't exercised like I requested you do."

"I know. I am truly sorry for giving you such a rough time on your first day. I should have realized that this was new to you, too. I realize that I was an idiot. I just hope that you can accept my apologies," Howie announced softly.

"I forgive you. I know that this accident robbed you of many things that you probably took for granted. I can understand that you are frustrated. I should have realized that this was new to you, instead of just assuming for you. I'm really sorry for being so rough on you. So, we were both at fault."

"I suppose I can accept that."

"Same here," Nicola laughed softly. "So, is there anything else I can help with you?"

Nicola's question brought Howie into a long silence. Nicola heard him take a deep breath of recognition, realizing that he had to further make up for his ill actions. She knew this had to be hard for him to say. It was obvious that Howie held a lot of pride in his heart. He didn't readily ask for help unless he truly needed it. "My sister said that you've been calling the house every day to check in on me. I really appreciate that. No one has offered such kindness since the accident, excluding my family. So, I was wondering if the offer was still good?"

"What offer?"

"The offer for therapy."

"Oh! Of course! That offer is always open."

"Great, can we try again tomorrow?"

"Of course, I can be there at ten in the morning."

"Great! Miss-um... Can I just call you Nicola?"

"Sure!"

"Great, thanks, Nicola! You know, for everything," Howie replied gratefully. He allowed Nicola to say her goodbyes and ended the conversation with a smile on his face. Not knowing that Nicola also shared that same loving smile.