Later that night…
He shoved the last shirt in his case and slowly pulled the zipper around. Nick was anxious to get going, it was going to be good to get back on the road again, get back into shape. Grabbing his suitcase, he pulled it off his bed and set it down on the floor, grabbing his cell phone from off his dresser. Flipping it open, he turned it on and saw that he had one missed phone call. He dialed his voicemail and headed into the bathroom, grabbing his toothbrush. Nick pressed the button to listen to the missed message.
Hey Nick it’s me. Just returning your calls, sorry it took so long. Things have been kinda crazy and I just…well anyway; I know you’re getting ready to go on tour. Have a safe trip and if and when you have the chance, give me a call. Hope to talk to you soon, take care, bye.
“FUCK! I can’t believe I missed her fuckin’ call!” Nick groaned.
Nick quickly pressed the speed dial number for Veronica and waited, pacing anxiously back and forth.
“Hello?”
His heart dropped, “Veronica!”
“Hey Nick, how’s it going?”
“It’s fine, I was so worried about you!”
Veronica blinked then frowned, “Worried?”
“Yeah, you never returned my calls or emails and I…” he stopped, suddenly at loss for words.
“You what?”
“I was just…worried that’s all. I just wanted to know that you were ok, it‘s good to hear your voice.”
She smiled even though he couldn’t see her, “I’m ok Nick. I’m dealing with everything, just trying to move on with my life and adjust. I’m sorry for not responding I just…I wasn’t up to talking to anyone. I kept in contact with my Mom and my job and that was it really. I didn’t mean to worry you.”
Nick sighed in relief, “It’s ok really, I had a feeling that’s what it was, everyone told me that that was probably the case but I just…I…sorry, “ he whispered.
“Don’t apologize, I should be thanking you for caring so much,” she smiled, fighting back the urge to cry. She hadn’t expected him to be like this and it was surprising to say the least. Not once did she think he would actually worry about her like he said he did.
“You’re my friend, of course I care.”
“Thanks for that.”
“So…umm…how’d everything go? Ya know, the funeral and all?” He asked quietly.
“It was…odd you know? I don’t remember a lot about it, but what I do remember is sitting there staring at the coffin and knowing that…that…he was…” she stopped, wiping at her eyes. “It made it very real; I don’t think it really hit me until that point.”
Nick slumped down on the bed, wiping his palms on blanket below him, “God Veronica.”
“Ya know it’s funny, as me and my brother pulled away from the gravesite, I just kept staring at the coffin until I couldn’t see it anymore and the whole time while it was real, it also felt really…surreal. That doesn’t make much sense does it?” Veronica chuckled softly, wiping at her eyes again.
“No no, it makes a lot of sense. God baby I wish I was there so I could hold you, I hate that you’re there all alone.”
“Aww Nick I’m ok, if I really need someone, I can go see my Mom, she’s not far from me,” she finished, inside secretly wishing that he was there too.
“I know but…” he sighed.
“I’m alright Nick, honestly. I just want to go back to my old routine and have things go back to some semblance of normal.”
“Yeah.”
“So, enough of me, what’s going on with you? How were rehearsals?”
He wouldn’t tell her he spent most of his rehearsals worrying about her.
“They were alright, same shit ya know, nothing new. Though I do have to admit that part of me is really excited about getting back on the road.”
“Only part of you?”
“Yeah well it is very draining, the other part of me wants to stay home and sleep, but it’s all good.”
And another part of him still wanted to be there with her, but he wouldn’t tell her that either.
Veronica chuckled, “I hear ya. So are you all packed?”
“Yeah just finished up, leaving early in the morning, I hate waking up early, means I have to go to bed early.”
“Yeah that does suck; I’m not a morning person myself.”
“I told the guys about you,” he blurted out suddenly.
Veronica stilled, she wasn’t sure what that meant, but he sounded nervous about it.
“Oh?”
“Yeah.”
“What did they say?”
“They were…shocked to say the least.”
“I see.”
She wasn’t sure that she did though, was he ashamed of her? Is that why he hadn’t told them sooner?
“It’s just…I couldn’t bring myself to tell them sooner cause well…I kinda wanted you to myself in a way,” he finished, he could feel his face turning red.
Veronica blinked, her heart racing. “O-oh…”
“Yeah, kinda stupid sounding but, I wasn’t ready til just recently to share you.”
“I-I…I’m nothing special Nick.”
“You’re wrong.”
She wiped at her eyes again, it had to be one of the nicest things a guy ever said to her. Nick seemed to do that a lot, be that for her a lot, the one guy who said just the right thing without even knowing it.
