Chapter Seventeen: Handle With Care
Precious And Fragile Things, Need Special Handling - Precious by Depeche Mode
Nick stepped out of the shower that morning shocked to see the bed empty, which was the opposite of how he had left it. Everything from the day before had changed, all uncertainty had left him thanks to the conversation they'd had the night before. He heard the sound of giggling emanate up the stairs and the smell of pancake batter and bacon fat hung heavy in the air. He dressed quickly and came down the stairs and smiled as he entered the kitchen seeing both girls sitting near the counter and Marie flipping pancakes in a frying pan as well as sizzling bacon.
"Wow, you three have been busy this morning." He remarked making all three of them look up and their faces though different in age, shape and softness all lit up into three breathtaking smiles.
"Daddy!" Jo sang as she hopped down and ran over to him tugging his hand forward to bring him fully into the kitchen. "Marie knows how to make pancakes!"
"I see that." He replied smiling at her. "Mornin'."
"Morning." She said with a content sigh. "I got up while you were in the shower, figured the three of you would like some of my famous chocolate chip pancakes." She mused and began dishing up four plates. Nick smiled and sighed a little just marveling at how easily that Marie was falling into their lives. He fought the urge to make his way around the counter and pull her lips to his. He knew that in front of his daughters, at least until they were ready to accept Marie as a possibility, that kissing her in front of them was not a wise choice.
So, instead of giving into his desire to kiss her senseless, Nick helped the girls carry plates over to the table and smiled as everyone settled in, both girls sitting next to each other in the breakfast nook and Nick and Marie sitting across from each other. They ate in relative silence only listening to the morning chatter of the two little girls.
"Marie did you show Daddy our castle?" Livie asked suddenly and Marie grinned.
"I thought you two wanted to show him our pictures. I'll go get them though if you want to show him now?" She asked as both girls lit up nodding their heads vigorously in agreement. "Okay then, if you'll excuse me I will be right back."
"You're excused." Livie half shrieked giggling. Nick laughed a little and gave her an admonishing look. "Daddy we had so much fun with Marie yesterday."
He sighed and grinned genuinely at her. "Well I am happy you had fun."
"Daddy, did you and Marie have a sleep over?" Jo asked with an expectant look.
"We stayed up late talking." Marie said as she walked back into the room holding a small stack of photos she printed out the day before with the girls. "We took these at the beach, I was going to put them in an album for you but I think Livie got a little to anxious about giving you a present."
Nick took the stack and began flipping through them seeing candid shots of his daughters, of the dogs, and then a few of Marie. "Who took these?" He asked wondering who took the pictures of her.
"Me!" Jo exclaimed rather proud of herself for taking the pictures. "Marie showed me how to use it and I went a little crazy."
He smiled, "I love them, thank you." He said as he ran through the photos smiling at the castle they'd made. "This is awesome. Thanks, the three of you."
"Welcome." All three girls chimed and he grinned just as the house phone began to ring.
Livie jumped up and answered it giggling a little as she walked over and handed her father the phone. "It's Uncle Alex, he says he wants to talk to you."
Marie watched as Nick took the phone and chatted amiably for a few minutes. "So girls how do you like my pancakes?" She asked keeping them occupied while Nick finished up his conversation.
Jo grinned widely, "I love them!" She exclaimed and Marie smiled warmly at her. "Daddy never lets us have chocolate for breakfast."
"Well I reserve these pancakes for special occasions."
"Wot's da okay-shun?" Livie asked with her mouth completely full of pancakes. Marie explained to her that it was because that she was making breakfast for them that she deemed it a special occasion.
"Liv, don't talk with your mouth full. It's rude." Nick semi-scolded as he set the phone down on the table. "So, that was AJ." He added making Marie's eyebrows shoot up in curious surprise. "He invited me and the lil rascals over here to a barbecue this evening. You want to go with?" He asked with a curious glance back at her.
"Uh, sure I mean yeah. Is it okay if I go back to the condo first to change and such?" She asked and Nick nodded grinning at her. She sighed and took a look at the three of them as they finished their respective breakfasts.
---
Nick smiled as Marie waved before entering the lobby of Angel's condo complex. He smiled as the girls waved as well from their booster seats. He pulled out of the complex and headed back home. The day was hopefully going to pass quickly for him. It was shocking that he wanted nothing more than to be back in her presence. He was completely taken with how wonderfully she had adapted to being around his daughters. The transition from not knowing to being fully in the know and an active participant in his complicated life was bumpy at first but now it seemed to be looking up.
He wondered that maybe he was getting his hopes up too soon. He couldn't help it though. The mere thought of his own life turning around, to be around someone like Marie who held such an air of happiness and sophistication yet so down to earth and humble made him ecstatic to see this thing through.
"So did you two have fun yesterday?" He asked as he pulled them out of their car seats and helped them back into the house.
"Yeah!" Livie sang and Jo grinned shyly. He smiled at them both and followed them into the house watching them get their toys out and settled onto the floor with them for a few hours of make believe.
---
Back at the condo Marie sunk into the comfy confines of the large bed and sighed loudly. The dogs were reacquainting themselves with their neglected toys. She stared up at the ceiling, aimlessly for what felt like forever. So much had changed in the past twenty-four hours. She had not only begun two very important friendships with Jo and Livie, friendships she'd hope would endure no matter what happened with their father. But even still her standing with Nick went from confused mess of complicated feelings and unspoken thoughts to the beginnings of a relationship, a possibly long term relationship if she really let herself get to thinking about it.
She could see herself in the lives of those two little girls. At birthdays and Christmases, it shocked her to think that she could visualize herself, at Nick's side, being supportive to all three of them as they grow. It was almost like gravity moved, the world wasn't holding her here anymore, it was those two little girls, and their wonderful father who held her here now. It was a sensation she was not familiar with. It had so many facets and definitions but she knew that one thing was fast becoming certain. She couldn't stay away from them, not even if she wanted to.
Her phone began to buzz in her pocket and she sighed answering it with a lazy voice. "Sorry did I wake you?" Becca asked earnestly into the phone.
Marie sighed and replied, "No I just had the most incredible day yesterday."
"Oh really? Do tell, nothing is going on here at the shop we just finished the morning rush."
"Yeah, I babysat for Nick. He had a meeting and Becca those girls are amazing so smart and fun to be around. I mean seriously he's an amazing father just because of how astonishing those two girls are."
"You babysat for him? That's a little soon."
"Yeah he was really upset that he had no one else than to ask me thinking it was too much but honestly I'm really glad he did ask me. I got to know them and him. And then the talk we had afterwards and he held me as we slept. It was just so amazing."
"Wow, you're a smitten kitten aren't you?"
"Is it that obvious? I mean one day of hanging out with them and I want to be around them all the time. They're sweet and silly and fantastic. I don't know how he does it but he's raising two of the coolest little girls ever."
"Already applying for the step-mom position...wow. The sex must be really fucking fantastic."
"Ugh, it's not all about sex, and for your information I am not applying for the step-mom position. I would never, ever want to replace their mom even though she passed away. I just want to be in their life, as a positive influence."
"Yes and as this positive influence where does the fact that you're leaving in a few weeks factor in?"
At that comment Marie stopped cold. It hadn't even occurred to her that she would be leaving in just a few short weeks. The euphoric high of having such a blissful day the day before had made all thought of her life back in New York feel like it didn't even exist anymore. Reality, though, had its funny way of crashing back into your consciousness when you least expected it. "Crap." She muttered and scowled when she heard Becca's answering laughter.
"Relax Mar. I mean you like the guy obviously, and the girls although I'm sure are adorable are a bit of an issue. I mean what if they get attached to you and you just up and leave? What do you think that will do to them? That the people they love will just leave them? Talk about abandonment issues."
"I know." She replied and sighed closing her eyes. "I think that's why I want to protect them, to shield them from the relationship Nick and I have brewing here, until we're sure this is a serious thing and not just amazing chemistry. I mean I like him a lot, so much I could see myself falling for him. But you're right, I have a life back in New York and he's got roots here. So I think keeping this from the girls, would be the best thing. Don't you?"
"Of course, protecting them has got to be a big concern for him too. I mean you're the first woman he's had sex with since his wife died right?"
"Yes."
"Well, take it slow, follow your heart of course but do so carefully. He is damaged emotionally, from losing his wife, so I think you need to take things very slowly with him so that when you do have to make it back here that it won't completely devastate him either. You have three hearts you have the potential of totally breaking and none of them are in your chest."
"I know, I get that. I like him, I like them."
"I know, but do you think he's ready for a relationship? Yeah it's been a while since he's had one but do you really want to be the one compared to the mother of those two little girls? I just don't want you to get hurt Mar. You have such a big heart and sometimes you let people in who you shouldn't."
"He told me about her. Like he actually opened up and told me about their relationship and he wasn't lying, I think I should know when a man lies by now."
"Well you know from experience that some are exceptionally good at it."
"He's not like that. I don't think he is. I mean he has his daughters to think about, why would he play me when he has to look in their faces afterwards?"
"Why do men do things they do, I'll never know. But you should be careful I don't want what happened with Der-,"
"Don't go there Bec." Marie interjected. She knew that men shouldn't always be trusted but there was something deeper to Nick. Something genuine about him. True he'd omitted his daughters from her but that was all resolved now. He had only done that to protect himself, to protect his own heart. She felt a twinge in her gut but she ignored it. She wasn't making excuses for him. She refused to let herself think that she was.
---
"No, Daddy, Ken takes Barbie on a date because they are girlfriends," Livie was very sure this was the way men and women interacted. Nick had made the mistake of having Barbie drive to Ken's house in her pink Corvette. "And boys don't drive pink cars, here," she handed her father the purple Jeep, "this is a boy car. Take Ken out of the house and have him drive away, then come back for Barbie."
"Yes, ma'am," Nick chuckled at his daughter's interpretation of dating, "and sweetie, Barbie is Ken's girlfriend but Ken's a boy, so he is Barbie's friend. Who happens to be a boy."
"So he's Barbie's boyfriend!" Jo proclaimed making Nick grin at her.
"Yep. That sounds about right."
Livie studied her father, "you mean like you are Marie's boyfriend?"
Nick's eyes widened and his eyebrows shot up. He had definitely not been expecting that to just roll off his daughter's tongue. "Well we are friends if that's what you're asking." He said tentatively looking at his two girls warily. He wasn't ready to have this conversation with the girls. What should he say? How much would he tell them? How much should he tell them?
"But is she your girlfriend?" Livie asked drawing out the word girlfriend like it was a song.
"Uh..." He began and blushed slightly. The immaturity of the sound of his daughter's question made him nervous. "Well she is my friend. I like hanging out with her."
"Do you want to kiss her?" Jo asked with a serious look on her face.
"Where are you two getting this from? Has your uncle been filling your head again with his latest love escapades?" He asked quickly diverting the topic.
But as much as he wanted to change the subject the two little girls were rather persistent. "Ooooo Daddy's got a girlfriend!" Livie shrieked. "Daddy and Marie, sittin' in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"
At that point his nervousness disintegrated as he busted out laughing at his daughter. "You are nuts lil one." He said then glanced at Jo who was sitting sulking a little bit as she played with her dolls. He sighed and watched as Livie ran to her room to grab another toy for them to play with. "Jo...sweetie are you okay?"
Joanna looked at her father and sighed. "What about Mommy?"
Nick closed his eyes and sighed. "I know you miss your mom baby. I miss her too."
"But don't you love her anymore?" She asked her eyes beginning to mist slightly. He felt a huge stab into his heart at just the look on her face. The same hazel eyes her mother possessed. It killed him to make her think that he was somehow dishonoring her mother by finding someone else.
"Joanna, honey. I will always love your mother for giving me you and Liv. Nothing can ever change that. She was your mom. And Marie is a very nice person who I like to hang out with. Who you like to hang out with too. I think Mommy would want us to enjoy our lives, to the fullest without her here. She wouldn't want us to be sad forever."
"I know, I just don't want another mom." She said quietly.
"I know that. No one could ever replace Mommy okay? But can Marie be your friend? Is that okay?"
Jo looked at her father and nodded. "Yes. I like her, she's pretty and very nice."
Nick wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his chest. "I like her too, kiddo."
---
Marie ran down the steps to the door giggling loudly as she saw the three of them standing on the other side. "You ready?" Nick asked with a bright smile.
"Yeah." She replied simply grabbing her small purse and closing the door behind her. "So is this a family affair?" She asked as they headed down to the truck.
"Kind of, all the guys will be there, and Baylee and Mason will be there for you two to play with," he said turning his attention to the girls. Marie smiled at them as she locked up the condo and followed them out to the truck. A flutter of nervous excitement hit her stomach. This was big. Bigger than meeting his daughters. His bandmates had been his family since long before his children had come along. She smiled anxiously as he held the truck door open for her. "Are you all right?"
She smiled and nodded. She knew that she shouldn't be worried so much but she knew that she wanted to make a good impression. Don't stress, don't stress. Her mind reasoned with her but it was to no avail. She would be nervous the entire car ride there. She just hoped that her mind was right that there really wasn't anything to stress about.
Author's Chapter Notes:
So wow...it's been um a while. I've been so busy with work and writing on other things. But I got a fit of inspiration on this one and I hope you all like it. Some more dramz on the way! I think you'll totally giggle at the next chapter's title when I get around to posting it (got to write it first though LOL). Thanks so much for staying tuned and continuing to read despite my abhorrent lack of updates!
Chapter End Notes:
Thank you so much for reading. Don't be a stranger and leave your thoughts. They're always much appreciated!
