Harold recalled the conversation with his cousin just minutes before as he was driving.
“Do you have that bastard's number?” “Yeah...” Kevin handed Harold a slither of off white paper, and sighed. “I really don't think he's going to speak to you, Harry. I mean, face it: what's done is done.” he turned to his cousin, and walked up to him. “You and Brian may be giving up, but I'M not. Do you hear me? I'm going to hunt that 'woman' down, even if it takes forever...”
Those thoughts infiltrated his mind once again as he stepped on the brakes at a red light. How could she do this to Brian? All he EVER did was love her, and treated her with respect, he didn't do anything wrong. He made a right turn and parked near an alley so he can call Nick's number. He takes the phone and paper out, and called.
He sat waiting . . .
“Hey, what's up? This is Nick....you know what to do.” “Damn it...” he tosses his phone to the backseat, and started his car up again. “If I were a snake...where would I hide,” he asked himself as he looked out the window. A thought struck him like lightning. “I know where you are, Deanna....get ready.”
Me and Nick are sitting out on the porch swing looking at one another. God, how I missed this...even if it's something simple, I missed it like nobody's business. I love this man with all my heart, no other man can fill my heart with so much glee. He holds my hand to his chest hiding in a green shirt, and smiles down at me. “I love you...” he whispers to me, and I blush and smile. “I love you, too, Nickolas, more than you'll ever know...” “More?” I nod at him, and hug him tightly. “Why, did you want me to prove that?” I can feel his hand run up and down my leg sensuously, yet sweetly. “Yes...prove it. Right here and now.” “Do I dare turn down THAT invitation?” I ask, and his answer was a sweet, yet longing kiss upon my unexpected lips. Nick laid me backwards on the bench and began leaving hot, feathery kisses upon my neck and collar bone. “Nicky...” I moan out lightly, which was a sign for him to continue. I tell him not to stop, I want more, make me yours...I MISSED saying that to him. Saying those words to Brian, and try to mean what I say was not the same. I think he felt it, but if he did, I didn't give a damn.
I wanted Nick to touch me, I wanted Nick to satiate me in only HE can. Just thinking about our past rendezvous started to drive me nuts, so I deepened the lip lock he had on me. “Just take me now, Lover...” I order him in a lustful tone. I heard wheels screeching from a distance, but I didn't care; I didn't care if anyone watched us. I needed him now more than ever. I can see the driveway in an upside down position and notice a familiar car at a vantage point. “Oh, no....” I say in an ethereal tone. Nick stopped and looked down at my chest, ready to dive in. “What's the matter...?” he asked sweetly. He didn't have to wait for me to answer, for he looked up and saw a tall, dirty blonde man get out of his truck and walk up the pathway. “Oh, shit...” he got off of me and buttoned his shirt up. “What?” I turn around and see Harold approaching us, LIVID. “I knew I'd find you here. Let's go.” I scoot away from him, and into Nick's arms. “No...what do you want? Why can't you leave me alone?” Harold leans down and grabs my arm, “Because I am NOT letting you break Brian's heart, you selfish harlot!”
Nick immediately got furious, how dare he come into his house and insult Deanna...that's just like a Littrell, no respect for anything. "Let her go Harold." "I don't think so...," he looked down at me still gripping my arms "My brother has been worried sick about you, having NO idea as to where you've gone. I should have known you'd be here with his bastard. Why are you even here when you have a husband and a baby at home, huh?" He looked at me and when I didn't answer he repeated himself "I said why Deanna." "Let me go, your hurting me..." I felt his grip tighten and he smiled a wicked smile. "Good serves you right for wanting to be with this lowlife, what you two had is in the past and it should be left there." I struggled against the grip he had on me "NO! I'm not going back there, I won't!" "Well too damn bad because you ARE going back there and I WILL make sure you stay there." "Are you fucking deaf? She said let her go." Harold looked up at Nick, the one thing standing in the way of Brian and Deanna ever making amends. "Stay out of this Carter, this doesn't concern you." "Like hell it doesn't. She made her choice she wants to be here not with your brother, why can't you respect that." "I can't and I won't. I refuse to watch my brother fall apart over this bitch, she's not worth everything he has put into their marriage." I looked up at him "Then why are you so bent on taking me back?" "Because you and him have some things to work out and with Nick being out of the picture things can go back to how they were." I struggled against him and finally broke free backing up towards Nick, I felt his arms wrap around me protectively and Harold sneered. "You can't be serious...Deanna this isn't you. And do you even remember what he did to you in the past? History is bound to repeat itself." "No it's not just face it Harold. I don't want to be with Brian, my place is here with Nick. I love him."
"And my brother doesn't? How could you do this to him, to Christopher? This isn't right and you know it. That child needs his mother, not some girl who's living in a damn fantasy world not knowing what in the hell she wants." "I know that..." "Then why do you wanna stay with him? Don't you miss your son...even a little?" "I do miss him but I don't want to go back there and face Brian, I can't...not after what I've done..." Harold took a deep breath willing himself to calm down. "I can understand that but he deserves an explanation, you've been lying to him...keeping secrets...that's a bad sign." I sighed and looked down at mine and Nicks hands and pushed myself away from him. "Deanna...what are you doing?" "As much as I hate to admit it he's right. Brian deserves an explanation for everything and I'm going to give it to him. You understand, don't you?" "I...you...I mean...," he sighed "Nevermind, just go." "But Nick..." "Just.Go..." I looked at him and saw the hurt expression on his face, I didn't wanna hurt him he's the one I was fighting for in all of this. I walked to him and took his face in my hands making him look at me as I spoke softly. "You know I love you, right?" He nodded. "Then you know this is something I have to do. Please understand...and I'm not leaving you behind, I promise. Once everything works out we'll be together with no boundaries this time, ok?" He nodded again and put his hands over mine and I smiled "I love you Nick...so very much..." Harold looked on at me and Nick hating what he was seeing, she was leading the poor man on. He knew that when she got in that car with him she wasn't coming back, not if he could help it. I leant up and gave him a sweet kiss and whispered "I love you and I'll see you soon." He spoke in the same low voice "I love you too."
~*~*~*~*~*~
Brian was rocking Chris as they waited for news from Harold. Kevin looked over at him and weakly smiled, he knew how much Brian loved Deanna but she never gave him back love in return and it broke his heart to see his cousin in this situation. He hoped it would get better. He looked up when he heard a car pull into the driveway then shut off, he glanced over at Brian who was looking towards the door having heard it too. The door opened and Harold walked in followed by Deanna, I'd have thought that she'd be kicking and screaming but she wasn't she seemed...calm. What the hell was going on?
I looked over at Kevin as soon as I walked through the door, he was not happy to see me. Of course he wasn't I was the woman who was breaking his cousins heart. Then I looked over at Brian who was talking softly to our son, I smiled at the sight he was always so good with him. I walked to him and spoke in a soft voice "Brian...?" He looked up at me then down at our son who was now sleeping peacefully. I sat down on the couch but not too close to him.
Harold motioned Kevin into the kitchen to give us some privacy and once they were in there Kevin wanted to know what happened and what he did to get her to come here. "She was with him wasn't she?" "Yes she was, damn Kev...you should have seen them together. It was disgusting." "I bet..." Harold relayed everything that had happened to Kevin while I tried to talk to Brian.
"Brian....talk to me..." "Why should I?" "Don't be like that, I'm here aren't I?" "Where were you Deanna? And tell me the truth..." "I...," I sighed knowing he knew but decided to tell him anyway "I was with Nick." "I figured as much. Did I do something to make you not love me?" "What? No...you didn't do anything..." He looked at me then and I could see the hurt in his eyes, this was really coming down hard on him. "Then why did you lie to me? If you were having trouble sorting things out you could have come to me instead of going to him..." "Would you really have listened if I wanted to talk about Nick? I really doubted that, that's why I didn't say anything. And as for lying to you...I had no other choice..." "What do you mean you had no other choice? You had a choice you should have told that bastard no." "He's not a bastard..." "To me he is. He took the one thing that kept me going, god Deanna...don't you love us at all? Do you even care if your missing out on your sons life?" I looked down at the baby in his arms...the one I helped create...the one who looked just like Brian and sighed. "I do care..." "Well your certainly aren't acting like it. I need a wife, not some little girl who wants to roam the streets with a sorry excuse of a man and Christopher needs his mother. We both need you, I need you." I looked down and suddenly felt horrible for everything I've done, I was only worried about getting Nick back that I didn't even bother taking Brians feelings into consideration. "What do we do now?" "I haven't figured that out yet, but I'm not forgiving you for what you did. That is unforgiveable, but...if your willing to work things out then I guess I am too." "Your saying...that you..." "I know I'm gonna regret this but I love you Deanna...and if I have to fight to keep you then thats what I'll do." I really didn't know what to say to that, here I was the cheating wife and he was willing to give me another chance. One I knew I didn't deserve but still wanted nonetheless. I scooted closer to him and helds my arms out. "Can I hold him?" Brian handed him over and Chris stirred for a minute then lay still. I weakly smiled down at him and thumbed his little hand "Mommy's so sorry Chris...I never meant to abandon you. I love you...and your Daddy...we just have to find our way again, that's all." I stroked his hair as he slept and felts tears in my eyes, I turned to Brian letting them fall. "I am so sorry..."
Brian knew she deserved to feel that way, after what she put him through but he didn't want to see her cry. He reached out his hand and thumbed her cheek "Don't cry we'll work this out, together." I nodded and weakly smiled. Even though what she did was wrong he still loved her, loved her enough to take her back, and loved her enough to move on from all of this. "Here...let me take him..." "I just wanna hold him..." "I know...you can hold him later, let me take him upstairs and then we can talk some more, ok?" "Alright...I'm not going anywhere..." Brian took the baby from my arms and got up taking him upstairs.
Harold and Kevin had heard everything and Harold couldn't help but feel like she was getting off too easily, but this was Brians choice. And he knew how much he loved her and he just hoped that in time things will go back to the way they once were, without Nick in the picture.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Thanks to KevinsChickadee for getting this chapter started and for unblocking the writers block. Finally a new chapter, Enjoy!
