Chapter 33

“Hello?” asked Kevin answering the phone.

“I know why she didn’t come.” Said Nick, “I knew something was wrong.. I knew it.”

“Shit, what?” asked Kevin.

“Jake beat her up… he lied to the police and said someone broke into the apartment and attacked her but it was him and she just came to this morning.” Said Nick.

“Holy shit, are you kidding me?” asked Kevin.

“Nope, and so me and Jake had it out.. and her and Megan are here at my house.” Said Nick.

“Nick, you’re kidding me right?” asked Kevin.

“No.. I’m not, I’m not gonna have her going back to him and he just about fucking killed her.” Said Nick.

“Yeah you’re right..” said Kevin, “Is she okay though, really?”

“Yeah, she had a concussion and she’s still lightheaded some. She’s not going to go back to him, I don’t care. I didn’t want her to after what happened at Thanksgiving and now just hell no.” said Nick.

“Yeah, so do you need anything?” asked Kevin.

“I dunno maybe in a few days, all of you guys come over and like maybe Leighanne can take her out and just take her mind off of everything, and we stay here with Megan.” Said Nick.

“I dunno… Leighanne’s been kinda busy lately. I’ll call Rok and see, if not Howie can take her out.” Said Kevin.

“Well whatever, just get her out and get her mind off of everything that’s bothering her ya know..” said Nick.

“Yeah, listen, don’t get yourself into a situation that you’re gonna regret okay?” said Kevin as Nick looked down.

“What do you mean?” asked Nick.

“You know what I mean. Don’t do anything stupid Nick, don’t get yourself into something that you’re not ready for.” Said Kevin.

“Yeah.. I know. I’m not stupid I just don’t want her to be there with him.” Said Nick.

“Alright, I’ll call you back in a little bit okay. I just got home.” Said Kevin.

“Okay, later man.” Said Nick as he hung up and sat there as he looked around.

A little bit later, he walked into the kitchen to pick up Samantha and Megan’s other things and started to make his way back upstairs when he walked into the room to see Samantha laying there crying and Megan was asleep.

“You okay?” asked Nick.

“Yeah… ” said Samantha as she stood up and opened the playpen up, putting a blanket at the bottom of it.

“You don’t feel dizzy?” asked Nick.

“A little..” said Samantha when they heard a clasp of thunder and Nick looked over outside the big window that looked over the bay, “When did it go to raining?”

“Not too long ago.” Said Nick as he picked Megan up off of the bed, carefully taking her over to Samantha who layed her down in the playpen and made sure she was still asleep, “You sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah…” said Samantha, “You know that wasn’t the first time…”

“First time what?” asked Nick.

“He hit me…” said Samantha as she looked down at Megan.

“Yeah I know.. he did it at Thanksgiving too…” said Nick.

“Before that…” said Samantha as Nick looked from the window over at her.

“While you were pregnant?” asked Nick.

“Well.. he hit me when I told him I wouldn’t marry him and he made me put this god forsaking ring on…” said Samantha, “And… the first time was that week that we spent together when you were hope last Spring, and we went out on the boat and everything…. And the date at Pizza Hut..” as Nick smiled.

“Yeah..” said Nick.

“Someone told him a lie and said that we were kind of together and we were acting all in love and he hit me really hard outside the gym when I was waiting for him and he always grabs my arms and leaves these bruises on them…” said Samantha as she started to cry.

“Did he apologize afterwards?” asked Nick.

“Oh yeah.. he always does… he’s so damn sorry and then he just goes and does it again.” Said Samantha.

“When was the next time?” asked Nick as Samantha looked over at him.

“Nothing..” said Samantha as she looked down at Megan who was asleep and she walked out of the bedroom, running downstairs.

“Sam.. hold up.” Said Nick as he ran downstairs to see her walking outside the backdoor in the kitchen and into the rain, “Sam.. it’s storming out there.”

“I don’t care..” said Samantha as Nick walked outside and stood in front of her.

“Why won’t you answer my question..” said Nick as Samantha stood there letting the rain fall down and soak them both.

“What?” asked Samantha as she wouldn’t look up at him.

“When was the next time that he did that to you?” asked Nick as Samantha wouldn’t look at him and she started to cry a little bit more.

“Prom night..” said Samantha as she looked up at Nick for a second and then looked back down, moving her wet bangs out of her eyes and crossing her arms.

“Prom night…. That’s when you two were…” said Nick as he stopped and looked around as Samantha nodded her head yes, “No…”

“Yes, he raped me.” Said Samantha, “That’s why I came home that night and I called you and that’s the night I got pregnant with Megan.”

“That son of a bitch…has he done that to you again?” asked Nick as Samantha nodded her head no.

“No.. after I had Megan I gave in to him, but I hate it.. because every time I’m with him, I think of prom night…” said Samantha when it started to thunder more and Nick looked up at the sky and the rain fell in his eyes.

“And he yells and hits you and shit like this…” said Nick, “Why didn’t you tell me the first time he did that or just break up with him?”

“I couldn’t at first… I loved him and then prom night, we weren’t really dating after that but we were in everybody else’s eyes and I broke up with him at graduation but he just talked me right back into it. Then the day that I found out I was pregnant I went to go see him and tell him and he was yelling and everything and I was like fuck it and then that’s when I called you…” said Samantha who was crying as Nick hugged her, “I called you and you told me to come to Jacksonville….”

“You can’t go back to him, not this time.” Said Nick as he looked around to see that it was flooding. They stopped hugging and he looked at Samantha who was completely soaked and then looked down at himself, “Shit.. we’re wet.”

“So..” said Samantha as they stood there looking into each others eyes, not saying a word until finally Samantha spoke up, “It feels good.”

“Yeah…” said Nick as he remembered what Kevin said, “You’re gonna stay here with me.”

“You won’t be here that long…” said Samantha.

“I know.. but… see… you can stay here while I’m gone, or you can just come with me, you and Megan can come. I mean the guys would love that. You can see all those places that you’ve always wanted to see like Milan and Paris and London and all ya know, all those good places that I can’t pronounce.” Said Nick.

“Nick… it’s bad enough I’m gonna stay here now.. you can’t have a girl and a baby go out on a tour with you, I mean shit, I look at fan sites and all, they’ll be talking about it and all and you don’t need that.” Said Samantha.

“You’re my best friend and she’s like my god daughter, I can do whatever the hell I want alright, or you can just stay here and that way you can still work, we can hire a nanny…” said Nick as it started to thunder again.

“I can’t let you do that..” said Samantha, “I’ll stay here but you don’t have to do all that for me, I can find someone to watch her.”

“I just wanna help.. that’s all.” Said Nick as he looked around and rubbed the water out of his eyes, “Shit, we’re soaked. Come on.. let’s go on in..” as Samantha walked into the house as Nick stood there and watched her, while he walked in himself.

“Hang on let me get a towel..” said Nick as he walked into the laundry room to see that his housekeeper must have had just washed some and took two out of the dryer and then walked back out and put one around Samantha who was shivering, “Are you cold?”

“Uhh kinda.” Said Samantha.

“You know.. I like your hair like that.” Said Nick as Samantha smiled.

“Jake hated it..” said Samantha.

“I like it..” said Nick when he heard Kevin’s voice ringing in his ear.

Don’t do anything stupid Nick, don’t get yourself into something that you’re not ready for.”

“Thanks… I thought it was time for a change.” Said Samantha.

“Yeah…” said Nick, “Umm go on upstairs and change, “I’m gonna order us some food or something.”

“You’re not gonna cook for your house guest?” asked Samantha as Nick looked at her.

“Hey I don’t get nothin in return.. no.” said Nick as Samantha smiled and started upstairs as he realized what he said.

“Damn Nick stop that.” Nick thought as Samantha peeked back in.

“I’m going to take a bath while Megan is asleep…. Use the bathroom in your room?” asked Samantha.

“Sure..” said Nick as Samantha walked back out again as he stood there looking around.