Four Months Later:

Kayleigh walked into the house and heard a very off-key rendition of I Want It That Way, courtesy of her husband and her daughter. She walked towards the kitchen and stood in the doorway, watching them dance around together, singing at the top of their lungs. The kitchen was a mess. Pots, pans, dishes, and food everywhere.

“Hey!” Nick cried, noticing her. “You’re not supposed to be here yet.”

“Sorry,” Kayleigh said, sheepishly. “Brooke had to get home so I’m early. What are you guys up to?”

“We made dinner for you, mommy,” Elizabeth said, proudly.

“I see that, honey,” Kayleigh remarked, bending down to pick her up. She walked over and placed a soft kiss on Nick’s lips. “Hi.”

“Hi,” he smiled. “Why don’t you go and relax while we finish up in here.”

“Okay,” Kayleigh nodded. She set Elizabeth down on her feet and allowed her to lead her into the family room.

“Now, you sit here while daddy and I finish,” Elizabeth instructed while Kayleigh sat down on the couch and turned on the television. About a half an hour later, Elizabeth returned.

“We’re ready,” she announced, leading Kayleigh back into the kitchen. Kayleigh gasped at the sight in front of her. Nick and Elizabeth stood proudly next to the table, where they had prepared a gourmet Italian dinner. Nick pulled a chair out for Kayleigh and then helped Elizabeth into her booster seat.

“This is delicious, guys,” Kayleigh commented after taking a few bites. “You guys did a great job.”

“I helped!” Elizabeth exclaimed.

“I know you did, sweetheart,” Kayleigh laughed. “I bet you were a big help too.”

“I was,” Elizabeth agreed.

Later that night, Kayleigh watched from the doorway as Nick tucked Elizabeth in her bed. She smiled to herself, seeing how good he was with her. It comforted her to know that, knowing that eventually it was just going to be the two of them. Tears pricked her eyes as she thought about everything in Elizabeth’s life that she was going to miss. First day of school, proms, high school and college graduation, marriage, grandchildren. Everything.

“Hey,” Nick whispered, breaking Kayleigh’s train of though. “What’s wrong?”

Kayliegh shook her head and wiped her eyes. “Nothing. I was just thinking about how good you are with her.”

Nick, realizing the thoughts behind that comment, pulled Kayleigh into a tight hug and placed a kiss on her forehead. “Baby, you nave nothing to worry about,” he assured her. “I love Elizabeth. I’ll never let anything happen to her.”

“I know,” Kayleigh said, leading him into their bedroom. Nick laid down on the bed and pulled Kayleigh into his arms.

“She’s going to forget me,” Kayleigh whispered, tearfully, after a few minutes of silence.

“I’ll never let that happen,” Nick told her, his own voice cracking. “You’ll always be her mother. She’ll know that.”

“I’m scared, Nicky,” Kayleigh admitted. “Really scared.”

“Me too,” Nick replied, tears freely falling from his eyes. “Me too.” They both laid curled up together, tears freely mixing, until they fell asleep in each other’s arms.

The Next Day:

Kayleigh sat at the kitchen table with her head in her hands. Elizabeth was in the living room waiting for her to come in and play a game but Kayleigh couldn’t get up from the table. Her head was spinning and she felt that if she took one step, she would pass out.

“Mommy!” Elizabeth called. “You coming?”

“Yeah,” Kayleigh replied, weakly. The lightheadedness was getting worse and worse by the second and she knew she’d never make it. She carefully stood up and, with one hand on the table to balance her, she began to take small steps into the living room. The room was spinning and there were little black dots affecting her vision. Something was very wrong. She had never had a headache like this. She saw Elizabeth sitting down with the game set up in front of her. It seemed as though she was miles away when in reality she was only about eight feet from the doorway. Kayleigh took one last tentative step towards her daughter before she collapsed on the ground, out cold.

“Mommy?!” Elizabeth cried. She ran over to her mother and tried to shake her but Kayleigh wasn’t responding. Elizabeth, now hysterically crying, started screaming for her father but Nick wasn’t home. He had been in Orlando all day recording. Being three years old, Elizabeth didn’t come up with a lot of ideas. She just sat next to her mother and screamed at the top of her lungs, begging her to wake up.

Jane was on the way home from an audition with Angel when she decided to pay her daughter-in-law and her granddaughter a visit. Angel, never seeming to get enough of the little girl, was quick to agree and they decided to swing by Nick’s before heading back to their house.

“Good, they’re home,” Jane commented as they pulled in the driveway, seeing Kayleigh’s jeep in the driveway. She and Angel climbed out of the car and walked up to the front door. As they neared the doorway, they heard Elizabeth’s screams and, thinking that Kayleigh must have her hands full, Jane pulled out her key and let herself and Angel in.

“Kay?” she called out, as they entered the foyer.

“Mommy!” they heard Elizabeth shriek. Jane and Angel followed the sound of Elizabeth’s cries into the living room.

Angel was first to enter the room and screamed from the sight in front of her. “Oh my god!”

“What is it?” Jane asked, rushing into the room. Angel was standing there with her hand covering her mouth and pointing. Jane followed her line of vision and saw Elizabeth crying over Kayleigh’s seemingly lifeless body.

“Call 911!” Jane instructed as Angel scooped Elizabeth up in her arms. “Kayleigh?” she questioned, shaking her. There was still no response. Over in the kitchen, Angel was trying to calm Elizabeth down while calling 911. She gave them the address to the house and then hung up the phone.

“Should we call Nick?” Angel asked.

“We’ll call him from the car on the way to the hospital,” Jane replied. “He can meet us there.”

Soon enough, the ambulance had arrived and Kayleigh was loaded on to a stretcher and wheeled out of the house. Angel strapped Elizabeth into her car seat and then climbed in the car with her mother. Grabbing Jane’s cell phone, she frantically dialed her brother’s number.

“Hello?” she heard someone ask.

“Nick? It’s Angel.”

“Hey. What’s up? Why are you calling?”

“It’s Kayleigh, Nick,” Angel told him, sadly. “Mom and I stopped by your house to see them and she was unconscious on the ground.”

“What?” Nick exclaimed, fearing the worst. “Is she okay? Where’s Lizzy?”

“Elizabeth’s with us,” Angel replied. “We’re on our way to the hospital. The ambulance has Kayleigh.”

“I’ll be right there,” Nick said, halfway out of the studio already.

“Be careful, Nick,” Angel instructed, before hanging up the phone.

“Where are you going?” AJ questioned, seeing Nick frantically grab his belongings.

“It’s Kayleigh,” Nick answered. “She’s unconscious. They’re taking her to the hospital.”

“We’re right behind you,” AJ said, also grabbing his stuff. The rest of the guys followed Nick out of the studio. Before Nick had a chance to get in his car, Brian grabbed his keys.

“Let me drive, Nick,” he stated. “You’re in no condition to be behind the wheel.” Nick jumped in the passenger seat. “Whatever. Just hurry.” He leaned his head back and closed his eyes. “Please tell me she’s going to be okay, Bri. I’m not ready to lose her.”

“I know you aren’t Nick,” Brian soothed. “No one is.”

<< >>