Part
14
Nick sat in deep thought at the bar, downing
Yoo-hoo after Yoo-hoo. He didn't know how to get Alex to talk. He needed
another Yoo-hoo to think.
Upstairs. . .
Alex lay curled up in the middle of the huge bed in
the hotel room. She thought her parents would be thrilled that she'd found the
perfect guy. Even though Nick thought she was acting, she really loved him and
really wished the engagement were real. Alex still couldn't believe that her
mother had dared to tell her she didn't know what love was. Like she does, Alex
thought. She's been married to my father for how long?
Finally, she forced herself to get up, shower and
then after pulling on her new PJ's, crawled into the bed. She glanced at the
clock. It read 12:12. She wished Nick would come back. She hated being alone.
She just wanted him to hold her and tell her everything would be okay. Maybe if
he said it, it'd be true. He seemed to make anything seem possible.
She pulled the covers up to her chin and lay there,
staring at the darkened ceiling. She was still awake, still staring at the same
ceiling when Nick crept in ten minutes later. Alex lay as still as possible.
Nick walked over to the bed and looked at her. He was turning around when she
said quietly, "I'm not asleep." Nick cried out and jumped, having
been startled.
"Did I wake you?" he asked, sitting on
the edge of the bed.
"No, I've been waiting for you."
"You have?"
"Since you walked out that door an hour
ago."
"Well, if I'd known my company was so deeply
desired, I wouldn't have left." Silence lingered between the two. The most
uncomfortable silence both had ever experienced. "You okay?" Nick
asked. "Never mind. Stupid question."
"No it's not. I guess I'm okay. I just
expected a different reaction from my parents. I mean I've never been close to
either of them, but usually my mom agreed with me. She was just trying to
discourage me. To ruin my life like hers was ruined." Nick pulled Alex to
him as she started to cry again.
"Don't look at me," Alex said, pulling
away. "I'm all splotchy."
"You're not splotchy. You're beautiful."
"I am?" Alex asked.
"Of course you are."
"Even when I'm splotchy."
"Yes. Even though you're not splotchy."
"Are you drunk?"
"Not unless you can get drunk off
Yoo-hoo."
