For Nick (33 page)

“You have.” His actions had proven his undying loyalty. Andie had no doubts.

He ran his hands through her hair and once again deepened their kiss, their tongues tangling together intimately. He pulled her closer, pushing their bodies together. “Is it too soon?”

“Not soon enough…”Andie said almost inaudibly. Nevertheless, he heard her words and comprehended her meaning. It was all the permission he needed.

Zach picked her up and began to walk towards his room, never breaking the kiss. He managed to open his door and then Andie said, “We’d better check on Nick one more time.”

“Okay,” he said as they continued to kiss. He carried her to Nick’s room, their lips never parting, bumping into furniture as they moved through the home. Once at Nick’s door, they broke the kiss, quietly entering her room, and staring down upon her for a few moments. She was sleeping peacefully, her breathing slow and even. Zach carried her out and once Nick’s door was closed, their embrace once again turned heated, their lips finding each other’s in the darkness. Zach slowly set her down, her body moving down his. He backed her against the wall, pausing for just a moment, his forehead against hers, his lips hovering an inch away.

“I love you, Andie. I love you,” he said, his breath hot on her face. “I don’t want to do this without telling you exactly how I feel about you. I’ll never leave you wondering again. No more secrets, no more insecurity. I love you. You are the one I want to spend my life with, you are the one I want to have children with, you are the one I want to wake up with every morning of my life.” He paused, his lips over hers, their breathing ragged—the calm before the storm. “I want to make love with you till neither one of us has an ounce of strength left,” he whispered raggedly as his lips pressed onto hers with urgency. He picked her up again and this time they made it to his room, collapsing onto his bed, kissing with a fierce intensity that left Andie’s heart racing in her chest.

He’d been holding back. Now that there were no more secrets between them, no more unknowns, Zach was free to make love to her with none of his emotions hidden. The difference was stunning. His passion overwhelmed her, besieged her, took her over. The love they felt for one another had always been there, but it had been hidden under uncertainty and hesitation. No more. Throughout the night Zach whispered his love for her, over and over. It was as if, now that he could express it, he’d never stop. They made love deep into the night, and Andie knew nothing was lost to them.

“Do you know what I want?” Zach asked her late that night.

“What?” Andie breathed.

“I want the whole ‘happily ever after’ thing. With you.”

“A white picket fence?”

“If you want it, it’s yours.”

“How many children?”

“A houseful.”

“Pets?”

“A dog, a cat, and a goldfish.”

“Oh my, that is a houseful.”

“What do you say? Do you want to stay married for more than a year to an insensitive brute like me?”

Andie pretended to think about it and then answered, “
Yes
, I
yield
. I
yearn yearly
in my
youth
for this…
yoke
.”

Given the seriousness of the conversation, she caught him totally off guard and he buckled with laughter. Andie knew that things were going to work out between them.

It was suddenly a given.

Zach and Andie were unable to hide their newfound love for one another from Nick.

“You kissed,” she said the next day when Zach kissed Andie lightly.

“Does that bother you, Nick?”

“No, I want you to be happy, Mommy. Do it again.”

Andie blushed, Zach laughed, and Nick insisted, “Do it again.”

“You heard her, she wants us to kiss,” Zach said, trying not to smile and failing.

Andie gave Zach a quick peck of a kiss.

“That wasn’t a kiss,” Nick said, sounding disappointed.

“Nick, mommies and daddies don’t usually kiss in front of their children.”

“Sure they do,” Zach corrected.

“I want you to have someone who loves you, Mommy. It’s important,” Nick said with more passion than she’d heard from her in awhile. Nick was really concerned about her. It made Andie wonder what else Nick worried about in her eight-year-old mind.

Zach took over. “I love your Mom, Nick. And I’ll show you how much.”

Before Andie knew what was happening, Zach took her in his arms, planting a kiss on her lips that was normally reserved for when they were alone. Andie quickly forgot they had an audience, as a matter of fact, she quickly forgot everything except Zach. Somehow he always had this effect upon her. One kiss and she was his forever.

The sound of clapping brought her back to her senses. As the kiss ended and she gazed into Zach’s eyes, she saw love and sincerity. Not only that, but…intense emotion. It took her back just a little. The feeling was mutual, however.

Andie glanced at Nick, who was watching them with a small smile on her face. “That was good,” she declared. “Really good.”

Andie knew in that moment that Nick had found peace concerning her. Perhaps she had always sensed the tension between herself and Zach. Andie thought she’d hid it well, but Nick was a perceptive child. Had she been hanging onto life, unwilling to leave her mother until she knew she could leave her safely in the arms of another? Was her precious daughter fretting over her instead of herself?

Andie became convinced of it. Nick was more insightful than Andie had given her credit for. She knew Andie would be lonely without her, and now, with Zach’s presence in their life, Nick no longer had to worry.

A little piece of heaven lived in that little girl.

And heaven wanted its missing piece back.

Nick faded fast over the next two weeks and they knew her time was getting short. Andie called Charles and he arrived the following day, wanting to be with Nick at the end. The early May weather was gorgeous, and totally at odds with the tragic happenings in their lives. They set up a hospital bed in the sunroom, propping it up so Nick could see the view of the ocean. They hired a nurse to stay with her constantly. Zach, Andie, and Charles spent all their time at Nick’s bedside, talking and reading to her. Nick slept through most of it, hardly able to stay awake for longer than thirty minutes. Andie often left the room to cry, not wanting Nick to observe her breaking down. Zach always held her as she sobbed, soothing her with his quiet strength, and sometimes crying right along with her.

As she visited with Charles one afternoon, he commented politely, “You and Zach seem quite happy. I’m glad to see it.” It must’ve been blaringly obvious that things between her and Zach had not been what they should’ve been after the accident. Surely, Charles had put two and two together quickly.

“Is he good to you, Andie?” Charles asked bluntly.

“Yes, he is. He’s wonderful.”

Charles smiled and Andie couldn’t help but notice the relief in his features.

Over the next week they slowly watched Nick slip away, and it was nearly unbearable.

“Mama, Mama…” Nick cried, her voice a soft whisper.

Andie held her frail hand in hers. “Yes, Nick. I’m here sweetheart.”

“Don’t forget,” she managed.

She was so weak, she could barely lift her arms anymore and she’d lost all color in her cheeks. She didn’t seem to be in pain and for that, Andie was grateful. It would appear that dying was the easier of the options. The fight to live had taken everything out of her. Now she seemed at peace. She was calm and serene. She was simply fading before their eyes, one little piece of her seemed to be gone from them day after day as parts of her little body began to shut down.

“What sweetheart, don’t forget what?”

She rarely ever spoke lately and even the simple act of opening her eyes seemed to be too much for her. It was heart wrenching to watch and Andie longed for the cold numbness that had once enveloped her, leaving her unable to cry. Now it seemed she was crying incessantly, but given the circumstances, no one commented on her tears. Clearly, she was allowed. It seemed inconceivable that Nick would soon be gone from her life. What would she do next? What would be her purpose in life? Without Nick, she felt as though she had nothing left.

Suddenly, Nick seemed to have a burst of energy and Andie knew she was saying her goodbyes.

“My baby brother.”

“I won’t forget, Nick.”

“When he comes, give him a hug.”

“I will, baby.”

“I’ll give him a hug in heaven…right before he comes to you.”

“Okay…”

“When you hug him, it will be like hugging me.”

“Then I’ll hug extra tight.”

“Don’t forget, Mama.”

“I’ll never forget, Nick. I love you, my baby, I’ll always love you so much and I’ll never forget you, my brave little girl. I’ve been so lucky to have you.”

“Thank you, Mama. Thank you for being my mom. I’ll tell him about you.”

“Who sweetheart?”

“My brother. I’ll tell him all about you. He’s gonna love you.”

Andie couldn’t answer, her tears were pouring down her face.

“Grandpa?”

“I’m here, Nicole.”

“I love you, Grandpa.”

“I love you too, Nicole.”

“Nick,” she whispered, correcting him, and then, “Daddy?”

“Yes Nick,” Zach answered.

“I love you. You’ve been a wonderful daddy. I had so much fun with you at Disneyland. Thank you. Make mommy happy.”

“I will, my beautiful little girl,” Zach told her.

Nick’s eyes turned back to her. “Mama…” she said as she took her last breath and her little body shuddered in relief.

Andie broke down into tears as she sat by her precious little girl, mourning her loss and yet thankful to have had such a special little one enter her life, even for such a short time.

-27-

“Welcome home, Mr. Drake,” Andie mumbled, wrapping her arms around him and kissing him soundly.

“Hmmmm…maybe I should go back out, just so I can come back in again.”

“
Erotic entrance equals escalated events
,” she mumbled.

Zach laughed. “That was good.”

“Thanks. It took me all day to think of it.”

“
Perplexed pleasure-monger plummets pitifully
.”

“Sorry, I’m just not as fast as I used to be.”

No, she certainly wasn’t. At nearly nine months pregnant, she waddled around the house and was quite possibly the cutest thing he’d ever seen. “Doesn’t matter…
I still want heeerrr
,” he growled.

When they found out Andie was pregnant again, it was hard to be happy on the heels of losing Nick. But they knew they were having a boy. Nick had informed them of the blessed event in no uncertain terms and Zach didn’t doubt it for a moment.

“Did you go today?” They’d buried Nick in a cemetery close by. Andie visited her grave often. Her mourning had been profound and he’d sometimes wondered if she would ever be the same person.

She wouldn’t.

He knew that now. But she was slowly coming back to life before his very eyes. Her personality, the very essence that was Andie was taking shape and blossoming. She seemed to glow from the inside, secure in the knowledge that Zach loved her. She was at peace.