C'mon and Love Me

"You don't know? The same day as you. Our parents have worked it all out that we'll be driving together. No one told you?"

I shook my head, "Nope. My parents are still mad about me choosing UNC on top of already being mad at me for treating my slut sister like crap. They had their hearts set on me going to Northern Illinois because it's their alma mater. I was lucky they filled out the financial aid forms."

She sighed, "Things aren't better with your sister?"

I changed the subject. I hated my sister, and Nikki knew that. "I guess we're taking my truck then?" I asked. I had been given my grandfather's Chevy Silverado when he died a year earlier.

"Yep. I'm not bringing a car down at first. The plan is to bring it down after Thanksgiving."

I smiled. My having a car and her not would be a reason to see her more often. I liked that idea.

I was going to ask her out, but I was concerned about how long was appropriate after her break up with Jack. It turned out that a couple of weeks was enough because another guy from the football team, Mike Jameson, took her out a few times before we left for school. Worst of all was that he was going to Duke as well and all of a sudden, I wasn't taking Nikki to school.

*****

Planning on going to school so close to Nikki didn't work out as I hoped. She made a new group of friends and dated Mike all the way to their wedding, which took place a few months after she graduated.

We stayed friends, but the closeness wasn't the same as it once was. I was invited to her wedding, not in the bridal party, but I was glad to be invited all the same. She looked beautiful, even considering she was six months pregnant at the time.

It took a long time to get over her. I was foolish to believe I could have a shot in the first place, but I let myself believe I was more than her friend. It turned me off girls for a long time. I didn't want to feel the way I felt about Nikki, only to be stepped on when the next better guy showed up.

Life went on for me, and after graduation, I got a job working for Mr. Dryer's businesses. He needed someone to assist his CFO, and when we talked at the wedding, he told me to meet with him to talk about it. I had studied accounting, so it was a good fit, and he brought me on and paid me while I studied for the CPA exam.

Nikki was a stay-at-home mom. Mike came from a wealthy family and was brought into management of the family business immediately after getting his degree. As far as I knew, life was good for the love of my life and her new family, I just wished she were mine.

I dated some, but I never fell in love enough to marry any of my girlfriends. The longest relationship I had was with a nice woman named Jillian. We were together for a year before she started pressuring me to marry her. I was honest with her and told her I wasn't in love enough for that sort of commitment. She dumped me, of course, and moved on to greener pastures.

After that, I kept my dating life pretty light.

Things changed three years after college. I was the right-hand man to the CFO and Mr. Dryer's businesses were all doing very well and growing. I started meeting Mr. Dryer every Saturday for a game of chess where we would talk about everything and nothing. I realized what he was doing early on.

He was mentoring me in business and in life. He imparted his wisdom on me and tried to be as conversational as he could to hide what he was really doing: stepping in for my father.

Occasionally, Nikki would drop by and visit her parents on those days with her child; a beautiful little girl named, Mallory.

We would always chat and keep up on each other's lives, but we didn't get too close. I didn't want to give her husband anything to worry about, and I certainly didn't want Nikki to discover my feelings for her.

On an especially gloomy Saturday, Mr. Dryer and I were playing chess when he asked, "Drake, have you noticed anything off about Nikki in the last couple of months?"

Truthfully, I had. She seemed depressed some days, but she wouldn't tell me what was bothering her.

"I don't know what it is," I answered, "but she's been down in the dumps a few times when I've seen her lately."

He nodded. "It's bothering me, and it's especially frustrating because she won't tell us what is going on. She doesn't have the spark she used to have; you know?"

"Yes, sir," I agreed. "The smile has left her eyes."

He looked at me oddly, and said, "You're right about that. She's putting on a strong face, but something isn't right."

I leaned back in my chair and sighed, "I tried to see if she would confide in me, but she wouldn't. We don't have that closeness we had in high school."

He took a sip from his iced tea and lamented, "I always thought you two would find each other. If she hadn't gotten pregnant, I think..."

He was interrupted by his phone ringing.

"Hey, pumpkin. Are you on your way?" he asked.

I watched his face morph into a look I could only describe as severe anger. I'd never seen him so upset. I heard shouting through the phone and my soul went dark.

"I'm coming right now. Drake is with me and..."

He shook his head as he listened to her. I could vaguely hear her voice through the phone, and it sounded as if she were crying then yelling again. A million thoughts went through my mind and none of them were good. I stood and pulled my keys out of my pocket.

I loudly demanded, "Let's go."

Mr. Dryer nodded and said, "Baby, I'm on my way right now. I'll bring you home, don't worry about anything."

He ended the call and threw the phone at the couch across the room. "That bastard is cheating on her. He's throwing her out of the house and won't let her take anything until she gets a court order. Drake, he took her car keys and won't..."

"Why are we still here?" I growled. I only hoped that asshole husband of hers was there and gave me an ounce of shit. I was in better shape than ever, and I wanted to put a hole in his face.

We told Mrs. Dryer what was happening, and she demanded to go along. She tried to call Nikki the entire way, but she didn't answer the house phone nor her cell.

"I'm worried, John," she cried as he sped along the interstate.

"Me too, dear. If that ass hit her, I'll..."

"Leave him to me," I said from the back seat. Every mile that passed increased my anger and I begged God to let Nikki be unharmed. I was ready to end his life if he had been physical with her.

We pulled into their long driveway and didn't see any cars. I didn't wait and ran to the front door. It wasn't unlocked so I kicked it in. Let me tell you, it's not as easy as they made it look in the movies. It took three tries before the jamb gave way.

"Nikki!" I shouted as I ran into the house.

I looked around and didn't see anything on the first floor, so I ran up to the second level.

"Nikki!"

"Drake! What are you doing? I thought..."

She was holding Mallory and crying. I pulled them into a hug, "Are you okay? We tried calling the whole way over. We thought something happened."

She sniffed, and said, "We're fine. The asshole took my phone and keys when he left. I didn't hear the house phone ring. We only have the one handset and it's downstairs."

Mr. and Mrs. Dryer made it up the stairs and I stepped away to give them space. I looked around and their bedroom was a disaster. It must have been one hell of an argument. There was broken glass everywhere.

I listened as she told them how she caught him cheating for the second time and told him to get out. He refused to leave and told her she had to go. From what she said, his parents owned their house, the cars were in his name, and he wasn't going to leave or let her have anything.

She didn't take well to that and started throwing things at him to make him leave. That was when he grabbed her keys and phone and took off. Taking her phone was a dick move that I didn't understand, but she explained it had her video evidence of his cheating.

Mrs. Dryer held an upset Mallory, while Nikki packed some bags. I carried everything she wanted to take to her father's Suburban and my luck arrived when Mike pulled into the driveway with a police cruiser behind him.

"Of course, she called you to get her, you pussy. Get off my property!" he yelled as an officer rushed up behind him.

It took all of my restraint to let him punch me before I hit him, but as soon as he did, I threw a two-hitter. My fist hit his face and his ass hit the ground.

The officer told me to back off and he pushed Mike towards the police cruiser. A second officer walked up and asked, "Who are you and why are you here?"

"I'm helping Nikki bring her belongings to her parents' home. They are inside with her and her child. He hit me first."

"Yeah, we saw. Just stay over here for now, okay?"

"Yes, sir." I stepped back and leaned against the large SUV.

He called in a request for a backup set of officers and stayed next to me while the other officer stood with Mike.

"Jesus! What's going on?" Mr. Dryer asked as he ran out of the house.

It took about a half-hour of explaining and finally, the police let us go with Nikki being allowed to take her car. They also made Mike give her the cell phone he took earlier.

I drove Nikki's car back after moving the car seat to the SUV. We didn't think she should drive, and she didn't want to be apart from Mallory.

As I was driving, the adrenaline rush faded, and my hand began to hurt like hell. I noticed it was swelling and sighed. It would be just my luck to have broken something on the asshole's jaw.

*****

When I pulled into Mr. Dryer's driveway, Mallory was sitting on the porch swing, Nikki and her mom were unloading bags, and Mr. Dryer was yelling at someone on the phone.

Nikki took a couple of bags into the house, and I stopped Mrs. Dryer and showed her my red, swollen hand.

"You'd better get that looked at right away, Drake," she demanded, then hugged me. "Thank you, for helping her. I'm sorry you had to get involved."

"I only wish the police weren't with him," I confessed and kissed her cheek. "I'd better get to the ER."

Halfway back to my car, Nikki caught up to me and said, "Where are you going?"

I didn't want her to worry, so I put my hand behind my back and lied, "I'm heading home. You don't need me here in the way. It's a personal family matter now that you're safe."

She looked at me with the old, 'are you stupid,' look I saw all the time in high school, but she said, "Thanks for your help. I'm sorry you got stuck in the middle of my problems."

I forced a small smile and said, "I'll always be there for you. That will never change."

I turned and got into my car. I watched her crying as I backed out of the driveway, and it hurt to see her that way. She waved goodbye and I pulled away.

The hospital was a short drive away, and I soon found out that a quick trip to get my hand checked out, wouldn't be so quick. The waiting room was full of cut, coughing, crying, and complaining people. I had to stand for a few minutes before I was able to sit.

Two hours later, I still waited, and was reading a book on my phone when someone sat next to me.

"How's the flipper?" I looked up and saw Mr. Dryer with a concerned look on his face.

I showed him my untreated hand and frowned, "Hurts like hell."

"If you're lucky, it'll just be dislocated, and they'll splint you up and give you some good pain meds."

"Yeah, hopefully."

"You didn't tell Nikki that you were coming here."

It wasn't a question.

"No, sir. I didn't want to pile on top of all her worries."

He shook his head and exhaled dramatically. "Mike got a restraining order keeping her out of the house. The bastard is using his family's money and influence to make Nikki's life hell. The divorce is going to be a nightmare."

"That was quick," I said.

He nodded, "His father must have a judge in his pocket. It's total bullshit, of course, but she did throw a lot of crap at him when they fought earlier. There were grounds, albeit weak grounds. We're just glad he didn't try to take Mallory."

"You didn't have to come, sir. She needs you and I'll be all right."

"Nonsense. I know you're on your own since your parents moved to Florida. You need some family to be here with you."

I looked at him and he had a tear in his eye. He patted my knee and said, "What? You don't think we consider you the son we never had?"

"I appreciate that, sir. I've always loved your family."

"We know, Drake. We all know."

At that moment, I was called to see the doctor. I shook Mr. Dryer's hand and excused myself.

*****

I did get lucky, and it was just a dislocated middle finger. They set it and I got a splint and a prescription, with instructions to ice it and elevate it to keep the swelling down and was sent on my way.

When I walked into the waiting area, I saw Mr. Dryer looking at his phone.

"Got lucky, sir," I said.

He smiled and said, "Good, good. Come along, we have to pick up dinner on the way home."

I didn't want to go back to his house and was about to decline, until he read my expression.

"Drake, my wife demanded you come with me, and we bring dinner. Do you think I'm about to disobey the boss?"

"Of course not, sir. It's just..."

"Don't worry about Nikki finding out about your hand; Emily already told her. You're gonna get an earful from my daughter, I expect."

"Thanks," I groaned.

He laughed and said, "Son, you have to know by now that you can't hide anything from the women that love you."

I shook my head and he continued, "For as bright as you are, sometimes you're as dense as a black hole."

I followed him to his favorite Italian restaurant, and we sat at the bar while we waited for the to go order.

"Did you take a pain pill yet?" he asked.

"No, I didn't want to drive after taking one."

"Good, have a martini. You're going to need it."

"Why? What am I walking into at your house?"

"Well--my wife is worried sick about you. Add to that, the circumstances under which you were hurt. Add to that, my daughter is an emotional wreck because of her marriage breaking up. Add to that, my granddaughter doesn't understand why everyone is crying. Add to that..."

I exhaled. "Okay, okay. I get it. A tornado is coming and I'm in a straw house."

"You should've told Nikki you were hurt, Drake. I've got to hand it to you, though. Being mad at you took her mind off of Mike for an hour. It was all I could do to keep her at the house when I left."

"I get the feeling you're finding some amusement in my plight."

"No, I wouldn't call it amusement. I guess, well, it's taking our minds off the more important problem and I'm glad for that right now. I've seen people go through nasty divorces and it's never pleasant. Honestly, I'm worried for Nikki, Drake. That asshole has money and can be a vindictive little shit when he doesn't get his way."

I gulped down the last of my martini as the food came.

I needed to be 100% focused when we got back. On the drive, I thought back over all the years I pined for Nikki. All the times she broke up with Jack, only to get back with him soon after, leaving me in the cold. The years of loving her and getting nothing in return except friendship. All the times she cancelled seeing me because Mike wanted to do something with her.

I needed to remember she was never going to be mine and I couldn't let her ever find out I loved her. I couldn't let the fact that she was getting a divorce give me false hope. There was no way I would repeat the mistake I made when she dumped Jack. I would not allow myself to believe I had a chance.

*****

"Unckie Dwake!" Mallory shrieked when I walked into the Dryer home.

"What's up, duckie?" I said as I accepted my hello kiss.

"Do you have my pwesant?" she asked and giggled.

"Sorry, cuddles. I don't have a present for you today."

She pouted and stomped off, making me chuckle. Most of the previous times I'd seen her, I gave her a little something. I guess she got used to it.

The next moment, I was grabbed into a hug and a sobbing Nikki was dampening my shirt.

"You should have told me you were hurt," she said as she broke the hug and lifted my hand to inspect my injury.

"I didn't want you to worry. You have enough on your plate."

She snickered, "Yeah? Well, it's always darkest before the dawn, right?"

"Come on and eat," Mrs. Dryer called out making me break contact with Nikki's smoldering eyes.

I smiled and wiped a tear from Nikki's cheek, "Your chicken parmesan awaits."

She leaned her head into my hand and smiled when I cupped her cheek. It didn't take five minutes for me to blow my plan of hiding my emotions.

As we ate, I stayed quiet while Mr. Dryer laid out his plan of attack for the divorce. As it turned out, Nikki didn't follow her father's advice before she got married and she let her husband control their finances. She checked their accounts, and she was frozen out of all of them. Coupled with that, her credit cards were cancelled. The asshole was in total control.

Mr. Dryer was furious and called his lawyer.

"Davis," he shouted. "That son of a bitch locked her out of the money and cancelled her cards. I want an injunction filed immediately to give her access to their joint funds. I want to roast this piece of garbage over his own coals. He is purposely preventing her from taking care of their child."

He fumed and paced around the kitchen, listening to his lawyer's side of the conversation. Davis Montgomery was a shark of the highest order in business law. I had no doubt he could find a lawyer who was just as blood thirsty to protect Nikki in her divorce.

"Damn it, Nikki! I warned you about that asshole. I told you to make sure you had your own money for just this reason." He rolled his eyes and went back to his call, "Yes! I'm here."

Nikki got up and ran out of the room. Her mom followed after her and Mr. Dryer barked commands into the phone. I'd never seen him so riled up, as he was for the second time that day. He was always in control of his emotions. I resolved to stay on his good side.

"Unckie Dwake, I'm full."

I looked to my right and Mallory was sitting there, still strapped into her booster chair, with a big saucy smile.

"Take another bite of chicken," I said, remembering the times I'd had lunch with her and Nikki. Nikki would always tell her to take another bite after she said she was full. I guess, moms knew when their kids just wanted to go play rather than eat.

She took another forkful and then chased it with some cut up spaghetti. She looked at me with a bright smile and my heart melted for her.

"Good job, duckie."

I wiped her face and hands with a damp washcloth and released her from her prison. She bolted off, singing the theme song to whatever cartoon she was going back to watching.

"This is a damn mess, Drake," he said after he ended the call and sat down.

He pushed his full plate away and took a drink of his wine.

"I warned her about him. I caught that piece of garbage cheating on her before they got married."

"What?" I asked shocked. "I didn't know that."

He nodded. "Emily and I were at a resort for a weekend getaway. When we went to dinner, MIke was there with a girl that was not Nikki. Oh! He swore she was just his cousin, and they were just meeting for dinner, but I had him investigated and he didn't have any cousin that looked like her."

"And Nikki bought that?" I wondered.

"She stayed with him because of the baby. Honestly, I don't know if she believed that girl was actually his cousin or not."

I shook my head in disbelief. I couldn't believe Nikki did that.

All of a sudden, I felt really tired. "I'm gonna head out. I'm getting tired."

He said, "That's the pain pill kicking your butt. Why don't you stay here tonight? The guest room is always ready, and I'll give you something to sleep in."