| Chapter 59 Tara sat in the chair trying to remember where she'd met Lyn. She'd been there thinking since Lyn went to the cafeteria, over an hour ago. Brian was sitting next to the bed watching TV. "I just can't think of it," Tara said. Brian looked over at her, "Maybe you're trying to hard." Tara smiled at him, but Brian could tell that it was bugging her to death. "Why don't you just ask her when she comes back?" Brian said. Just then Lyn came through the door carrying three cups. "I thought you guys might like some coffee," she said handing them each a cup. "Thanks," Brian said. Tara stared into her cup for a second, then looked at Lyn, "Lyn, I know when we first came in I was staring at you. It's just that I think we've met before." Lyn sat down and looked at Tara, "We have. At the concert last year." A look of recognition came across Tara's face, "You were the girl sitting behind me. We talked for a little bit after the concert was over, right?" "Yes, I just can't believe you remember it," Lyn said. Brian laughed, "She has a funny way of remembering everything." They all sat there sipping their coffee, and half watching the TV for a little while. No one knew exactly what to say. There were so many questions that Brian wanted to ask, but he was afraid to. It was obvious that Lyn cared a great deal for Nick, but Brian wanted to know what had been going on. And he was afraid that Lyn would be offended by his questions. He looked up to see her staring at him. Lyn set her coffee down and walked over to the bed. She re-wet the clothe she had been using earlier and began to wipe Nick's forehead and face. Brian watched her. She took great care in what she was doing. "He was lucky to have you as a neighbor," Brian finally said. Lyn looked up at him and smiled, "I think it was the other way around." "Lyn, how did he get sick?" Brian asked. Tara watched Lyn, she could feel the concern she felt for Nick, but there was also something hidden, something guarded about the time they had spent together. "Brian, I think that Nick should tell you if he wants to, it's not my place to," Lyn said. "Lyn please," Brian pleaded, "I have to know what's been going on with him since he left." Lyn put down the clothe and stared into Brian's eyes. She could see the worry and concern in them. Brian blamed himself for Nick's condition, she could see it, and it was tormenting him. Lyn sighed, "If I tell you, you can't tell the other guys. It's strictly between us." "Of course," Brian said, and Tara agreed. Lyn walked back over to the chair and pulled it closer to where Brian and Tara where sitting. "OK, I'll tell you what I know. The rest you're gonna have to get from Nick," she said. "OK," Tara said. "He was depressed when he got here. He'd spend all day sitting on the beach crying. I never saw him do anything but sit on the beach. I know he was starting to get sick, cause I would see him coughing, but I don't know how long he was sick before......" Lyn started. "Before what?" Brian asked. Lyn locked eyes with Brian, "Before he tried to drown himself." "What?!" Brian said, not wanting to believe what she had just said. Lyn nodded her head, "I was doing some paperwork, and something kept nagging at me to watch him. So I walked over to the window just as he was going in the water. I knew he wasn't going swimming, so I ran out after him. It took me a few minutes to find him and get him back to shore. When I did, he wasn't breathing, so I started CPR. I don't know how long it was before he finally came around, it felt like hours, but when he did he was in shock. Somehow, I got him to the house and called my uncle for help," Lyn said. Tara was wiping the tears from her face, and Brian was fighting his own. "What happened after that?" Tara asked. "Well, my uncle came over and started treating him. His fever was really high for a few days, and he was pretty much unconscious the whole time. He woke up after his fever broke, and was a little confused about things, but in general he was doing much better. He didn't eat or drink very much though, and that concerned me. I would see him staring out the windows, looking at the ocean, when he didn't think I was looking. I know he was still depressed, but he would hide it when I was around. We finally talked about it last night, and this morning he seemed in better spirits. He asked me to call you when we got here, he hadn't done that before," Lyn said. Brian's emotions were all over the board. He was angry at himself for hurting Nick. He was angry at Nick for doing what he did, but at the same time he was afraid. Afraid of losing his best friend, and of what their relationship was going to be like from now on. Lyn and Tara both stared at him. "Brian, it's not your fault," they both said in unison. Brian looked at them both, tears in his eyes, "How can you say it's not my fault? If it wasn't for me, he wouldn't had ever had to make the decision he made, and he wouldn't be here right now." "Brian, you don't know that," Tara said. "Brian, Nick is a grown man. No one makes him decide anything. He made that decision because he knew it was the right one to make. He just had a hard time letting go, and he still is I guess," Lyn said. Brian and Tara both looked at her, "He told you about what's been going on?" "Some. Like I said, we had a really long talk last night. It was good for both of us," Lyn answered. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Gary walked Leighanne to her door. It was late and they were both tired. Leighanne fished for her key, "I know it's in here somewhere," she mumbled to herself. Gary laughed. She turned around, "Oh, so you think that's funny huh?" He smiled, "Anyone ever tell you you're cute when your tired?" Leighanne rolled her eyes and turned back toward the door. "Finally," she said pulling out her keys and opening the door. Gary followed her in, turning on the lights. "Where do you want me to put this?" Gary asked holding out her bag. "Just drop it anywhere," she said. Gary set the bag next to the door, "Anne, can I use your bathroom before I go?" "Yeah sure," she said plopping on the couch. Gary headed down the hall, as Leighanne looked at her answering machine. She had a message, so she hit the play button: "Lee, it's Brian. I just thought you'd want to know that Nick's sick and in the hospital. He's got pneumonia, and Tara and I are heading to Vancouver to stay with him. I'll call and let you know how he is, bye." Gary came back down the hall, and noticed the concerned looked Leighanne had on her face. "Is something wrong?" he asked. She looked up at him, "Nick's in the hospital in Vancouver." Gary sat down next to her, "Is he OK?" "I don't know, Brian just said he'd call and let me know," she said. "What's he doing in Vancouver?" Gary asked. "Well, he said something about some trip for the label, I guess he was on that when he got sick," she said. "Do you need to call anyone?" Gary asked. "Yeah, I'll call Kristin, she'll know what's going on," Leighanne said picking up the phone. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Nick sat on the shore, watching the ocean. He didn't know how he'd gotten there, but he was glad he was there. He felt like he was being watched, so he turned around. Someone was walking towards him. He couldn't tell who it was at first, but as she got closer his memory triggered. "Tracy?" he asked. She sat down next to him in the sand, "You remember me?" "Yeah, you're Tracy right? The angel that helped Kevin?" Nick asked. She nodded her head, "Yes, you do remember me." Nick stared at her for a moment, "What are you doing here?" Tracy smiled, "Well, Kevin's not the only person I look out for." Nick looked at her, then it dawned on him, "Am I dead?" "No, I just thought we needed to talk," Tracy said. "About what?" Nick asked. "About what you're going to do with the rest of your life. That is what you've been praying about isn't it?" she asked. "Yeah, but I didn't think anyone was hearing me," he said. Tracy put her hand on Nick's shoulder, "We always hear you. We may not answer the way you want us to, but we're always there with you." Nick looked back at the ocean, "You were with me weren't you?" "Yes," Tracy said. "Is that how Lyn found me?" he asked. "Yes," Tracy said again. Nick looked her in the eyes, "Why?" "Why did we save you?" she asked. "Yeah, I was already gone. Why'd you bring me back?" he asked. "Because it wasn't your time. Nick, whether you know it or not, your life still serves a higher purpose. God loves you for who you are in here," Tracy said putting her hand over Nick's heart. "He still has plans for you, and it's not your right to take something that doesn't belong to you," she said. Nick looked confused, "What do you mean?" "Your life Nick, it doesn't belong to you, so you have no right to take it. You are a child of God, He governs over your life, it belongs to Him," Tracy said. Nick looked down at his hands, not wanting to meet her gaze. "I'm sorry," he said tears rolling down his cheeks, "I was just so lost, all I wanted to do was make the pain go away." Tracy reached over and pulled Nick into a hug and let him cry on her shoulder. "I know," she said. Nick pulled away and wiped the tears from his face, "So what do I do now?" Tracy looked at him, "Nick, tell me how you feel." "About what?" he asked. "About Tara and about Lyn," she said. Nick took a deep breath, "Well, I still love Tara, and it hurts when I think about how we were, and that she's gone." "OK, now what about Lyn?" Tracy asked. "I owe her so much. She stopped everything in her life to take care of me, I can never repay her," he said. Tracy smiled, "And?" A smile crossed Nick's face, "I like her. We have alot in common, and I find myself thinking about her more and more." "Nick, there aren't to many second chances in life, especially when it comes to love. You need to take it, while you still can," Tracy said. He stared at her, not exactly sure of what she meant. Tracy got up, and helped him to his feet, "Sometimes when you're looking so hard for something, you miss what's right in front of you. Don't miss this one." Nick smiled, finally understanding what she was telling him, "I won't." Tracy smiled at him, then disappeared. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Gary watched as Leighanne talked to Kristin. He knew she was worried about Nick, and he wished there was something he could do for her. Leighanne hung up the phone and looked at him. "What'd she say?" he asked. "Basically what Brian left on the machine. Just that he has pneumonia and Brian was suppose to call when he had something else to tell," she answered. "Anne, I wish there was something I could do," Gary said. She smiled, "It's OK I'm sure things are fine, otherwise we would have heard something by now." "Do you need me to stay and do anything?" Gary asked. Leighanne looked at him for a long moment, "You're really concerned aren't you?" "Yes. I don't know him that well, but he's your friend, and that's enough for me," he said. "You really have changed for good haven't you?" Leighanne asked. Gary smiled, "Yes." Leighanne could see it in his eyes, he was changed forever. She reached over and touched his face, staring deep into his eyes. He looked at her, wondering what she was thinking. "There's one thing you can do," she said. "Just name it," Gary said. Leighanne smiled and leaned in close, "Kiss me." Gary looked at her, wondering if he'd heard her right, when she leaned in and kissed him, taking away any doubts he had. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Tara and Lyn stood on each side of the bed, watching Nick sleep. Brian was sitting in the chair, still blaming himself. Lyn suddenly got goose bumps, and looked over at Tara. Tara returned her stare, feeling something herself. "Someone's here," Lyn said. Tara nodded her head, "I feel it too." Brian looked at them both, "What's going on?" Tara motioned him over and she took his hand. Brian could feel some kind of presence in the room with them. He looked at Lyn, "You feel it too?" She nodded her head, "Yeah. I've felt it before, but never this strong." They stood there afraid to move, not knowing what to do. They were all looking at Nick when he opened his eyes. He looked from one to the other, then focused on Lyn. "Nick, do you remember where you are?" Lyn asked. He nodded his head, and reached for her hand. Lyn took it and smiled at him, "Brian and Tara are here." Nick looked over at them. "Nick, I'm sorry," Brian said. Nick shook his head and grabbed Brian's hand and placed it on top of Tara's. Brian and Tara both looked at him, confused. Tara put her hand on Nicks, "He says he loves us both, and that we shouldn't blame ourselves for anything. He needed to go through this for a reason, and he knows what that is now. He's happy for the love we've found together, and he hopes that someday he finds it too." "Really?" Brian asked. Nick nodded his head, then looked back to Lyn. "Lyn, he want's me to tell you something," Tara said. "What is it?" Lyn asked, looking at Nick. "He wants to thank you for what you've done for him, and to tell you that he loves you," Tara said. Lyn looked at Tara in shock, "You sure you got that last part right?" Nick squeezed her hand. She looked back down at him, and he nodded his head. Lyn felt the tears in her eyes, but she ignored them. "I love you too," she said, as she leaned down and kissed him on the forehead. Chapter 60 |