�Where�s your dad?� She asked Nick as they sat in Mac�s room.
�Oh, he went back to the hotel. He didn�t get much sleep last night.� That was true. His father didn�t get much sleep between the alcohol and movies he was consuming.
�So, I hear Mike is leaving.� It was like getting rid of the gnat that has been buzzing around your ear. It was a relief. At times, he thought about reevaluating his friends but at least with the crew around him now they weren�t constantly judging him and trying to change him.
�Yeah. He left this morning.�
�Wow, I think I saw him like once.� Hell, they were in the same hotel room and he didn�t see him much more than that.
�You didn�t miss much. He was too busy living the party life.� He regretted say anything because he didn�t want to go into a discussion about how horrible his friend was.
�He�s young and carefree. He probably didn�t want to be cooped up in the hospital all the time; can�t say I blame him.� He was going to enjoy not having anyone around to be honest. He thought it would be better the smaller the amount of support he and Quinn had
�Speaking if friends. I haven�t seen Elliott and�um, what's her name?� He didn�t know why he couldn�t remember her friend�s name.
�Chris�Christina. Elliott and I still talk on the phone. Even if we don�t get to talk much he always leaves me a message in the morning to say good morning and a message at night telling me sweet dreams. He�s great. He was over at my house last night.� She talked about Elliott but she didn�t mention Chris,
�And Chris?� She shrugged,
�She had to go back to Atlanta. She couldn�t stay here too long. I�m just happy she stayed as long as she did.� He had to admit. He admired a lot of things about Quinn and one of them was the relationship she had with her friends. They seemed to have a tight bond and they always looked like they had fun together.
�Hey, I knew I�d find you in here.� They turned and were both looking at her brother.
�Hi Nate. What's up?� He had yet to get comfortable around her brother. He didn�t think he ever would.
�I was just coming to tell you I�m going back home. My flight leaves tomorrow at two.� He turned back and stood up walking over to Mackenzie�s bed to stare down at her.
�I�m going to miss you. Why don�t you take mom and dad with you.� They laughed. He had to smile himself he would mind that either. Nothing against their parents but they made him nervous too. He just wished everyone would leave so he and Quinn could concentrate on MacKenzie like two parents. Of course, there was still the issue of James to deal with.
He needed to have a serious talk with Quinn about James. This was it. He needed to let her know how he felt about the situation. He wasn�t going to be the outsider anymore. If anyone was going to be the third wheel, it was going to be James.
Nick was joined by Nate who stood beside him and looked down at his little niece. As Nick began to move away to give him room to be with Mackenzie he put his arm on Nick�s shoulder,
�No, stay here. She�s your daughter. Don�t let me move you. I�m fine.� He smiled at Nate and looked down at Mackenzie.
�I�m going to make a couple of phone calls. I�ll be back after a while.� called out Quinn as she headed out the door leaving him alone with her brother. It wasn�t long before he took the opportunity to attempt a heart-to-heart with Nick.
�I�m glad you�ve been here. Before Mac got sick and we didn�t know who her father was it was really a sad sight to think she would grow up without a father.� Nick was about to respond but he continued, �Then James showed up and we rested a little easier because we knew she would have father. But, you know, it is good for her to know her real father.�
�She�ll definitely know me. I�m not going anywhere.�
�I hope not.� If he were ever going to get over his uncomfortable feeling with her family, he had to start saying what was his mind.
�Why is it that every time I make a promise to do something someone has to say something like �I hope so� as if they don�t believe me? I have done nothing but been here for her and Quinn since the day you met me. In fact, I have never done anything, ever, for anyone to doubt me. I wasn�t there for her in the beginning but that wasn�t all my fault. Everyone seems to forget that.� It just all came out at once. He didn�t know that was still in him. But he was glad he released it. Now, if he could just say it to her parents he would have told everyone how he felt.
�Fair enough. But when Quinn did tell you and you seemed to not want to step up to the plate, that wasn�t that long ago. When you do something to lose someone�s faith you have to deal with their mistrust until you prove yourself. Words only matter for a writer, for the rest of us words don�t mean shit, its all about action. Feel me?� He nodded,
�Yeah man. I feel you. I just want people to know that I'm there for her.� Nate turned his attention away from Mackenzie and looked at Nick directly,
�Since we�re being so honest and all�you and my future brother-in-law don�t exactly get along. I know its not my place�that its between the three of you but like I�ve told both Quinn and James I hope you guys can be civil enough it for nothing more than Mac�s sake.� Nick nodded,
�I was thinking the same thing. In fact, that�s a talk Quinn and I are going to have.� That was the end of his personal talk with Nate and he sat down in a chair and began to read a magazine as Nate watched over Mackenzie.
He and Quinn were sitting on her couch. At first they were going to go back to his hotel room but with his dad�s attitude regarding Quinn and the entire situation he didn�t want him anywhere near her.
�I hired a real estate agent.� He took a breath and she thought he was finished,
�You guys are moving from the compound?� He shook his head,
�No, we�re all still there but I want to get a condo or something to stay here until Mac gets better. I think I�ll keep it actually. Whenever I�m in town to visit her I�ll have my own place so she and I can have a place to be together. I don�t want to visit her and sit around your house.� Under James� watchful eye he thought, �and I don�t want her to be in a hotel room. I could even make one of the rooms hers with toys and stuff for when she visited.� She smiled,
�That�s a good idea Nick. I�m sure she�ll really like that.� It was time for him to talk to her about the parenting situation since things were going well and he was feeling quite like the parent.
�Winnie, I�m sick and tired of James having a problem with me.� He looked over at her but she didn�t seem to be all that interested, �He always has some grip with me. I�m Mackenzie�s father and he acts like he doesn�t like it.� Still there was nothing from Quinn. She was silent.
�I just don�t think its fair to ask me to deal with all his negativity. All I want is to be there for you and Mackenzie.� Before he knew it that had just come out. She turned to look at him and stared directly in his eyes. He wanted to be there for Quinn? At this point, he felt he shouldn�t be shocked by any feelings he had for Quinn. But when his heart admitted something his mind never knew he felt, it made his heart race.
Chapter 103 cont'd