Never in a million years did she think Nick would ever talk to her like that. She sat on the floor, her back against the wall and cried. He called her a bitch. She had been called that word before but never by someone that she cared about and she never imagined it would come out of Nick�s mouth. As long as they had known each other he never talked to her that way. Maybe that meant something. For him to yell at her the way he did maybe he really meant what he was saying. Maybe he was really frustrated. Maybe she really was unfair; mean and down right bitchy. She had been overly harsh with everyone that had any association to Nick.
Maybe his mother did want some positive publicity but in the end she was going to do something good with her charitable foundation. By helping all those children, if she was given a lot of good press it was all warranted right? She had to think, at that moment, that Jane�s ultimate reason for creating the foundation was to help children. No one would go through all the work it would require to initiate and maintain a charity for sick children just for a little publicity.
Brian wasn�t a racist. She never thought he was in the first place. She hadn�t meant to imply such a horrible thing. Deep down, even in the heat of her tirade, she knew Brian couldn�t be associated with that religious zealot. Not all religious people were that way. Brian didn�t deserve the treatment she gave him. He didn�t deserve to be put on display like that in such an embarrassing manner. She probably humiliated him.
But no one was probably more embarrassed and caught off guard than Ashley. Part of her wanted to feel bad for her. She was probably an innocent girl who got caught up in Nick and thought she was doing something nice. Of course she wished Mac well. Who would wish harm on a baby? She probably was nice but she didn�t handle this situation very well. Which is why, more than anything, Quinn felt anger towards her. Who was this girl to give her opinions and comments about her? She didn�t know Quinn. She had no right to say anything about her or her daughter. Couldn�t Nick see how that would make her upset.
Nick. What was she going to do about him.
She didn�t want to be in some dramatic battle with him. He was the father of her child. He, no matter if she wanted to admit it or not, held a place in her heart. She didn�t want to be some baby mama giving him a bunch of drama. How long was he going to be mad at her. She was going to have to apologize but the last time she apologized to Nick it didn�t make a difference. He kicked her out and never called her again. She didn�t want that to happen again. Not for herself and most definitely not for her daughter.
She was sitting at a table with her father; her spinning her glass over and over in her hands him watching her with a slight amusement.
�How much longer before it�s over? The surgery.� She looked up at her father,
�They said the procedure is over now it�s just smaller things they need to do.� She looked up to see him staring at her,
�What?� He seemed hesitant but she knew her father. He would say whatever it was that was in his head. He didn�t need to be coaxed into giving his opinion.
�How are things? I don�t just mean with Mac. There has been a lot going on around here. There are a lot of underlying issues that seem to be haven been pushed to the surface in all of this.� He was not only an intelligent man but coupled with his skills of observation there was nothing that could escape him.
�It�s nothing dad. Its just Mac. I�m just stressed about Mac and I�ve been taking it out on everyone.� He shook his head immediately,
�No, there may be something that you are taking out on everyone but it�s not about Mac.� She tried and failed now she might as well break down and tell him what he wanted to know,
�Its Nick.� He nodded as if he what he thought had now been confirmed.
�What about him?� How could she talk about this to her father. This wasn�t a conversation about her career, her car or how to change a tire. It was very personal and it was something girls didn�t talk about with their fathers. Besides, she was an adult and she needed to resolve her own problems.
�I just�Nick, when I told him about Mac, he didn�t step up and do what he was supposed to do.� He leaned back in his chair and looked at her,
�And what was that?� She frowned,
�Huh?�
�What was it that you expected him to do?� She expected him to be like her own father,
�To be involved. And he still hasn�t.�
�Of course he has. He�s here right now and he�s been here.� She described how she expected Nick to behave once he found out he was a father. The entire time she watched her father�s expressions and she didn�t feel as if he understood what she expected and what Nick wasn�t doing.
�Quinn, it takes time to be a man, it takes time to be a good father.� She knew that wasn�t the case. She had the perfect example in front of her,
�Not for you. You were always there for Nate and me.� He smiled and shook his head,
�As far as you remember. It wasn�t always like that.� What was that supposed to mean? Her father was perfect and she couldn�t imagine him any other way. He was at her brother�s football and basketball games. He was at her soccer games and recitals. He never disappointed. She could never see her father behaving as irresponsibly as Nick. She didn�t like the idea of him comparing himself to Nick.
�He�s young he has growing up to do.� He pointed at her,
�And he�s not the only one.� She frowned,
�What does that mean?� He took a deep breath and she was afraid she wasn�t going to like what he was about to say,
�You. A good woman supports a man and she understands his faults. You have a lot to learn yourself. Even after you get married you�re going to have to learn how to be a good wife. It takes time. Everything takes time. From what I�ve seen that boy has been here right along with you. I know how you can be Quinn.� Tears welled in her eyes,
�And how is that?� He leaned forward and took one of her hands in his own,
�Unforgiving.� She used her other hand to wipe the tears that had escaped her eyes as her father proceeded to make her cry,
�You can be very hard on people and I have a feeling you�ve been hard on him. Ease up or you�re going to give him an excuse for not being in Mac�s life.� She knew she was hard on Nick and maybe even a little unfair but why not? Why should he be easily forgiven for not doing what he was supposed to do. She shook her head, she had to get over it. In the end it was doing nothing but making her miserable. It was eating a live at her, controlling her. She had to let the anger go or she�d never really be happy. She knew that. She watched enough Oprah to know that. Right then and there she decided she wasn�t going to concentrate on being negative. She would leave Nick�s past mistakes in the past and concentrate on the present and the future.
She owed Nick a huge and sincere apology. No matter how tough it was going to be it needed to be done. She knew that was the only way things would get better. She only hoped this apology had a different outcome than the last.
Chapter 79
Reunited
Stories