Chapter Seven
Mark kicked the ball to Bailey as the little boy with full force ran after it with his arms waving in the air. He stopped the ball, pulled his foot back and put all of his energy into the kick. He missed the ball and crashed down on the cold ground. It only took a minute for him to feel the pain as the tears began to fall down his face. Mark rushed to his aide, picked him up and cradled him in his arms. Bailey laid his head on Mark's shoulder as his screaming calmed down to a sob.
"Don't worry about it, Bai, it wasn't an important kick." Mark said as he patted his back.
"But I wanted to show you the kick that Nicky showed me. " Bailey said sobbing into Mark's coat.
"You can show me later." Mark said as he carried Bailey into his house. Bailey was still softly sobbing as he entered the kitchen. He set Bailey on the counter and got the lad a drink of water. Mark handed him the cup as Bailey sipped the water in-between sobs.
"Feel better?" Mark asked as he patted Bailey's leg. Bailey smiled and nodded his head as the play of sweat and dirt covered his face.
"Good, Grandma Feehily will give you an extra long hug tonight when we go over there." Mark took the cup of water and filled it again.
"Why can't you be my daddy?" Bailey asked as he wiped the dirt and tears from his face. "All my friends have Daddy's and Mommy's. I want you to be my Daddy."
"Well, I would have to marry your Mommy." Mark said as he gave Bailey his cup of water.
"Don't you love my mommy?" Bailey asked tilting his head.
"I do, Bailey. But..." How could he explain to Bailey how much he did love his Mommy. He had loved Sidney since the first time they met in London. Her smile was still fresh on his heart as he was introduced to her. But then Michael was the one who swept her away and made her happy. He had never stopped loving her as his love only grew with every moment he spent with her. If it was a perfect world, he would marry Sidney in a minute and would love Bailey as if he was his own. But it wasn't a perfect world and Sidney didn't love him in the same way. She was with Nicky, smiling and laughing. But then the promise echoed in Mark's heart as he looked at Bailey. The promise that he tried to forget. He had said "yes" to the promise and guilt filled Mark's soul as he knew he wasn't following through. But how could he? He loved Sidney but....
Briana entered with her robe wrapped around her. Her hair was in a ponytail to the side with wisp of hair sticking out of the band. Her eye make-up was smeared down her cheeks as the lack of sleep and irritation of Bailey laughing flowed through her eyes. She fixed herself some tea as Mark tended to Bailey.
"What's wrong with you?" Briana snarled at Bailey.
"I fell down on my bum." Bailey said quietly as he sipped his water.
"Did you break anything?" She asked staring at him.
"No." He said softly frowning.
"Then stop crying." Briana said laughing as she poured milk into her cup of tea. Mark gently scooped Bailey off the counter and set him down on the wooden floor.
"Why don't you go and watch cartoon. I will be in there in a minute." Mark gave Bailey a hug as he walked past Briana. He didn't look at her but just sighed as he exited the kitchen. He remembered what his mommy had always told him..."If you can't say something nice to someone, then don't say anything at all." So Bailey just sighs when he see Briana.
"I hate it when he does that." Briana snapped.
"What?" Mark asked as he wiped the counter where Bailey had left some mud.
"He sighs every time he walks past me. I hate it and why is he here anyway? Did Sidney have a hot date with Nicky again? Bailey does have grandparents who..."
"Bailey is here to spend time with me. I am taking him over to my parents soon, don't worry." Mark said as he kissed her forehead.
"How is Nicky and Sidney hitting it off?" Briana asked sarcastically. "It must be strange to have one your friends date the woman you love. Wait...you should be use to it, your best friend married the woman you loved."
"I'm going to my parents for dinner." Mark said ignoring her comment.
"You are never home!" Briana yelled as Mark blocked the entrance to the livingroom.He didn't want Bailey to hear their conversation.
"You weren't going to be home anyway." Mark said not looking at her.
"Doesn't matter, you are either with Sidney, or at the club with Sidney or at your parents with Sidney. Why don't you just marry the bitch." Briana yelled as she pushed Mark.
"Quiet, Briana." Mark said as he grabbed her arm. "I don't want Bailey to hear..."
"I don't care if Bailey hears me. I am sick of Sidney and her bratty boy!" Briana yelled as Mark tried quieting her down. He tired soothing her and tried pushing her towards the bedroom, away from Bailey. Briana finally had enough of Mark as she raised her hand to slap him. Mark grabbed it as he held her at a distant.
"Don't push it, Briana." Mark said sternly.
"Let me go!" Briana yelled.
"Calm down and I will." Mark said sternly but quietly.
"You are such a wimp. You can't do anything to me just like you can't tell Sidney how you feel. You are so pathetic." Briana pulled her arm from Mark and stepped back.
"Pack your bags, Briana." Mark said as he moved away from her.
"I will not pack my bags. You can't throw me out. You have nothing and I know how you hate being alone!" Briana screamed as she got in his face.
"Being alone is better then being with you." He said straight faced. He stared into her eyes as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. "Get out!"
"I am not leaving, this is my place just as much as yours!" Briana moved towards the living room. "You can't throw me away for Sidney and her brat. She doesn't love you and never will. You will regret.."
"I only regret staying with you for so long. I want you gone when I get back tonight." Mark moved past her as he shoved him to the side.
"Uncle Mark, I want to go home." Bailey said as he stood behind Mark. "I don't want to be here." Bailey said as his eyes began to well up.
"Get that brat out of here!" Briana yelled as she moved toward Bailey.
Mark jumped ahead of her as he scooped of Bailey ."How about if we go see Grandma and Grandpa Feehily." Bailey melted in his arms as they made their way to the car. Briana continued screaming as Mark put Bailey in the car. The two sat in silence as Mark drove to his parents. For the first time in a long, Mark felt strong and actually happy. A smile came across his face as he drove through the traffic. He was alone but not scared.
"So does this mean you can marry my mommy?" Bailey said softly.
"We'll see, Bai, we'll see." Mark said as he thought about Sidney. He couldn't help but give Bailey hope yet he knew the truth. And the truth was at the club holding Sidney.
~That Night~
"I just know that something is wrong." Sidney said as she stood next to
Shane in the lift. They had just finished dinner with Kian and Emily and were
on their way to the office.
"She is just coming to see you. Andrea hasn't been here since you moved." Shane said as he held the door to the lift.
"She was just getting ready to close on a new restaurant. I know Cole did something." Sidney began to get angry as she thought of Cole and how he had control over Andrea. She also hated the way Cole looked at her, it was just pure evil.
"Just enjoy it while she is here." Shane unlocked the office door as Sidney followed him in.
"Are you two hooking up while she is here?" Sidney said elbowing Shane. He didn't say a word but just smiled. Shane did everything he could to contain his excitement when Sidney told him that Andrea was coming. Just the thought of seeing her in just a few short hours, made him smile. But he had to control the happiness for he agreed with Sidney. Something was wrong and if he found out that Cole laid a hand on her...
"Hey, is there a beautiful blonde in here?" Nicky said as he poked his head in the office.
"No, just Sidney." Shane said as Sidney hit his arm. "Ow! And a very violent Sidney."
"Hi, Nicky." Sidney chimed as Nicky walked over to Sidney. He gently kissed her cheek as just the mere touch of Nicky excited Sidney.
"Sorry that I couldn't meet you for dinner, the parent-teacher conferences always go long." Nicky said taking her hand.
"That's ok. We had dinner with Kian and his new friend, Emily." Sidney said smiling as Nicky held her hand.
"Do you have a match this weekend?" Shane asked as he flipped through the schedule of singers.
"Yah, a big one. Semifinals." Nicky continued talking to Shane about the football match as he held Sidney's hand tight. Sidney stood looking at Nicky, she loved how he tucked his hair behind his ears when he talked about football. She loved watching his lips when he spoke the words and the sound of his scratchy voice ignited feelings in her that she couldn't ignore. Nicky looked her way and smiled, Sidney once again got lost in the twinkle of his eyes.
Shane and Nicky finished their conversation about football, Shane made a few phone calls and then made himself scarce as Nicky and Sidney were alone in the office.
"How was your day."Nicky said as he led Sidney to the couch.
"My best friend is coming to visit." Sidney said as she sat down with Nicky close to her.
"I look forward to meeting her." They were trying to make conversation...they were trying to hide their desire for each other. But when the words finally seized...
"I can't just sit here with you and not kiss you."Nicky said as he pulled Sidney closer to him, practically on his lap.
"Then why don't you kiss me." Sidney said smiling. Nicky moved closer to her, coupled his hands around her face as he lovingly kissed her lips. Sidney returned the kiss as her whole body melted in the wetness of his lips. Nicky wrapped his arms around Sidney as their bodies touched as he moved his hand down her back. Sidney ran her hands through his hair as any past hurt and pain dissolved in the kiss. Nicky gently pushed her down on the couch as she laid before him. He traced her face with his finger as he looked deep into her green eyes. He was falling for Sidney...faster then he had imagined he would. She was so wonderful....so tender....so beautiful but he knew that he couldn't ruin it between them. He knew of her hurt with losing Michael..he had the same hurt with Holly but at that moment...nothing mattered. Nothing but being close to Sidney...closer then life would allow.
"Nicky...." Sidney said as he pulled away from her. "I really care about you..."
"Don't say it." Nicky said as he put his finger to her lips. "Words aren't important now." He leaned down and kissed her again...more passionately. They became lost in the kiss as Bryan stood at the office door watching them. It took all of his strength to leave...to go and do his work. But in the short amount of lingering....his heart broke...again....but Sidney was happy...he had to keep telling himself.