off
*********
"Jessica!!" A familiar voice calls for the blonde haired girl as she walks through the school hall, forcing her to turn around. It's Friday and she's expecting a relaxing weekend, away from school. Not that she hates school, but she needs time off once in a while.
"Danny, hi..." She greets the owner of the voice sweetly, a smile on her lips.
"Hi..." The green eyed blond guy smiles at her nervously. "Look Jessica, there's this party tonight...Peter's place...his parents are away...It's a great party...you know Peter he's...." Daniel stops as he notices he's been rambling. He had prepared this invitation so well, practice it even, but still, looking into her beautiful blue eyes and seeing that little smile played on her lips, he just forget his lines.
"Well... I just wonder if you would like to... you know... come... with me... there... to the party..." And he's kicking himself again mentally there; he realized that's just one of the worst if not really
the worst invitation to a girl for a date. He knows that for he has asked girls to go out, having them all saying yes, numerous time, most of the time, in fact the only girl, hasn't said yes is the golden blonde haired girl standing in front of him, with some books on her hand, a little smile on her lips. But worst thing is, she's the only girl he wants to be with
now...Jessica Simpson, the beautiful and smart icon of their school. He waits nervously for her answer....'please not a no again...' he wishes silently...
Jessica smiles at his nervousness.
"I'd love to, Danny, but I..." A pause, as Danny sighs, another fail attempts. "I have to finish this
essay about law and stuff...deadline's Monday... and I haven't even started yet." Jessica smiles sweetly, innocently, while making a gesture towards her bag to emphasis her point. 'Liar' she thought of herself, as she remembers that essay already stored neatly on her desk, another file on her computer. But a little white lie wouldn't hurt... she defends herself...
She can't go out with him, or any other guy for that matter, still feeling what she is feeling right now, still clinging for that one tiny hope that her love, would come to her someday.
"Oh, well... that's a shame." Danny responds, feeling disappointed� "Maybe next time..." He looks at her hopefully, a catch in his voice. He really wants this girl, and there is no word as giving up on his vocabulary when it comes to the one and only Jessica Simpson.
"Maybe next time..." Jessica answers and smiles, she doesn't have the heart to refuse him flat out. He's actually a good guy, great guy even. Look and personality wise. A popular yet down to earth boy, having all that it takes to be girl's favorite, though fortunately, not for this particular girl. This girl has her own favorite.
"I'll see you then..." He smiles weakly.
"Sure..."
He waves a little, and walks towards his basketball team friends. Jessica looks after him for a while before walking down the hall towards her locker.
"Turning down the good guy again, huh?" She hears another familiar voice, and turns to the owner, smiles at CaCee, the thin brown haired girl, who's also opening her locker, beside her.
"You know? For a girl as smart as you...you're pretty stupid at love and relationship department." CaCee teases, while Jessica raises her eyebrows questioningly.
"Well... let see... Daniel Rochdale, handsome, smart, diligent, athletic, rich, and really nice and kind too.... what more can a girl want?"
"I hear something there...If you like him so much, why don't you go for him?" Jessica shoots back, now walking to the front of the school together.
"I would...but he's too infatuated by you to notice me." CaCee looks at Jessica with her fake sad
expression.
Jessica just smiles and shakes her head. If only she knew, somehow Jessica hasn't found it in her a will to tell CaCee everything.
"You know, Jessica... If I were you I would just say yes... I mean that deep green eyes alone... hmmmm... really worth a try..." CaCee nods indulgently.
"And then... his arms... ooooh I can't even begin to imagine how great it would be being held by those strong muscular arms, his hard chest beneath me, his breath on my skin..." CaCee goes on with her sentences, describing reasons for Jessica to go with this 'hunk' as she calls him. Adding some extra effects on her already lustful description.
"Cacee...please stop..." Jessica stops suddenly, causing her friend to stop too. She looks at her surrounding, afraid someone might hear her friend's rather indecent talk, thankfully though, it's not really crowded in that uptown area of Waco that Friday afternoon.
"What? You're warming up to the idea?" Cacee winks at
her, smiling teasingly. Jessica shakes her head in
reply.
"Just be quiet!!!" Jessica says, and walks again.
They live nearby, only about fifteen minutes away from
the school if they walk. Cacee just moved there a
month ago, following her parents transfer here to
Waca, and they have been friends ever since, walking
to and from the school together, spending a lot of
time together.
"You know, what I just figured out, Jessica?" Cacee asks seriously after a while, looking at her friend, seemingly deep in thought. " I think your cold 'no way you're gonna get me I'm not that interested in you or attracted to you whatsoever' attitude is the one that has him keep going back for more..." She explains, nodding her head, satisfied with her finding.
"I mean, look at this for a fact, he's gorgeous,
having most girls in school go after him, but he still
not giving up on you... You know why? well not only
because of you I mean you are pretty... but i think
it's more for his ego as a man, a popular or even the
most popular guy in our school..."
Jessica can't hear her anymore and stop on her trance
as she recognizes the person standing on the corner of
the street, beside the car, looking at her. Their eyes
locked, and those eyes beckon her near.
"Listen, Cacee, why don't you go home first... I need
to do something..." Jessica says to her friend who
still rambling about man, competition, and
championship.
"Oh, what? I can accompany you... I mean it's not
like the captain of our school Basketball team a.k.a.
Danny will ask me out..." She teases.
"No... It's okay; I can do it by myself." Jessica
answers seriously.
"You're sure?" Cacee asks worriedly.
"Yes." Jessica answers firmly.
"Well... okay then... I'll see you, be careful!"
Cacee looks at her, a little worried by her serious
expression.
"Thanks. I will" Jessica smiles reassuringly.
Jessica looks at Cacee until she sees her turns on the
next corner towards their house, and goes across the
street, and meet the person standing there.
�Nick..."
******
" Hey..." The man answers her a little shakily.
There was a long, awkward, uncomfortable silence, as
both of them don't know what to say to each other, too
busy dealing with their emotions.
"Jessica..."
"Nick..."
They says simultaneously, before Jessica is asked to
go first.
"What brings you by?" Is her short and first question� The main question swirling in her mind ever since she noticed his lone figure standing there, as if waiting for her on that quiet little street corner.
"Well, I came to see you and..." Nick answers truthfully, then opening his car door, getting a paper bag from inside.
"You left something..." He gives the paper bag to her. It took a lot of thoughts before he finally made the decision to give it back to her by himself, vetoing the idea of sending it in a bag, asking Lea�s help, or send it through Fed Ex, knowing how important the thing is to Jessica.
Jessica takes it, and looks inside, recognizing her coat. She had realized few weeks ago she had left that coat at Nick's place after her hurry exit. It's a coat that meant a lot for her, her grandmother bought it for her just before she passed away less than a year ago. She had been wanting to take it back, but afraid of the repercussion if she meets him again.
"Thanks..." She looks up at him. She really appreciates his gesture, knowing it must have been
hard for him to come for her. She has hurt him badly. Again, silence enveloping them, as they don't know what to do, just staring at each other.
She notices his loosing weight, a shadow in his eyes, and not even a smile tracing his lips. He also studying her, seeing a vulnerable girl, so far from the strong woman, he has used to know. Her brown hair falls to her shoulder, gracing the beautiful face that has lost some of its brightness.
"How are you?" Nick asks after a while. Asking sincerely. He has been thinking about her, a lot, since their last meeting that night on a dinner in her parent's house. Feeling regret for knowing he had hurt her by his cold rejection towards her. He did that out of his hurt and pain too, but now, having more time to think, understand and forgiven her even, his love overshadows his pain and anger.
He understands where she came from, respects her and even loves her more for doing what she had done, but still too afraid to basks in those happiness again, knowing there are a lot of barrier on their way, a lot of things to overcome. He doesn't want to stand in her way of becoming the person he knows she meant to be, a successful woman, with a bright future. A future he's afraid he's not a part of it. A future he's afraid would not happen should he be with her.
"I'm... I'm fine..." Jessica smiles weakly to him, she's really a good liar, she thinks to herself.
She's not fine, she's still hurt, and the man standing in front of her is the cause, the pain she had caused in him, the change in him, because of her, is the cause. Nick smiles a little in reply, a pasted smile barely reaching his eyes. He knows the truth; she can't cover that sadness in her eyes, he always able to look into those eyes, straight to her soul.
"Don't lie to me Jessica... not again..." Nick says dejectedly. He doesn't even know why he said that. Jessica sees the contrition again, feeling him judging her again, by his words, and she hates it.
"So... what do you expect me to say... that I'm not fine... that I'm not okay... and is all because of YOU???" Jessica shoots back, all the hurt and pain resurface again, sick of him thinking of her like a child. "There... you have the truth, Nick, I'm not okay, satisfied?" She adds sarcastically, not even giving him time to respond.
"Now... I think I've said enough... Goodbye!" Jessica turns back, wanting to get away from him fast, feeling like she couldn't stand there one more minute without tears pouring down her cheek. And she doesn't want him to see her cry, see how much effects he has on her. That she is still hurts still, by all that has happened.
"Don't..." Nick grabs her arms. Feeling sorry for what he had caused in her, for hurting her again, that's the last thing he wants to do. "I'm sorry..."
"Just let me go... please..." Jessica looks at him, and sees his also feeling hurt, the same pain that she sees on her reflection every time she looks in the mirror.
"Can we please talk?" Nick asks and pleads with his eyes, to which Jessica cannot refuse. He leads her to the passenger seat of the car, and drives them away.
******
" It's my first time here... after�� Nick breaks the silence as they are sitting in a bench on their
favorite park. Not able to finish his words. He remembered a time when they were there, few weeks before their fight. When he had told her he loved her, and how he still loves her still, now...
"Me too..." Jessica whispers. She hasn't been able to come again to this park, for it holds too many memories of them. That day when he told her he loved her, when he told her, she is his is life... that day seems to be too long ago... a lot has happened ever since.
"I can't seem to come here without remembering..." Nick trails off, and looks at Jessica.
"I know..." Jessica replies knowingly, feeling the same way about this. They were silence again, as they watch some children playing with their parents. Remembering a day long ago when they had shared their wish of having a family someday, arguing over how many children is the best in a family, and ending up without any conclusion. Each too stubborn to back down. They loved spending the whole evening there, enjoying the view, and the feeling of being together.
Nick takes a deep breath as all memories come rushing back again. Their first meeting there, all the meetings that followed afterwards. All those wonderful times when they had shared their everything... their dreams... their soul... their past... When all he felt was happiness and comfort...
And now, all of those are so different, still the same two person, in the same place, same bench, but very different. A lot has happened.
"Why?" He asks a question he has wanted to ask from her for a while. Not out of anger, but out of need to understand. "Why did you do that?"
Jessica knew full well what he meant. Truth to be told, she had been asking the same thing almost everyday since she met him. Why did she told him those pack of lies, why didn't she just tell him the truth, but she knew her answer, and he had told him about that too. She wanted to give them a chance, knowing, if he had known the truth about her, he would back down, thinking she's just a kid, she's too young and too fragile. Thinking that he wouldn't deserve her. She had told him, yet he didn't believe her.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you... I told you everything, over and over again... How many times should I tell you until finally you would somehow believe me...� Jessica looks away. Remembering countless time when she had told him she loved him that she lied to him to give them a chance, that she did that out of love, trying to make him understand, and always having him doubts her and denies her in return. "I'm not a kid, Nick." Jessica feels the hurt over his words again, his rejection.
"You're sixteen..." Nick says the obvious truth. Having through this too many times, but it all still seems so surreal. Still believing he's having a nightmare, and that when he wakes up all will be okay with his world...Jessica will still be that woman that he had known, a 21 years old that she told him to be, a woman that has made him bent to his knee, finally able to open his heart, giving it warmth through her love... A woman that he wishes he could share his future with... but it's not a dream... it's real...
"We come to that thing again?" Jessica is sick of having this conversation, every time, he always brings up that stupid number, and she hates it. "Yes, Nick... I'm sixteen, so what?" She's ready to fight. All this time and he still somehow blame her; she hates it, why can't he understand...
Nick shakes his head, he doesn't want to fight anymore, he's also sick of fighting. He looks at Jessica and notices her books.
"How's school?" He confused himself with that question, where the hell did that coming from. He
hears Jessica laugh a little.
"What?" He asks confused.
"How's school?" Jessica echoes him, surprised, still laughing softly. Nick looks at her even more confused. Questioning her with his eyes...
"You never asked me about school before..." Jessica answers him, still laughing. "I just... it's funny..." Jessica says, not expecting that question; prepare for more condemnation from him, but having him surprised her. Nick looks at her and finally joins her laugh. She loves that they had been through the hard part, and now, having a more relaxing conversation.
"Well, I have never dated a sixteen year old before... not even when I was a teenager mind you... so I don't know the etiquette...." Nick tries to defend himself but only to have Jessica laugh even more.
"You never dated a sixteen year old???" Jessica asks surprised. "Where were you?" Jessica asks teasingly.
"No... When I was sixteen...my parent�s had just gone through with the divorce and..." He shakes his head, trying to ease the pain he still feels every time he remembers it. A hand finds its way to his, and entwine it tightly, squeezing it, giving comfort and strength. Nick looks up to her brown eyes, wondering how she always knows how to make him feel better. "Thank You..." Is all he can utter as even a simple gesture from her already makes him feel better, filling the gap on his heart. Jessica just smiles back in reply.
"You haven't answered me..." Nick says after a while, trying to lighten the mood again.
"What?" A pause "School�?" Jessica asks teasingly, before breaks into another laughter.
"Jessica..." Nick admonishes her playfully, smiling as he does. Feeling better than he has ever been in a long time, after that night when he found out the truth. How she always does that to him left him wondering.
"It's okay... just as usual..." She answers still smiling. They still have their hands tightly intertwined. �You know... homework, tests�guys..." She adds teasingly, they both smile.
They are silence as each engrossed in their own mind. Where will it go, they are together, they smile to each other, they laugh, they tease each other... what will happen next...
"Does this mean that we're dating?" Jessica asks breaking the silence. "Nick?" She looks up into his eyes, trying to find an answer. She sees his love for her; still, she's sure of it.
"It would be hard, Jessica..." Nick answers her; his mind is overruling his heart. He has been contemplating the idea more than he wants him to be, or wants to admit to anybody, battling with himself, thinking over all the worst case scenarios should they resume their relationship, but missing all those wonderful feeling he feels when they're together with each passing moment.
"I don't care..." Jessica tries to convince him, she knows the way he
thinks, and how sometime he thinks too much. She used to do that also, but now, for this one particular thing... she just wants to go with her heart... to bask in the happiness, she just wishes he would do the same.
"I won't be able to pay that Harvard tuition for you..." Nick looks at her, reminding her of one dream that he's not sure he would be able to give her. He is still scratching from bottom; he barely survives on his own. He barely manages his office, how can he give her all that she deserves.
"I'll get a scholarship...." Jessica challenges him, feeling that she's winning him over by each step they take. She's sure of her feeling, and looking through his eyes, she's sure of his too. He just needs some convincing.
"Your parents will kill me if they know..." Nick sighs, looking away.
"I'll die with you..." Jessica smiles at him, turning his face to hers with the hand that�s not holding his tight, so that he would see her.
"It's not funny, Jess...." Nick shoos her hand away from his face, holding both of her hands in his, looking at her.
"I know..." A sigh, as Jessica looks down at their joined hands.
"Do you love me, Nick?" Jessica asks seriously, looking up at him, loosing the playful mood she had few minutes back.
"Do you even have to ask that?" Nick answers her sarcastically.
"Answer me, Nick..." Jessica pleads. Nick looks at her as he tells her his answer.
"I love you... more than anything...� He replies wholeheartedly.
"Then why don't you fight for us, I love you, you said you love me... what the hell do we care with the world..." Jessica tries to reason.
"It's not that simple..." Nick breaks at his last word. No, it's not simple at all. He could just follow his heart but the entire barrier on their way... He doesn't care what will happen to him, but he's petrified of what will happen to her... she's young and as much as she thinks she is strong enough and mature enough... he still worried about her. If her parents and her families know, they will be angry and upset. It would tear the already torn family, a family that has just stumbling back, finding its way to survive. He knows how much she cares for them, no matter what they had done. And it would be hard for her, knowing she had let her parents down. He knows they would be upset if they know about their relationship.
And her friends, what would they think of her, her education, her future, her life... she could loose everything...
"You can loose everything you have now, Jessica..." Nick is trying to explain to her his reason. Jessica listens to him, knowing he has a reason to his action. He thinks too much, and he thinks too much of her. So, it's her that he is worried about. But somehow, she just has to make him see, that all those things meant nothing without him. After knowing and tasting that piece of haven when they're together, she realizes how empty her life is now. No matter how hard she tried, she never felt complete.
"I already lost everything when I lost you..." Jessica says in whisper, letting go of his hand. It's true; she lost one thing that made her world complete. Nick turns to see her head bent down, a tear sliding down her cheek. She is sincere and honest. He puts his hand over hers, calling her name softly. Jessica is not one to give up too easily. "We can keep this a secret... nobody will know... and when the time is right... we will tell them..." Jessica offers hopefully, turning to look at him. How can she make him see, that nothing is worth without him...
"It's too risky..." Nick shakes his head, loving that she wants to be with him more than anything, but afraid that she would get hurt eventually, that they would get hurt eventually.
"Life is full of risk." A pause� "We'll never know till we try...Let's try Nicky..."
Nick looks at Jessica, still sees, the woman he fell in love with, yes, she wears her school uniform then, making her look so young, but still, she's that woman. He looks into her eyes; seeing her determination and love there in those beautiful blues that always get to him. He can't deny what she wants, what he wants, he wants this as much as she does, if not more...
He knows he's crazy for doing this, he has come simply to just give her back her coat, knowing how important that is to her, and seeing how she's doing, and here he is about to make the craziest decision of his life... but for once... he's going with his heart...
"Let's try..." He says firmly.
"Really�?" Jessica cannot believe her ears.
"Really..." Nick nods firmly, as Jessica throws her arms around him, smiling wildly. Nick gets them both to their feet, still holding each other tight, smiling, laughing, crying, madly. After a while though, Jessica pulls away. Feeling that she needs to tell him something�
"I never meant to hurt you, Nick..." She says softly, sincerely. "I'm sorry..."
"I know... me too." Nick wipes the tears she didn't even realize she has shed. She holds his hands, kisses them one after another, and reaches up to kiss him softly, full of promise of what days to come will bring.
"I love you..." Jessica whispers shakily, hoping this time he would believe her fully.
"I love you too...� He smiles; finally letting go of all his worries and doubts, to really basks in the happiness. They hold each other tight, feeling complete again. They know there would be a long way ahead of them, and certain there would be barrier on their way, a lot to overcome, but together... they would fight everything....
******
End of part 1.
********
Title : You're Still The One Part 2
Author : Jess
Disclaimer : As always.... not mine...:(
Dedication : This goes for everyone who has told me
what they have thought over my stories... THANK YOU
from the bottom of my heart
And for Angie�here is your newlywed husband. Haha.
******
Part 2
" He likes you..." Nick manages to say between his
laughter, while Jessica sits annoyed, pouting her
lips. She just told him, or rather complain to him
about the way her friend trying to ask her out. How
that 'crazy guy' she calls him, putting the invitation
on the scoreboard of their basketball game. Doing some
crazy things in front of the whole school, having
also, the cheerleaders doing exactly the same thing,
singing the chants of 'Jessica please say yes'. It was
so embarrassing.
"Nick... you should feel jealous not amused..."
Jessica chomps her food a little too hard, making
Nick laugh even more.
They're having and early dinner on his apartment,
deciding that's the safest place for them to be. It's
been almost three months since their reunion, and they
had felt nothing but happiness, decided to just let go
of the fear and worries, and just enjoy what they had
at hand.
So she had tried to spend as much time as possible
with him, without drawing suspicion from her parents.
Luckily, her mother busy schedule already has her
packed; she hardly had time for her only daughter. It
turns out to be not that difficult at all to go out.
Jessica's maids at the house never ask where she had
been gone, neither has her mom.
�Why should I? You're mine???" Jessica glares at him,
and gets up towards the sink with her dishes.
�I mean what a crazy way to... gggrrrrhhh... "
Jessica can't finish her sentence as the humiliation
she feels still gets to her. She turns around to look
at Nick who's still enjoying her rant.
�What�s so wrong with the usual invitation...?�Hey,
can we go tonight' or something, why did he have to do
that... in front of the whole school? No... Not only
the whole school but also from other school,
aaaaarrghh the whole town knows... "Jessica
huffs frustrated.
�Well... maybe because he had asked you for months
and you always say no." Nick explains helpfully.
Knowing this is one guy, he should not need to worry.
Jessica detests the guy way more than he is.
�Why can't he just take the hint? I mean what part of
a NO that guy couldn't get?" Jessica says grumpily as
she again does her dishes. " He's been chasing me for
months!"
"Jessica... when a guy falls... he falls hard... "
Nick says softly, getting up, walking towards her,
making Jessica feels even more annoyed.
�And maybe he thinks that's romantic and that by
doing that, you would finally say yes..." Nick
offers, standing beside her over the sink, helping
her. �I mean for a teenager that is a romantic one...
and for normal teenage girl... that is..." He teases,
which only make Jessica glares more.
�Are you by any means insinuating that I'm not
normal?" Jessica cuts him off and looks at him, while
cleaning her hands.
�No... You are not normal..." Nick smiles smugly.
"What?" Jessica advances on him.
"You are spectacular, extra ordinary, fantastic,
fab..." Nick doesn't get to finish his sentence as
Jessica kisses him with a kiss that left him wants for
more.
"Thanks...� She says when pulling away. Feeling so
much better than when she came here with her
annoyance. Somehow, he always knows how to do that for
her...
�You�re welcome..." Nick smiles and kisses her more,
hoping this is one of those days when she can just
stay...He misses her when she's away... He misses
holding her at night, waking up to her smile, missing
those morning coffee she�s so great at making, loving
those times when they just are together...
She wants to stay with him as much as he wants her to
be there, loving the feeling of finding him by her
side when she wakes up in the morning, loving the way
he always holds her protectively as if he wouldn't let
her be away, loving the time when they just share
their days... talking about everything and anything
and just enjoy the time they have...
The kisses become more passionate, and Jessica smiles
at his eagerness, but knowing, this particular day,
she can't stay; she had spent so much time outside,
she's afraid her parents will grow suspicious... She
pulls away, touching his chest in a gesture of
sorry... smiling sweetly...
"I have to go... It's late and I have Cacee coming
over in twenty.� She explains softly.
She left quickly ducking the hand that Nick had reached
out to grab her, trying to get a 'decent' goodbye
kiss. Jessica squeals and runs to the door, laughing
as she does so, leaving Nick shaking his head in
disbelief, a smile on his lips. Yup, she is one
extraordinary girl.
********
" Spill it!"
" What?" Jessica looks up innocently at her friend,
sitting at her bed, a book in hand.
"You've been happy, you've been smiling, you have
that love induced glow on your face... so spill it!"
Cacee is playing with her pen, lying on her stomach.
They are doing their geography homework together that
night.
"I don't know what you're talking about!" Jessica
turns to her book. �And we have to finish this South
East Asia essay soon, if we want to watch Grease after
this!"
"Grease? I thought we agreed on Top Gun, I love Tom
Cruise better than Travolta... "
"Whatever... but I have to find something first...
how many provinces does Indonesia have anyway.... It
seems they have a lot..." Jessica asks while flipping
over the book.
"Twenty something, you can find it there on that
book..." Cacee points at a book on the bedside table.
"Thanks." Jessica grabs for the book, before flipping
through the pages again.
"Still, Jessica... you can't hide it from me forever
you know... I know from Anne you haven't been home a
lot lately, you haven't been with me a lot lately
too... so where have you been?" Cacee still not
wanting to give up.
"The first time we met, you had this sadness in your
eyes, and you were sooooo... what should I say...
detached... but now..." Cacee looks at her friend
again. Jessica is either too interested in Indonesia,
or really have something that she hide as she so
immersed in her book.
"Jessica..." Cacee calls for her, and throws a pillow
at her when she still says nothing. Jessica ducks her
head, but again goes back to her book, after giving a
warning glare towards Cacee, forcing her to also, goes
back to their homework.
"Twenty seven." Jessica says suddenly.
" What?"
"The provinces of Indonesia... its 27, including 2
special districts."
"Don't dodge my question, Jessica Simpson... answer me!"
Cacee comes to her questioning mode again.
"Have you finished your part?" Jessica asks her
friend, exasperated.
"Yes, I have." Cacee smiles smugly. "Now, spill it
Simpson!" A pause.
"Is it Danny, have you finally said yes?" Cacee asks
teasingly.
"Eeeeew Cacee, I thought he was cool before, but
he's... he's too much." Jessica says still trying to
cope with that one embarrassing moment.
"What? He's romantic, he's kind and nice and
gorgeous... and he likes you A LOT!!!" Cacee smiles
teasingly, knowing how Jessica hates his too romantic
gestures.
"That's what Nick said." Jessica realized belatedly
that she had slipped up. 'Ooooops' she wishes Cacee
didn't hear it, or just thinks of it as nothing, but
knowing Cacee like she does...
"Nick? Who's Nick?" Cacee asks intrigued. Jessica
doesn't know how to respond, just stay quiet which
only makes Cacee sees more.
" So... Nick huh?" She smiles triumphantly.
************
" Miss me already?" Nick greets his guest as he opens
his apartment door, a wide smile spread on his face,
but stops short after knowing the guest. She's not the
one he had in mind.
"Oh, Hi... Lea..." He realized belatedly, Jessica
must be doing her homework with Cacee right about now.
He thought wrong.
"I can see you are waiting for some one else... "
Lea teases then adds.� But I do miss you already,
Nick. Between the time we spend on the office and
everything? I do." She smiles enjoying Nick's
discomfort.
�Now, can I come in?� She asks after a while as
Nick still standing on the way. Nick smiles a little
embarrassed, and steps back so that Lea can go inside.
He really thought it was Jessica knocking on his door,
despite the fact he has given her his key, she always
forget to bring it. He grins mentally at those
countless time when he found her sitting in front of
the door, waiting for him to return, sometimes while
doing her homework or listening to that music she
loves form the walkman he had bought for her. And her
complain afterwards, blaming it over his late return.
He always asks her to wait on the lounge downstairs,
but she always says 'your hall feels better' with that
lovely smile of hers.
"Nice change you have with the place...." Lea
comments the new decoration of Nick's apartment,
breaking Nick's train of thought. He changed the wall
painting, put some wallpaper, and there are few things
that just made the apartment looks way more beautiful
than before, and more comfy too.
�Thanks..." Nick manages to utter. Remembering again
those times when Jessica had begged him to let her
redecorate the place. Finally, after her 'strong
persuasion' he gave up. Thinking that seeing that
smile of victory on her face is really worth the
things he has to do next for her. Going with her
through one store after another looking for the right
thing for his apartment, and together, moving the
stuff, redecorate the place. He had been skeptical at
first about the change, loving the way his apartment
looked before, but after seeing the result, he knew
she had been right, he loves it more.
�I like this couch..." Lea says after sitting on the
new couch, bouncing it softly. �It�s really great,
Nick..." Lea looks around admiring the view.
�Who�s your decorator? I think we should hire him
also for the office..."
�It�s her... actually..." Nick says nervously,
running his finger through his hair. Lea notices this,
well, what thing that she doesn't notice anyway...
�Her..." She smiles teasingly. �So, who's this
'her'" She enjoys Nick squirming way more than Nick
thought.
Nick is undetermined whether to tell her or not, she
knew everything, well almost everything anyway... and
he does need someone to talk to about this, having a
fresh, objective perspective...
�It�s Jessica..." He whispers softly.
�What?" To say that Lea is surprise by this is
understatement. �Come again?" Her answer is a 'you
heard me, that's the truth' look from Nick.
�So... you see her again?" Lea asking a little
rhetorically. She has noticed, yes, she noticed a lot
of things, she has noticed his change of demeanor, back
to that cheerful happy Nick again, wondering what had
been the reason, and now, she finally knows. And if
her calculation is right, it's been months. She looks
at Nick for confirmation, and seeing his nervousness
again. And a nod of 'yes' from him. She smiles a
little at his look of 'guilty child'.
Some of his conscience must have told him, that what
he's doing is wrong. Well, this friend of his wouldn't
add to that. He knows what is right for him, she's
happy he finally follow his heart.
�Wow..." Lea says after a while. Without any
contrition or condemnation. After all, she was the
one, pushing them back together, at least not
directly. She looks at Nick and smiles.
�I know...." Nick smiles back in return, relieved,
he doesn't have to defend his actions to his best
friend. She knows him well, and she understands where
he is coming from.
�So...Jessica Simpson huh?" Lea says again.
"Yep, Jessica Simpson..." Nick smiles in reply.
************
" Wow..." Is the only word that comes out from Cacee's
mouth as Jessica finishes her story.
�That�s it? That's all you can say?� Jessica asks
smiling and looking at Cacee's shocked face, her mouth
hanging open, her eyes were getting so big.
�Cacee, a special tip for you, that's not a face you
want to show when some one surprise you... It doesn't
look good on you...." A nasty glare is her reward,
which only serve as a catalyst of her myriad of
laughter.
�You are one tiny little..." Cacee finally says after
getting a hold of herself. �And he's twenty six?" She
sits up straight, wanting to get a thorough
investigation.
�Yup, turning twenty seven this year." Jessica flips
through the television channel.
�He�s really that Nick Lachey? I mean The Nick Lachey from those news paper?" Cacee has read some news about this young attorney who is known for his
zealous strategy in court.
�Yep." Jessica answers her again, smiling.
�What in the hell..." Cacee trails off.
�You�ve been seeing him for three months?" She asks
again after a while.
�Well... if you count the time before we had the
fight, it would be a little longer than three months."
Jessica explains calmly.
�So, let me get it straight..." Cacee is musing over
the story. �You met him, you guys were together... he
found out the truth... and then you went your separate
ways... and now you're back again for three months?"
Cacee looks at Jessica questioningly, Jessica nods in
reply.
�So, all those times when you were gone... you were
with him... those weekends... those..." Cacee trails
off. Again, Jessica just nods her head in reply,
smiling a little.
�You..." Cacee shakes her head. �And to think that I
thought you were that innocent inexperienced sweet
little girl..." Cacee lost her words again; Jessica
just smiles at her friend.
" Nobody knows?"
" Nope... not unless you... and probably Nick tells
Lea too, I mean even Mike doesn't know I have been
with him again..." Jessica goes serious and holds
Cacee hand.
"Cacee you have to promise me, not a word of this to
anybody!" Jessica says firmly, seriously. If someone
knows, it would be a disaster to both of them,
especially Nick. She just can't imagine all the
repercussion for him, for seeing her.
�I promise." Cacee nods.
"Cacee!" Jessica says stronger, pleading with her
eyes.
�I get it, Jessica, NOT A WORD!" Cacee assures her.
�Thanks." Jessica smiles. �I�ve wanted to talk
to someone about it; it's been kind of hard...� A sigh.
" I'm glad I have you... I can't trust any other, and
Mike is away..." Jessica offers lamely.
�I know... you can tell me everything...� Cacee
smiles. They were quiet for a while, staring right
ahead, sitting side by side on the bed to the
television not really registering what's on there.
"Jess... was he..." Cacee asks a little unsurely,
looking at her best friend questioningly. She doesn't
know if she has the right to know this thing.
"He was my first..." Jessica smiles; reading Cacee's
thought correctly, remembering his tender, gentle
treatment of her, that first time they made love.
�And I can see he hasn't been letting you down so
far..." Cacee replies after a while, knowingly,
teasingly. Noticing her friend's cheek that has turned
into many shades of red, she giggles softly. And now,
is her turn to get a pillow thrown at her.
�He�s good, isn't he?" Cacee teases. A glare is her
reply.� Jessica... details...� Cacee teases more,
and Jessica launches her attack on her, tickles her
unmercifully. �Aaaawe, stop, Jess... stop!!" Cacee
pleads, and after a threat of death from Jessica, she
finally promises not to ask that one question again, or
so Jessica thought.
�Top Gun?" Cacee asks between giggles, showing the
tape she manages to get to Jessica. Jessica releases
her and nods in reply. After all, she likes Tom Cruise
better than Travolta too.
*********
" Dad..." Jessica greets her dad that beautiful
afternoon cheerfully as she walks into the living
room.
�I didn't know you would be here I thought you had
that conference in...� Jessica trails off, stopping
on her trance, noticing the tension in the room, her
father's looking upset holding stack of papers in his
hand, and her mother is sitting with her arms cross
over her chess, her eyes red from crying. �What
happen???" She looks between her parents. �Mom..."
�Sit, Jessica!!!" Joe orders not too kindly.
�But Dad, I need to take a shower I..."
" I said SIT!!"
" Just sit, sweetheart..." Her mother advises softly,
goes to her, guiding her to sit.
�What�s wrong?" Jessica looks at them with confusion.
�What�s this???" Joseph Simpson spread some pictures
on the table. Jessica recognizes the pictures
instantly. She picks them up, looks at them one by
one...
They are of her and Nick. In the park, in the street,
their favorite restaurant, even in his apartment,
laughing, smiling, kissing, and... Shocked, she looks
up to her father...
" How did you get these???"
" Doesn't matter how I got the pictures, or who gave
them to me Jessica...Just answer me...how long have
you been with him?" Joe asks harshly, feeling
thousands of emotions inside of him.
His first reaction when he first saw all of those
pictures was shocked. He couldn't believe it at all,
denying all, believing that all of those are not true,
that his daughter wouldn't do such things with a man
really not suitable for her, even more so, he couldn't
believe that his little princess would do such things
with anyone!
But looking again at them, he felt thousands of
different emotions in him disappointment, anger, rage,
despair, sadness, confusion... But mainly, he was so
hurt.
Jessica stays quiet; making her dad becomes even
angrier. She is still looking at the pictures, feeling
confused yet worried. Wondering who had told her dad,
it can't be Cacee... she promised... then who... Her
mind soon travels to Nick... what will happen to
him... what will her Dad do to him... he is so mad she
can see it and... Her father's angry voice shakes her
thought...
�Listen to me, young lady...where have you been all
this time... I have checked and all the reasons that
you gave us were lies... tell me, have you been with
him this whole time???" His blue eyes flashing with
anger as he speaks his words, each louder than the
last.
" ANSWER ME, JESSICA!!!!"
"Joe..." Tina tries to calm her ex-husband,
knowing how really upset and angry he is. She's afraid
of what will happen. Jessica is as stubborn, and she
won't know what happen if their emotions get the
better of them.
Jessica feels there's no point in hiding the truth.
Maybe it's time to tell them everything, she just wish
somehow... her parents would understand...
�Yes...I was with him...." A pause �I love him,
Dad." Jessica answers bravely, surely.
�Don�t you dare saying that, young lady...you don't
know anything!!!" Joe is pacing with so much rage
over this bastard and his daughter. His thoughts
filled with so many pictures of what they were doing,
all those pictures show him way more than he wants to
know.
�What has he done to you...huh???" Joe moves closer,
shaking Jessica by the shoulder. All those pictures
have shown more than he could take. His little
princess doing all those things is so surreal to him,
yet all those pictures can't lie. They are proof of
everything she has done with this immoral guy.
�Answer me, Jessica... What has he done to you???"
Joe asks louder when Jessica just stays quiet. �Did
he force you to it?" He knows he'll kill the bastard
if the answer is yes, hell he'll kill that bastard
even if she says no. There was silence before Jessica
answers.
�He has done nothing that I didn't want him to."
Jessica says bravely meeting her father's eyes,
telling him the truth, knowing it would hurt him but
he must know. Those softly spoken words hurt Joe
more than anything would. He feels like being slapped
in the face over and over again. She wants this; she
did those entire indecent things with consent. She did
it by her own will.
Joe slaps her hard, making Jessica falls to the
ground, a split on her lips.
�Joe!!� Tina reaches for him, stopping him from
advancing on Jessica. Knowing, he would end up
regretting it later and it would hurt him as much as
it would hurt Jessica. Jessica looks at her parents
hurtfully, before running to her room, with tears in
her eyes.
*********
What will happen next????? What will happen to Jessica
or Nick or her parents??? hehe... A NAG is always
good ;D
Title : You're still the one Part 3
Author : Jess
Disclaimer : Not mine... except Mike.
Author's note :
I�m leaving tomorrow morning, but this is Angie�s favorite story and I�ve got this chapter and chapter four (the final chapter) outlined so I�m going to TRY and get BOTH out tonight.
Btw, Ang... I told you... it's out real soon...
Okay... this is the next part, right after part 2
********
Part 3
"Joe..." Tina finds Joe on their favorite place
outside. They used to gather there as a family in
their better years, sharing their days, whilst
enjoying the beautiful view of the city at night. He
sits dejectedly on the bench, looking so far away.
"You're okay?" Tina asks him softly, touching his
shoulder, sitting besides him.
It's been a shock knowing what Jessica has done. Never
in their wildest dream had they imagined Jessica doing
what she is doing now. Dating a guy way older than
her; hiding the relationship from them, her parents.
She shudders thinking of what Jessica has done. All
those pictures show them more than they could take.
The innocent, sweet, little princess that they always
thought they had, turned out to be not that innocent
after all.
�How could she...." Joe starts before trailing off,
not even able to finish his words. The daughter he
knew, that little princess that always makes his heart
melt, always makes him happy, his pride, his precious
girl, how could she do that...
�She�s young..." Tina tries to reasons. Finding it
hard to understand herself.
�I�m going to kill him, Tine, how dare him..."
Joe stands up in anger remembering Nick and what he
has done to his daughter.
"Joe...."
"We trusted him ...and Look at what he has done to
our daughter...God...she's just a kid... "
He trails off, sitting back, rubbing his face. �She's
so young... she has her future in front of her to take... and he just... BASTARD..." He is quiet again, trying to cope with his emotions. That man has ruined his daughter ruined her future... her bright future, and he hates him for it...
�I know...but let's just concentrate on Jessica,
she's the most important here... please, just calm
down..." Tina comes to her ex-husband, stroking his
arm. She is as upset as he is but she knows Jessica,
and if they force their will, she would just strike
back with all her might and that is the last thing she
wants to have now... she can't loose her.
�I�m sorry." She says after a awhile. She had gotten
it on her head it was all her fault, she had brought
Nick to their life that time when she had hired him
for their divorce. Not knowing that the relationship
had started way before. She had neglected Jessica, her
only daughter, letting a thing this big to slip out of
her attention... she had been so reckless... she
should have known, she's Jessica's mother she should
have paid more attention...
�What for?" Joe turns to see her. Not blaming her a
bit, more berating himself for all that has happened,
believing that his leaving the family is the cause of
all this mess... he has caused this...
�I couldn't take care of her well... if only I...."
Few tears sliding down the middle aged woman's cheek,
as she can't control her emotion anymore. Blaming
herself for not being a good enough mother, for not
paying enough attention... she knew Jessica has been
through a hard time with their divorce, yet she had
been so busy dealing with her own heartache, trying to
forget it and move on by immersing herself in work and
her company that she had ignored one person that
matters the most...
�It�s not your fault, Sweetheart... don't blame your
self...� Joe holds her hand tight, looking into her
eyes, saying the endearment he so used to say to her
in their happier moments.
Looking into her eyes, he can see the pain and hurt,
he felt them too. Still finding it hard to believe
that Jessica... their daughter... could resort into
that... thing...
�But..."
�We�ll get through this... I promise... she will be
our little princess again...� Joe assures her,
determined to follow through with his promise. He'll
have the old Jessica back, that sweet little girl they
so loved... That Bastard wouldn't even dare to glance
at her if he had a say in it... and he's going to make
sure that Nick Lachey is going to go away forever
from Jessica's life... she's so young and she deserves
someone better...
�We�ll have her back...� He repeats more determined.
A long silence before Joe breaks it, asking a
question that has been swirling in his mind.
�How is she?"
Despite his rage, he is still that protective father
who loves his daughter too much. Knowing she is also
in deep pain, and he is part of the cause.
�She just stayed in her room; I tried to talk to her
but..."
�Maybe she needs sometime on her own...� A long
pause.
�I hit her."
Joe says in a whisper, feeling the desolation and
hurt as he says it. Knowing his daughter is also
feeling hurt. Never, in his life, he ever laid a hand
on his children, especially Jessica, but today...
�You were upset." She strokes his cheek lovingly,
knowingly.
�I have never laid a hand on her... I...� He cried
silently.
�We�ll get through it; Joe... just like you said...
we'll have our daughter back..." She moves to hold her
ex-husband. Somehow, through this crisis, they had
forgotten all the pain and hatred in the past; they
had come as a team again, wanting only to do the best
for their daughter. She just wishes they are not too
late.
*********
" She still doesn't want to come out..." Tina Simpson
whispers shakily as she moves down the stairs. "
Joe...it's been one day, she's not eating, she's not
talking, and she just stays in that damn room..." She
trails off.
�We�ll call Mike if she doesn't come out for dinner."
Joe tries to calms her. His anger drowns by his
worry over his only daughter. He hopes Mike will be
able to help his sister through this mess; he always
knows what to do when it comes to Jessica.
The day before, Jessica had tried to escape, trying to
run away. But their huge mansion has a high wall
surrounding it, she couldn't make it outside. And
before she even gets outside, she was caught. Getting
thrown in her room, loosing her hope of ever gets out
or even makes contact with outside world.
Her phone has been cut, the door has been shut, some
guards and some of their maids take turns in guarding
her, making sure she won't be able to get outside
again, not even for school. She is marooned, and so
alone. She has shut herself from everyone, doesn't
want to talk to them, or communicate with them.
�We�ll call Mike, okay?" Joe says again as Tina
still looks so worried.
�I�m afraid..." A sob is heard, as Tina can't hold
her tears anymore. Feeling nothing but fear and
worries. Looking as her daughter stays in that bed,
with her pale face, her red eyes, that weak body that
just lie there lifelessly.... not having a will or a
spirit...
�I know...." Joe takes her hand, and pulls her
closer, holding her as she cries for their daughter.
*********
"Mike...I think you should come here...your
sister..." Tina's voice broke at her last words as
a sob comes out. And she has to take a deep breath
before telling her son over his sister's problem.
*********
Nick waits nervously on his apartment. Its 8 o'clock, Jessica promised him she�d be here by 7; she always comes to his apartment every Wednesday at seven, having one of their routine dinner.
He wonders what has happened... His mind churning with
so many things. He's been so worried about her.... He
wanted to call her at her house, but afraid it would
draw suspicion from her parents. He has had some
uneasy feeling since yesterday, loosing contact from
Jessica completely.
She always calls him, everyday, small talks, even only
to remind him to eat or to stop working and take a
rest... He smiles at those memories of her... All
those time when she always tells him to put himself
first... All those threats and impossible punishments
she gave him if she finds out he miss one lunch or one
dinner... or her rule that he has to get at least four
hours of sleep everyday... how she made him go home
from work at exactly 6 o'clock, no reason is good
enough for staying late at the office if she has a say
in it.
He used to hate being ordered and having people ask
him to do something, having them arranging things for
him... but from this one young lady... he would do
anything that she asks him to, no questions asked...
though sometimes he would tease her and have it hard
for her... he smiles as he remembers those times when
Jessica would do one of her sweet 'I'm so annoyed of
you, you come any closer and I'll kill you' expressions
he loves so much, every time he refuses to do what she
asks...
He hates that they have to sneak around, hiding their
love from the world. There are moments when he just
wants to shout to the world about them, when he just
wants everyone to know. But his conscience wins out,
if it's only him that would get the risks and
repercussions, he wouldn't care a thing.
So what, if people think of him badly, he has had his
share of people talking about him behind his back,
having them looking at him with those eyes filled with
contempt and disgust. But he won't and can't let
Jessica go through the same thing. She's too precious
for people to look at her badly.
He is pacing around in his living room, phone in hand.
Still battling over the idea to call her or not. He
finally puts the phone back to its cradle. He can't
risk it. He can't risk her parents knowing. Jessica
always calls if she can't come, or if she is
late... She would call... he knows she would...
*********
" Go away...� Jessica answers weakly to the knock on
the door, half sitting half lying on her bed, a book
on her lap. But the door opens anyway revealing her
brother's concern face.
"Hey Princess..." He greets her, trying to smile,
despite the sadness he feels, looking at his little
princess, who is now lost, weak and so fragile, so
different from the witty, lively, and charming girl,
he so used to seeing.
She doesn't answer him. She doesn't even look at him,
as if she's living in her own world. Seemingly reading
the book on her lap, while everyone would notice her
mind is not even in the room. Mike looks over at the
bedside table seeing all the food there, had never been
touched.
He has heard about Jessica from their mother. Having
been asked to come right away by her saying Jessica
needs him, and without a second thought he took the
first flight out from Baltimore, leaving all the
lectures, duties and obligations he has there, to be
here for his sister. She matters the most.
His mother has told him everything, how they found out
about Jessica and Nick's relationship, all the fights
after, her trying to escape from the house, how
Jessica is being so closed off to everyone.
Finally he knows that she had followed her heart, being
with the man she loves again. Knowing too how their
parents reacted, just like what they had predicted
they would should they know.
And she had fought them with her own way, refusing to
connect or talk to anyone. Dwelling with her own pain
and fear, that this is a lost cause, that there's no
hope for her, and her love. She has lost her hope. She
is broken, and lost.
So she hides herself from the world, refuses to let a
spark of life enter. Nothing has entered that sweet
little mouth of hers, and now she looks so weak, with
the dark circles around her eyes, her pale face and
her sorrow empty look, she just wants them to go away.
�You know the last time they punished me to stay in my
room?" Mike trying to get her attention, reliving a
past they both cherish dearly.
�It was that time when I took you to that party,
hmmmm, Joey's party, remember? " He stands by the
door, looking at his sister lovingly.
�That was one hell of a party...." He adds smiling a
little as Jessica still seems to be so far away.
�Great food, great guests... and great champagne
too...� He walks farther into the room, taking one of
Jessica's stuffed bear from the cupboard, playing with
it gently. �And you were... well...� He left the
words unspoken, smiling at the memory.
�The queen of the party would be an understatement...�
He chuckles softly. Jessica had been drunk that day,
for sure, his fault, for taking his only fourteen year
old sister to a crazy senior-no parent's supervision
party with his friends.
�Yeah...I got home drunk...I was only what 14 or
so..." Jessica finally says weakly humoring him, still
looking down. She knows Mike is trying to make her
feel better. She had been surprised to see him. Her
parents must have called him.
"14 you were...and not only did they put me, a 17
year old me in my room, but also they cut my
allowances..." Mike shakes his head in a fake
despondency. "A big blow for a seventeen year old...
imagine what my friends called me... "
" Your fault..." Jessica whispers.
�Yup...my fault that I can't resist my little sister,
that she�s always able to get things her way with
me...that I can't say no to those beautiful brown eyes
of hers...yup...it's all my fault..." He smiles.
Jessica smiles in return, looking at her brother's
concerned face, and that's her undoing. All her feelings
just come out full force, her sadness, her despair,
all the fear and pain...
�Why can't they understand, Mike�� The tears
falling out of her control. Mike goes to her straight
away, sitting besides her, gathering her in his arms.
�Princess...." He strokes her hair gently as she cries
even harder.
�I love him..." Her voice breaks over her desolation.
Her fear that she won't be able to fight for her love
again. Feeling her hope crashed as she has no way of
contacting him, of telling him what has happened, of
having him near her, she needs him so damn much. Her
father won't ever let her out of his sight ever
again...
Why is everything so perfect has to come to an end?
Just the other day she had been so happy, and now....
�I love him...� She utters weakly again.
�I know..." Mike tightens his embrace. Trying to give
her strength. Feeling that this is probably the first
time after the fight that Jessica let some one see
her vulnerable, always hiding behind the mask of the
cold strong Jessica. This is the first time she�s let
someone see her really crying after that day, to
finally break down. He knows how much she hates
crying, seeing it as a sign of weakness, and now, she
finally let go...
�Why can't they understand..."
�Not a lot of people could understand, Princess..."
Mike kisses her forehead gently.
�You could...." Jessica pulls away, looking at him
like a lost little girl.
�Well...I'm special..." Mike teases gently, trying to
coax a smile from her.
Jessica looks at her brother, smiles despite her
tears; he always knows how to make her smile. Mike
notices the split on the corner of her lip for the
first time, and brushes it gently, making Jessica
quiver in pain. �I�m sorry, Princess... I'll get
something to fix this..." Mike is getting up, but
Jessica stops him.
�Don�t go... please?" She looks at him pleadingly.
�I�m just gonna get..." He tries to explain, but
Jessica shakes her head, tears forming in her eyes
again.
�Okay... I won't go... I'm here Princess... I'm right
here...� He gathers her in his arms again.
�Dad hit me..." Jessica says after a long silence, in
a small voice of a hurt little girl. She had stopped
crying and they were just relishing the moments
together. "He never hit me before... "
Jessica trails off. True, never in their lives had her
father ever laid a hand on any of them. Always is the
gentle loving dad they had been so proud of. A father
that she once believed comes from a fairy tale for he
was just too good to be true.
How he always supports them both, always there for
each of their milestones. That despite his being so
busy with patients and his hospital, he still finds
times to see her recitals, to accompany her for their
routine Friday lunch. That he�s always there for almost
every dinner, and shares stories with them, and shares
their problems too.
He always is her sounding board, her most faithful
cheerleader, always urging her on, and being her rock
when things got tough. She had been so close with each
member of the family, having each of them as her place
that she can turn to for everything. And for most
things, she can...
She had thought she had lost that father when he left
the house. Feeling so hurt by his departure and the
divorce that follow suit. And now, after just
beginning to understand all the reason for the
divorce, after finally stumbling back to be a family
again, they had come across yet another problem.
She knows when her parents found out they would take it
hard. But she always had a glimmer of hope that
somehow they would understand, that somehow they would
see, that this is for real... that she really is in this
for life... she does love the man and is willing to spend
eternity with him.
Mike looks at his sister�s miserable face. Her lost
faith and hope. He knows this is hard for her, she is
torn. He knows how much she cares for the family and
Nick. How much she respects her father, and knows
that after they had settled their arguments over the
divorce, Jessica and their father have become so close
again. It must have been a very big blow to their
parents knowing Jessica�s relationship with Nick.
And it must have been even harder for Jessica. She
always hates it when she hurts people, when she�s let
people down, especially those she cares about, and
having their father hit her that day... he must have
been so upset and angry and Jessica must have known
that too. It's not only her lost of hope, it's also
the hurt she feels of letting those she loves down...
she's berating herself with this...
�Dad is worried about you, Princess... he's just
worried that's all... for him... you�re always gonna
be his little princess, he wants to shield you,
protect you..." He strokes her cheek lovingly, trying
to make her understand.
�But I..." Jessica can't continue her thoughts as
another sob wracked her.
She had been so afraid of this time, knowing if her
parents found out they would get ballistic. She never
has been fully prepared for this, always being so
careful and cautious. Relishing the time they have
together, waiting for that right time when they would
finally able to tell her parents and the whole world
everything. But those pictures... who ever had taken
them... has ruined their entire plan.... She's afraid
she won't ever feel those moments again...
�Come here, Princess...." Mike holds her again,
accompanying her, for he doesn't know how long,
offering support, until finally, exhaustion wins, and
she falls to sleep.
*******
" She's asleep." Mike announces to his parents,
walking to the living room, taking a seat at the couch.
His father is standing by the fireplace, his mother
sitting on the couch, still with her red eyes, and a
worried look. Joe turns around at the sound of his
son's voice.
�Look at this...look at these pictures!!!" Joe spreads
the pictures on the table, pointing at it, looking at
Mike. Still looking so upset. Mike looks at the
pictures, surprised at the detailed and thorough
things the pictures describe. It seems like the one
taking the pictures has been following Jessica and
Nick for quite sometime.
Some of the pictures show when they were walking or
sitting on a park, laughing, smiling, talking, even
kissing, holding each other. The other shows when they
were on some streets or some restaurants. But the
worst and most surprising is some pictures were taking
in Nick's apartment, at their most intimate moments.
Nick looks up questioningly.
" Where did you get these, Dad?"
" Doesn't matter how I got it, but what THEY SHOW...
DOES!" Joe is still finding it hard to overcome his
anger.
�Did you send someone to follow her?" Mike grabs at
the most reasonable reason on his head.
�What???? Of course I didn�t! Though now, I know I
should have!!!" His father answers harshly, and then
adds. �Someone gave them to me." Joe remembers that
day Teri; her daughter's friend had stopped him in
front of the hospital he works in, asking for some
time to talk, privately, important matter. What a
shock he gets afterwards. Asking her the same thing,
where she got the pictures, only to have her say
it doesn't matter, but it's the contents that count.
�Who?" Mike asks curiously.
�Doesn�t matter WHO, Mike, what matter most is THIS,
YOUR SISTER IS HAVING AN INDECENT RELATIONSHIP WITH
THIS BASTARD!" He re-states Teri's answers to his
exact question that day. Silence ensued between them.
�So what???" Mike says softly. He is surprised to see
those pictures as well. He had known about their
relationship, but he never knew that they had resumed
it.
"So what??? Do you know how old the guy is...do you
even realize how young your sister is??? She's sixteen
Mike...sixteen... She has her whole life in front of
her... she is still SO YOUNG...� Joe feels his
emotions boiling again. Every time he thinks of what
that bastard has done to his little princess.
�That Bastard ruined her... he ruined her whole future...
what if people know, huh? You know? This kind of
scandal won't look good on that Harvard application
she wants to..."
A sudden realization dawns on Joe. Mike is not as
upset as he had expected him to be. He knew he
would be upset by this, if not more than he is,
unless...
�You knew, didn't you???" He asks accusingly.
�I..."
Mike utters surprised. Not ready to be under the
microscope.
�You knew and you did nothing??? What kind of a
brother you are???" Joe is even angrier. His daughter
is doing what she's doing and her brother, his son, is
helping her with it.
�I believe Jessica and I know she knows what is right
for her..." Mike answers firmly after a while, means
every word that he says.
�She knew NOTHING...She's just a kid!!!! You're her
big brother you should have protected her...you should
have TOLD ME THE FIRST TIME YOU..."
"Joe..." Tina tries to calm him down. Sick of
all the fights in the house, and just doesn't want to
make a problem with their son too.
�I believe her dad, and I believe this is the time
you should believe in her too... she's not a kid."
Mike explains calmly, clearly, before walking out of
the room, leaving his parents alone.
*******
" Is Nick Lachey in?" The young man asks Lea who
is sitting by her desk.
�He is in a meeting now, but it will be over soon.
May I have your name?" She asks professionally.
"Mike... Mike Simpson." A pause. "I need to see him
soon, how long will that meeting take?"
The young man asks again nervously, seemingly in a
hurry to meet Nick Lachey.
�Five minutes more tops, you can wait in his office,
I'll show you the way."
Lea leads the young man through Nick's office, asking
if he would like something to drink to which he
declines nicely. He looks so worried, and Lea has a
feeling it has something to do with Jessica. He knows
he is Jessica's big brother. Looking at him, she can
see the similarities. Lea has seen the identical
worried look on Nick's face the last two days,
wondering what has happened to her.
"Nick... a young man is waiting for you in your
office.� Lea informs Nick as soon as he's out of the
meeting.
"Thanks." Nick answers shortly. His mind is not
really on work today. He hasn't heard anything from
Jessica in two days. Finally he had made the decision
to contact her. He came to her school, waiting for her
outside, but she never showed up, he had called her
over and over at her house and every time he had tried
to call her, they always told him she wasn't home,
never tell him where she was, then where is she...
He opens his office door, and surprised at the figure
he finds there. Mike Simpson is standing by
his desk, looking at a picture frame on his hand. He
knows what that picture is, that's his picture with
Jessica taken few weeks back when they went to a small
carnival. Another memory he holds dearly in his heart.
"Mike...what a surprise!" Nick greets his guest
warmly, and noticing his worried look.
"What happened?" He moves closer to Mike.
�Our parents found out..." Mike explains softly after
a while, looking up at the older man. Doesn't know how
to tell him, and finally decides the truth is the best.
Jessica had begged him to come to Nick, only to tell
him all these lies she made up so that he won't be so
worried of her, but Mike knows Jessica needs the man
now standing in front of him shocked, so he would tell
him the truth...
Nick is shocked to hear that, how come, they had been
so careful, they had been so cautious. He sits slowly
on the couch, not believing his legs to hold him
standing. He knows it must be hard on Jessica. This
must be the reason she hasn't contacted him in days.
�How is she?" Nick voices the only question he has
on his mind.
�She�s... I wish I can say she's okay..." Mike goes
to sit on a chair near the couch, rubbing his temple.
�Mom called me yesterday, asking me to come, she
didn't tell me everything at first... when I came... "
Mike trails off remembering the sight his sister had
when he first saw her yesterday. That lost little
girl.
�Let�s go!" Nick stands up and makes his way to the
door.
"Wait!" Mike stops him, grabbing his arm as he's
about to open the door, knowing his intention. As much
as he knows how much Jessica would love to see him,
he knows that Nick coming to that house won't be
the best thing for everyone. His parents, especially
his father is still way too emotional to act rational.
�I want to see her!" Nick says determined.
"Nick, you can't, My Dad, if he sees you...� He
trails off, shaking his head, �The only thing keeping
him from coming here and killing you is because
Jessica is not okay!" Mike explains firmly. " You go
there, and all will be ruined... you will just make
things worse!"
" So, why are you here? Just telling me that she's not
okay, and just expect me to just relax and calm down?"
Nick asks impatiently. �Well, I can't, okay? I want
to see her; I want to be there for her... SHE NEEDS
ME!"
" She needs you to calm down... I've talked to her,
and she's better now... at least than yesterday..." He
forces Nick to sit down, and finally he does. Mike
continues again after making sure Nick would listen,
telling him the reason why he came.
�Jessica asked me to come here; she knows you would
be worried...� Mike notices Nick�s eyes closed, and
him rubbing his temple as if he has developed a major
headache.
Nick listens to the younger man's story, imagining
what Jessica is going through in that house...
�And you've been calling, I told Anne and the other maids
to say that she's not here, if Dad knows you call
us..." Mike shakes his head, unable to picture what
his Dad has in store for Nick. �I need you to stop
calling us... Right now, everything is a mess, let me
handle it there... after all calm down, you can come
and explain everything... then hopefully they would
understand."
" They won't." Nick says the obvious truth
dejectedly.
�You don't know that." A silence hangs between them
as each busy with their own thoughts.
�How is she? Please, tell me the truth..." Nick
pleads, and he's not ashamed of it. He really wants to
know what has happened to Jessica, he can't keep his
mind away from her.
�She�s... she's shaken... Dad... he was so mad, and
Mom is so upset... they put her in her room, she
didn't talk, and she didn't even eat anything yesterday,
thank goodness she finally was able to eat this morning...
just to keep her...� Mike trails off, making Nick
gets even more worried.
" What?" He asks agitated.
" She tried to runaway the other day... so Dad finally
put some guards around the house, she couldn't escape
now... he cut the phone on her room... and when I
found her yesterday...� Mike breaks off. �Those
eyes...�
�I�m going!" Nick cuts him off. He can't stand one
minute just sitting there, while the love of his
life, suffering alone, and nothing could stop him. He
makes his way to the door, going to the only place he
wants to be, his love's side.
********
End of Part 3
***********
Part 4
The sound of car stopping and brakes screeching filled that quiet
morning on the Simpson's residence. Nick slams his door and hurries to
the front door, only to have it locked, knocking it violently,
and waiting impatiently for it to open. Anne's frighten face greets him,
she had heard the banging of the door, being told by Joe Simpson to
never let the door open, but the urgency and the yelling made her
scared, and she finally opened it, afraid if she didn�t, the man from
the other side of the door would just barge in, and would make an even worse condition to the already uncomfortable situation in the house.
The door is barely open, when Nick pushes forward, almost knocking
Anne in the way. He strides to the hall wanting only to get to
Jessica's room.
�Sir, you can't go inside.... please, sir..." Anne tries to stop
him, but to no avail. The man just makes his way further inside of
the house. �Sir... please don't go inside you can't sir..." Anne
follows him, still trying to make him stop.
And suddenly, Nick turns around, realizing his knowledge over the
house is only on the first floor, Jessica's room is on the second,
and there are about ten bedrooms there, he doesn't want to open each
one, thus loosing some precious time he'd prefer to spend with her,
though he would do so, if he must.
"Where's Jessica?" He asks the poor frighten young woman harshly.
" I'm sorry, you can't meet her, Miss Simpson is not allowed to see
any...� She screams as Nick grabs her shirt and asks louder.
" Just tell me... where's Jessica?"
"Second floor, third door on the left..." She answers; still scared
to death with the mad man she would call him from that moment on.
Nick lets go of her and is making his way to the stairs when a voice
stops him.
"Stop there, Mr. Lachey!!!" Joe's voice is dangerous as he walks
down the stairs to Nick, his ex wife in tow. Nick looks up to the
older man standing on his way then. Joe has heard all the commotion
downstairs as he was talking with Tina after visiting their
daughter.
�I just want to see Jessica!!!" Nick demands impatiently, still
trying to get to the stairs, but Joe is standing in front of him,
blocking his way.
" I said STOP THERE!!!!"
" Mr. Simpson, I just want to see her!" It takes a lot of power for
Nick to not just run over the older man and run up the stairs.
But he still respects him enough. After all he is still the father of
the woman he's in love with.
�DON�T YOU DARE SEE MY DAUGHTER AGAIN, YOU'VE DONE ENOUGH!!!!"
Joe shouts and is moving closer, but Tina stops him, holding his
arms tightly, afraid he would do something they both would regret to
the young man. He shrugs her off, but remains on his position.
�GET OUT... or I call the police, and I won't even put a second
thought in putting you in jail...GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!!!!" Joe
demands forgetting the fact that he no longer live in the house.
"Joe..."
"Dad..." Mike who just came from outside tries to calm his father
down, wishing they could settle it in peace.
�YOU BOTH STAY OUT OF THIS!!!!� He warns both his son and his ex-
wife before turning to Nick again, stepping closer, pointing angrily.
" I promise you, Mr. Lachey... you come closer to my daughter or
even GLANCE in her way EVER again...and I can't guarantee what I
would do...JAIL would be THE LEAST OF YOUR CONCERN!!!" He practically
shouts to the younger man's face, letting all his rage out. It takes
extra power from him to not just strangle the man standing in front
of him.
" I just want TO SEE HER!"
" YOU HAVE NO RIGHT OF SEEING HER; SHE'S MY DAUGHTER SHE'S..."
�I LOVE HER!!!"
They talk simultaneously, each word coming out louder than the last
as their emotions get the better of them both. Mike and Tina
try to stop them but to no success, the two men still at
each other's throat. The fight is heard around the house, on that
cold Thursday morning.
********
"Nick..." A weak voice cut through their fight, stopping it
suddenly. All heads turn to the owner of the voice, who's walking
down the stair slowly, holding the railing for support as if she
couldn't stand walking on her own.
�Sweetheart...� Nick goes straight to her, forgetting everything,
bumping Joe on the way, running up the stairs two steps at a time,
and holds her as soon as he's by her side.
They hold each other tightly on the stairs under the eyes of her
families. Joe is about to break them apart when a hand stops him.
Turning to the owner of the hand, he sees his ex-wife shaking her
head, mouthing a no, pleading with her eyes for him not to do
something harsh to the couple.
So he stays put, watching his daughter being held by the man he
hates more than anything at the moment, watching as she hugs him back
with her weak little hands, watching as she cries to his embrace,
watching as he tries to calm her, soothing her with his words and
caresses, telling her that he loves her, promising her that all will
be okay, and that she's not alone. Watching as he kisses her forehead
gently, letting know how much he respects her and loves her... and he
has to walk away... not wanting to see the scene anymore.
�God... sweetheart...� Nick pulls away, looking to her eyes,
caressing her gently.
"How are you?" He notices her pale face, her quivering body around
his, the way she hugs him weakly, her desperate cry, and how she
clings so tightly to him, as if she would fall if she let go.
Jessica looks up to his face, seeing nothing but concern and love
there. She strokes his cheek, trying to smile, despite how that
still hurt her split lip. She doesn't want him to worry so much
about her and thus, adding the problem they already had. If Nick
knew her dad had hit her, she wouldn't know what he would do.
�Better now that you're here..." She whispers, smiling softly.
Nick smiles in return, but stops when he sees her lips, noticing a
split there, tracing it gently with his finger.
�What have they done to you?" He whispers softly, looking through
her eyes, questioning her full of concern. Hating what she had been
through, alone... He knows it must have been hard.
Jessica looks at him and feels all the things she had been feeling
the past couple of days, the feeling of desperation, fear, and pain,
come again.
The fear that she won't be able to see him again, that her father
would do things she doesn't even want to imagine to him. The pain,
knowing she has hurt and let all her family down with her actions,
but knows too, if she had been given a second change in that position
she would still do the same, she would choose this way still. She
can't stay and through all of this alone...
�Take me with you, Nick... please... take me... don't leave me
alone..." She sobs and Nick holds her again, letting her now, that
he won't be leaving anywhere, that this time, he would stay.
******
"I thought I'd find you here...� Tina greets her ex-
husband softly as she finds him, the same way she had found him the
other day. He seems to always find comfort on that place in their
house.
�I can't stand there looking at that bastard...� Joe trails off.
Still seeing the pictures of Jessica and Nick playing in his mind
over and over again.
�I know..." She cuts him of softly, feeling the same thing.
" How dare him, come here and... "
" He loves her...� Tina whispers shakily, cutting him off,
realizing by looking at Nick's gentle treatment of her daughter, his
assurances for her, his concern for her, that he is in love with her
daughter, her sixteen year old daughter.
"Tina..."
"He does, Joe... you can't deny it, he loves her..." A pause. "And
she loves him too...� She adds, knowing that's so true. �She loves
him..."
�What does she know about love, she's sixteen, and she's still so
young...�
�My mother met My Dad when she was sixteen... "
"That's different!!"
"Joe... please... if we continue doing this... we will end up
loosing her...� She trails off, remembering her daughter cried of
wanting to be with her love. How she was pleading to be taken away... she
knows Nick would do just as Jessica asked, and she can't let that
happen, she can't loose her only daughter completely... She wouldn't
want to go back into that house to find her gone already...
�What are you saying, you want to... what, give them our blessing,
and give him, OUR DAUGHTER?" Joe points at her angrily, then turns
around. �He�d ruin her; he'd ruin her whole future!!!"
Joe shouts frustrated. Now her ex-wife, is also against him, agreeing
with the forbidden relationship...Jessica is way too young for all
of this hustle, to get into a relationship like this... It's too
soon... She's sixteen what does she understand about love anyway...
It's only a minor crush and when the feelings gone, she would know all
of this is wrong... and he can't let her ruin her bright future
because she's too caught up with a man that doesn't deserve her at all...
"Joe...� A pause. "I believe that he loves her, and as much as we
think he is wrong for her...� She trails off and looking up at her ex
husband�s still angry eyes. "He wants the best for her too, Joe...
just look at them... "
Joe shakes his head in denial.
�You saw them together, you know... they love each other, Joe...
and Mike... he told me just now... everything..."
�What?" Joe looks at her intrigued.
�They have been together even before I came to him for our
divorce..." She says gently.
" What?"
" They had been together then, Jessica lied to him... about her
age... he didn't know... and as soon as he knew, he broke it off...
That day when he came here and I invited him for dinner... they just
broke it off then...� Tina explains, now finally finding an answer as
to why that dinner had felt so awkward and so full of tension ... If
only she had paid more attention then, she would've known... and all
of this wouldn't have happened...
�What the..."
Joe is beyond surprised with this revelation. Always thinking that
Jessica and Nick had met during their divorce process; never thought
that the truth is...
�I don't know how they finally ended up together again, but knowing
our daughter... if she wants something..." She left the words
unspoken; knowing Joe knows the reason too. Their stubborn and
determined daughter, nothing could get in her way if she wants
something.
�He is so wrong for her, Tina...."
Joe says firmly. He hasn't been able to understand everything. Nick is
way too old for Jessica; she is just so young. She is supposed to
have one of those meaningless dates with teenagers her age, not this
too serious relationship with someone way more mature than her...
�We don't know that..."
Tina, having heard the real story from Mike, and having seen their
love so clearly shown in those heartbreaking moments, having seen the
life back into her daughter's eyes over her lover�s presence, finally
beginning to understand...
�SHE�S TOO YOUNG... SHE'S JUST SIXTEEN...Look at what he has done,
he has changed her... that girl is not our Jessica, our Jessica
wouldn't do what those pictures show us... our Jessica wouldn't
lie to us... betray our trust... our Jessica wouldn't..." He stops
his tirade his mind filled with the images of Jessica and that
bastard, doing what they were doing, and he sits defeated. �Our
Jessica wouldn't..."
�We have to except the fact that she has changed... Look Joe... I'm
not trying to take their side or... it's just that... I'm
afraid...� She stops as tears bringing in her eyes.
�Just look at her, Joe... she has lost her hope... she's broken
and... If you say those pictures are not our Jessica than NEITHER is
that girl lying lifelessly ON THAT BED...� A pause. �Those eyes..."
Tina's voice breaks as she remembers the emptiness in her
daughter's gaze, those cold empty eyes. A long silence ensued before
she breaks it again.
�And we used to think that Nick was a great guy..." She whispers.
The time after they had finalized the divorce, they had spent some
time with Nick. Having separated on friendly terms, and having the
young lawyer finished all the things regarding the termination of
their marriage so well, giving ease to both side. No argumentation
and no fight.
He had been successful also in hiding the divorce from the press until
finally, the ex-couple made the decision to tell people. Being one of
the most important families in the city, the Simpson�s had the attention from
the press and public. They had been so thankful that through that
time of pain, no press had come to complicate the already hurtful
process.
�Well, we were WRONG!"
Joe says harshly, loosing all his respect for the young man. He used
to respect him, his entire noble goal and his achievements. Being so
young yet making his way to the top. All his principles of life, of
law, really have earned Nick Lachey his respect. But the thing with
Jessica has erased all of those. For now, he only sees him as nothing
but a bastard that has ruined his daughter. Turning the innocent
teenager into someone her own father hardly recognized.
"Joe... he's a great guy and he is in love with our daughter....
and she loves him too.... I don't know what..." She trails off, it's
very hard to make Joe understand, talking about stubborn, he is the
king. But she has to try as her daughter is at stakes here, if they
forced their will on her, she would strike back, she would be gone, and
they would loose her. She has to make him see this.
�But if we force our will on them... you know Jessica she'll just
run... we'll loose her completely...." Another long silence ensued
between them, too caught up with their own thoughts and feelings.
Joe sits finally, knowing there's a truth in Tina�s words. Jessica
would run if they fought her... but...
�What should we do?" He asks softly after a long silence.
***** ##### ***** ##### *****
"So grandpa agreed after?" The young woman turns around and asks
quizzically from her position in front of the mirror. Her blue eyes
simmering with curiosity, making her look even prettier in her white
elegant wedding dress.
�Well... not right away, sweetheart, you know your grandpa...� The
older woman stands from her seat, and walks closer, helping her
daughter with her hair. A smile gracing her beautiful face.
" So... what happen next?"
" Well... rules...� Jessica smiles remembering that time. A time
long ago when she was just in the beginning of her relationship with
Nick. A man who now, has been with her through life for over thirty
years. A man with whom, she had shared happiness, sadness, tears, and
laughter. A man, she still loves as much, if not more from that
moment of her life.
�He set up so many rules for us, your grandpa and rules, Liz... they
go so well...� She says with a slightly joking tone. They both
chuckle, remembering those orders from their beloved Joe Simpson.
Tears bringing in Jessica's eyes remembering her father who had
passed away few years back. She felt a hand squeeze hers gently, and
she looks up to the reflection of the owner in the mirror, smiling
thankfully.
�It took a lot of time and a lot of struggle to finally have his
blessing... I remember your father... as much as he hated golf and
rich sport club, but joining anyway, tried to be closer to him... how
he always prepared everything before every meeting with him, or your
grandma...� A smile. �It was a torture to him I'm sure to have
those fancy dinners... those parties..."
�He loves you so much...� Liz says the truth she�s always known since
she had understood love. How she always tries to find that kind of
love of her own. A love like her parents' that has endured them years
of marriage and more.
Jessica smiles and continues her story. Brushing her daughter's hair,
helping her with her hair do.
�At one time, your father, he wanted to propose... I didn't even
know his plan, then... I was just getting out of college and...
Well... he asked for your grandpa's permission... not even daring to
believe he would give the green light...� A pause as a smile graces
her lips and she stops brushing. Looking at her daughter's eyes on
the mirror.
�Your grandpa never let on if he was finally okay with us being
together, I mean really okay with it, always so cold and kept his
distance... but when your father asked him if he was allowed to ask
my hand in a marriage...� A smile as Jessica shakes her head.
�Neither your father nor your grandfather ever told me what really happened
then but the next thing I knew... your father proposed and I had no
answer but a yes...� She recalls that wonderful night so vividly,
still seeing Nick's hopeful yet nervous look, his obvious
nervousness, he was just so cute... The romantic proposal on the park
that has meant so much for them, under the moonlight, that one night
of her life, she wouldn't dare to forget. She remembers his joyful
look as she gave him her answer, how he picked her up, twirled her
around, and their celebration after.
She remembers telling the news to her family, and having them all
congratulate her, even her father. Never being told of what happened
between Nick and him. It was okay, though... as she thinks that it�s
not really that important... some man-to-man secret... she can live
without knowing...
�There you�re finished....� Jessica smiles; admiring her work, and her
daughter. She looks so beautiful. Liz smiles her thanks.
�You never told me the whole story before...� Liz says after a
while, only knowing part of the story of how her parents found each
other. Never having the full insight; now, she knows everything.
�You never asked...� Jessica smiles, and then adds jokingly. "And your
dad would kill me if after knowing the story; somehow you get it into
your head that you have to follow my step...� Liz smiles, let�s out a
little chuckle and then goes serious.
�I wish I had that kind of love...� She trails off, all the doubt
she had lately comes back to her. She knows she loves Michael, but
what if... what will happen in the future, what if that love fades
away, so many people get married and get divorced, a lot of people
can't keep their love... what if that happens...
Jessica notices the worries and doubts in her daughter�s eyes,
recognizing the same look she saw years ago on her reflection in the
mirror, and walks around, facing her, kneeling in front of her...
�Sweetheart, you do have that love... I know you do... Michael
really loves you; Liz... and you are about to walk down that isle
and marry the man you love... committed to him for the rest of your
life... I know right now you have some doubts, some fear... I had
that too..."
�You did?" Liz asks surprised. She always thought her mom wouldn't
have a doubt in her relationship with her father. How they love each
other so unconditionally... every little act... every little word...
�Everyone has it, Liz... it comes in the same package with the
wedding..." She jokes, making Liz smiles, but then turning serious.
�Marriage is huge, it's big... you are about to pledge your love, your
vow that you're willing to spend life with him... that you�re practically
giving him your everything... handing over your life... your
heart�� A sigh.
�A few days before the wedding and I was a total wreck... It was so
bad... All our family members were so enthusiastic over the wedding; even
your Grandpa... and I felt that I was alone... I was so scared and
doubtful over everything...I didn�t know what I should do or who to
turn to... I knew your father loved me... and I knew I loved him too,
but I was so scared for the future�� A sigh. "People change... My
parents used to love each other so much, they still loved each other
then... but they chose divorce anyway... I was... petrified... I
almost ran... and called off the wedding... I had my bag packed
already... wrote some letters...� She shakes her head, smiling
bitterly at the memory. Liz listens even more surprised.
" But then your dad called me, we had this strict order not to see
each other few days before the wedding, and somehow, just listening
to his voice, remembering his eyes... the love shining in them... and
suddenly... I wanted to try... to see those eyes again, to be with
him... whatever the risk, bring it on... I'll take it...� Jessica
pauses, holding both her daughter's hands in hers.
�I walked down that isle... And when I really saw your father's eyes
again... all I felt was love... no room for doubts or fear... he
smiled at me and it took a lot of power from me to not just run to
him, say 'I do' and get down to the kiss...� They chuckle softly.
Jessica strokes her daughter�s cheek that is wet with tears with one
hand, holding her hands with her other hand, as she had done so many
times, knowing Liz always finds comfort in those actions.
"But it's your decision sweetheart... you know... we would be behind
you whatever you decide...� Jessica assures her daughter, feeling
those are the words she wants to hear, as much as she had wanted to
hear those years ago...
Liz looks at her mother, still as beautiful as ever, with the light
make up tracing her face, her hair pulled up in an elegant bun, few
strays of gray hair tracing it, making it look even more attractive,
her brown eyes still looking as deep, sparkling with her love and
understanding, and memories she cherishes so dearly.
She then turns to look at her veil still on the rack. All the
memories of her and Michael, her fianc�e, come rushing back, their
first meeting, all the wonderful moments she felt after... all the
times they had shared their love, the soft green eyes who always melt
her and showering her with hope and love... and she smiles as all her
doubts disappear when she remembers Michael hopeful, happy, yet
worried look that night when he proposed... She takes a deep breath
before turning to her mother...
�Please help me to put my veil on...� She says firmly, a little
catch on her voice and tears bringing in her eyes betraying her
feeling of being surer than ever.
Jessica smiles and takes the veil, helps her to put it on. They both
look at her reflection in the mirror...
�You look so beautiful...� A single tear slides down Jessica face
as she comes to a realization that this is the day, her only daughter
would finally engage herself in a vow of a life time; handing her
hand in a marriage to a man of her dreams, her love.
�Please, don't cry, Mom...� Liz stands up, faces her mother, and
wipes the tears from her mother's eyes.
A knock interrupts them. Jessica jumps up, and turns around not
wanting anyone to see she's been crying.
�We have to go now; they're waiting for us at the church...� Nick
pokes his head and says but trails off, as he catch a sight of his
little daughter dressed so beautifully in her white wedding dress.
The face that she looks so much like her mother but with his eyes, and
his dark hair.
"You are so beautiful, sweetheart...� He walks closer, and takes
her in his arm.
"Thank you, Dad...� She pulls away and reaches up to kiss her
father's cheek. "I love you... Thank you so much for everything... "
She trails off feeling the tears about to fall. Being so thankful to
have been born in a loving family, with the best parents and brother
she could have ever wished for. She had seen too many failed
marriages, even unhappy ones, and so many children being ignored
and abandoned... she is so lucky...
And in less than an hour she would no longer be Elizabeth Lachey,
the daughter, she would be Elizabeth Handerson, Mrs. Michael
Handerson... a wife... It's so frightening and exiting and yet she
knows she wants it... like her mother said... whatever the risk would
be... she'll take it...
Nick wipes the few strays of tears that almost fall. "You can't
afford crying now, sweetheart... I don't want to wait four more hours
for you to have this make up done...� He jokes, making her chuckle
and holds her for a while. "I love you...� Nick says, closing his
eyes, knowing in a while later he would be handing his precious girl
into the hand of another man. Savoring the time he can still call
her, his...
Jessica looks at the exchange, smiling softly, knowing this is one of
those precious moments she wouldn't forget for the rest of her life.
Nick pulls back and notices his wife is looking at them as he opens
his eyes. Feeling thankful again for having known her, on this day
that is so important for them, knowing she is the reason he had the
privilege to experience all the wonderful things he has gone through.
The joy of fatherhood, the amazing feeling of being her husband...
and a father to their children.
They look at each other understandingly, and his eyes as always
beckon her near. She walks closer, and he takes her hand, kissing it
gently.
'I love you' his eyes and smile say as he finds no words are enough to
show her how he feels, how much she had given him in all the years
they had been together, and she smiles loving the way they can
communicate so easily, with simple acts and gestures as she squeezes
his hand, answering him with her own special way. They have made it
this far... all the way... and they wouldn't want to change a thing...
Liz smiles at the scene, feeling another tear about to fall, hoping one
day she would be lucky enough to be in their position; years of being
married and they only fell more in love...
�Everyone�s ready?" Nick asks after a while, to a series of nods.
" Then, Let's go... "
*****
" Where's Joe?" Jessica asks her husband as she finds no sign of the
usually so noisy son.
�In his room, he's joining us soon... I told him already." Nick
assures her, squeezing the hand intertwined with his. They have
reached their front yard when Liz stops and turns suddenly causing
both her parents that are walking behind him to stop, almost bumping
her.
�Mom... the bouquet? I forgot about the bouquet... God where is
it?� Liz asks panicked, as she forgot anything about it.
�I got it..." Her ten year old little brother coming from inside of
the house said. They turn to see him running with the bouquet in hand,
all dressed up in a suit matching his dad. He looks so much like his
father, with the exception of his light blonde hair that is a perfect
carbon copy of his mother.
"Joe... be careful... you don't...� Jessica admonishes her son not
wanting him to fall, but is too late as the boy stumbles and falls to
the ground. They start to walk closer to him, want to help him, but
he stands back right away; brushing the dirt off his suit.
�I�m okay...� He smiles reassuringly. "The bouquet is fine...� He
shows the bouquet up in the air and walks to his family. Liz smiles
at her little brother; always the reckless one.
�You�re lucky... if something happens to that bouquet... I wouldn't
know what I would do to you...� Liz says jokingly and Joe as always
bites back, having one of their little fights, as the Lachey�s pile up
in the car, driving away, towards a new stage of their life.
*********
So glad we make it....
Look how far we've come my baby....
*********
The end