Just To See Her

~~~~Chapter 36~~~~


Kathy unlocked the front door and gasped when she entered the foyer. Nick, who had entered just before her, turned his head in her direction. "What's the matter?" Kathy stared silently around the living room and dining room. The house was a shambles. Anything that could have been broken, was. The table was knocked over, the matching chairs all over the place. It looked like one was floating in the pool, but Kathy couldn't tell for sure. Paintings and photographs were torn off the wall and tossed into every corner. Nick took a step forward and heard something crunch under his feet. "What was that?" Kathy didn't know what to say. "I think the house has been broken into Nick. Don't move anymore. Let me call the police." Nick leaned against the wall with a sigh. Great, just what he needed his first day home from the hospital. Kathy went further into house and just about cried from the sight that was in front of her. Everything was ruined. The TV had a huge hole in it and a hammer was sticking out of it. The idea entered her head that maybe this wasn't a burglary, but a deliberate attempt to hurt Nick.

Carefully stepping over the smashed items on the floor, Kathy move over to the phone to dial the police. She relayed the details as she surveyed the room. The tail of a piece of paper got her eye and, after she gave the police the address, she followed it into the hallway. "Welcome Home Nick!" it proclaimed in colourful letters. Streamers and balloons decorated it as well. "Christina?" Kathy wondered. "You didn't do this, you bitch, I hope to God you didn't do this!" Kathy went back to Nick and helped him to the sofa. "What's going on? Have I been robbed?" He asked in a small voice. Kathy was silent for a moment. "Did Christina still have a key to the house, do you remember?" Nick shook his head. "I can't remember, no. Is the house ruined?" Nick turned his face to her. "It is, isn't it? You think she did it." His last comment was more of a statement then a question. He knew. "Where are the dogs?" Nick asked, suddenly. Kathy gasped, realizing that the pugs hadn't greeted them joyfully when they entered the house. "Stay here." she ordered him. "The police are on the way, but there is too much stuff for you to get around, to get to the door. I'll try and find them and I'll answer the door when the police get here."

Fortunately the search for the missing pups didn't take long. Someone had shut them in the bathroom and as soon as Kathy opened the door they jumped all over her. The room smelled horrible so Kathy switched the fan on and cracked the window a little. They disappeared down the hall and leaped onto Nick's lap, smothering him with licks. "They were in the bathroom." Kathy informed him. "Someone locked them in there." She sat silently beside him until a loud knock sounded at the door.

Nick sat quietly on the couch the entire time the police were at the house. He answered the questions he needed to and then shut his eyes, patting the dogs on their backs. The officers told Kathy and Nick to compile a list of what was missing and get ahold of the insurance company as soon as they could. They told them that they couldn't do anything to Christina, as there was no proof she caused the damage. "However, if anything is stolen, and she is seen with it, you can let us know and charges can be brought against her." The officer handed Kathy his card and wished them good luck before he left the house. Kathy looked over to Nick and noticed he was still sitting, just patting the dogs resting on his lap. "I'm going to clean up a bit Nick. I'll try to write stuff down as I notice what is broken and needs to be replaced, okay?" He barely nodded as she set to work.

Kathy had just dropped a tray full of broken glass into the garbage when she heard footsteps behind her. "What's the point?" Nick said, sadly. "Everything is ruined." Kathy looked up and saw a tear running down his face. "Most everything can be replaced Nick." "Where are my awards? My drawings?" Kathy turned and looked into the dining room. The drawings he had proudly framed and hung on the wall were scattered around the room, frames broken and the drawings ripped. She had only peeked into the office but she knew some of the awards were smashed beyond repair. She turned back to Nick whose shoulders were shaking with silent sobs. Kathy dropped the dust tray and broom and gathered Nick into a hug. He clung to her tightly and continued to cry. "Get it out Nick, let it all out." Kathy encouraged him gently. She led him back to the couch and continued to hold him, long after his tears had subsided.

"Everyone hates me." he finally said, his voice barely above a whisper. "That's not true." Kathy chided him. "The guys, Aaron, the rest of your family, they all love you." "Yeah, the guys, Aaron. They care." Nick nodded his head and dragged his hand under his nose. Kathy noted his omission of the rest of his family but she let it slide. "Christina is a sick bitch and she will be caught for this. Trust me." "Why would she do this to me?" "I have no idea Nick, in her mind she is getting back at you for breaking up with her. She doesn't realize what the stress does to you." Kathy slid her arm back around his shoulder. "She's not worth your worry Nick. Forget about her and get on with your life." Nick laughed. "What?" Kathy smiled at the sudden change in him. "The guys gave me a tape of the new songs to listen to and what you just said sounds like a line from one of them." "Really? I'd love to hear it." "It's in my backpack." Kathy retrieved the tape from the bag and went to play it in the tape recorder. "Dammit...she cut the cords on this one. Let's go see if the one in your bedroom works." Kathy double checked the locks on all the doors and followed Nick to his room.

It took her a few minutes to retrieve the portable player from the underside of the bed, where it had been tossed, but it worked fine once it was plugged in. Nick stretched out on the bed, the pugs at his feet. Kathy rewound the cassette and pushed the play button. She was in awe as the tape played out. The new songs were better than most of anything the group had recorded before. Even in this raw state and with one of the voices of the group missing, Kathy could tell it would be a huge hit. "God, Nick that is fab...." She looked over at Nick and saw that he was fast asleep. Kathy quietly ejected the tape and set it on the table beside the machine. She clicked the light off and made her way over to the door. "Kathy?" Nick half sat up in the bed and looked around the room. "I'm right here Nick." she answered. "Can you stay with me tonight?" The look on his face told her all she needed to know. He must have been having a bad dream, and compounded with the greeting he got when he arrived home, she could understand why he didn't want to be alone.

Kathy clicked out the light and settled on the bed beside Nick. The pugs took up the space between them, falling right back into their slumber. Nick felt for her hand and held on to it tightly once he found it. "Thank you for understanding Kathy." "It's all right." she murmured. "Go back to sleep."

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