�Hey,� Sunshine said in return.
�Maddie called and said you were home.�
�There�s a surprise. Can�t keep anything to herself.�
�Where�s Nick?�
�In the bedroom on the phone.�
�He�s on the phone a lot.�
�It�s his brother. You know how close Nicky and Aaron are.�
�Sorry. I was just��
�What exactly did ya mean when you said �he�s on the phone a lot�?�
�Nothing.�
�Yes there is so please tell me. I want to know, Danielle. Its bad enough I have to deal with her out there and her attitude towards my husband let alone someone else. Nick loves me and I love him. No one�s going to change that.�
�I was just suggesting that maybe you should�� She paused and Sunshine looked at her waiting. �This is ridiculous.�
�What? If you think Nick�s having an affair please tell me why you think that. I think I have a right to know why one of my best friends would think my husband is cheating on me.� Danielle just looked at her. �Damn it, Danielle, you�re the one that mentioned it now ya don�t have a reason.�
�I didn�t mention anything about Nick having an affair, you did.�
�Then what else did you mean by what you said?� She said nothing. �Exactly. I�m not as stupid as you guys think I am. I may not be that bright and smart as the rest of you, but I do know things.�
�Doesn�t it make you wonder though why he�s always on the phone?�
�No, because I trust Nick and he trusts me. That�s why are relationship is so strong, because it�s based on trust. If we didn�t have that trust we wouldn�t have made it this far.�
�Well it makes me wonder.�
Sunshine shook her head and got up. �How in the hell would he have time to have an affair? He�s always with me. Who would he have an affair with? That slut nursery nurse at the hospital? I don�t think so.�
�Sapphire.�
�Oh fu�shit.� She slammed the plate in the sink, breaking it. �No! Ya know what this is. This is all based on your fears that Brian is cheating on you. This is not about me and Nick. None of it is. You don�t want to face the facts that your beloved Brian, who does no wrong in your eyes just like Kev, D, and Alex; might, just might be cheating on you with that lovely Leighanne Wallace you�re so jealous of. Get over it will ya. Rok is not as innocent as you think.�
�Brian is not cheating on me with that whore. If anyone�s cheating on anyone Nick�s cheating on you�with Sapphire.�
�That�s it! I will forgive you this once. Just this once, because you are like family. If you say anything else about Nick cheating on me with anyone, especially Sapphire, we are no longer friends in any kind of way. I swear it on everything that you hold sacred and dear to you. Do you understand?� Danielle just looked at her. �I mean it. Just one more time and it�s over.� She left the kitchen.
�That went well.�
�What went well?� Madeline asked joining Danielle.
�With your sister.�
�Is that why she looks pissed off?�
�Yeah. I just merely suggested that Nick was cheating on her and she gets all defensive right away.�
�You know how she gets.�
�You�d think she�d be calm after ending up in the hospital.�
�One more thing, Danielle,� Sunshine said stepping into the kitchen again. �Nicky is smarter than you all think. Even if he was having an affair he wouldn�t be dumb enough to have the slut call here or down in Apollo Beach. He ain�t cheating because he loves me.� She walked out.
�Well,� Madeline said. �I think she put you in your place.�
�I guess so,� Danielle said. �I just wanted to see how she was doing and then we got into it.�
�Sunshine loves Nickolas and will stand beside him no matter what. I had my doubts at first about Nick loving Sunn, but seeing the way he was last Friday and witnessing what he was going through changed my views about him. I finally understand and realize how much he loves my sister. I highly doubt he would ever cheat on Sunn. If he did, he�d have to be extremely high on drugs.�
�I don�t know.�
�I�m right, Danielle, and you know it.� Danielle made a face and they heard the kids start to yell. �Uh-oh.�
�Let daddy take care of them.�
�Yeah right. Guys are just as bad.� They laughed and walked from the kitchen. �Nick, what are you doing to my boys?�
�Nothing,� Nicholas said. �They just started yelling for no reason.�
�Whatever,� Danielle said. �Adrianna, come here to mommy. Brian you�re supposed to be watching your daughter.�
�I was,� Brian said. �She was playing with DJ and JT.� He smiled.
�Whatever,� Danielle said again as Adrianna started yelling again and so did Dominic and Jordan. �Adrianna Paige Littrell, that is enough.�
�That goes for you two too,� Madeline said to her sons. �Get over here.� The three children continued yelling.
�Will you please shut those kids up,� Sunshine requested stepping into the parlor. �I just got home and I�m really not in the mood to hear three little kids running around my house screaming. They can do it someplace else.�
�Sunnie, come on,� Nickolas said. �Just go lay down and rest.� He took her back the hall.
�Maybe we should go,� Brian suggested. �Let Sunn get some rest.�
�We�ll come with you,� Madeline said. �We can go get something to eat.�
�Sounds good,� Danielle agreed.
�Hey, guys,� Nickolas said rejoining them. �Can you please keep it down?�
�We�re going to go,� Nicholas said. �We�re going to go get something to eat.�
�Alright,� Nickolas said.
�Do you want anything?� Madeline asked.
�Nah, I can find something,� Nickolas replied.
�Alright,� Madeline said. �We�ll be back then.�
�Ok,� Nickolas said.
�I�ll catch ya later, Nick,� Brian said and Nickolas nodded.
�Dominic and Jordan,� Nicholas said. �Come on.�
Nickolas watched them all walk out then went back to the bedroom. He opened the door, but didn�t see Sunshine lying on the bed where he left her.
�Sunnie?�
�In here,� Sunshine said from the bathroom. Nickolas closed the bedroom door. �What�s wrong?�
�Nothing. Whatcha doing?� He sat on the bed.
�I�m going to get a bath.� She walked from the bathroom. �I need something to calm me. Maybe I shouldn�t have come home.�
�Why not?� He pulled her over to him.
�Because everyone�s starting their shit again.�
�Don�t worry about them. They�re just jealous, because we�re so happy.� He kissed her.
�Are we?�
��Of course. Why wouldn�t we be?� She shrugged. �I love you more than anything and you know that.�
�I know. I just��
�What is it? What�s wrong?�
�It�s just that Danielle had the nerve to say that you�re cheating on me.�
�What? That�s insane. Where the hell would she get that idea?�
�Because you�re on the phone a lot lately.�
�It�s Aaron.�
�That�s what I told her and she won�t believe me.�
�Well I ain�t cheating and I never would. I love you.�
�And I love you.� They kissed and she got up.
�Where ya going?� He grabbed her hand and pulled her to him. He started pushing her shirt up and kissed her stomach.
�I don�t want my bathroom flooded.�
�That�s just too bad.� He pushed her shirt off.
�Nicky, I�m serious.�
�Are you putting on weight?�
�No thanks to you.� He smiled and kissed her. �Nicky, please. I ain�t in the mood.� She freed herself from his hold and went into the bathroom. Nickolas sat there a moment then got up and joined his wife in the bathroom. He stood at the door and watched her brush her hair. She looked at him and he didn�t do anything. �What?�
�What�s wrong?� She shook her head and walked over to the tub. She turned the water off and went to walk out of the bathroom, but Nickolas stopped her. �What�s going on?�
�What do ya mean?�
�You know what I mean. Your odd behavior.� She just looked at him. �Will you please talk to me?� She didn�t say anything and walked away. �If something�s bothering you let me know so I can help.� She turned the radio on and walked back over to Nickolas. She went to go back in the bathroom, but hugged Nickolas instead and tried to hold back her tears.
CHAPTER 13 CHAPTER 15
HOME