4. Let's Go Out Again

"Gosh, how could he?!"

"I sincerely hope he dies in jail...like for real." Nicole uttered bitterly.

"Well, for the good part...you no longer live in the dark."

Due to being abruptly sent out from work, the police had forced Mr. Carriewood to compensate all his staff, and everyone had received 10% higher than their weekly wages as a parting gift. Nicole had immediately gone to pay all her bills then, filled up her house with beer and groceries.

"And the bad part, you are now unemployed..." Georgia continued.

Nicole sighed, "Well, I do have to go look for a job soon."

Georgia had made pancakes since the house was now stuffed with raw food. Nicole moaned painfully as she put her last syrupy pancake in her mouth.

"Stay away from me..." Georgia warned as she hid her plate of pancakes from Nicole's greedy eyes.

Nicole chuckled, "Not my fault you cook so good."

Ever since childhood, Georgia had been the better cook. From making waffles to putting together mind-blowing soups, she was the perfect chef and housewife, unlike Nicole who only knew how to make soggy ramen noodles.

"So, Alexander Roth huh?" Georgia asked with a smirk.

"Yes and it ends there." Nicole put an end to the topic before it started.

Georgia raised her hands in surrender, "Of course..."

"I am going to see Nicholas so please big sis, tidy up."

Georgia gave her a glare and she walked off laughing just as Georgia yelled, "I cooked, you brat!"

Nicole entered into Nicholas's ward to see his nurse, Darcy changing the sheets.

"Hey, Darcy." She greeted the middle aged woman whom she had come to love like an older sister.

"Nicole! Don't you look lovely?"

She smiled. Darcy always gave her the nicest compliments. Even when she looked like shit, she called her beautiful.

"How is he?"

"Still sedated. His chemo took a toll on him."

Nicole watched sadly as her brother slept deeply. Nicholas was the funny, hot, overprotective twin brother who was inseparable from his sister. He protected her in high school as best as he could but he was not aware of most things that occured between her and Roth. The reason was because she wanted to protect his image as he was also in the school's football team and really wanted to get off the bench. Nicole did not want to ruin her brother's goal of being a main member of the team considering Alexander was the team's quarterback and captain. So, she kept most of her trials to herself.

She loved her brother with all her heart and did not want to lose him.

When Nicholas was diagnosed of Leukemia, they had commenced treatment immediately but later on, he just gave up on everything. He lost so much weight, so many friends and wished he would just die. Much to his siblings' disapproval, Nicholas stopped his treatment until a fateful day when he passed out in his house.

Thankfully, he had called 911 before passing out. The paramedics had found him unconscious and brought him to a hospital.

This was a month ago and ever since, he had been on strict surveillance by doctors and nurses. His doctor said his situation was really critical and should be handled seriously, that is, twenty-four/seven.

Nicole tried her best to sort the bills with help from Georgia and Seth but it was really taking a toll on her these days. Now that she didn't have a job, it was about to become a whole lot worse.

When Darcy was done changing the sheets, Nicole sat beside her brother and held his hand. Tears gathered at the corner of her eyes as she tried to hold her emotions together.

"I will be outside if you need me, darling." Darcy told her with a sad smile.

Nicole nodded and listened to her retreating footsteps.

Nicole jerked awake and looked to see that Nicholas was awake and had sat up on the bed. It looked like evening already judging from the deep golden rays of the sun that streamed through the hospital windows.

"Hey, bro." She smiled as she took his hand in hers.

He smiled back at her, "Saw you were asleep, didn't want to wake you..."

"Do you need anything? Should I get Darcy?"

"I'm just a bit parched."

"How long have I been out?"

Nicholas shrugged, "Didn't care to check. You needed the rest."

Trust her brother to be his caring self always.

"Just wait, let me go get Darcy to bring some water."

He nodded while she got up to go get Darcy.

Darcy usually hung around the reception but Nicole didn't find her there. She asked the other nurses and they said she was with a doctor and would be out shortly.

Her stomach rumbled and she found her way to the hospital's vending machine. Then, she slotted a cent in for a snack. As she waited impatiently for the machine to respond to her, a child ran to stand beside her - she looked to be about six.

Nicole looked around for her parents but found no one, "What do you need, little girl?"

The little girl pointed to a 'Munch-it' snack.

Her chips finally popped out of the machine and she slotted in another cent for a snack for the little girl.

"Where are your parents? You shouldn't go running off on your own in an hospital..." She muttered but the little girl just kept staring at her with a smile on her face.

Nicole was confused as to why the little girl refused to say anything.

She was about to say something else when a voice called out, "Violet!"

Nicole looked over at the owner of the voice and it was none other than him, Alexander. He walked towards them without taking his eyes off the little girl, his strides were long and hasty.

"I am so sorry..." He attempted to apologize and finally looked at her.

"Nicole, what a pleasant surprise..."

Nicole suddenly forgot how to breathe and it was because he looked really good. He was dressed casually in a joggers and shirt, his hair was ruffled but it gave him a sexy look that she loved. Alexander was the kind of man that could rock both professional and casual and look amazing in both.

"I...um...here..." She handed him the little girl's snack.

He looks at it shocked, "Did she ask for this?"

He turned to the little girl and signed, "Is this why you ran off, Violet?"

"I'm sorry, dad." Violet signed back.

Nicole came to the realization that Violet was either deaf or dumb and that was why she could not respond to her questions. She had learnt ASL in college so she understood what Alexander had signed to the little girl.

"This is your daughter." Nicole said.

Alexander nodded, "Yes. She lost the ability to speak from birth...I am sorry if she seemed rude."

Nicole nodded, "No, she was a good girl."

He smiled and continued, "Thank you for the snack. Why are you here?"

She suddenly remembered Nicholas and why she had left him in the first place, "I came to see someone. I need to go."

She attempted to walk past him but he gripped her hand lightly to stop her from going further.

"Let's go out again." He announced lowly, his eyes daring her to say no.

Nicole knew she should refuse, if not for anything but for his cockiness. But still, she could not bring herself to say no.

"Same place, same time tomorrow." Alexander continued when she didn't reject him.

She walked away from him as soon as he freed her without giving him a reply but just like he always did in high school, he knew her answer already.