Nick tossed and turned on the couch for a good hour, before heading for the bathroom on Abe’s end of the apartment. He didn’t realize it connected directly to her room by way of a walk-through closet, until he turned on the light and walked in. He glanced through the open closet doors, but could only make out her shape in the bed.
“Sorry about the light.”
“Fine.”
“Fine,” he shot back.
Seconds passed.
“Stop it.”
“Stop what?”
“Staring.”
“How do you know I’m staring,” she asked.
“I can feel it.”
“So?”
“So, I can’t pee with ya staring at me.”
She growled.
“Fine,” he exclaimed, reaching behind him and slamming the door shut.
Second’s later he heard the door on the other end of the closet slam shut.
“Fine,” retorted Abe from the other side of the two closed doors.
Nick didn’t say another word, only slammed the door leading the living room upon leaving the bathroom. Michele walked past him without a word and slipped inside Abe’s bedroom.
“Get out Nick,” demanded Abe.
“Wrong person. What the hell is going on?”
Abe flipped onto her back. “I don’t know.”
Michele took a seat on the bed. “You don’t?”
“No! One minute everything was fine, the next he shutdown. I saw it happen, but don’t know what caused it.”
“Then you need to talk to him.”
“Me? I’m not the one being a jerk.”
“No, but…”
“No buts, the jerk can be the one to talk first,” stated Abe, flipping away from her best friend.
Michele curbed her urge to throttle Abe. Instead, she walked out into the living room.
“Nick, come with me.”
“Where?”
“Shut up and follow me,” ordered Michele, taking his hand and pulling him into Abe’s bedroom.
Flipping the light on, she started rummaging through Abe’s vanity.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m looking for two pairs of ear plugs. Ah ha! Found’em. I’m going back to bed. Y’all work this out, because I’m not having you ruin the party tomorrow night. And I’ll be damned if the two of you will start the new year mad at each other. Yell, cry, slam things, do whatever it takes to work this out, but work it out. Goodnight.”
The couple watched her close the door on her way out. Turning his head to see Abe glaring at him, Nick folded his arms across his chest and glared back.
“Why did you lie,” asked Abe, her tone sharp.
“What,” exclaimed Nick.
“You heard me. Why did you lie?”
“What are you talking about?”
Dropping her eyes to the comforter, she picked at imaginary lint. “You said you wanted to be here.”
“Yeah.”
“That was a lie.”
“No it wasn’t. Do ya not want me here?”
“I told you I did,” she said, her bottom lip jutting out.
“And I told you I wanted to be here.”
“Then what the hell is your problem,” she asked.
“My problem? I don’t know what you’re talkin’ about.”
“Fine,” she replied. “Turn off the light on your way out.”
“Fine,” he said quietly.
His head hung down, he turned the light off and left the room. Abe felt the tears burning her eyes. She hated crying and she hated what was happening between them. Throwing the covers off, she bounded out to the darkened living room. Though the room was dark, she could tell he was lying on the couch.
“Are you breaking up with me,” she blurted out.
“No!”
“Then tell me what I did.”
“Nothing.”
“Bullshit! You’ve been ignoring me all night.”
“Have not,” he shot back defensively. He heard a sniffle. “Hey, are you crying?”
“No,” she sniffled again.
“Why are you crying,” he asked, sitting up finally.
“I told you I’m not! I’m fine.”
Reaching for her hand, he pulled her down to sit by him.
“Stop being nice,” she ordered.
“No,” he said, gently. “Why are you so upset?”
“Gee, I don’t know Nick! I’m snuggling with this guy who says he’s my boyfriend and suddenly he wants to go shopping with my friends. Then he doesn’t talk to me for the rest the night.”
“I talked to you.”
“Only when you had to. Whatever I did, I’m sorry. I’ll fix it,” she said, trying to swallow around the lump in the throat. “I know I suck at this couple thing. Just give me a chance and I’ll get it right.”
Nick felt sick. She sounded so sad and he’d caused it.
“Bella listen to me. You didn’t do anything wrong. It’s me,” he explained, squeezing her hand.
“What’s you?”
“This whole problem.”
“Nick, please tell me what’s going on.”
“I just realized something, is all.”
Getting frustrated, Abe said, “For the love of God! Would you just tell me?”
“Fine! I love you!”
Nick’s heart stopped beating for the few seconds it took Abe to react, and then it started hammering in his chest when she didn’t react the way he expected. She reached for the light next to the couch and flipped it on.
Focusing back on Nick, she asked, “What did you say?”
Swallowing hard, he said, “I love you.”
“I see,” she said, getting up and heading for her bedroom.
Nick stared after her for a moment in disbelief, but soon recovered and followed her.
“Bella?”
“Go away.”
“What the fuck! I tell you I love you and you tell me to go away?” He waited for a response that wasn’t coming. “Abe talk to me damn it!”
“I’m sorry.”
“Sorry,” he exploded, fighting the urge to put his fist through the wall.
“Yes,” she said in a small voice. “I’m sorry that figuring out you love me is a bad thing.”
“What the fuck are you talking about? I’m going to loose my fuckin’ mind if you don’t talk to me.”
“You realized you loved me and you stopped talking to me. I think it is pretty fucking clear that you don’t want to love me. I’m sorry it happened. You go with everyone tomorrow and have a good time. I’ll call Roger and resign.”
“Wait,” he pleaded. She was so calm and it was scaring the shit out him. “I didn’t say it was bad.”
“Well ya didn’t say it was a good either,” she retorted. “It’s okay. I’m use to it.”
“Use to what?”
“Being alone. It was nice while it lasted. Thanks for being my first boyfriend.”
“I’m still your fuckin’ boyfriend! I won’t let you break up with me. I freaked. Okay that was bad, but it was only because this was something new,” he explained.
“You’ve been in love before.”
“Not like this. You’re different and you make me different.”
“So, I’m making you change,” she replied, getting defensive.
“No,” he replied. Closing the distance between them, he cupped her face and lightly kissed her. “Will you shut up until I can get this out? You keep interrupting and I can’t get it out.”
Sighing, she sat down on the bed. He dropped to his knees in front of her, folding her hands in his.
“I never saw you comin’. I mean you were the biggest pain in my ass when we first met. Don’t give me that look, you know it’s true. I was the biggest pain in your ass too. Then one day, you weren’t such a pain anymore. I figured out that you were helping me. I liked how things were and how we were becoming friends. Then you and that damn Halloween outfit. Baby, you were so sexy and guys were checking you out. I didn’t like it, because you were my Abe. Things started changing then. I loved Thanksgiving. Abe, nobody ever gave a damn where I was on holidays. You did. Not because you had to or you wanted something.”
“Nick, I work for you…”
“I said shut up until I’m done. After all these years, I can tell the difference. You did that for me. I was starting to fall for you then. Hell probably before then, but today all of that hit me like a ton of bricks while we were sitting here. It overwhelmed me and I was trying to get use to the idea. Then I fuck it all up and tell you like I did. I don’t blame you for being pissed.”
“I’m interrupting now. I’m not pissed. It hurt to be shut out. I thought you were upset, because you didn’t want to love me.”
“No. It was just me being a fuck up.”
“Stop talking that way about the man I love.”
Nick’s eyes locked on her’s. “What?”
“I love you, Nick, but I’m scared too.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t know how to do all of this. I’ve never been in love. I’ve never had anyone tell me they love me. Well, family doesn’t count. I’m scared I’m going to screw it up and run you off. Daddy and I talked the other day. He said, I had to let go of my heart before someone could catch it. Nick, I’m tryin’ to let go of my heart.”
“I’ve got it Bella.”
“I’ve got yours too.”
Nick wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer. She loved him. She’d said it. His heart felt like it would burst.
“How about we stop worrying about it and start enjoying it,” he suggested.
“Okay,” she said, around a yawn.
“I’ll let you get some sleep,” he said, standing to leave.
Catching his hand, Abe whispered, “come to bed Nicky.”
She scooted over and he took his place beside her. They snuggled down in the covers.
“Nick,” she whispered after a moment.
“What?”
”Do you think we will always do things the hard way?”
He started to chuckle. “Probably.”
“Well one thing's for sure,” she said.
”What’s that?”
”I would rather fight with you any day Nicky, than not have you in my life.”
“Me too Bella.”
