Post by NIKKOS MIGUEL SANCHEZ on Jul 7, 2012 19:47:05 GMT -5
[Title inspired by "Can't Let You Go" by Matchbox Twenty]
It was the end of a long, successful week. Nikkos had opened his medical practice Monday morning, and he saw an increasing number of patients each day. Most of them, he had known for most of his life. Small towns like Cresting Grove didn't have "specialized" doctors, so Nikkos saw people with all sorts of problems. His caseload wasn't near so high that he couldn't handle it alone, but he thought it might grow to where he would need another doctor working with him later on down the road.
All the plans for his practice's future were out there within reach. Nikkos wasn't so sure about his future with his fiancee, Nora Thomas.
It was a Friday evening, and while most people were out celebrating the start of the weekend with their friends, Nikkos was walking alone down the sidewalks of Cresting Grove. He figured, though, that being alone in the middle of a bustling small town on a Friday evening was better than being completely alone in the home he had bought for himself and Nora.
At the thought of Nora, he automatically pulled his cellphone from his pocket and flipped it open, only to be disappointed. He thought about calling her, but he remembered her parting words. "I'll call you when I'm ready to talk, Nik," she had said the morning she had left, nearly two months ago.
His thoughts turned to what had made Nora decide to leave in the first place, and felt angry at both himself and whoever decided to create a gossip website for Cresting Grove. When he had first seen the website, he had initially been more concerned for his sister's welfare than his own. Lena was very shy and intensely private, and for a website to accuse her of doing intimate things with a boy. But bizarrely, Lena and the boy--Jess, was his name--seemed to become fairly good friends. Nikkos often saw them around town together.
It wasn't that Nikkos begrudged his sister for having found a companion, but he couldn't deny that he was jealous--and perhaps a little bitter--that she had found a friend while he had possibly lost the woman he loved and was going to marry. The fault was his, he knew; he shouldn't have kept secrets from Nora, especially not about this. Nikkos just never knew quite how to explain it to Nora.
He paused in his walking outside a darkened bookstore. Nora hadn't been the only one to abruptly leave his life. His best friend, the owner of this bookstore, had left Cresting Grove after the death of her grandmother. Nikkos knew the death had hit Hope very hard, especially so soon after her grandfather's death two years ago. Her grandparents had been very important to Hope; they had practically raised her. Nikkos considered calling Hope as well, but he had already called once and left a voicemail. He didn't want to push her when she was grieving; he figured she would call him if she wanted to talk.
After taking one last, searching look into Hope's bookstore, he continued on down the sidewalk. He bought a cone of mint chocolate chip ice cream at the shop on the corner, enjoying the creamy and cold texture of the treat on a very hot afternoon. The noise of the town finally got to him, however, and soon he stepped off the sidewalk, following the dirt path through the woods that led to the lake.
He halted when one of the many docks came into view, feeling his heart catch. This was the last place he had ever seen or heard from Lily Delarose. With a heavy heart, he slowly walked to it, hearing the creaking of the boards under his feet, and leaned against the railing. If he closed his eyes, he could remember it just like yesterday.
He found himself facing the same way he had been that day, watching her disappear into the woods and wondering if he would ever get over her. But he had. Nikkos was engaged, for Christ's sake! A man didn't get engaged to a woman if he was still hung up on a girl he hadn't even seen in eight years! Nora, however, hadn't seen it that way. To her, keeping Lily a secret meant that he was still obviously in love with her. He sighed, frustrated as he remembered the night she had discovered the website.
Angrily, he kicked at the railing, only to hear a 'crack' from the old wood. The half second he had to react wasn't enough time, and very soon, he found himself crashing into the water with a loud splash. A few seconds later, his head appeared over the water, and he swam to shore. As he stepped onto ground again, he groaned at the squishing noise that came to his shoes before slipping them and his socks off, then, as an afterthought, pulled off his shirt as well. He hung his shirt and socks on one of the nearby railings, where they would get plenty of sun, and put his shoes on the dock nearby.
"Well, at least I'm not hot anymore," he mused with a halfhearted attempt at a laugh. Since he was already soaking, he hopped back into the lake until the water was at his knees. The thought came to him unbidden; if Lily and Nora were there, he could easily imagine what they would have done. Lily would have jumped in after him, clothes and all, thinking it great fun, while Nora would gasp on the dock and worry over him for several minutes. "And Hope would probably tell me that by leaning on that stupid rail, I was asking for it," he muttered, shaking his head as he picked up a flat rock from the lake bed and skipping it.
It was the end of a long, successful week. Nikkos had opened his medical practice Monday morning, and he saw an increasing number of patients each day. Most of them, he had known for most of his life. Small towns like Cresting Grove didn't have "specialized" doctors, so Nikkos saw people with all sorts of problems. His caseload wasn't near so high that he couldn't handle it alone, but he thought it might grow to where he would need another doctor working with him later on down the road.
All the plans for his practice's future were out there within reach. Nikkos wasn't so sure about his future with his fiancee, Nora Thomas.
It was a Friday evening, and while most people were out celebrating the start of the weekend with their friends, Nikkos was walking alone down the sidewalks of Cresting Grove. He figured, though, that being alone in the middle of a bustling small town on a Friday evening was better than being completely alone in the home he had bought for himself and Nora.
At the thought of Nora, he automatically pulled his cellphone from his pocket and flipped it open, only to be disappointed. He thought about calling her, but he remembered her parting words. "I'll call you when I'm ready to talk, Nik," she had said the morning she had left, nearly two months ago.
His thoughts turned to what had made Nora decide to leave in the first place, and felt angry at both himself and whoever decided to create a gossip website for Cresting Grove. When he had first seen the website, he had initially been more concerned for his sister's welfare than his own. Lena was very shy and intensely private, and for a website to accuse her of doing intimate things with a boy. But bizarrely, Lena and the boy--Jess, was his name--seemed to become fairly good friends. Nikkos often saw them around town together.
It wasn't that Nikkos begrudged his sister for having found a companion, but he couldn't deny that he was jealous--and perhaps a little bitter--that she had found a friend while he had possibly lost the woman he loved and was going to marry. The fault was his, he knew; he shouldn't have kept secrets from Nora, especially not about this. Nikkos just never knew quite how to explain it to Nora.
He paused in his walking outside a darkened bookstore. Nora hadn't been the only one to abruptly leave his life. His best friend, the owner of this bookstore, had left Cresting Grove after the death of her grandmother. Nikkos knew the death had hit Hope very hard, especially so soon after her grandfather's death two years ago. Her grandparents had been very important to Hope; they had practically raised her. Nikkos considered calling Hope as well, but he had already called once and left a voicemail. He didn't want to push her when she was grieving; he figured she would call him if she wanted to talk.
After taking one last, searching look into Hope's bookstore, he continued on down the sidewalk. He bought a cone of mint chocolate chip ice cream at the shop on the corner, enjoying the creamy and cold texture of the treat on a very hot afternoon. The noise of the town finally got to him, however, and soon he stepped off the sidewalk, following the dirt path through the woods that led to the lake.
He halted when one of the many docks came into view, feeling his heart catch. This was the last place he had ever seen or heard from Lily Delarose. With a heavy heart, he slowly walked to it, hearing the creaking of the boards under his feet, and leaned against the railing. If he closed his eyes, he could remember it just like yesterday.
The day was bright and shining, and to 19 year-old Nikkos, he had never been in a more beautiful place. A smile that mirrored the weather was plastered across his face as he walked across the green, clutching a letter in his hands. Soon, he was approaching the lake that was near Cresting Grove. He could see a figure sitting at the edge of the dock, and his smile widened. He decided to correct his previous statement. With that girl, he would never be in a more beautiful and happier place.
Overtaken with impatience and joy, he jogged the last hundred or so feet to the dock, "Lily!" he called out, slowing as he approached the dock.
The girl tilted her head to the side as she heard her name, her long hair covering her face for a moment before she flicked it out of the way and looked up at Nikkos, a half-smile on her face. Nikkos did not see the sadness reflected in her eyes.
"Hey you," she replied, moving over so Nikkos would have room to sit down next to her, which he promptly did. She glanced away from him, focusing on the clear water. When she spoke, there was a trace of nervousness in her voice, "I have something I need to tell you."
"Me too!" he exclaimed, grinning. Lily attempted to mirror the expression.
"Well, you first," she said with a small, hesitant laugh.
Nikkos held the envelope up, "I got in!"
Lily's eyes widened as she took the envelope and opened it, reading the words on the paper quietly, then looked at him directly for the first time since he arrived, "Wow. That's...that's great, Nikkos."
The smile on Nikkos' face softened, and he gently took the envelope from her and placed it on the dock behind them. He brushed a strand of hair from her face tenderly, then placed his hands in hers, "I want you to come with me, Lily."
Her face displayed surprise, "To California?" she said in disbelief.
Nikkos nodded, "Yes. I wouldn't be worth it without you."
Lily bit her lips, frowning, and pulled her hands away from him. Nikkos' face turned even more confused as she turned away from him. "I...I don't know what to say...," she murmured, her voice thick. His expression became alarmed and worried as she began to cry, and he placed a hand on her shoulder in a comforting manner, though he didn't know what she needed comforting from.
Lily shrugged his hand off rather harshly, but Nikkos only looked more concerned, "Lily? What is it?" he asked softly. She whispered something, but Nikkos couldn't catch it, "What?"
"I'm pregnant!" Lily exclaimed, turning to look at him, her eyes flashing angrily.
Nikkos' mouth opened in astonishment, and he was unable to say anything for a moment. "Marry me," he finally said.
Lily shook her head, "You're only asking because I'm pregnant."
Nikkos shook his head furiously, "No, I'm not. I was going to ask you...I even have the ring....Hold on," he said, digging into his pocket and pulling out a small box. He moved into a kneeling position and held out the box to her, "I love you, and I'm not just saying that because you're pregnant. Marry me, Lily."
She stared at the box, her hand reaching as if to touch it, but then she pulled it back, "I can't."
"Why?" Nikkos asked her gently. He could tell that something was bothering her.
Lily crossed her arms tightly across her chest and turned away from Nikkos again. He was quiet as he waited for her to speak. It felt like an eternity passed before she did, "The baby....it's not yours."
Nikkos stared at Lily's shoulder and fell back on the dock as the second shock of the day landed on him. The sounds of her crying snapped him out of it, and he put the ring in his pocket and resumed his position on the dock beside her, "I don't care, Lily. I don't care if the baby is mine or not. If you love me and want to be with me forever is all that matters."
Her crying quieted down until it finally ceased, and she turned to him. Even with her skin all splotchy and her mascara running from the tears, she was the most beautiful creature on earth to him. She looked at him, hesitation and something akin to fear in her eyes, "I don't love you," Lily spoke slowly, the words feeling foreign from her lips.
The words were just as foreign to Nikkos' ears because he stupidly said, "What?"
"I don't love you anymore," she repeated, the words coming easier to her now.
Nikkos frowned, disbelieving, "You don't mean that."
"I do!" she exclaimed, angry now as she stood up and glared down at Nikkos. He stood up as well, but he was bewildered, "I don't want to go to California with you. I don't want to be with you anymore. I don't love you."
Nikkos was very aware of the beating of his heart and his breathing; it felt like he had to use a large amount of effort to continue doing those vital functions, "Lily...," he murmured, reaching a hand out to her.
Lily took a step back, her eyes hard but her body trembling, "Good luck in California, Nikkos," she said quietly without emotion, "Good...goodbye."
He continued to stare at Lily, his eyes filled with pain, and was unable to say anything to her. Lily shook her head and took a deep, shaky breath before turning and walking away. As if she could feel his eyes following her, she broke into a run, and soon he could no longer see her.
He found himself facing the same way he had been that day, watching her disappear into the woods and wondering if he would ever get over her. But he had. Nikkos was engaged, for Christ's sake! A man didn't get engaged to a woman if he was still hung up on a girl he hadn't even seen in eight years! Nora, however, hadn't seen it that way. To her, keeping Lily a secret meant that he was still obviously in love with her. He sighed, frustrated as he remembered the night she had discovered the website.
"It was almost a decade ago. It's not important!" Nikkos insisted, running a hand through his hand for what seemed like the millionth time that evening.[/blockquote]
"Lily Delarose, his one and only love. That's what it says!" argued Nora, visibly upset, "If it wasn't important, why didn't you tell me, Nikkos?"
He let out a sigh and shrugged, "I don't know, okay?"
"How serious was it?" Nora asked quietly.
Nikkos paused, unwilling to share the information out of fear that it would fuel the flames, but he wasn't going to lie, "I asked her to marry me."
"How is that not important?" she asked, her voice rising again, "I met you when you were twenty years old! How long had it been, Nikkos? How long had it been that you asked her to marry you when you met me?"
He shook his head slowly, lips pursed, feeling himself being dragged into a hope from which he wasn't sure he would be able to pull himself out of, "I asked her to marry me on July 31st. I turned twenty a few days later."
Her mouth gaped at him, her blue eyes glistening with a tear, "I met you that December! You couldn't have been over her by the time we started to date, Nikkos! You had to still have had feelings for--" began Nora, then stopped abruptly in the middle of her sentence as she stared in something akin to horror at his upper arm. "--for Lily."
With not a small amount of dread, Nikkos looked at where Nora was staring at his arm. It was the tattoo of the lily flower that he had gotten one night while drunk with Lily, "Nora...," Nikkos began, looking at his fiancee longingly.
"I need time," she murmured, going into their bedroom and closing the room. He could hear the 'click' of the lock and sighed to himself, one hand on his temple, as he heard the sounds of packing from inside.
Angrily, he kicked at the railing, only to hear a 'crack' from the old wood. The half second he had to react wasn't enough time, and very soon, he found himself crashing into the water with a loud splash. A few seconds later, his head appeared over the water, and he swam to shore. As he stepped onto ground again, he groaned at the squishing noise that came to his shoes before slipping them and his socks off, then, as an afterthought, pulled off his shirt as well. He hung his shirt and socks on one of the nearby railings, where they would get plenty of sun, and put his shoes on the dock nearby.
"Well, at least I'm not hot anymore," he mused with a halfhearted attempt at a laugh. Since he was already soaking, he hopped back into the lake until the water was at his knees. The thought came to him unbidden; if Lily and Nora were there, he could easily imagine what they would have done. Lily would have jumped in after him, clothes and all, thinking it great fun, while Nora would gasp on the dock and worry over him for several minutes. "And Hope would probably tell me that by leaning on that stupid rail, I was asking for it," he muttered, shaking his head as he picked up a flat rock from the lake bed and skipping it.
