When Angels Fall (Fallen Angels) (28 page)

Chloe looked at the date and noticed it was four days before her mother died.
Had he been worried that he hadn’t heard from her? Was that the only reason he’d come home that day?
After Nick read it, she took it from him, along with the rest of them, and shut the box. It was like Nick had suggested: more questions than answers.

Nick was speechless and he reached for her hand, but she pulled away.

“Maybe I should free him from his burden. I was a mistake that ruined his life. Maybe I should— just go.” She wasn’t thinking straight. All she could think about was how he pretended she wasn’t there.

“Where would you go?” he asked her, sounding afraid she really would leave.

“I don’t know yet. Somewhere far away to start over. When people ask about my parents, I can say they died in a car crash. Or I will tell them I’m an orphan. I mean, really, if you think about it? I am. He didn’t want me and she died and left me. What do I really have here?” It was true; there was nothing for her there. She’d taken care of herself for so long, so why would it matter if she now went out on her own?

“I know it really hasn’t been long, but you have me. You really don’t want me to have to go back to that stupid rule I made or worse than that, end up with Tabitha, do you?” He joked.

She laughed at the thought of him going back to that rule he made or ending up with Tabitha. He would never survive her. “You’re all I really do have, I think. My friends would never understand or begin to care about any of this. I don’t understand why you do, either.” It confused her to wonder why he did care. No one ever took notice of her unless it was to try and use her, like Josh.

“Because, I understand what it feels like to be lost. Moving around so much and going to sometimes three new schools in a year can make you feel that way. You never know if you’re coming or going, or if the friends you make will last a lifetime, like in most kids. I mean, it isn’t the same thing that you have gone through, but I do understand in a way. It sucks when you feel like you have no one. Hell, I have two older brothers, and a lot of the stuff I told you about Kelly, I never told them. It’s just that we can talk to each other and not judge.” He took her hand again and, this time, she didn’t pull away.

She fell back on her bed and stared at him as he held her hand. “Do you think Gabbie and Dave talk like we do?” She often wondered if they did. That was something about Nick she liked, that they could sit for hours and just talk. And it wasn’t as if they talked about important things, mostly about places he’d been or places she wanted to go.

“No, I think they’re more into sex. That’s all I hear Dave talk about in the locker room. I think we’re pretty boring to them, to be honest.” He laughed and swung her hand a little.

“I just want to feel normal. I want to be like everyone else. I want what you have so badly. I know you can’t stand it most of the time, but I would love to come home and fight with my brothers or sisters. Or even talk to them when I have a problem. I guess it’s good they never had any more children. Now he wants them with Shelly. Would the baby even be my brother or sister?” she wondered aloud. Shelly had already told her that she wouldn’t have to worry about the baby for long; she would be gone to college then.

“You want to know what it’s like to have two older brothers? Take mine. They’re downstairs, and if you want them, they’re all yours!” He laughed, put his head on her stomach and kissed her hand. “Seriously, I wish I could tell you what to do about all this. If you really want to go, as much as I would miss you, you should go. You deserve to be happy, Chlo.”

“Why would you miss me? I would think you would be happy not to have such a mental girlfriend. You need someone normal.” She was starting to relax a little, like when they first started dating.

“You’re as normal as I’m going to get. And, yes, I would miss you, very much. I might even follow you,” he admitted as his thumb rubbed her hand.

“What are you doing?” Mark had been standing in the doorway and was staring at them.

“Foreplay, can’t you tell?” Nick smirked.

“Ha ha, very funny, and this would be why I said that I would stay, too. Dinner is here. Chloe, if he’s bothering you, let me know. I will put him in check,” Mark stated as he stared Nick down.

“Oh, yeah, big bad Mark is going to put me in my place. I am
sooo
scared,” Nick mocked as he started to head down the steps. Mark put him in a head lock and all the way down the stairs they mock fought each other.

This was what she wished she had, she was starting to feel better, because for now? She did have Nick and that was the only thing that felt right.

Chapter Eight

As December rolled around and Christmas neared, everything got busy. Between school, youth group, and teaching Sunday school, Chloe had thrown herself into it all. There were three weeks left until Christmas and she was looking forward to the time she would get to spend with Nick and his family.

They had come to embrace her as a part of the family and made sure to include her when they did family things. It had felt strange at first, going to Max’s ice hockey games or even church with them, but she ‘d begun to feel more at ease the more time she spent with them.

These were the thoughts that filled her mind as she walked to Nick’s house. The brisk, cold air was refreshing compared to the tension that filled her home. Shelly had started taking hormones to get pregnant and her moods were horrible. She was very unpredictable at times and it was better if Chloe stayed out of her sight.

When she got to Nick’s house, she stopped and stared at the two-story brick house. The weekend before, they had decorated for Christmas, and when you looked at it, you could feel the warmth that emanated from it. Even if it snowed, the house would still look warm and inviting. She walked up the brick path, and when she got to the door, it swung open.

Nick had Max on his back and he was shocked to see her standing there. “We were just on our way to come and get you,” he explained and let Max slide from his back.

“Shelly is in another one of her moods, so I thought I would walk.” She frowned as he kissed her cheek. She could tell he wanted to ask more, she shook her head at him, and then smiled at Max. “So, what are you asking Santa for?”

You would have thought that she asked him if he wanted ice cream for dinner. His eyes got so big and the smile on his face was priceless. “A race track, one so big it goes around the den. What are you asking for?”

“Buddy, Chloe and I are too big to ask Santa for stuff. But could you just let him know your big bro would like his own car? Tell him I was extra good,” Nick said and winked at him.

“What about you, Chloe?” Max asked her, excited to help them out.

“Wow, I don’t know. I’m not too picky. Ask him if he can make it a white Christmas,” she said and smiled.

“Really, that’s all you want? There has to be something else?” Nick asked her. He needed an idea what to get her and didn’t want it to be art supplies.

She followed him to the car and just shrugged her shoulders. “I’m getting what I want, kind of. I’m spending it with you and not by myself, eating a TV dinner.”

“Why would you spend Christmas by yourself? Have you been bad and Santa didn’t bring you anything?” Max asked her when they got into the car.

Mark rolled his eyes while nudging Nick to think of a way to shut Max up.

“Well,” Chloe began and thought about it for a moment. “I told Santa that I wanted him to give all my presents to the little kids who were sick at the hospital.
 
My dad and stepmom had to work last year. So, I stayed home and made a really gross TV dinner and watched Christmas cartoons. I love Christmas shows and cartoons. Which ones do you like?” She smiled at him and changed the subject. He would never understand what the truth was.

*
   
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While Max chatted her ear off about cartoons, Nick put his arm around her. She was defiantly not like the other girls. Where most wanted expensive jewelry and clothes, Chloe was simple. Even when they’d been out window shopping, she never hinted at an anything, never begged him for things. She was just happy to be with him. Now, even more, he wanted to get her something special.

When they finally got to the mall, Max went straight for Santa. They all followed him. “Okay, so ideas for Mom and Dad, go,” Mark announced.

“Mark, you do this every year and we give you the same answer,” Kevin whined. He held his arm with a wince and had hurt it in practice the night before.

“Yeah, just get them the gift certificate for dinner and be done with it,” Nick added. He just wanted to go and meet up with Gabbie and Dave.

“Why don’t you go and get a portrait done for them? You four look fine today. You could shoot over to the one-hour place and get it done,” Chloe suggested.

“And this is why I really like having you around. Any suggestions for my girlfriend?” Mark asked her.

“What girlfriend?” Nick looked at him, confused. Mark hadn’t brought anyone home, so this was news to him.

Kevin looked puzzled as well.

“Well, Claire and I are back together again, and she’s moving out here over the break,” Mark informed them with a cocky smile.

“What is this, like the tenth time you two got back together? How many times are you going to put yourself through this? You yourself,
 
said she was too bossy,” Kevin reminded him.

“And the last time, you said you were done for good. You were tired of her telling you what to do and controlling you,” Nick added.

“What can I say? There’s something about her. And be nice to her when we get to Uncle Robb’s. I don’t want to hear it later about how you two were being sarcastic,” Mark warned them. “Okay, Chlo, what do you have for me?”

“A muzzle?” Kevin suggested with a goofy grin on his face.

“How about a whip? Because she may need a new one for you,” Nick taunted and laughed.

“How about a book of poetry? You told me she likes poems,” Chloe suggested, seeming to be amused by the boys’ humorous suggestions.

“If Nick ever breaks up with you, come see me. You are the best! Here’s $40, get her something girly, too, like bath stuff or something,” Mark said, looking happy to have a girl around for once that wasn’t his mother.

In the bookstore, Chloe searched through the rows of books to find the perfect one. Nick put his arms around her and rested his chin on her shoulder. He loved the way she smelled, always so fresh and clean. Nuzzling his face in her hair, he found her neck and kissed it. When she giggled and shrugged, he did it again.

“When did he tell you about Claire?” Nick hadn’t known she had talked to Mark that much. It was surprising to know she knew about Claire before they did.

“I don’t know, the other day, I guess. We were talking about me getting a job and he was telling me that she needed one, so if I came up with anything, let him know,” she answered, pulling out a book and skimming through it quickly.

Nick let go of her and looked at her. “Why are you getting a job? You do a lot already. Where are you going to find time for that?”

“I just realized a lot of things when I found those letters. I’m pretty much cut off when I graduate next year and I don’t have a penny to my name. I need to start somewhere. I was going to talk to you about it later.” She put the book back and found another one.

“But you talked to my brother about it first?” He was a little taken aback by that.

Chloe looked at him. “Nick, it isn’t like I wasn’t going to tell you. I have to go and talk to the guy on Monday. One of the kids in my Sunday school class mentioned this guy who has an art studio. He was looking for someone to teach a kid class and fill in.”

Nick leaned back on the bookshelf. She was serious. “Don’t you think that it would take you away from your schoolwork?”