Chapter 1 Welcome Home Kalie
I had spent two days in the hospital after I woke up. The doctors wanted to monitor me and they had to remove the bullet that was lodged in between two of my ribs on my right side. They were going to remove it when I was still in the coma but they didn’t want to chance me waking up in the middle of the surgery.
I was itching to get out of that hospital bed and once the doctors gave me the all clear I nearly jumped out of it but I stopped moving when my side started throbbing and I became dizzy sitting upright too fast. Nick steadied me and a nurse gave me an ice pack for my side.
My mom and Kim helped me get dressed in the bathroom while Nick and my dad packed all the flowers and cards I had around the room from my family and friends. In a few minutes I was ready to go home but I couldn’t stop thinking about the horrible memories I was going home to.
“I don’t want to go back to the house,” I confessed when my dad finished calling for the wheel chair.
“Well where do you want to go?” Dad asked.
“Anywhere but that house. I can’t go back there. Not after what happened.”
“You could move back home, your room is still there,” Mom said.
“Or you could move in with me,” Nick offered. “I would take the best care of her Mr. and Mrs. Smith.”
“I know you would Nick. Do you want to move in with him?” Mom asked.
I grabbed Nick’s hand, “Yes I do.”
“Ok sweetie I’ll have your siblings pack up your things and we’ll all help you move in.”
“Thanks Mom.”
“Since you’re moving in I better shoot home really quick and clean up. If I’m not back by the time you get out of here I’ll see you at home sweetheart,” he kissed my forehead.
“I’ll be there soon baby.”
About an hour later my parents and I arrived at Nick’s where he and my siblings were busy brining in my things. We rolled into the drive way and I heard Kim say to her husband through my open window, “It’s a good thing she came here because there’s still blood all over the place.”
“Yeah the only thing the cop’s clean up is the body. They don’t care about the rest of the crime scene,” he replied.
“My girl’s home!” Nick exclaimed when he saw the car pull up. He ran to open the door for me and helped me out and into the house.
He sat me down on the couch and I watched everyone buzz around with my belongings.
“Can I help?”
“No,” Kyle said, “Just sit and relax. You need to rest.”
“I’ve been in a coma for three weeks. I think I’ve rested plenty.”
It didn’t take too long to complete the move and make the decision to sell the house my siblings and I once shared. None of my siblings needed the house after they settled down with their spouses and I certainly didn’t want to live there. Too many terrible memories lived under its roof.
After feasting on hot dogs and hamburgers, my family left and Nick carried me up to his room after I told him I was starting to feel sleepy.
“I could’ve walked you know.”
“You had a bullet removed from you.”
“Yeah but not from my spine. I wasn’t paralyzed.”
“Oh well I wanted to carry you anyway. Now close your eyes.”
I did and he carried me into the bedroom.
He placed me gently on my feet then whispered in my ear, “You can open them now.”
I looked around the candle lit room and marveled at the rose pedals covering the king sized bed and the many bouquets scattered around the room.
“Welcome home Kalie.”
“Nickolas this is beautiful! And so…romantic!”
“I was hopping you’d say that.” He flashed a warm smile then kissed my cheek.
He placed his hand on my hips and rested his head on my shoulder.
“I can’t believe you moved in with me this quick.”
“Well I had a good reason to move.”
“I’m so sorry this happened to you.”
“Nick it’s not your fault.”
“If only I was there earlier he would have never done this to you.”
“Honey things happen for a reason. I probably wouldn’t have moved in with you otherwise. I probably would’ve never told you my true feelings for you. You could have been the one who got shot.”
“Well I’m glad you did tell me though. ‘Cause my feelings are true. I do love you and I couldn’t live without you.”
“You’re the reason I came back baby.”
We French kissed then climbed into the bed.
Nick and I were sitting in bed just watching TV. He was holding me just below my ribs were the stitches were. It felt so good to be held in his arms. He would occasionally kiss my shoulder, neck or face just because. It was so sweet but it felt weird. In the fast paced relationships I had before, that was considered foreplay yet Nick hadn’t asked me for anything, even before Ryan shot me.
“Are you ok babe?” I asked.
“I was just about to ask you the same thing. Are you doing alright? Want me to get you anything?”
“No thanks hun. I’m fine. I was just wondering if you were ok.”
“Why wouldn’t I be ok? The most beautiful girl is lying right next to me in bed.”
“Yet you haven’t asked me to do anything yet.”
“You just came home from the hospital and have stitches in your side. I wasn’t going to ask you because I figured you wanted to rest and god forbid the stitches get pulled that would be painful. Trust me I wanted to ask you but I thought better of it. Unless… you want too.”
“No you’re right. I should rest,” I answered quickly.
“You still think it would be awkward between us huh?”
“Damn Nick. Stop reading my mind.”
We both laughed slightly.
“I do want to try though,” I confessed.
“I do too but… you need to rest,” he kissed my forehead, “And I can wait. Heck I’ve waited all this time to date you and have you move in with me, I can wait for you to get more comfortable.”
“Why the hell didn’t I date you before? You’re perfect baby!”
“Awe stop,” he joked.
I tried to flip onto my right side to face and get closer to him but once I did I felt the stitches start to pull my skin and the wound start to throb.
“Shit!” I screamed and my hand flew to my side.
“What’s wrong?” Nick asked his voice full of concern.
“My side,” I winced.
“Do you want an ice pack?”
“Yes please,” I answered slowly flipping back to my left side.
He ran into the kitchen, grabbed an ice pack and hurried back to me.
“Nick sweetie you didn’t have to run. It’s not like I’m going to die if I don’t get an ice pack right away.”
He gently lifted my shirt and placed the ice pack over my stitches.
“I just wanted to ease your pain quickly.”
“Awe! You’re too cute Nickolas.”
He climbed into bed next to me, “I know I try.”
After a few minutes the ice pack numbed the pain in my side and Nick put the pack back in the freezer. When he came back I was rubbing over the stitches lightly.
“How does that feel when you message it?”
“Really good.”
He laid down next to me again and started a light message on my wound.
“How does that feel?”
“Heavenly! I think you have magic in those fingers babe.”
He chuckled, “I’ve been told that before.”
He continued the message for a few more minutes and I started to fall asleep. Nick left a lot of space between us and I couldn’t seem to get warm enough so I inched close to him. I wanted to face him but I knew my wound would act up again. So spooning would have to do for now. His body warmth was soothing but at first it was weird. This was the first time Nick and I were going to sleep through the night together as a couple. It didn’t take long to realize that he and I fit perfectly together.
“You falling asleep baby?” Nick whispered.
“Yeah so I’m going to say good night Nick. I love you.”
“I love you too Kalie. Good night baby.”
He kissed me and snuggled closer. That night I feel asleep with a smile on my face. I was already getting used to falling asleep in my best friend’s arms.
