Chapter 4 Just Because

            It took me a good week after my stitches were removed to really get back into the swing of things and get used to living with Nick but it was a very easy transition. At first I thought it would be awkward between us but after a few days it seemed more natural.

            The wound in my side was fully healed and it no longer hurt to dance or stretch in anyway but I still didn’t feel completely healed until I got an excited call from Kyle when I got home from work one day.

            “Kalie I have exciting news!”

            “What is it bro?”

            “The house was sold today!”

            I was shocked, “What?”

            “The house was sold today. You don’t have to worry about it anymore. It’s no one’s problem anymore! You’re free of that house Kayl!”

            “I really can let go,” I breathed.        

            “What was that Kay?”

            “Nothing, I was just thinking out loud. I’m so relieved Kyle you have no idea! That house won’t haunt me anymore! I think I’m finally healed!”

            “I say we go out and celebrate! Just you, me, Kim and Kase.”

            “No how about you, Kim and Kase come over here for dinner. Nick will be late tonight.”

            “He’s practicing for tour isn’t he?”    

            “Yup and I would be alone for dinner anyway.”

            “Ok what time do you want us over? And do you want to call them or should I?”

            “No I’ll call them. How does 5:30 sound?”

            “Sounds perfect. I’ll see you then sis.”

            “Alright bro.”

            I dialed my twin and sister to tell them the good news and invite them over. They both agreed to come over at 5:30 like Kyle.

            “Here’s to signing the sale papers and saying good riddance to the ‘House of Horrors’!” Kyle raised his glass of iced tea before we started to eat.

            Kasey raised his, “To Kalie’s full and speedy recovery!”

            I raised my own glass, “To finally being able to let go of that house and all the horrible memories contained in its walls.”

            Kim smiled then mimicked the rest of us, “To Kalie starting a new life with Nick. To your happiness sis.”

            “To Kalie’s happiness,” my brothers echoed.

            We clinked our glasses together then brought them to our lips.

            Just as we sat around the TV to watch Whose Line Is It Anyway and have dessert, Nick stepped through the door.

            “Hey guys. What are you all doing here?”

            “We’re here to celebrate! The ‘House of Horrors’ was finally sold today,” Kasey answered.

            “Really?! Thank god!” Nick rushed to me and squeezed me tightly.

            “I can finally let go of everything that went on in that house.”

            He smiled widely and replied, “I’m so relieved to hear you say that.”

            After my siblings left to return to their families Nick and I plopped on the couch to watch more episodes of Whose Line Is It Anyway. He and I started to laugh uncontrollably at the actor’s antics. I loved Nick’s laugh. It was so cute and happy sounding. After a while I just started laughing because Nick’s laugh was so contagious. We got through about two hours of episodes before Nick nearly had to carry me up to bed.

            We crawled under the covers and before I turned off the light I smiled brightly at my boyfriend.

            “Gee you’re not at all happy about selling that house,” he said sarcastically.

            “No not happy at all.” I winked and smirked. Nick chuckled then wrapped his arms around my waist.

            “Good night Nick. I love you way too much.”

            “Love you too baby. Good night Kalie.”

            We kissed good night and I quickly fell asleep.

            Sometime closer to the morning I dreamed of that dreaded house. But this was a good dream.

My siblings and I were standing out on the street changing the ‘for sale’ sign to ‘sold’. Then we started hearing crumbling noises. We looked up and huge chunks were loosening from the walls and roof of the house. As giant chunks crashed to the ground we heard screaming coming from inside. I looked at the living room window and noticed Dylan, Jasper and Ryan pounding their fists against the glass, pleading for someone to rescue them. The doors were apparently locked because Kyle was holding the keys and they had no other way of escaping. Then a huge crack ran from the base of the crumbling foundation right up to the roof. In slow motion the house fell to the ground piece by piece crushing Dylan, Jasper and Ryan. I woke from the dream after hearing something crash outside. It was the neighbors across the street starting construction on their own house.

            Luckily I was able to fall back asleep after that loud disturbance and Nick slept through every noise. But before I did finally fall asleep before being woken again by the alarm clock, I smiled at my dream. It was true. If you ask me it did crumble and fall before my eyes and Dylan, Jasper and Ryan were left to plead me to rescue them. And frankly I was glad I didn’t save them. I was sleeping in Nick’s arms and the house and the memories lying under its ruins were in my past now and that’s where they were going to stay. I found out later that day that the people who did by the house actually did knock it down to start new.    

            After my alarm went off Nick and I went through our routine and set off for the busy day ahead of us. My teenage students were entered in a dance competition and Mark and I were starting to train them harder and get them excited for the big day. This was the biggest competition they had ever been entered in. Everyone involved with this competition was starting to get hyped for it and the students were sharpening their skills. Nick dove heavily into practicing for tour which was coming closer and closer. There would be nights when I would come home late because Mark and I extended the lesson because we had to tweak something or teach an extra move. Other nights Nick would come home late because of practice. We were starting to see less and less of each other because of our jobs. I was starting to worry that this would become our way of living together.

            One night Nick and I both got home at a reasonable time. So after dinner he and I melted down chocolate to make chocolate covered strawberries and while they hardened in the fridge we swam for a little bit. I got out to bring out the strawberries and when I went back outside with the plate Nick climbed into the hot tub. I handed him the plate and climbed in next to him.   

            “These look delicious baby.”

            “I know,” I replied. “These four were the only ones left and I found a chocolate bar in the fridge that was almost frozen. I haven’t had chocolate covered strawberries in a while so I figured why not.”

            He balanced the plate on the edge of the tub after he and I took one.  He bit into the strawberry and his eyes rolled, “These are really good! Nice job honey.”

            I bit into mine and said, “Yum these are good.” Then I happened to glance up at the sky and noticed dark clouds forming in the distance.

            “Those clouds look menacing,” I commented.

            Nick looked up, “Yeah they do.” Then a bolt of lightning escaped from the clouds. “That looked so cool! Did you see that?”

            “Yeah that did look really cool.”

            “Wanna stay out here and watch the show?”

            “Sure. It’s not thundering and lightning here yet so why not.”

             Lighting continued to light up the sky and Nick placed his arm around my shoulders. It was pretty romantic I’d have to say.

            “Can you hand me another strawberry please?” I asked.

            He held it by the stem and his eyes darted from the strawberry to me and back again.

            “It’s pretty romantic out here isn’t?” he asked looking at the strawberry.

            “It is Nick. What are you thinking about? And why aren’t you giving me the strawberry?”

“How about we be romantic and feed each other?”  

            I chuckled slightly, “You’re too cute Nickolas but ok.”

            He grabbed the other strawberry and handed me one. We looked into each other’s eyes as we brought the strawberries up to each other’s lips. We bit into the strawberries at the same time. Nick’s eyes were looking really sexy and butterflies started to flutter around in my stomach. When we finished our strawberries we went back into the house to get ready for bed.

            Nick plopped face down onto the bed and asked, “Baby could you do me a favor and massage my back?”            

            “Sure.” I sat down next to him and started a deep muscle massage.

            “Oh shit Kalie you’re good at this!”

            I gave out a slight laugh, “I was going to be a physical therapist ya know. Massage is a big part of that.”

            “Well now that I know how good you are I’ll start asking more often.” He looked over his shoulder and winked at me. “Thanks baby that felt really good.”

            “You’re welcome.”

            Nick flipped onto his back and I laid down next to him. He put his arm around my shoulders and I rested my head on his peck.

            “Will you go on tour with me?”         

            “What?”

            “I’ve been thinking about how much I’m going to miss you when I go and how much I really want to show you the world. Please come on tour with me.”

            “Nick I can’t go.”

            “Why not?”

            “Work. My teenagers are in a competition that’s coming up soon and I don’t want to leave all the work of getting them ready in Mark’s hands. It’s easier for me to teach the girls then for Mark to do it. Plus I don’t think I could stay away from home that long.”

“Oh I see.”

I frowned at his disappointment, “I’m sorry baby. I’m going to miss you like crazy though.”

“Now you know how I feel. But there’ll be next tour. Hopefully you’ll go on that one.”

“We’ll see.”

            The next day I came home from work and found Nick left me a note on the dining room table.    

            “Hey babe, I just wanted to let you know that I’ll probably be late again tonight. Don’t stay up and wait but why am I telling you that because I know you will. Also just letting you know that the huge piles of clothes on the bed is what I’m going to pack and everything is clean. I’ll see you tonight if you’re not sleeping by the time I get there.”

            “Oh shit that’s right he has 6 days before he leaves,” I said to myself. I couldn’t believe it came up this fast. I hadn’t really thought about it because I was busy preparing my students for their competition but now it was starting to hit me that he was leaving and he wasn’t going to be back for a while.

            After I ate dinner alone I slowly walked upstairs into the bedroom. I shook my head at the huge piles of cloths on the bed. He had brought his suitcase and duffle bag up from the basement and they were standing in front of his dresser waiting to be packed. I hated that suitcase and duffle bag. They taunted me. They spoke mockingly to me over and over again, “Nick’s leaving. Nick’s leaving.” God knows how badly I wanted Nick to stay. But he had a job to do.

            I started moving his clothes onto the floor next to his bags. I had just moved the piles of jeans when the front door opened.

            “Baby I’m home!”

            I went to the banister, “I thought you were going to be late.”

            “Na we got lucky tonight and got out early.”

            “Oh ok. Your dinner is in the microwave ready to be heated up.”   

            “Thanks babe. So what are you doing?”

            “Moving your clothes off the bed so I can lie down.”

            “You feeling ok?”      

            “Not really.”

            “What’s wrong?” he stepped up on the stair to look up at me.

            “I think I’m just tired from work. I had to do a lot today.”

            “Let me help you clear the bed.” He took the stairs two by two.

            We didn’t say anything to each other while we were moving the clothes. I don’t know why but a head ache formed and my temple was starting to throb.

            “Are you ok baby?” Nick came over to me and hugged me from behind when the clothes were cleared from the bed.

            “I have a head ache.”

            “I’m sorry,” he kissed my temple.

            “It’s not your fault. I just need to take a nap and I’ll be fine.”

            “Alright then I’m going to eat. I hope you’re head ache goes away.”

            “Me too honey.”

            I took a ten minute nap in complete darkness and when I woke up I took a quick shower. Luckily my head ache was gone. I was blow drying my hair when Nick came up to change. I finished drying my hair and flipped on the TV. We crawled into bed and laid in each other’s arms while we watched some movie.

            He started stroking his fingers through my hair, “What’s gotten into you lately?”

            “What?”

            “You’re leaving your hair down more around me. You used to never leave your hair down.”

            “It gets in the way that’s why I never leave it down.”

            “You look really hot with it down.”  

            “Yeah ok.”     

            “No I mean it. I love your hair; it’s so long and soft. It’s sexy.”

            “So you think my hair is sexy?”

            “Not just your hair. I think your legs are sexy and your ass and these abs,” he lifted my shirt and ran his finger over my stomach. “I never knew you had such defined abs.”

            I ran my hand over Nick’s six pack, “Same for you bud. I like them a lot!”

            He chuckled, “Thanks.”

            For no real reason I kissed his shoulder then he kissed my forehead.

            As we watched the movie I really didn’t focus on it at all. My mind was clouded with thoughts about how much I was going to miss Nick and how long he was going to be away. He kept running his fingers through my hair and I kept peaking glances at him. He was so into the movie he didn’t notice me staring up at him. My eyes took in his handsome face and the stare he was holding on the TV screen. “Damn he’s hot!” I kept thinking to myself.

I placed my hand over his heart. I became tuned into his heart beating and his breathing. They were constant and strong, never changing their patterns, and even though they were both strong, at the same time gentle and soothing. Everything about Nick was strong but gentle, tuff but sensitive. He was the perfect guy and I still couldn’t believe that I didn’t realize that sooner.

            He stopped stroking my hair and ran his hand down my side and stopped at my hip. He placed his other behind my ear then leaned in and kissed me pretty passionately.

            After we kissed he looked into my eyes and smiled.

            I asked in a whisper, “What was that for?”   

            “Just because.”

            “Because why?”

            “Because I wanted to and because I love you,” he rubbed the side of his face against mine then turned the TV off and we said our good nights.

            Before I fell asleep Nick caressed up and down my back. His touch was gentle but very, very sexual. It was starting to drive me crazy. He inched closer and closer to me and that too was starting to drive me over the edge. Maybe it was time to take that giant step with Nick. Was I finally ready?