Home Away From Home

Chapter 20

Nick walked up to Valerie and Zack. Zack saw him and tapped Valerie. They both looked at him.

"First, I want to say that I'm sorry Val. I was being unfair to you. But I may still leave soon because .... she's gone." Nick started crying. Valerie and Zack followed. Nick grabbed them both and hugged them. "I'm going to be here for you guys, I am. But I am going to leave, not now but soon." They all hugged and cried.

"Can we see her?" Zack asked.

"I think so, come on guys." They all walked back to Sally's room. "Excuse me?" The doctor turned around.

"Yes?"

"Can we go see my mother?"

"Whose we?"

"Her son, my wife, and my brother-in-law."

"Didn't your mother just pass?" She asked, confused.

"Yes, but we can at least say goodbye? We didn't have a chance when you guys kicked us out of the room." He stood up straight, showing his anger.

"I don't know.." She looked to see if anyone was around.

"We'll be quick."

"Okay, go ahead." The three of them walked in and saw Sally lying down. A nurse was about to cover her head with a blanket.

"Wait!" The nurse turned around. "Let us say goodbye first." She nodded and walked out. Nick walked next to his mother and held her hand. "Mom.." A tear rolled down his cheek. He hugged her tightly. Zack and Valerie walked up to Sally's other side and held her hand. "Mommy ..." They all hugged her tightly.

"I'm sorry, but we have to take her away." The doctor interrupted. They all said their last goodbyes and walked out. They looked at her for one last time and walked away. They went outside and sat in the car for a few minutes. Nick put his head against the wheel, Valerie's head was against the window and Zack was lying down on the back seats. Valerie looked over at Nick and grabbed his hand. He looked down at their hands and then up at her. He tried his best to smile. A few minutes later, Nick put the keys in and they drove home.

"Val, take Zack inside and I'll come in and get you later. I just want to be alone." She nodded and walked in the house with Zack. Nick took the keys out and walked in his house. He slammed the door and ran to his room. He screamed on top of his lungs and took everything he could touch and flipped it around. He punched the walls over and over again. He was so angry that the only woman who was there for him all his life was gone. It wasn't fair. She was the best person in the world. Happiness was always taken away from her, but she kept herself strong. She never gave up. She didn't deserve this. He looked at his knuckles, and cried more. "She can't be gone! She can't be!" He ran to her room, hugged her pillows tightly, wishing it was her and fell asleep on her bed. Valerie walked into his house two hours later and yelled his name. She walked around looking for him and found him in his mother's room, asleep. She walked closer to him and sat on her knees. Taking his hand, she kissed it. She tried to stop the tears from falling, but couldn't. So she got up and walked to the bathroom next to his room. After washing her face, she passed by his room and saw the mess. Walking in, she put her hands over her mouth. As her tears fell faster, she knew his mother's death was way too hard on him. His room was completely turned upside down. "Isn't it a beauty?" She turned around, startled at seeing Nick's distraught face.

"I really hope you're being sarcastic." Her voice was weak, but stern. That was one thing about her that he never understood. No matter how much pain she had in her body, she stayed so strong. She reminded him of his mother.

"Me too. I just can't ..." He walked into his room and could barely speak.

"Yeah, me too." She walked up to him and hugged him. "Is this the right time to tell you something?"

"Is it good or bad news?"

"I think it's good."

"Then I want to hear at least some good news today."

"Okay, um, the thing that I was trying to tell you earlier was that ..."

"What?"

"I'm pregnant." She smiled.

"What?" Nick looked at her, shocked.

"Yeah, I haven't been feeling well lately so I took the test and it came out positive."

"Are you sure?" A smile appeared on his face and for a quick second, he forgot all the pain and anger that was building in his body.

"I mean, I took a couple of tests, but I think we should go to the doctor."

"Do you want to go now?" He was excited.

"Yes. But Nick, what if I am pregnant?" She put her hand on her stomach.

"Then I will be the greatest father in the world." Nick put his hands on top of hers.

"Will you still leave?" She hoped to God he wouldn't.

"I will be with you every step of the way."

"What if I'm not pregnant? Will you still leave?" He didn't answer. "That's exactly what I'm afraid of."

"Let's just go. I don't want to start another fight."

"Fine." They walked to the car. The ride there was quiet. After they got to the doctor and signed in, they were called in half an hour later. The doctor checked Valerie out.

"Okay, so I have the answer." The doctor said.

"Are we going to parents?" Nick asked, smiling.

"You're pregnant. You're going to have a baby." Valerie smiled and had happy tears fall down her face. She looked over at Nick and caught him smiling. He grabbed her hand.

"We're going to have a baby." Nick said as he smiled.