Before I Forget

Home by Christmas

Nicholas was feeling optimistic.

It was in his nature to feel so. Even after all the horrors that had taken place during this year and a half, it hadn't taken long for his natural optimism to take over when things seemed to be getting better.

And now they definitely were.

He could see the change in Sky every time he visited her. When he looked at her, he could see the girl she had once been, the girl before the heartbreak, before the drugs - Hell, she almost resembled the girl she had been before Kat had died, and that was something Nicholas had thought he'd never see again. Lately, there had been joy in her, joy and laughter and hope - and if that wasn't big enough reason to feel optimistic, Nicholas sure didn't know what was.

It had been the right decision to bring her here, Nicholas thought humming cheerfully as he walked in through the front doors of the rehab facility and approached the front desk. He noticed the green and white floor tiles, the potted plants in the corner, smelled the scent of disinfectant and that blasted herbal tea, and it all was familiar now, after almost four weeks. This had been a good place for Sky - but now it was time to start discussing when she could come back home. Not quite yet, Nicholas suspected, but maybe in a week or two. It was now December 15th, and Nicholas was hoping to see Sky home by Christmas.

"Good afternoon," he happily greeted the receptionist - Nancy, said her name tag - and leaned his elbows on the counter.

"Here to see Sky, right?" She asked, and Nicholas agreed as he picked up the pen, preparing to sign his name in the visitor form that Nancy laid on the counter for him.

"It's so nice of you to visit her every day," Nancy spoke. "She's a lucky girl to have a family that cares so much about her. Not all the patients here have that. And that brother of hers - such a nice young man he is! You must be so proud."

Nicholas frowned. Brother? Now, this was awkward. Why were these receptionists always mixing up patients? It was so unprofessional, in his opinion.

"Sorry– what?"

"Sky's brother is here," Nancy replied, clearly oblivious to Nicholas' confusion. "He arrived some 20 minutes ago. Didn't you know?"

Nicholas let the pen fall from his fingers, as a cold suspicion gripped his chest. He raised his gaze to the receptionist and said very slowly: "Sky does not have a brother."

"But— but I don't understand." Nancy blinked a couple of times. "He's been here almost every other day. And he had the form with your signature on it—"

"Let me see that," Nicholas growled, and as soon as Nancy had found the form from a thick folder, he yanked it from her fingers almost knocking over a small cactus in a terracotta pot. He barely noticed that only Nancy's fast reflexes saved the plant from being thrown to the floor - he only had eyes for the damn paper in his hands.

Cody O'Brian said the name on the paper, and under it, on the bottom line, was Nicholas' signature - or at least something that very much resembled his signature. He cursed out loud, slamming the paper back on the counter, his hand trembling with anger.

"That's not my signature," he said pointedly. "It's forged."

The receptionist looked truly horrified, as she picked up the form to take a look at it. Her face went pale, but Nicholas was past caring. He was already running down the hall, barely hearing how Nancy left her spot on the counter and followed him, calling his name, her heels clicking on the tiled floor.

Cody O'Brian indeed - Nicholas was fuming, muttering curses as he went. He had a pretty good idea who this "Cody O'Brian" was, and it made his blood pressure shoot through the roof.