Computers, Basketball and Love

Chapter 21

Friday, their daily call to Nik like they usually did. Unfortunately, their update on Cora this time was not good. "We haven't seen her since yesterday morning."

Nik had been lounging on his parents couch but when he heard that he sat straight up. "What?"

Zach told him, "She was at breakfast yesterday, as you know, but we haven't seen her since. We asked the girls and Cora wasn't at the dorm last night and she didn't go to classes yesterday."

Nik was extremely worried. This is not something that Cora would normally do. "We need to call around and see if we can figure out where she is." Nik thought for a moment. "I will call the hospitals and you guys see if you can figure out where she went yesterday. Call if you get anything. I will call when I get done checking the hospital there."

They hung up and Nik immediately called the hospitals near the college. However, she was not in any hospital near the college. He wasn't sure where to look for her. Just then his phone rang and he picked up, "Hello."

It was Josh. "So we decided to check the security cameras outside of their dorm and there is a brief view of her leaving the dorms with a backpack. We checked the house and she isn't there. What next?"

After a moment of thinking, Nik said, "You guys call the bus station and I will call the car rental places." Once they all called those places they were back on the phone with each other. "So I was able to find out that she rented a car. So I think my next step is to check around here. I think she might have come to Denver to talk things over with me."

The guys felt relieved that they had found something. "Ok. Let us know what you find out."

Next, Nik left his parents house to see if she was somewhere in the area, but

found nothing. So he decided to call the hospitals where he was. He hoped that she was ok but he couldn't think of any other reason that she would ignore all the phone calls from her friends. At least not as many times as they had tried calling her.

He walked back to his parents house as he made calls to several hospitals. By this time it was already completely dark outside and the street lights were on. He was very worried. Nothing could happen to her. He knew that he would be a mess if there was something wrong with her. He couldn't live without her.

Just as he walked into the kitchen he finally got the information that he had been looking for. It was the third hospital that he called that she was at. He hung up the phone in shock and worry.

His mother, who was cooking dinner, saw him and could tell something was

wrong. "What's wrong Nik?"

Nik stared off into space, almost in tears. "I have been talking to the guys every night to see how Cora is doing. Tonight they told me that they hadn't seen her since yesterday morning. So we started to call around to see if we could find her."

His mom walked over to him, put her hands on his shoulders and made him look at her. "Where is she? I can tell by the expression on your face it wasn't good news."

"She is at a hospital here in Denver." Nik looked tormented.

"Let me get your father and we will drive you over there. You need to call your

friends and hers to let them know you found her," his mom told him as she went to find his dad. When they were on the way to her Nik called everyone to let them know and told them he would update them when he knew more.

It seemed to Nik like it took forever to get there. After finding out which room was hers, they headed straight there. As soon as they got in the door they saw the doctor. Nik however, only saw Cora. Her hair seemed extra bright laying against the white bed. Her face was almost as white as the sheets she lay on. Nik could tell that she had lost weight and there were dark circles under her eyes hinting at the lack of sleep.

It was his mom who asked, "Doctor, I am her mother-in-law, what is wrong with her?"

The doctor turned to them and said, "She is sleep deprived and seems to not have eaten for many days. I was told that she collapsed on the street. Luckily there was a lady nearby and she called for an ambulance. Right now she is getting fluids and nutrition from her iv. Once she wakes up we will see how she feels."

"Thank you doctor," Nik's mom said. "Honey, we will sit with her while you call your guy's friends to let them know what we found out."

Nik left the room while he called his and her friends. Once he was done he went right back into the room and sat by the bed holding her hand. He sat there all night, only leaving her side to use the bathroom or get something to drink. It was late when his parents left to get some sleep.

However, they were back bright and early the next day with breakfast for Nik and

to check on Cora. Cora, however, still hadn't woken up yet. Nik still didn't leave her side though.

Later that afternoon. Cory, Josh, Zack, Fred, Nicole, Hannah, and Sarah all showed up. With everyone there they filled up the whole room. Nik's mom told them, "Why don't you guys go get some lunch from the cafeteria? Nik needs to eat anyway. His dad and I will stay here. We will call if she wakes up."

It was late that night when Cora finally woke up. The first thing she saw was Nik. He had her hand in his. He was hunched over with his head resting next to their hands as he slept. He looked very haggard.

She looked around and noticed that it was dark out. Nik was the only one in the

room with her. When she lifted her unoccupied hand it shook. She rested her hand on his head, slowly stroking his hair.

The hand stroking his hair woke Nik up. His mind was a bit slow at first. He didn't realize that the hand was Cora's. Once he did, though, he sat up straight and started to check her over to see how she was. "How do you feel? Are you ok?"

She didn't say anything for a second as she took stock of how her body felt at that moment. "I feel sluggish and weak but ok overall. How did I get here? I remember walking but not how I got here."

"You collapsed all of a sudden. Luckily, there was a lady that saw you collapse and called for an ambulance." Nik held her hand in one of his and stroked her hair with his other hand.

"How did you find out?" Cora wasn't sure of what had all happened during her

walk. She didn't seem to remember anything except walking.

"I have been talking to the guys everyday to see how you have been doing. When I called them yesterday I found out that no one had seen you since Thursday morning. So we all started to call around to find you. We found out about you renting a car and that's what led to me checking around here for you."

Cora couldn't take her eyes off of him. She had missed him so much. She now realized that she couldn't live without him. Love.... She had already known she loved him, but she didn't know just how much. She couldn't lose him. She wouldn't survive it. "Nik...." When he looked at her she continued, "I am sorry that I have been letting my fear rule me. I know how you feel about me, so I know that there is no reason for me to have the fear that I do. I love you with all that I have. There isn't a moment that you aren't in my thoughts. If I lost everyone and everything in this world, I would be ok as long as I have you. Will you forgive me?"

Nik took her face in his hands and told her, "Honey, there is nothing for me to forgive. I know what your fears are. I was just trying to help you overcome them. I am sorry that how I chose to do that hurt you so much. I promise that I will never do this again." Nik kissed her lips gently. "No matter what happens I will never leave you. You are stuck with me forever. And from now on, I won't go anywhere without you. I want to take care of you for the rest of my life."

Cora sighed. She knew that he hadn't done anything wrong and that he was only trying to help her. "You don't need to apologize. You didn't do anything wrong. To be honest, you had every right to break up with me, most would have. I am lucky that you have enough patience and love to help me with my fears. I am lucky to have you. I am never letting you go. I love you."