The Only Way is Up

Part Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen

Kim was pale, lying in her huge double bed, duvet tucked up under her chin. Nicole smiled at her from the doorway and was rewarded with a weak and sad smile back.

"Hey girlie, how you feeling?"

Kim's bottom lip quivered, and there were tears welling in her eyes, "scared, petrified..."

She rushed over to perch on the edge of her bed, "don't be darling; they wouldn't have let you home if they thought you were at risk. Would they?"

Kim gave a shrug and a watery smile, "I just don't know what to do with myself, I feel sick, my mind is racing..."

"And none of that is healthy. Is it? You need to relax, look these are the last few weeks before you become a mummy, why don't you get those books you bought and read them whilst you can? Mike had promised to take the next two weeks off, and when he isn't here I will. Ok? You can get through this."

Kim smiled, then swiped at the tears that tracked down her cheeks, "listen to me, full of self pity. I mean it's all ok, isn't it?" When Nicole nodded she added, "you must hate me, for being all dramatic."

"What happened to me has nothing to do with this, don't you dare feel bad about this, not on my account. You have every right to be worried, and tearful and...everything. OK? But that doesn't mean that anything bad is going to happen, you put your feet up, relax and let that bubba grow. Then in a few weeks he or she will be here to make your life amazing. Ok?"

Kim reached out and squeezed her hand, "you always say the right thing!"

Nicole smiled then kissed her forehead, "I've learned from this amazing girl who has been a rock to me for as long as I've known her. She's my hero."

Kim blushed, "you fool."

"Idiot!"

They dropped into soft insults easily, which became a bear hug. When that ended, Nicole spread out on Mike's side of the bed.

"So how're things for you? I've hogged the limelight for long enough."

Nicole closed her eyes for a moment, "good. I think, salvaged the McKinnock account, so the vultures have stopped circling...for now."

Each time she defeated Vincent, her confidence grew. Her life balance readdressed itself. Her pleasure at that stopped drastically at Kim's expression.

"What? What's the matter?"

"Your Ball. I'm letting you down." Kim tried to sit up, "what are you going to do? I can't...you have to...oh no..."

Nicole grabbed her hand, "it's ok. I was going to not go, but Maxim has convinced me to go..."

She knew she was blushing, without saying anything else. Kim's eyes lit up and she sat bolt upright, "you're going with the Devil? You LUCKY..."

"Don't. He's escorting me, that's all."

Kim's grin was ear to ear, "can you imagine Vincent's face? He will have a heart attack...oh my god...I SO need to come even more now!"

Nicole groaned, "you are not going to let this go, are you?"

Kim grinned, "this is the best thing to happen since NKOTB at the O2!"

Turning towards her she stared, "really? Better than Donnie Walberg winking at you?"

Kim's eyelashes fluttered, "he did, didn't he? But it's not as exciting as you flaunting THE hottest man other than him in front of your ex-husband." she clapped her hands, "why can't I be there to watch the smug look slip off his slimy face?"