Love You Hello (bk2)

Chapter Three

Nic's POV

"Addie! Hurry up! We have to get going!"

"Coming, Daddy!" She weakly replied.

This week had been hell for all of us. Luke and Cade came over Monday, but left an hour later when Addie began to vomit. I spent Tuesday and Wednesday home with her before sending her back to school on Thursday, only to have her get sick again. This morning she lasted two and a half hours at school and I hesitated driving her to Kinnegad.

Elise promised she would have Addie take the weekend slow. Neither of us wanted her missing her last week at her school in Mullingar.

Addie trudged out to the car and slid into the back seat. She leaned her head against the window and yawned as I got in.

"Are you sure you're okay to go to El's this weekend?"

She nodded, "I wanna see her, Daddy. I wanna go."

I smiled, "Okay, princess."

Today I offered to drive Addie straight to Elise's house because there was no way I'd let her play at the park with Benny.

When we arrived, the front door was ajar and I could hear the yelling from inside the car.

I looked into the back seat. Addie was asleep so I left her in the locked car with the heat on. I grabbed the spare set of car keys and walked up the front steps.

"This is twice this week you've come home like this, Sam! What do you want me to say?"

"I don't know, El, okay?! But I'm fucking stressed and I can't take your nagging!"

"Why are you so stressed, Sam? What is going on with you?!"

"I'm sick of living here."

"What?"

"I don't want to live an hour from the office anymore, El. We should move to Dublin when Nic does."

"He moves in a week, Sam. We don't have time to pack up and leave! We chose this house together and decided it was a good location."

"Well then I'll move to the Dublin flat and look for a new house. You can move when you're ready."

Just then, Sam appeared in the doorway. "James."

I nodded. "Hughes."

He moved past me and got into his car and drove away.

I looked back into the house. Elise stood at the end of the hallway looking at me.

"Hey." I said gently.

"How much of that did you hear?" She asked quietly as she walked toward me.

"Enough. Are you okay?"

She shook her head and I could see tears on her cheeks.

I stepped inside and held out my arms toward her. She ran and slammed into me wrapping her arms around me. "What happened, El?"

"Bring Addie inside and we can talk. I'll make some tea." She pulled away and padded into the kitchen.

I went to the car and carefully picked up Addie. I carried her inside and upstairs. I peeked into each room until I found hers. It was pink and purple, exactly how she'd want it.

I laid her down and covered her up before walking downstairs. I found the kitchen and sat down. Elise was standing at the stove pouring the steamed water into mugs.