The Maison Series: Book 1

Untitled Part 14

"Why are you watching me?" she asked.

"Because I'm going to miss you so much. You leave tomorrow but I just can't bear to not be with you for the rest of the time you'll be here, safe in my arms, with me. It's gonna be so long before I get to kiss your soft lips again." he swooped in and kissed her deeply. He pulled away with a grin.

"You. Are. A bad influence on me." Niko giggled before resuming her packing. She sighed.

"Done." she said. Ray's bottom lip quivered.

"I'm gonna miss you." he pulled her to his tall strong body and held her in an embrace that seemed to have lasted forever.

"Ray, you have to let me go now, I have more things to be done." she poked the side of his head. Ray pouted and then sighed. He realized she wouldn't cave in to any of his pressure to keep her home. He kissed her forehead lovingly. A small pain on the right side of her body made her cringe slightly, but she ignored it.

"Leo, where's the coffee?" she asked. He pointed and she took the whole pot, added enough French Vanilla cream and sugar, and drank from it.

"No fair! I wanted some too!" he lunged for her.

"Too bad! It's mine!" she held it out of his reach. Leo squealed and reached for it again.

"Gimme!" his fingertips touched it.

"No! Mine!" she untangled herself and ran outside, drinking from it to agitate Leo. He growled and jumped at her again. Ray took out a video camera and recorded it.

"Ray! Tell her to share!" he whined.

"Cry baby cry baby, cry again cry baby!" she taunted and took another drink. Ray couldn't say anything due to the fact that he was laughing too hard. Niko soon gave up and let Leo have the coffee.

"Yuck! You made it like that on purpose! Well, I still want it." Leo downed the too sweet coffee before Niko could protest. She dropped to her knees and held where it had hurt earlier. Leo dropped the pot, the glass breaking and ran to her.

"Niko? Are you okay?" Ray had turned the camera over to Leo who filmed it all.

"Ray, I don't feel too good." she held her side and coughed up blood.

"Then let's get her to the hospital!" Ray placed her in carefully and drove as fast as he could without getting a ticket. Leo stayed to make sure the twins wouldn't find out.

"Mr. Maison?" the doctor came into the waiting room where Ray was pacing frantically.

"Yes? Is she okay? What happened?" Ray stopped not only to get a response but to also catch his breath.

"Ms. Cantora will be fine. If she had come in a half hour later, the Appendicitis could have killed her. But everything went smoothly, you can go and see her now but we will have to keep her until tomorrow, just to make sure everything's in check." no sooner had the doctor finished then Ray was already scanning for her room number and took off in a fast run to her room.

"Oh, I see, poor dear. Glad to know you'll be alright." an older woman was in a bed next to her and he stopped as not to interrupt.

"Yeah, I'll admit it though. If I didn't have Ray in my life when that had happened, I honestly think I would've killed myself from the shock. But then again, I knew what it was like to lose a parent earlier before from a past experience. I was ten when I lost my dad. The best cop ever known in RedBrook, and it's my fault he's not here to this day." her voice sounded strained and he knew she needed his comfort. He picked up the bag of Chinese food and walked in.

"Hello ladies, Niko, I brought lunch in case you didn't want artificial Jell-O salad or whatever-the-hell it is they have here." Ray held the bag just out of her reach and he smiled at her squealing.

"GIMME-GIMME-GIMME!!!" Niko pulled the IV needles out of her arm and jumped out of the bed for the food, not caring about her stitches. She sat happily on the floor eating her orange chicken. She showed her chewed up food to Ray. He pulled out a chunk and ate it.

"NYAHHHH THAT WAS MINE!!!" she tickled the back of his knee and he fell flat on his butt, making Niko and the older woman laugh.

"I'm sorry you had to witness that, is there anything I could do for you?" he asked her.

"Oh yes, could you please open the curtains for me? The nurse didn't hear me." she smiled gratefully at him and then Ray opened the curtains.

"You know Miss, I plan to be here awhile so if you need anything, don't hesitate to ask." Ray said to the lady before placing Niko back into the bed.

"Oh thank you, child." the lady turned her head and watched the view of the town.

"Ray, you knew that was my chicken." Niko pouted and crossed her arms. Ray loomed over her bed and stared menacingly into her face.

"Nope, it was yummy!" he laughed at her expression before getting hit with an empty carton of milk.

"Ray, the bus comes at two thirty in the afternoon, do you think I'd have to wait a week for the next one to come?" she asked him.

"It's best to wait the extra week to make sure you don't mess up the stitches anymore. Which thankfully hadn't opened when you jumped out." Ray said.

"Hmph! Ate my chicken, MY CHICKEN! Right outta my mouth. Hmph. Arrogant butt-face." Niko crossed her arms and pouted. I just hope I'll be well enough for when the next bus comes, she thought to herself.