The Circle of Life - Addicted Series - BOOK 4

18. East meets West

Standing in her hospital suite, staring out of the window at the morning crowd of hospital staff coming into work, Nick was lost in his thoughts. He was standing there since the sky was still dark, trying to figure out someway of calming his emotions, primary of which was fear - fear of losing his love again. He walks to Lia still asleep on the hospital bed and and looks at her peaceful beaten down face. All the anger he had felt towards her yesterday had completely disappeared and replacing it was a stream of guilt - how could he not have seen this? How could he not have found her earlier? How could he let her go through this all alone?

"Nick?" he heard a knock on the door. He knew it was his sister Ria, she had left the previous night telling him that she would be back with breakfast. She and Druv stayed the night at a nearby hotel.

He quietly opens the door and lets her in. "Heeey..." she looks at him worried.

"She is still sleeping." he tells her.

She steps in looking at Lia and gives him a steaming hot cup of coffee.

"Thanks."

"Druv is in the car. I didn't know if you wanted him to come in." she tells him walking to the bed.

He nods. "How was the hotel? Did you guys sleep okay?"

"He was up before me. He is confused Nick. He is asking a lot of questions. You should talk to him."

"I will go get him."

"Okay. I will stay with Lia."

"Thanks." he nods and was stepping out.

"Where are the twins Nick? Your twins?" she smiles. "I can't wait to meet them."

"They are home with Mom. Neal was going to get them here later."

"What are they like?" she asks curiously.

"They are cool kids." he smiles for the first time. "Sid is a goofy nerd. Lana, she is so beautiful - she is like a little lady already - so graceful, so composed." he tells her. "They are kinda inseparable. Actually, every time I see them together, it reminds me so much of..."

"...us both?" Ria smiles back.

"Yeah." he shakes his head smiling. "Life goes in a circle."

~~~

He walks into the parking lot and looks at Druv standing by the car looking around bored. It had been almost a week since he had seen him - he was so surprised that until that moment, he hadn't thought about the fact that Druv had never stayed away from him for this long.

"Hey Dad." he immediately hugs him.

"I missed you Dee." he hugs him back.

"Is that why you are still not coming home?" he asks accusingly.

Nick draws himself back and cups Druv's face. "How are you doing?"

Druv looks away.

"Druv?"

"I don't like to stay away from you Dad!"

Nick smiles sadly. "Me neither Bud. Let's talk later, right now, I want you to meet someone." he puts his hand around his neck and leads him inside.

"Who?"

"Her name is Lia and she is very special to me."

Druv stops and looks at his Dad as if confused, and as if remembering something. "You found her?"

Nick stares at him curiously.

"She is the one in the picture, in your room?" he declares.

"Yeah. That's her." he smiles sadly.