College, Girl ? COMPLETE

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO: Starting Over

Nick kept his word that night and was a true gentleman. He held her and gave her chastise peck on the cheek and that was about it. Honestly, she was such a snotty mess it probably wasn't exactly an aphrodisiac. She slept until almost noon the next day. When she woke up she had that split second of peace before she realized where she was and what had happened to her in the course of the last forty eight hours. Even if Steve was mad at her, she needed to call him to check in on Nate. She had to find out how he was doing. Her cell phone was in her purse in the kitchen, so she picked up Nick's phone. Nick was on the line.

She heard Nick say, "But you know how I feel about her. I can't just let her go."

"Son, you don't have a choice. She is married and that is a sacrament. I didn't raise you to break up marriages."

"I know. I know but I really..."

"She doesn't belong to you. She belongs to her husband and to her son. You need to do the right thing here. You need to walk away."

Andrea gently laid down the receiver and crawled back into bed. She laid there and stared at the ceiling unable to move for close to an hour, before there was a loud knock on the door.

"Andy, are you still alive in there?"

"I think so unless I died and went to hell."

"Hmm... I am pretty sure they don't bring you tea in bed. And I am confident that they don't have Egyptian cotton sheets in hell with four hundred thread count. If you were in hell it would be the cheap Target sheets with no thread count. Are you decent? Can I come in?"

"You can come in."

In walked Nick looking as handsome as ever with wet hair, in a sweater, slouchy jeans and he still wore the same aftershave. He smelled of musky evergreens like he lived in a forest. He sat down on the bed and handed her a cup of tea.

"How come you know so much about thread count. That really isn't your thing is it?"

"You forgot how much time I actually spent in Egypt and you know stuff like that rubs off on you."

"Thanks for the tea." She said as she took a sip.

"I have some good news for you. I called the admissions office and they are willing to give you the credits you need."

"Give me the credits? What do you mean give them too me?" Andrea's tone was harsher than she intended.

"Yes, give you the credits. You don't have to finish your class they are already working on the paperwork for you. You have your undergraduate degree."

"Why? How? I mean thank you." She jumped out of bed and gave him a huge hug and a kiss before she realized what she was doing.

"Okay, settle down there. Since, I am professor here, I was able to pull a few strings believe it or not I am actually bringing in some serious grant money. So they were willing to listen, once I mentioned that I might take my grant and go to another university."

"You did this for me?" she was in shock.

"Of course, it is the least I can do. You can't be a mom and get your husband back while you are down here at school. You need to go home. You worked so hard the first time around, all that studying, if anyone deserves a break it is you."

"I don't know what to say, but thank you."

"Now what's a matter? You still look stressed out," he said as he unconsciously took a piece of hair and tucked it behind her ear.

"It's just that I don't have a home to go back to Steven asked me to leave and last night he didn't sound like he wanted me to come home."

"Oh, yeah that is the other thing; you do have a place to stay."

"I do? Where?"

"Your cousin Connie, she kept calling your cell phone all morning, so finally I answered. She's like a bit of a force of nature. Isn't she? Your Aunt Millie is getting out of the hospital in a few days and will need someone to look after her. You are going to live with her until she gets better or your husband takes you back, whichever comes first."

"Thank you."

"I told you we'd have it all worked out in the morning," he said with an easy smile.

"Yes, you did but I always thought it was just something that people just said to make you feel better. It's not like things just magically get better overnight."

"So, you are welcome to stay here as long as you like. I have to teach a 2:00 class. My Intro to Archeology students are waiting for me. I need to get to campus and get ready for my lecture."

"Nick, Lisa told me that you wanted to talk to me. That there was something you needed to tell me. She said that you looked really upset when you came to the house the other day."

"Andy, it really doesn't matter now. I just can't believe how I acted that night. I practically attacked you. You didn't deserve that. I was just so shocked at seeing you again after all these years. It almost felt like a dream. I just wanted to apologize to you. The last thing I'd ever want to do his hurt you. I'm just happy to be your friend and help you out. I just really like having you back in my life."

"Is that it? Really?" she asked because she really felt like he was hiding something from her. He was trying a bit too hard to act casual.

"I just never want to see you like that and to think that I'm partially to blame for it. I hurt you once. I would never want to hurt you again especially now you have a child, a husband and a family. I couldn't live with myself if I knew that I came in between you and your husband."

"Nick, it wasn't entirely your fault. I left them to go back to college. I can't believe how ridiculous that sounds."

"Andy, your husband Steven, he is a good guy right? He takes good care of you?"

"Yeah, he's a great guy, a good husband, and caring father. I'm very lucky."

"That's it. That's all I needed to know. Now go home. Just call me or send me an email to let me know that you are doing okay."

He gave her a hug and then left her. The house was so quiet without him, but that's Nick he can fill up an entire house with his presence. Andrea, felt that there was something more Nick wanted to tell her, that he was holding back. She knew she needed to get back home, see Nate and take care of Aunt Millie. She was so ready to give it all up, now she didn't have to but she wasn't sure that she still wanted to go to graduate school. Steven was right it would be more long hours, more time away from Nate. She was just going to have to call Fred. Now she was going to have to go in and see Fred and find out what was going to happen to her job if she didn't go to grad school.