Heaven Isn't Too Far Away After All.

Chapter 20| I love her

Nicole's point of view-

I haven't seen or heard from Waverly in three days. Three days is hardly anything, but when you're in an argument with someone you love, three days feels like eternity. It's a good thing I've had a lot to keep my mind busy because if not, Waverly would consume it. My mom, Axel and I have packed up most of the house, now it's just the odds and ends left.

Running my hands through my hair I sigh as I gently wrap each of Nanna's glasses in thick paper so they won't break. Placing the last glass in a box my mom walks into the kitchen.

"Nicole, sweetie is everything okay?"

Wouldn't you like to know. "Mom, I'm packing up Nanna's things. What do you think?"

"You know what I mean. Nicole look at me." I throw my head back in annoyance and turn to face my mother. "Thank you. It seems like something else is bothering you."

I find myself thinking of Waverly. "Nothing else is wrong mom."

She tilts her head down and her eyes go big. I know that face and it means she knows that I'm lying. "If you say so. The kitchen is all packed up, what do you say we finish the living room? You can work on the bookshelf."

I force a smile onto my face, "Sure thing."

Walking into the living room I spot Axel cuddled up on the couch looking at a photo book filled with pictures of our family.

"Can I see that buddy?" I ask him talking a seat next to him.

He sits up and hands me the book. I flip through countless photos telling Axel about the ones that were taken before he was born. I come across a photo that my grandpa took of Nanna, Axel and I doing a puzzle.

I point to the picture, "This is one of my favorites. Nanna loved doing Puzzles with you, just like I loved doing them with her when I was younger."

My little brother smiles, resting his head on my shoulder. "I miss her Nicole."

Resting my head on his I say, "I miss her too." I hand him back the photo book  and get up. I don't have time to get emotional.

Glancing at my phone for what feels like the hundredth time today, my heart frowns when I notice that Waverly still hasn't messaged me. I type out another text and press send before grabbing a new box to put all of Nanna's books into.

Waves, I just lost my Nanna. I don't want to lose you too. Hope you're having a great day, I miss you already.

After putting my phone in my back pocket I begin piling books in the box. Nanna's favorite books series was Stephanie Plum, if it was anything mystery related that woman was all about it.

When I finally reach the top shelf I see a big heavy box is nestled into it. Pulling it out, I quickly realize that I misjudged how heavy it would be and it falls through my arms and crashes onto the ground. Kneeling down I'm relieved to find out that the box just contained old pictures that I had drawn when I was younger.

The thud of the box hitting the ground must've been pretty loud because my mom raced into the room.

She places a hand on my shoulder making me stop what I'm doing.

"Nicole you've been all jumpy and anxious the whole morning, please tell me what's going on." She pleads.

"Mom seriously, leave it be." I stack all the papers up and pile them back into the box, setting it on top of another box.

"I'm not just going to 'leave it be', I saw you texting someone earlier. Did one of your friends upset you? Is it your friend from the funeral?"'

"Oh my god." I say under my breath.

"What was that Nicole?"

"That girl at the funeral was not my friend mom!" I try keeping my voice to a quiet roar but my mom still jumped at it. "She's my girlfriend, and she's pissed at me because I didn't tell you about her."

Shock runs through her face. "I can't believe you kept this a secret from me."

I roll my eyes, "Yeah there's a lot of that going around."

My mom makes her way over to the couch and sits down. If you look close enough you can see the steam rolling off of her. She points to the front door, "Axel go play outside, I need to talk to your sister." She waits for him to disappear before she continues. "So not only did you not take my advice when I said to confess your sins, you tell me that you're in a new relationship with a woman."

Here we go. "Do you have anything else to say mom? You said you can't believe it, you told me to confess my sins. I think you're forgetting the part where you tell me I'm going to hell and that you have a say in who I date."

Her face relaxes for a split second and I see pain in her eyes.

"I just don't understand it Nicole. You used to have the biggest crush on Robert Pattinson, you talked about boys. Next thing that girl started coming around your sophomore year and just all the sudden you loved girls."

I laugh sarcastically. "Mom everyone my age had a crush on Robert Pattinson. I was a sixteen years old, that girl was my first love and you ripped us apart. I love Waverly mom, she makes me happy and bubbly, if that matters to you. I refuse to lose her because you're stuck in your ways."

My mom calmly gets up. "I'm going for a walk, it'd be for the best if you weren't here when I got back."

Fine with me. There's a great bar down the street and it's calling my name.

After the screen door shuts it opens again and Axel comes in. "I like Waverly, she's nice and smells good."

We meet in the middle of the living room and he gives me a hug. "She does smell pretty darn good doesn't she." I say, a light smile appearing on my face. My little brother and I pull apart, "I'm gonna go out for a little bit. Are you okay watching tv until mom gets back?"

He nods his head.

After I clean up some I make my way to the front door. "Make sure you lock the door bud."

There's a bar a quarter of a mile down the road, the first bar that I had my first legal drink in.

When I walk in I'm immediately comforted by the familiarity of the bar. I used to play pool all the time with my grandpa here. What I wouldn't give to go back to those days.

Twisting around in my stool, I face the bar. My chest tightens when I see the face of one of my many mistakes, Shae. We hooked up a few times when I was trying to get Mayra off my ass.

"Nicole??" She blurts out, quickly making her way down the bar to me. "Never thought I'd be seeing you back in Aspen again."

"It's not by choice, my grandmother passed away. I'm packing her house up."

Shae makes a sad face. "Awe sugar I'm so sorry. If you could use some cheering up I know what always does the charm." She sticks her hand over the bar and draws circles on my hand with her finger.

"I have a girlfriend Shae, besides you and I both know that us in bed is just a disaster waiting to happen." I say, taking my hand back.

She makes a glum face, "Fine. Then what can I get you?"

"A beer, and keep them coming."

I really need to start updating these at any other time than 3am. I kept saying "one more paragraph, one more sentence." Also, both of my works are now up on ao3.