A Haze

Chapter 31. Home

Nikki's POV

"What the hell?" I ask when I see the ambulance parked near the front door of Andy's house.

"No.." Andy trails off in shock.

He quickly put's the truck into park shutting it off and then start's trying to get Gracie's belts undone. 

"Just go Andy I've got her!" I say in a loud stern voice. He turns get's out of the truck and begins running toward's the house. I quickly unbutton Gracie's seat belt and pull her from the truck walking quickly toward's the front door.

"Gamma." Gracie point's as the bring a stretcher out, I can't believe how awful she looks. She looked nothing like this when I'd left. She is skinny, fragile looking her cheek bones are sunk in her hair is really dull compared to how bright, and soft looking it was. 

I gasp in shock at the sight, Andy comes walking out onto the porch talking with a paramedic. I walk up the steps toward's them. Josh comes out of the house with tears rolling down his cheeks. 

The ambulance heads away quickly, Andy turns to look at me. "This is probably it, Josh said her breathing got really shallow paramedics don't even know if she'll wake up." Andy whispers his face paler then normal.

"I can stay here with Gracie and the twins if you want to take the older ones with you." I tell him. 

"I'm not even sure they should go they'd basically be going to watch her die." He says in a strained voice.

"Give them the chance to go say goodbye Andy, then bring them back and you can go back." I tell him. 

He sighs but nods. "Yeah." 

I take Gracie inside the younger kid's are all in the living room they give me a sad smile when I walk into the room, looking happy to see me but to crushed about their mom.

Andy comes into the house after talking to Josh. "You kids get ready quickly, I'm going to take you to see mom but then I'll have to bring you back." He says gently.

They all stand up slowly and head for the door Anthony stops in front of me I stay sitting on the couch by Gracie, Megan, and Mathew. He bends down and kisses my cheek. "Glad your back Nikki." He says politely.

"Me too hon." I tell him. They've all gotten so big in just five months.

Andy comes over and kisses me softly, I can't begin to describe the guilt I feel that he could of missed the chance to say goodbye to his mother because of picking me up.

They all leave the house Gracie already ate supper we stopped at McDonald's to get her food. I'm not sure if the twins ate or not though.

"Megan, Mathew are you guys hungry?" I ask.

They both shake their heads and lay down on the couch so I get up turning cartoons on for them and letting them lay down putting a blanket over them.

I start moving around the house picking thing's up that are laying around that shouldn't be. Then go into the kitchen and begin cleaning that up next. When I hear the door open I quickly walk back into the hallway it's Josh, Anthony, David, and Justin. 

"Hi boys." I smile at them. "Hungry?"

They simply shake their head's.

"Thanks anyway Nikki, we're tired so I think we're just going to go on up to bed." Josh says. "Andy went back to the hospital, mom woke up she was talking for a little bit but then she fell asleep." He looks over to the living room and see's the twins sleeping. "Anthony and I can take the twins to bed." He says as he looks back at me.

"Oh no Josh you don't have to I can-" I start.

"No Nik it's fine." Josh says as him and Anthony head to the living room, the other two boys heading up the stairs.

The looks on their faces are so heartbroken I haven't got a clue as to what to say to them. 

"Goodnight." Josh and Anthony both say as they carry their brother and sister up the stairs.

"Goodnight boys, sleep well." I say softly. 

I head outside to grab my things from the truck and carry them into the house up to Andy's room. When I get back downstairs I put Roseanne on move Gracie slightly over and lay down beside her.

I watch three episodes of Roseanne and start dozing off, I try to keep my eyes open but they become to heavy so I give up and let them shut.

**************

I hear the front door swing open, I open my eyes up and can hear the wind hitting the house outside. I stand up leaving Gracie on the couch and walk out to the hallway. Andy's kicking his shoes off and looks like he's going to fall over from exhaustion.

"Andy?" I ask worriedly.

He looks at me with a sad expression, I squeeze my eyes shut and then open them. 

"Is she-" I start but can't finish, he just purses his lips and gives me a single nod.

I quickly walk over to him and wrap my arms around his waist, he sighs and wraps his arms around my shoulders kissing the top of my head. 

"Ya know I don't even know what to think or say right now." He admits.

"I'm so sorry." I mumble and look up into his eyes. 

"I thought that expecting it to happen would make it easier, I mean knowing it was going to happen having time to get used to the idea.." He trails off and shrugs "but it doesn't."

I shake my head. "No I don't imagine it does." I whisper.

Gracie comes walking into the hallway rubbing her eyes. "Daddy?" She asks disoriented from being tired.

Andy and I both let go of each other, he steps around me to get to Gracie he picks her up. He turns around grabs my hand with his free hand and pulls me toward's the stairs. I turn the hallway light off, he stops in front of Gracie's bedroom and puts her to bed.

He comes back out to the hallway and stands in front of me for a long moment staring at me. 

"What's wrong?" I ask.

"Nothing." He whispers. "I'm just so damn glad you're home."

"Me too." I give him a small smile grab his hand and pull him toward's our bedroom.