The Missing Gem

14 | Kiss and Make Up

Lucas

The last time I'd seen the sheer look of terror in my sister's eyes was when she was having Lexi and she didn't know what to do, as reality started to slowly creep its way in.

Thankfully, Lexi was only staying another night for observation. She'd been getting better and better, the medication was helping her a lot and a wave of relief washed over all of us. 

"Will you be fine on your own?"

"Yes, of course." I smiled at my sister's response and squeezed Melanie's shoulder reassuringly, leaning down to kiss her forehead. 

"I'm only a phone call away." 

"Yes, I know. Thank you." She turned around to face Nicole who was standing back. "And thank you. You've been amazing, to Lexi and to Lucas."

The smile I adored so much made its come back on her beautiful face and I found myself smiling as well. 

"No problem, I'm just glad she's getting better." Nicole leaned in for a hug, before blowing a few kisses of goodbye to the sick little lady. 

Nicole and I made our way out of the hospital where we'd been staying for the past hours, - although it felt like days - our hands gently touching as we walked side by side. 

Tension reigned in between us when we got off the tube. The sky was already dark and she glowed in the night with the street lamp outlining her face. 

"Would you come back with me to my place?"

I didn't want to spend another second away from her, especially after the day I had and the exchange of mean words we shared before all hell broke loose. 

"Yes, of course." 

Step after step we got to my house and I stood by the doorstep watching her as she made her way inside while taking off her beanie, her scarf and her coat. 

I removed my own jacket and put it on the rack next to hers before I busied myself with fixing us up something to eat. 

"You hungry?"

"Not much." She shrugged. "Cereal is fine."

I filled two bowls with milk and heated it up in the microwave while I got the cereal box out of the pantry and placed it on top of the table, feeling her eyes on me the entire time. 

"Penny for your thoughts?" I asked after eyeing her for a minute. 

"I am so sorry." Her voice was shaking, her throat constricting as she spoke.

The pling sound of the microwave letting me know it had finished heating up the milk dragged me away from where I was, leaning against the kitchen counter. 

With two bowls full of cereal and two spoons on the table, I sat down next to her while we started eating.

"Don't apologize. You were right."

Her fingers wrapped around my wrist and she caressed my palm with her thumb. 

"No, I-I was mean to you. I said things I never should have said and I'm sorry. I should have never thrown the love and the dedication you have for your family at your face."

"Stop saying you're sorry." I looked her in the eyes before continuing. "Thank you for making me realize something that I should have realized before."

"No, Lucas, I don't want you to abandon them because of me and what I said-"

"Abandon them?" I laughed. "I could never do that, and you know that. But you have a point, and I need to start making choices. There are certain things that I can help with and there are others that... Melanie will have to just do it herself."