My Protector

My Protector Part 4

I wake up the next day and have absolutely no energy.  I've been jogging a lot just to keep my mind off things. With as much effort possible I get up and go into the bathroom. After I wash my face, I look in the mirror. My eyes are dark all around. I don't have any color in my eyes. It's all black. The only reason I still look human is because the white surrounding the black in my eyes.

I come out the bathroom and see that Dean is sitting on the couch with food. "Hey. I got you breakfast." I plop down on the couch and turn on the TV. "I'm not very hungry." I say. "You have to eat something."Dean says. He gives me a look that says "Please" and so I do as I'm told. I take a few bites and I stop. "Now I know you can eat more than that." Dean says. I shake my head because my mouth is full. "Come here." He pulls me off the couch and takes me near the bathroom. He goes inside and brings out a scale.

"Okay now step on the scale." I step on the scale and I'm kind of scared by the number. I step off and back away. Dean kneels and puts his hand on my shoulder. "Nicole you weigh 93 pounds." he says.  There's a knock at the door and Dean goes to open it. It's Ryan. "Hey. Are you okay?" he asks. "I-I'm fine." I get light headed and the room starts to spin. I pass out and wake up back in Ryan's room.  "What happened?" I ask.  "You fainted. I have some news about your father." Ryan says.

I sit up and look at Ryan.  "Where is he?" I ask. Ryan says that he's at some apartment building and that he wants to see me and Andy.  I change my clothes and I'm the first one to Ryan's car. We drive to the address that Ryan wrote down on a piece of paper and its an old white building. "Are you sure this is the place?" Andy asks from the backseat. "People don't always go to hospitals or fancy hotels to clear their heads." Dean says. I get out the car and go inside the building.

I step inside and find my father's room. 135D. I knock on the door softly and don't even wait 2 seconds before knocking again harder.  My father opens the door looking stick thin (we probably weigh the same) and pail. "Hey baby girl.  Come on in." he says. His voice was almost hoarse. I look around and see pill bottles and beer bottles. Never a good combination.  My father sits me down on this large tan chair and sits next to me. We sit in silence because nobody is sure of what to say.

"Dad?" I say finally breaking the silence. "Hmm?" "Wanna come to Smackdown with us tomorrow?" I ask. His eyes dart around the room. "I don't know." he says. "Please? It'll be fun." I say. "Fine..." he says with a little smile. "You need your rest. I'll see you tomorrow." I kiss my dad on the cheek and it takes all my strength to leave and not cry. I get into Ryan's car and sit in silence. Andy knew me so well that I didn't have to say a word. And in the short time they got to know me, so did Dean and Ryan.

The next night I was super excited to take my dad to see Smackdown. Ryan drives us to the place my dad is staying and I rush out as soon as he parks the car. I knock on the door hard enough for people probably in Canada to hear. My dad opens the door wearing blue jeans and a dark blue tee with Tims. He's wearing a denim jacket which I'm thinking of 'borrowing'. "Lookin' good dad." I say playfully.  He seems to be in a pretty happy mood and says something back. "Don't I always?" he asks. I tilt my head and say "Meeeh" and he playfully punches me in the arm. "Love you." I say stopping at the door looking up at him. He bends over and kisses my forehead. "I love you too baby girl." We walk to the car and when we get in Ryan has his hand over his heart and is pretending to cry.

"That....is so sweet." he says dabbing his eyes with his shirt. "So the big guy has a soft side eh?" I say laughing.  "Haha very funny. Just hush and pick some music." I pick a classic rock station and me and my dad automatically go into karaoke mode. We are parking the car when the song Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen comes and me and my dad go back and forth singing the parts...even after Ryan turns off the car. We are hand in hand singing walking through the parking lot without a care in the world.