Page 67 of Nicki's Fight

“The Dunwoody’s… I don’t think I would have survived all this without them,” I said.

Kaine smiled, and for the first time since I’d been back, I saw a hint of the old Kaine in his face. Just a touch of that smile, that glow that made him so amazing.

I told them about the time Vivian had broken the lunch tray over the head of the bully my first week of school, and they laughed. I didn’t tell them the whole story, or about my father’s forced tattooing following the event, but I figured it was a good introduction to Vivian’s protective nature.

Bishop excused himself to use the restroom and I saw Kaine staring at my wrist, lost in thought.

“What?” I asked gently. I wished I had the right to touch his face just then, to trace his jaw with my fingertips and bring him back to the here and now. I’d given up that right, though, when I’d chosen my mom over him and there was no promise that I’d ever get it back.

“Vivian,” he answered.

“Vivian?” I responded, confused.

“Yeah, I think I’m a little… jealous,” he said, smiling wryly. “She got to be there for you. Help you. Protect you. That… that was my job.”

I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes, and I cleared my throat to try and hold back some of the emotion I was feeling.

“It wasn’t exactly a picnic for her, believe me,” I said teasingly. “I’d really like you to meet her, though. I think you’d like her.”

Kaine nodded and smiled. “I’d like that.”

We ate for a minute longer, Kaine’s eyes lost in thought. Then he said, “Shit. I have to know, Nick. Do you love her?”

I stared at him in shock. Love… Vivian?

“Of course, I love her,” I began.

“Oh. Okay.” He responded. It was like the light inside him had been snuffed out, and I realized I’d fucked up.

“Like a friend,” I insisted, reaching my hand out and taking his. “Like a sister.”

“Oh!” he said, a small smile on his face. That glow he’d had earlier seemed to rekindle in him and he squeezed my hand back before saying, “Okay.”

Bishop came back a few minutes later and we finished our meals and paid the bill. Outside the summer sun was setting and stars were beginning to twinkle across the sky.

“Did you drive?” I asked Kaine as we walked to the parking lot.

He glared at his brother. “No, Mama K dropped me off. She told me Bishop wanted to talk about something.”

Bishop chuckled.

“There is no one in the world who is a better co-conspirator than Mama K,” he insisted. “We’ll put Nicki’s bike in the back of my SUV. I’ll drop him off on our way home.”

I gave them directions to the apartment.

“You’re right around the corner from the twins’ store,” Kaine said glancing around.

“Really? Can we drive by it?” I asked.

Bishop drove to the store and I wanted to slap myself in the forehead.

“Good grief! I ride past here every morning! I just didn’t make the connection,” I said.

“You need to stop in and see them, then. They’ll be excited that you are back in town,” Bishop said.

As we drove by, I saw a poster in the window and almost squealed.

“They had a signing withMason Fucking Cameron?” I exclaimed. “And Imissedit? Dammit! ‘Dark Angel’ is one of my favorite graphic novels!”