Page 21 of Waves of Reckoning (Echoes of Camano Island #1)

Chapter Twenty

“N o! Mom, please do something.” Nikki knelt before her mother, her face tearstained and her eyes pleading for help.

Her mother, who had chosen to stare at the wall all along instead of her daughter, finally turned to look at her.

Nikki pulled back from the angry determination in the woman’s stormy blue eyes. “You are the reason she is in this position in the first place, Nikki. Why would I help you to further mess up her life? After all the work your father has put in to ensure that she stays the course.”

“Mom…” Nikki looked at her mother, flabbergasted. Sophia had never spoken to her in such a way before. She’d never agreed with Stewart’s schemes but had instead always made it seem like she had no choice but to side with him.

But now…

Nikki couldn’t understand where the venom directed at her was coming from. She was completely floored.

“It’s all your fault, Nikki. If you hadn’t chosen to run off and marry that man…

” Sophia shook her head, the contempt with which she spoke about Josh telling.

Sophia focused her stare on her daughter once more.

“You are a bad influence on your sister. She only did what she did because she emulated you so much. You destroyed her future—”

“No! That’s not true,” Nikki refuted, her neck swinging her head vigorously from side to side.

“Listen to your mother. She is right. This is all your fault.”

Nikki swiveled on her heels to look up at the man staring down at her, his own eyes filled with accusation and disappointment.

“I had so many plans for you, but you have shown that you cannot be trusted. I won’t allow you to destroy your sister’s life any more than you have.”

His biting threat caused Nikki’s heart to pump wildly. Her eyes swung frantically to her sister, who stood by his side with her eyes downcast.

“Trish…don’t let him do this to you…to us,” Nikki pleaded softly.

Trish’s chin slowly came up until her tear-filled, guilt-ridden face became visible. “I’m sorry, Nikki…I…I can’t,” she responded, her voice cracking with pain.

Nikki felt like her heart had shattered into a million tiny shards, but before she could dwell on it too much, the setting changed, and she was standing in the foyer of the B & B. She spotted Amy heading away from the reception desk toward her, a broad smile on her face.

“You ready to go?”

“Go where?” Nikki asked, confused by the turn of events.

“To the movies. We planned to spend time together. Remember?” Amy responded, giving her a weird look.

“Right. I’m sorry I just got a little confused.” Nikki smiled.

“No worries,” Amy reassured her before holding her arm out for her to take it. Nikki eagerly hooked their arms, and they turned to walk out the door. Only in the doorway stood her parents, arms folded across their chests.

“What are you doing here now?” she asked, stepping in front of Amy as if to hide her from them.

“We’re here for our granddaughter,” her father responded without delay.

“You can’t be serious,” Nikki returned, stepping even farther in front of the young woman.

“What’s going on?” her niece asked from behind her, her voice filled with curiosity.

“Amy, sweetheart, we’re your grandparents. We’re here to take you back to Seattle with us to be a family, to live the life you deserved all along.” Her mother tried to look over her shoulder at Amy as she spoke, a welcoming smile on her lips.

Nikki scoffed. “Are you serious?” Automatically, her arms came up to fold over her chest. “After all these years and after all you did to Trish and me, why do you think you deserve to just come waltz into her life as if you aren’t the reason she grew up away from this family?” she asked pointedly.

Silence ensued. Nikki was certain the erratic beating of her heart could be heard unaided.

“Why do you think you have a say in her life?” Her father spoke this time. Stewart’s deep blue eyes narrowed at her. “She’s not your daughter. I seem to recall that you can’t have children, and Trish didn’t agree to give her to you.”

Nikki’s blunt nails somehow found a way to dig deeply into the flesh of her arms as the force of her father’s words almost bowled her over.

All the pain from twenty-one years ago seeped into her like water filling a dam.

Stewart and Sophia stalked toward her, and before she could process what was happening, they pulled Amy out from behind her and toward them.

Finally shaking out of her daze, she reached for her niece’s free arm and held it firmly, halting them from pulling her farther.

“No,” she said firmly. “You are not talking to her.”

Her father’s eyes blazed with anger as his face reddened, but just as before, everything changed without warning, and instead of Stewart, it was Jake holding on to Amy.

“Let go,” he said in a threatening voice to Amy.

“No,” Nikki spoke firmly.

“All right,” he said as if he was giving up, but then a sinister smile turned up his lips and his crazed eyes made him look like one of the monsters from a horror movie. “If I can’t have her, no one can.” He reached his free hand into his pocket.

Nikki braced herself to fight for her niece but became distracted by the sniffling sounds coming from behind her.

She took her eyes off Jake to look back at her sister.

She was still pretty banged up, and she was also attached to the machines that had been keeping her alive.

Still, she was sitting up in the hospital bed, and countless sobs shook her frame.

“Please. Don’t let them take away my baby.”

Nikki woke up with a start. She propped herself up by her elbows and looked around the semi-dark room in confusion.

She pulled herself farther up in bed until her back rested against the headboard.

That had been an intense and frightening dream.

She could still feel her heart racing in her chest. She turned her head to the side and noticed that the digital clock read 2:32 a.m.

After a good two minutes of calming herself, she threw her legs over the edge of the bed and stood. She needed to go check on Amy.

When she made it to the door at the end of the hall, she noticed light streaming from under it. “Amy, are you awake?” She knocked.

There was some rustling before the door swung open to reveal Amy with dark circles under her eyes.

“Are you alright?”

“Yeah. I am,” Amy replied, with the faintest of movement of her lips upward.

Nikki wasn’t convinced. Amy moved aside and allowed her to enter the room before closing the door with a soft thud. She walked over to her bed and sat, folding her legs under her.

Nikki stood for a little while, studying her before she took a seat on the bed.

“What’s wrong?” she finally asked, turning her head to look at Amy.

Amy’s shoulders went up to her ears before settling back in their normal position. “I can’t sleep,” she said, turning her head to give Nikki a sheepish look before facing forward once more.

Nikki swiveled her upper half and rested her palm flat on the bed to balance herself as she faced Amy fully. She canvassed the younger woman’s side profile, noting her furrowed brow and folded lips. A deep seat of concern made her chest heavy. “Is it because of Jake?”

Amy shook her head in a swift no. Nikki waited. After prolonged silence, Amy breathed in deeply and slowly released it, her shoulders being directed by the rise and fall of her chest.

“I keep having this feeling that none of this will last…that probably none of it is even real,” she confessed, making wide gestures with her arms before they fell by her side.

“It’s like I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop, for all of this to finally disappear, and then I’ll wake up and realize that this was all just a dream. ”

Nikki wanted to rush in to reassure her that her feelings weren’t true. She wanted to make her understand that it all would last, but she also knew Amy had more to say, so she remained silent.

Amy released another deep sigh, her shoulders sagging like one beaten down.

“I keep…waiting for this newfound family and the love you already have for me to just…” Her eyes shone with her vulnerability as they cut to Nikki. “I’m waiting for it to be too good to be true so that I can go back to the crappy life I’ve always known,” she said plainly.

“Amy, listen to me. There is no way you’re ever getting rid of me or your mother when she wakes up.

We…I have loved you all your life. I have wanted you from the moment I found out Trish was pregnant with you,” Nikki spoke with feeling.

She raised her hand to rest it on her niece’s cheek lovingly.

“Even though we didn’t get to witness you growing up all these years, we are going to spend the rest of our lives loving you and making up for lost time.

” Nikki looked at her niece with what she could only hope was convincing enough as she finished.

“You better get used to it, sweetie, because you’re stuck with me… and your mother.”

Amy’s face relaxed into a smile, and that was enough for Nikki to pull her fully into her arms. She hugged her tight and whispered against her temple, “I’m so happy we found you.”

“Me too,” Amy replied.

After a few minutes, the two finally separated. “Wanna have some hot chocolate in the kitchen with me?” Nikki offered.

“Yeah. Sure,” Amy accepted, sliding off the bed with her. The two made their way to the kitchen, and Amy sat at the island watching her aunt prepare their hot beverage.

“What are you planning for your future? Where do you see yourself in, say, five or ten years from now?” Nikki brought the steaming liquid to her lips and took a sip, watching her niece contemplate her response across from her. Her hands enveloped the mug as she stared into the dark, opaque liquid.

“Well, for starters, I want to go to culinary school to become a pastry chef like I told you. I’ve been saving all the money and tips that I can from my job to pay for it.”

Nikki bobbed her head in understanding. “And after that?” she prodded.

Amy looked up at her aunt, determination on her face. “I want to own my own pastry shop,” she revealed.

“That is a wonderful idea, Amy. I think you would be an excellent pastry chef. You’re already so talented,” she cheered. “I mean, your key lime pie is already a heavenly treat, and I’m still waiting to taste that strawberry shortcake you promised to make.”

Amy giggled at the face her aunt made talking about her cakes.

“You have a gift, Amy, and any culinary school would be excited to offer you a spot. All you need to do now is send out the applications. I’ll help you.”

Amy smiled gratefully. “Thanks. I really appreciate that.”

Nikki returned her smile. “I know Paul would be very happy to help you, you know. Give you a few pointers while you wait for your acceptance. Who knows? Maybe when you’re finished, he would consider adding a pastry chef to his kitchen rotation…Just until you’re ready to venture out on your own.”

Amy nodded as she listened. A smirk graced her lips, and the mischievous glint in her eyes made Nikki cut what she was about to say.

“What?” she asked.

“I was just thinking it’s cute how much you depend on Paul even though you guys aren’t dating or anything,” Amy replied innocently, then took a sip of her hot chocolate.

“That’s because he’s my friend and a nice person,” Nikki managed to say.

“Are you sure there’s nothing more to it?” Amy pressed, the knowing smile tipping her lips further upward. “Because it sure feels to me that you both are harboring fee—”

“Okay. We’re not having this conversation. It’s late, and I’m going back to sleep,” Nikki interrupted. She was sure her cheeks were red by now and as clear as day to Amy.

“Oh, come on. I know you must have some idea that he likes you,” Amy pressed, making air quotes at the latter part of her statement.

“Nuh-uh. We are not doing this,” Nikki returned, then stood to her feet. “Time for bed, young lady.”

“But…”

“No buts,” she said, raising her hands and shooing Amy toward the door.

“Oh man! You’re no fun.” Amy pouted as she left the kitchen before her.

“Love you!” Nikki called after her with a grin.