VIBE

【2】【8】

Paige and Nikki make their way inside the building and up to their apartment finding Kristie leaning against the wall outside the unit typing away on her phone.

Nikki's face lights up when she notices her girlfriend, who is completely entranced in whatever is currently happening on her screen and doesn't immediately notice them. Nikki clears her throat and Kristie finally looks up, her smile lighting up the otherwise dim area as she walks towards them and hugs Nikki before also hugging Paige.

"I thought, that, I wasn't going to see you until the morning."

"Changed my plans, because, you're more important. Not to mention, I have the next few days off and wanted to spend as much of that time as I could with you. Have you guys eaten?"

Nikki smirks and laughs, "Babe, I've been on a bus for a good chunk of the day; so, in response to your question, no, I haven't eaten."

"Umm, Nik, I made those slow cooker meatballs you like yesterday and there's still plenty leftover in the fridge."

"Why are we standing in the hallway when we could be eating meatballs?"

Nikki leaves them, heading right for the apartment door and letting herself inside before dropping everything in the doorway for Paige and Kristie to trip over.

The two look and laugh, before moving her bags out of the way and following her inside.

Nikki comes out of the kitchen with a container of meatballs and her mouthful. Paige scrunches her face, "Nik, that's gross! At least put some on a plate and microwave them!" Nikki mumbles something that sounds like, "Okay." before disappearing from sight.

Paige looks and Kristie, "Are you sure you don't want to make a run for it now? I mean, she's going to be so occupied by the balls, she probably won't even realize that you're gone."

Kristie bursts out laughing, "Do you have any wine, to go to with the balls? That is, if, we can pry them away from her long enough so I can try some because, she's led me to believe they're out of this world."

Paige smiles and nods, "Don't tell Nik, but I bought a bottle of the expensive stuff."

After successfully separating the meatballs from Nikki's grasp and tossing together a quick salad, the three sit down to eat and talk.

Nikki sits back and takes an overexaggerated deep breath to get their attention.

"Okay, I'm ready. I know you guys both have questions about what happened and how I'm doing, so, hit me."

Paige and Kristie look at each other and both nod.

"Nik, tell us what happened; we need to know what caused you to do a complete about face about the operation."

Nikki grabs a pillow and squeezes it. "You're right, I went there to say no to his face, but instead said yes. Being home and surrounded by everything that I used to hate, I found that I now longer had it in me to hate it. I guess somewhere along the line, I moved on with my life and the power my past once had over me, well, it no longer does. I had a lot of time to sit and think and realized that if mom were still here, she would have wanted me to try mending fences and that's what ultimately helped me make the decision. That and the fact, that I still think it's hilarious a racist, homophobic asshole like him needs a piece of someone whom he despises to live. In case you are also wondering, I plan on making a call to the shrink and setting up an appointment to talk things through. There were a ton of emotions that hit me while I was there and most weren't good, but ..." Nikki reaches for Kristie's hand, "knowing that I had you to come home to, helped me. I love you, Kristie and hearing Ms. M. talk about her and my mom's relationship; I truly believe that they were soulmates, perhaps, not, romantically, but there's more than one type of soulmate, I think according to something I read before there's like 10 or 12 different types. Anyway, I just, really love you and I have something for you." Nikki stands up and walks over to her bag, pulling out her Chelsea shirt and dropping the jaws of both Paige and Kristie with the realization of what it is.