Stay With Me (Liam Payne)

Part 22

 When Paddy returned home and pulled Liam aside to talk to him as Nicki made a quick dinner. Just as she was plating up three helpings of pasta, Liam told her that they needed to talk. Paddy knew what was coming and took his plate up to his room. He didn't need to hear the screaming.

"Okay, so, I had to request to have your mother put next to your father. The stone is ready and they have her ashes, but to place her, they need permission from the people who 'own' the plot of land. That section belongs to the Baker family." Liam began.

"And they said no, didn't they?" Nicki said. "For the love of god! What is wrong..."

"STOP! No. They said they want to meet you first. Really talk to you. Then, no matter what you decided, you can have the site for your mother. But, only after you spend time with them." Liam said.

"I don't WANT to spend time with them. I don't WANT to get to know them." Nicki raged.

"Think about your mum. She would want to be by your dad. Or, we can send her back to the government cemetery, where she will be by strangers." Liam pointed out.

"This is blackmail. Straight out blackmail. They can't do that!" Nicki screamed.

"Calm down. Okay? Eat. Relax. We will talk about it later. You are going to bust a stitch. Then you really start to look like a plastic surgery tight skinned old lady." Liam warned.

Nicki huffed and took a bite of her dinner. She wasn't even hungry anymore, but she ate enough to keep Liam off her back. Or, really, so she could go upstairs and get on HER back and forget all this. Blackmail. Isn't it against the law or something? She huffed again, walked around the counter, rinsed her plate and put it in the dishwasher.

"You barely ate." Liam said.

"I ate enough. I have been waiting a month to take a bath in the giant tub in my bedroom." She gave him a kiss. "Goodnight." She started to walk away when she heard exactly what she wanted to hear.

"My tub is bigger. Use it."  

She didn't need to be asked twice. She turned, smiled and said, "It's so big I might get lonely." Then she walked away. She heard what could only be the sound of a plate hitting a sink, most likely breaking, and then feet running behind her. She grinned as she ran up the stairs.

Liam caught her at the landing, grabbed her and tickled her until she was screaming. "GET A ROOM!" they heard Paddy yell, and they both ran up the stairs to Liam's room. Nicki didn't stop running until she was in the sparkly marble bathroom. It felt good to use two legs again.

Nicki looked at the facet of the tub, plugged the drain and started to fill it with hot water. Then she started to look around for bubble bath. It wasn't manly, but he still might have some. "What are you looking for?" Liam asked, walking in.

"Bubbles?" Nicki said, grabbing two towels and a wash cloth from a closet.

"Men don't have bubbles." Liam said.

"Then where are your bubbles?" Nicki asked, innocently.

"Really? Really? Want me to prove how manly I am?" Liam threatened, grinning.

Nicki pulled off her clothes and climbed into the tub. "Sure! Get the bubble bath, Liam."

He sighed, went into the sink room and came back with a bottle of bubble bath. "How'd you know?" he asked.

"Really? Mr. One night stand? Not have bubbles for the girl that won't give it up? This is a super romantic girl catching tub and you know it. Where are the candles? The music? Let's go, lover boy. Bring it on." Nicki laughed. She squeezed the bubble bath into the tub and sat back to relax. Music began to play, soft romantic music. Liam walked back in with a hair clip, candles and a bath pillow. "I am NOT using a used hair clip!"