More Than Business

Chapter 49

NICKI POV

The next day at the office Lydia walked in with coffee and a brown paper bag.

"Again Onika?" she stopped in her tracks.

"Oh the bun?" I said sarcastically.

"Seriously?" She slumped.

"I mean.. I really should've had two buns today." I taunted.

"Nic did you even tell him?"

"Yes, he took it really well." I said truthfully.

"Well then Im glad for you." she hugged me.

"Thanks babe." I pecked her cheek.

"You get back to work, I'll check on you if I finish my part early."

"Okay thanks." I smiled as she left.

Lydia POV

When Drake walked in I stopped him before he went into Nic's office.

"Hey, I have to talk to you." I stated.

He exhaled, "about what?"

"Why are you always on defense when it comes to me?" I took offense.

"Because you always come with unnecessary drama."

"Not true. I only bring unnecessary drama SOMETIMES. But I don't have any drama today. I just need to talk to you.. In private." I said softly.

"Fine." he followed me into my office.

"You have an office?" he asked.

"Uh yeah. Believe it or not Nic and I co-own this place.. Im not actually her personal secretary." I rolled my eyes.

"Oh." he sat down. "What do we need to talk about?"

I pulled out the pink and purple boxes. "These."

I could tell he recognized them.

"Umm.. What about them?"

"Well I noticed last month you weren't really feeling it when I gave them to her.. So I wanted to let you decide if you wanted to take over the task." I explained.

He thought it over.

"Im not really sure." He admitted.

"Fine, how about.. We do it together this time and see how you feel about it." I offered.

"Okay." he nodded, "is Nic gonna be okay with that?"

"Why wouldn't she?" I cocked my head to the side.

"Her ex and her boyfriend hanging out?"

I smirked, "soon you'll learn to stop thinking of me as her ex, and remember that she's my best friend.. Almost like a sister to me."

"Okay.. Buts even that could be weird."

"Drake, stop trying to make this something that its not. We both know damn well nothing will and nothing could ever happen between us. Nic knows that too. Don't kid yourself." I snapped.

"Good."

Later that day I got a call from my mother.

"Hey Lydia, sorry this is late notice but I'll be in town for a bit and-"

"You staying at a hotel or with me?" I cut her off.

"I was about to book a room but I figured I'd call in case.."

I giggled, "now, you KNOW you wasn't boutta book anybody hotel room."

"I miss you guys so much, my flight lands at 6." she stated.

"K. I'll pick you up."

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

"No.. Why would there be?"

She wasn't convinced, "where's Nika?"

"She's busy.. Working. As I should be. K bye" I hung up.

I waited until lunch to stop by Nic's office.

"Hey, how are you making out?" I asked.

"Good. What time is it?" she groaned.

"Lunch. Is Aubrey taking you out again?"

"I dont know." she shook her head.

"Are you okay?" I helped her over to the couch.

There was a knock on the door. Aubrey entered.

"Whats wrong?" He asked, rushing to her side.

"Nothing." She sighed, "Just.. Got caught up in the past. Thats all."

"Just try to think of the happy moments." Aubrey held her hand.

"Um-" I began to interject.

"Babe its not that simple." Nic explained. "I don't have memories of good times. I dont remember much about my family, just clear memories of their deaths."

"Childhood memories arent always clear, sometimes only the most emotional ones are." I coaxed.

"So the only real emotion I ever felt was sadness?" She asked, "I never felt happy, or even angry or anything?"

"Maybe you did. Maybe you just need something to help you remember." I suggested.

"What do you remember clearly? Besides their deaths." Aubrey inquired.

"Aub-" I tried to prevent her answer but she cut me off.

"I remember Lydia." She confessed. "She brought me out of the darkness."

"Nic I know who can help your memory better than Aubrey and I probably can." I changed the subject.

She turned to me.

I kissed her hand, "Mom's gonna be in town for a bit. Her flight lands at 6."

"Mom?" Aubrey asked, confused.

"I told you.. She's like a sister to me." I winked.

"My aunt died a few days before Lydia and I graduated. I was distraught, I didn't care about the graduation anymore. I didn't care about anything." Nic explained.

"She never came back home that night, I was worried." I jumped in, "I called my mom on the phone crying."

"She drove over and rode me around the city to find her." I continued. "We found her in the cemetary."

"Her mom comforted me, she took me in as her child." Nic concluded.

"I understand." He placed his hand on her shoulder.

She turned to me, "wait she's coming?"

"Yeah."

"Today??"

"At 6.. why?"

"Did you tell her?" She asked.

"Not exactly."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean... I made it a point not to imply that we were.." I bit my lip.

"When are you going to tell her?"

"I didnt want to do it over the phone." I stated.

"Yeah.. That makes sense." She sighed.

I looked down at our hands and realized something huge.

"I gotta go." I stood.

"Go.. Where?" She asked.

"I just, Have to go okay?" I stammered away, "see you tomorrow."

I left.

QOTD: how many kids do you want / have?

AOTD: i want to adopt like 5 tbh lol