More Than Business

Chapter 74

AUBREY POV

Nic straddled me on the chair, her head rested on my shoulder. We just sat there for a while, neither of us quite sure of what to say. I wondered how she and Lydia always seem to have something to talk about, but her and I would have plenty of moments like these.

"You know I always feel safe in your arms." She broke the silence. I lifted her head off of my shoulder and brought her hands up to my face as she had done with Lydia.

After a few failed attempts of her trying to decipher my response I gave up. She laid her head back on my shoulder and sighed.

"You don't have to try and be Lydia all the time. Stop trying to compete with her.. Stop trying to replace her. I love you okay? Stop worrying so much.. You can trust me." She told me, "I had a choice remember? And I chose you."

I wanted to say something but I knew she couldn't hear me, so there was yet more silence.

"I want my senses back.. I want to see your faces, and hear your voices." She vented.

There was a soft knock at the door, and then it opened. Lydia entered with Allison in her arms.

"I thought she might want to hold her." Lydia justified.

"Okay."

She sat beside us and looked at me, "Did you want to hold Ali for a while?"

"Yeah..."

She gently touched Nic's arm causing her to lift her head. She ran her finger from her neck to her chin before squeezing her hand a little.

As confused as I was about what was happening, Nic somehow understood it. She stood up and Lydia pulled her into her lap after handing me Allison.

Allison squeezed my finger, I stared down at her beautiful eyes and admired how much she resembled Nic. Though my eyes were on Ali, the only sound in the room was Lydia and Nic's conversation. I was curious about what they could possibly have to talk about even now, so I listened in.

"So.. I went to go see OJ" Lydia said very slowly, allowing Nic to feel the movements of her mouth.

"You can try talking a little faster now... I think I'm getting better at this." Nic told her.

"Okay.." Lydia nodded, then she rolled her tongue. "Did you get that?"

"You weren't even talking!" Nic fell into a fit of laughter, hitting Lydia on her shoulder. Lydia was laughing too.

"You just love to abuse me huh?" Lydia joked.

"Finish telling me... how is OJ?" Nic changed the subject.

"He's great, he made you a Get Well Soon card." Lydia told her.

"I wish I could see it." she sighed.

"I know honey." Lydia sympathized, "but on the bright side you can't see this.." she stuck her tongue out at Nic.

Nic was able to feel it and she gripped Lydia's face up.

"Owww" Lydia complained.

They both giggled for a little bit.

Lydia caught a glimpse of me then said, "Don't look now.. but I think your fiancé is giving me the evil eye."

"What- Lydiaaaa!" Nic giggled some more.

"Stop laughinggggg." Lydia joked.

"I'm not giving you the evil eye." I assured her.

"Relax.. it was a joke." Lydia rolled her eyes.

"Me?" Nic asked, confused.

"No.. Aubrey is just being boring."

"We didn't get to talk much when you were gone." Nic reasoned.

"Why not? Were you two making out the whole time?" Lydia teased.

"No.. I.. couldn't understand him." She sighed.

"Nic.. did you try?"

"Yes."

"But were you patient with him?"

"I don't know...."

"Nic.. I understand that this is hard on you. But you gotta remember that its hard on us too, this is new to us too. We sat here for almost a week without you knowing who we were. And you know its been a living hell for him, he was stuck in here with ME being the only person he could talk to." Lydia explained.

"You ALWAYS find a way to ruin it." I told her.

"You say that a lot." She rolled her eyes.

"I can't hear what he saidddd.." Nic waved her hands in front of Lydia's face.

"I want to see you try to understand him Nic." Lydia said softly. She looked at me and I began handing her Allison as Nic made her way over to me.

Nic straddled me and hesitantly positioned her hands on my face.

"Say acrobat." Lydia instructed.

"What?"

"Did you just say what?" Nic asked me.

I nodded.

"Say it.. see if she can understand." Lydia urged. "One bit at a time."

"A-cro-b-at" I recited. Her hands explored my jaw and lips as I spoke, her lips attempted to mimic what she felt.

"A---something bat?" she guessed, "Wait! a-acrobat? What?"

I shot Lydia a look, she shrugged.

"There. I helped.. Now I'll go, so you can finish telling her about how manipulative I am." She stood.

"Wait, how do you know about that?" I asked.

She put her hand on her hip, "A blind birdie told me." She rolled her eyes and left.

QOTD: No question.. just go check out my new story "Team" and by like tomorrow another new story "Crossing Paths" will come out so please support LOVE YOU GUYS