(Complete) Nick has suffered sorrow and loss. He has relied on his family to help him survive. Can Nick ever find happiness and a love?
Sara has spent the better part of her twenties caring for the sickest people of the world. Realizing that her dre...
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Watching Sara care for his daughter's scrape was bittersweet. Bridget should have her mother to care for her so tenderly. Sara was an enigma. Whenever he was annoyed with her relationship with Miles, she would do something full of compassion, like sing to Lily or care for his daughter.
He was on an emotional rollercoaster, as he tried to decide if everyone raving about her annoyed him or if he secretly agreed with them. Bridget's favorite phrases were Sara this and Sara that.
After Louise went home, Nick went next door to Tim's house where his family had gathered. He liked to sit and watch the football game while his nieces and nephews entertained his kids. He found Julie in her kitchen.
Kissing her on the cheek, he asked, "How's my favorite sister-in-law?"
"Nicky, I'm your only sister-in-law." She eyed him up and down. "What are you up to?"
"I want to talk about you and my kids." he said cautiously. He had been putting it off, but he had secured spots at the local daycare.
"Nick, don't start with the guilt again." She pushed him away from her.
Clare entered the kitchen. His sister did not know the meaning of private conversations.
He said, "I've been thinking of daycare. Bridget needs more interaction with her peers." He put up a hand to stop Julie who looked poised to pounce. "I was thinking two days a week. That way you could have some time to yourself. Jules, you raised your daughter's years ago."
Clare butted in. "I think it's a great idea. It wouldn't kill them and Jules, you aren't a martyr."
"What would you do, drop them off and pick them up each day?" It was obvious, she didn't think he could manage it.
"Well, I am their father and I'll be responsible for them for the next sixteen years, roughly, so I might as well start now. I can't rely on you forever."
"Much longer than just sixteen. What if one of them gets sick?"
"Then you can drop everything and play nursemaid. I'll still need help. I'll always need you." He put his arm around her.
"When you find yourself a new wife, you won't," Clare interjected.
"I don't see that happening." Clare annoyed him, because she was no longer helping him advance his agenda.
"Why not? You're a catch," Julie argued.
"I wasn't a very good husband. I'm not sure it's in my future."
"That's BS, Nick! You were a great husband. Your only fault was choosing the wrong wife!" Clare had never hid her opinion of Mel.
Julie attempted to be more diplomatic. "Nick, I know you loved Mel. She just made your job as a husband harder. She wasn't as invested as you were. Look around, you'll see any happy couple is invested equally. See how Michael supports Clare's career and Clare doesn't make him feel insignificant, because she's the one working outside of the house."
His brother-in-law did something with computers, but he worked from home and set his own hours. It allowed him to raise their sons while Clare was busy delivering babies. It worked for them. Michael had time to coach sports teams and watch sick kids. Nick also knew he made good money doing whatever it was he did. They had the biggest house in the family and lived the most comfortable.
"Michael is my rock. He supports me and when I come home tired, he massages my feet."
Nick knew everything Julie did for Tim. His brother was just old enough to like more traditional roles. The only household chores Tim did were the dishes. He could load a dishwasher like a professional. In return, Julie was happy to not work outside the home their entire marriage. Except she was working in Nick's home.
Nick looked at Julie. "You could go back to some of your volunteer work."
"I would like to go back to holding babies in the NICU. I miss that, especially now that Jack isn't a baby anymore."
Nick would let her process it. He would feel better not burdening Julie day after day, but she had to agree. He left her and went to check on the football game. Apparently he just missed a touchdown based on the yelling, he heard as he walked into the room.
"Nick, son, sit, they're running away with it," John said.
Tim said, "Relax will you. It's not a sin to enjoy yourself a little. You're getting more and more miserable by the day. Poor Sara, lighten up on her."
He protested, but his brother was right. He didn't like that his brother had noticed, but he had already chastised himself.
"Sara was quite a find for you boys. She's smart, and she reminds me of my nurse a long time ago."
"Dad, Sara is not mum!" It annoyed Nick when everyone made the comparison between Sara and his mum. She had the same accent, but there were plenty of differences.
Elizabeth overheard and said, "Your father has been talking about the girl all week. I've decided I need to go meet my twin."
"You and Sara are not identical! Just similar," Nick barked annoyed.
"Nick, it's not that big of a deal. You really need to relax," Tim said.
Michael whispered to Tim just loud enough that Nick heard, "I think he needs to get a little. You know what I mean?"
Tim laughed, and Nick was glad that neither of his parents' hearing was quite what it was. Maybe his brother-in-law was right, but truthfully he wasn't about to look for that kind of relief. He wasn't a bastard like Miles.
He hissed under his breath. "I'm not interested in that kind of trouble."
Tim scoffed. "What did you grow up? That never stopped you before."
"Just because the girls liked me in high school, doesn't mean I kissed all of them. Tim, you're just jealous, because you chased the girls, but never caught them."
Elizabeth said, "Leave your brother alone. He caught the one girl that mattered."
Nick refrained from reminding everyone that he caught Julie, but he knew Tim would argue. Just like Mum fell in love with Tim first, Julie fell for Nick first.
