The Sky's the Limit

|Eleven|

Nicole
(The Day of the Memorial Service)

*****

I can't believe I slept the entire day away on Friday. I awoke from my deep slumber this morning, disoriented. It was as if I had been under sedation, I was so tired. The bright sunlight streaming through my curtains was blaring in my eyes. It was like the sun on steroids.

I rolled over onto my side, extending my arm and groping around for my cell phone on the nightstand. I felt it and clutched it into my shaky hand. My eyes were still a little blurry from just waking up. I tried to focus on the time and I checked for any messages.

My mind flashed back to breakfast and the onset of feeling nauseous all of a sudden. I put one hand over my mouth and my free arm around my waist. I ran to the powder room and started spilling the contents of my stomach.

My throat feels raw, after yesterday. All I was able to do afterwards was lie down on my bed. I couldn't even undress. I had Mimi apologize to Skyler, that I couldn't meet his parents. I see that he called and sent me a text message last night. I must have really been out of it.

"Knock knock, it's Mimi. Are you awake, darlin?"

"Yes, come in Mimi. I just woke up."

"Good morning, sunshine. You gave me a fright yesterday, you were so sick. It might have been food poisoning."

"I don't remember much. It was weird, I just got sick out of the blue."

"Skyler came to get you, and I told him that you were sick. April went with him to meet his parents. I was upset, because it should have been you." Mimi gently touched my face, and put the back of her hand on my forehead.

"Its okay, I'm sure they had a nice time. I'll meet his parents today. I'm still not quite myself, but I'm getting out of this bed and going to the funeral with you." I felt a little dizzy as I was speaking.

There was a look in Mimi's eyes of suspicion. Did she have an idea as to why I was so sick for no apparent reason?

"Mimi do you suspect that I got sick intentionally?" I questioned her.

She wrung her hands, as she sat down next to me on the bed. "I didn't want to think it possible. But your sister made the fresh squeezed orange juice. She brought your glass filled with juice out of the kitchen, separately." She lowered her eyes.

"Shortly after breakfast you got seriously ill. And she alone, was able to go with Skyler to meet his parents." Her eyes rose to meet mine.

I laid my aching head back on my pillows. Could April be that conniving and mean? I wouldn't put it past her or her mama. I laid here sick, while she was out and about with Skyler.

Just then, my phone rang. "Hello? Skyler it's good to hear your voice too. Thank you, I'm starting to feel better. I'm sorry I missed meeting your parents. I'm also sorry that I missed your phone call and text message."

"You had me worried. I'm coming to pick you up. My mama insisted that she meet you and that I come get you." I could hear him brushing his teeth while talking to me.

That made me laugh, which hurt my stomach and reminded me I had been sick.

I winced from the pain. "Okay, I had better start getting ready. I'll see you soon."

He paused before speaking. "I missed you, Nicole." I didn't know how to react to that statement. I could feel my heart actually trembling from the shock. His deep rich baritone voice gave me a fluttering feeling.

"I-I missed not being able to go with you yesterday." I didn't want to sound like a love sick school girl, so I didn't say that I missed him.