Chapter 26

Her phone rang in response. “How did you know?” Heather asked. 

“They moved me to OUR table and the server asked if Parker was helping with the wedding. She told me everything, that Justin proposed when we were here last.”

“I’m picking you up and driving you over myself.”

“Don’t tell Justin, I want to surprise him,” Nicki said. 

“Got it. I’ll be right there.”  Heather grabbed her keys and ran to her car, speeding the whole way to the restaurant. 

Nicki went back in to get her coat as she waited for Heather. By the time she came back out, Heather’s car was out front. 

“How’d you get here so fast?”

“Speed laws were broken. Get in.”  Nicki got in the car and Heather headed to Justin’s. “What are you going to say when you get there?” Heather asked. 

“I have no clue. I should’ve never wasted my time on Parker. I don’t have my memories back, but everything makes sense now. Why Justin did all of the things we did. Why I felt so safe around him, comfortable enough with him to make love on our first date…”

“I don’t need to hear that,” Heather said, sadness in her voice. 

“Everything makes sense. Just like our last date, he sang to me…”

“What?”

“He sang This I Promise You… He was there all along, waiting for me to figure things out. Now I have.”

They kept driving, when Nicki started to breathe differently. Short breaths, she was hyperventilating. 

“What’s wrong?” Heather asked. 

“The freeway… this… this is where the accident was.”  They saw tire marks on the road, going from one lane suddenly into another. “Pull over, now.”  

Heather pulled over. Nicki couldn’t calm herself. Her breathing was shallow and fast, gasping for breath. 

“Nicki, this may be where it happened, but look at how far you’ve come. You were going back to Justin’s that night, we’re going there now. He loves you, you love him. Focus on that, let that calm you. After all that’s happened, you two still love each other. Like Noah and Allie.”  

It took a little bit, but Nicki was finally calm, her breathing regular again. 

“Are you ready?” Heather asked. Nicki nodded, and Heather safely pulled back into traffic. 

Heather pulled up to Justin’s. Nicki got out of the car. “Wish me luck,” Nicki said. 

“You won’t need it, he loves you.”

Nicki slowly walked up to Justin’s door, thinking of what she was going to say. She knocked 4 knocks, her brain trying to think of what to say, when the door opened. 

“Nicki, this is a surprise. You, you look beautiful… Isn’t tonight your date with…”

Nicki kissed him, firmly, pulling him into her arms.  “I love you. That’s all that matters.”

“Come in, we need to talk,” Justin said, opening the door wide. 

They sat on the couch. “What happened with…” Justin started. 

“He’s gone. I know, Justin.  EVERYTHING.”

“You got your memories back? That’s great!” he said as he hugged her. 

“No. I still don’t remember,” she said, pulling back from him. “He took me to OUR restaurant, they moved us to OUR table, and the server told me everything, not knowing I lost my memory. She assumed he was doing something with the wedding. Told me we’ve been there for birthdays, anniversaries, and that you proposed the night of the accident.”

“I didn’t want you to find out that way…”

“Would you have told me eventually? Or would you have dated me for another 2 years before proposing?”

“I don’t know. I think if you’d come choosing me any other night, I would have told you then, knowing your decision to be with me was your own.”

“It all makes sense to me now. Why you wanted me to choose, not know and do things out of guilt. It also explains why I did things with you I didn’t do with him. I can’t even say his name. On Monday I’m telling them I want to take the rest of my leave of absence, and apply to the children’s hospital.”

“I’m glad to hear a lot of that. I hope you get a job there. I was thinking about something the last week or so, I’d have to clear it with Heather.”

“What?” Nicki asked. 

“I’m not expecting us to be engaged right away, but I do want to talk about you moving in. I’d been apprehensive before, I won’t lie, but I’m open to that possibility now.  It damn near killed me having to take you home these last few weeks. Granted, that was partly because I knew you were seeing HIM during the week, but it feels right when you’re here. Not just the sex, but making breakfast for you, not having to worry about getting you home at a decent time.  You’d stay over, you even have a dresser of clothes and stuff here.  Didn’t want to tell you and signal how intimate our relationship was that you’d have stuff here.”

“We’ll talk with Heather soon. We have the rest of our lives to figure things out. As for proposing, I’m ready whenever you are. This has shown me you’re in this for the long haul, and so am I. You’ve been my safe space in all of this, I love you, and you’ve shown how much you love me in return. You risked losing me just to prove you loved me. I never want you to worry about losing me ever again.”

“Enough talking, I just want to hold you, enjoy this moment.  Let Heather know you’ll be here for the night. She’s probably expecting it, but so she won’t worry.”