No Longer Alone

Chapter Thirty-Two

*Nicole's POV*

    This whole night is not going any way that I thought it would.  I thought I was passed the age of being embarrassed, but nope, leave it to my youngest to still find a way to do so.  The whole prince comment to Damian, while I will admit, my daughter has excellent taste to decide he looked like a prince, was enough to make me wish the floor would swallow me whole.  Marie then had to come over and start her mile a minute talking, which happens more when she is super excited.  Hannah on the other hand, is being her normal self, and primarily interested in what the adults are talking about or memes focused on anime.

    I looked around to check on Marie with Damian and Alex to see Marie throwing herself at Damian for a hug.  She rarely hugs anyone, and she almost knocked him over from the looks of it.  I can't help but wonder what brought that on.

    "That right there probably made his night, just like your oldest made the night of my husband."  I turn to see that Val has come up beside me, witnessing the hug.  "I know he may seem like an arrogant and cold prick at times, but he actually does have a good heart.  He just struggles to show it.  My husband is impressed with your daughter's intelligence and her level head, and her rather unique way of speaking.  You've done a wonderful job of raising them."

    "Glad my kids could make the night more entertaining, even if some of it was at my expense.  As for your son, I'm sure none of that is my concern, I am just here as an employee of a company that may do business for the company you work with.  Once a decision has been made I'm certain that he'll go back to his normal job and someone will see that side of him."  I reply with a self-depreciating smile.

    Val laughs whole heartedly, at the comment and looks at me strangely and smiles at me, causing her husband to break away from his conversation with another person to come over and join us.

    "Something funny that I should be aware of?" Xander says wrapping an arm around Val's waist.  I felt my heart ache a little, missing the comfort of such a simple thing, and looked away for a moment before I saw something that made me wish I could escape, and I felt a sense of dread because I knew what likely was coming next.

    From one side I saw Marie still thankfully choosing food with her two escorts, and hoped that they would stay there, but from another side, I see Andrew and his girlfriend approaching our group, and from the way they are walking, I can tell that they have had a few drinks.  Panic tightens my throat as I try to push thoughts and words back, but I have the feeling this isn't going to go well.

    "Nicole, are you alright, you just went a little pale..." someone touches my arm softly and I flinch, trying to focus on breathing.  The couple is within distance of hearing the comment and of course, we aren't at work so Andrew doesn't feel the need to filter his thoughts.

    "Of course the little ice princess is alright."  Andrew starts up, his words slightly slurred and the smell of rum from his drink was making me want to throw up. "Don't let her fool you too.  She's crazy.  A total b***h.  She acts like she is all meek and nice...but when it comes down to it, she goes crazy on people and really isn't that likable."  His girlfriend giggles next to him.

    "Andrew, please get away from me, this is not the right kind of place for this." I squeeze the words out around the lump in my throat, but this triggers his girlfriend to start up.

    "Oh shut up Nicole.  You are just jealous coz I'm with Andy now not you." She giggles and looks over at Val and Xander who look shocked.  I'm holding onto a slim hope that this won't get any worse, when I see Damian and Alex behind Andrew and their eyes show the same shock. "She is absolutely nothing an' a total nut job.  Andy here told me what he said to her before.  Seriously you gotta be really messed up or on something to like spending time with her."

    Andrew nods with his girlfriend, looking at Val and Xander before pointing his hand with his drink towards me.  "Seriously she is disrespectful, has no sense of humor, and is now tryin' to make me look bad with the new client.  You may wanna get away from her too before she causes you problems too.  She is just trash n doesn't respect her leaders, or anyone.  She deserves to be all alone, she doesn't deserve anything else."

    I'm fighting to control my emotions, the words playing back in my head loud and clear.  I think I make my excuses but I can't be sure, I know mom will watch out for the girls, and so will David and Nick, since they have met them before.  I can vaguely hear people argueing somewhere, but my heart is racing and its hard to breath in here.  All I can focus on is getting outside of this room, away from him, away from the voices.  I can't break in front of them.  

    Finally I find myself outside, the cool air a relief on my skin, cooler where tears have fallen down my face without me knowing that was happening.  I take a shuddering breath as I feel the sobs trying to rip out from my throat, the words echoing through my head, that I was trash, that I deserved this pain, their laughter echoing on repeat behind the words.  

    I'm suddenly spun around and pulled into someone's chest, their hand rubbing circles on my back, a voice whispering to let it out, it's alright to let it out.  And so I do, for the first time in more years than I can remember, I let go and cry in someone's arms.