Daysdegrassi
Well-Known Member
Chapter 32: Arms
Rafe heard an incessant pounding at the door. He paused Game of Thrones and got up, annoyed that someone had interrupted his favorite show. Rafe put his beer down on the counter and opened the door to a sobbing Nicole.
"Hey, Nicole, what's going on?" Rafe felt bad for being upset at being interrupted earlier.
"I just need to talk to someone, anyone. I hope it's fine if I come here," she sobbed. Nicole fell into Rafe's arms, crying into his chest. Rafe closed the door and hugged her as she put her arms around him.
"Let me get you some Kleenex, OK?" Rafe said, taking his arms from around her. Nicole went and sat down at the bar as Rafe grabbed a box of tissues from the coffee table. He brought them over to Nicole, who gratefully took a tissue and blew her nose.
"So what's going on? Why are you crying?"
"Because I've ruined Eric's life! And so has Chloe, and it's all that hussy's fault," said Nicole.
"Whoa, whoa, did Eric tell you that you and Chloe ruined his life? Are you saying that Sami turned him against you?"
"No, that's not what happened at all. Sami wanted revenge against me and Eric, and she got it alright." And quickly, Nicole recounted the whole tale to Rafe of what happened in the Square that evening. Rafe found it hard to hide his shock and disgust at what Sami had done, and yet, he wasn't all that surprised.
"Well, this is the old Sami alright. I'm really sorry for what happened, Nicole. But maybe there's still a chance for you and Eric. I mean, I'm sure there's some way for him to find another job, and he can still be with you..." Rafe really wasn't sure what else to say. He knew that his scenario was unrealistic.
"Eric's very serious about his job. He feels like it's his calling. And I've had bad luck in terms of guys choosing me over anything, or anyone, else."
Rafe knew this was true. He hugged Nicole. "Well," he said in a soft, comforting voice," let's hope for the best. You never know. And maybe this is a good thing that the truth is exposed. You don't have to worry about the burden of keeping secrets, and neither does Father Eric."
Nicole nodded. "You're right. I'll keep my hopes up. It's just been a really horrible day. And now I have to walk all the way back through the Town Square, through all those staring eyes and whispers, to get to the Church, where I'm probably not welcome anymore."
"No you don't", said Rafe. "You can stay here. Like you did before, except you can use some of Gabi's old pajamas."
"Oh, Rafe, I can't-"
"Don't worry, they're not footie pajamas." Rafe and Nicole both laughed.
"I mean, I can't accept your offer", she said. "I don't want to be a burden or anything."
"Burden?" Rafe began. "Nicole, it's one night! Besides, you're never a burden for me." Rafe and Nicole smiled at each other, and locked eyes. Nicole knew she couldn't resist that look Rafe gave her.
"OK, OK, I give up," Nicole said. She hugged Rafe, her strawberry perfume intoxicating him. "Thanks. For being the best friend in the whole wide world," Nicole said.
"Well, thanks for being good company." Rafe told her.
"When I'm not crying," Nicole joked. They both laughed. Rafe made some popcorn and finished his beer, playing Game of Thrones, while Nicole was sitting on the sofa, playing Bejeweled on her Iphone. Rafe finally sat down next to her, putting the afghan over the both of them. Their hands dug through the popcorn bowl and lightly touched. Rafe and Nicole looked briefly at each other, both blushing, but eventually looked away. Rafe felt warm in his heart, and he finally began to accept that he would be happy if Eric and Nicole didn't make it. Maybe he should be grateful to Sami, because he could finally have a shot at stealing Nicole's heart.
Rafe heard an incessant pounding at the door. He paused Game of Thrones and got up, annoyed that someone had interrupted his favorite show. Rafe put his beer down on the counter and opened the door to a sobbing Nicole.
"Hey, Nicole, what's going on?" Rafe felt bad for being upset at being interrupted earlier.
"I just need to talk to someone, anyone. I hope it's fine if I come here," she sobbed. Nicole fell into Rafe's arms, crying into his chest. Rafe closed the door and hugged her as she put her arms around him.
"Let me get you some Kleenex, OK?" Rafe said, taking his arms from around her. Nicole went and sat down at the bar as Rafe grabbed a box of tissues from the coffee table. He brought them over to Nicole, who gratefully took a tissue and blew her nose.
"So what's going on? Why are you crying?"
"Because I've ruined Eric's life! And so has Chloe, and it's all that hussy's fault," said Nicole.
"Whoa, whoa, did Eric tell you that you and Chloe ruined his life? Are you saying that Sami turned him against you?"
"No, that's not what happened at all. Sami wanted revenge against me and Eric, and she got it alright." And quickly, Nicole recounted the whole tale to Rafe of what happened in the Square that evening. Rafe found it hard to hide his shock and disgust at what Sami had done, and yet, he wasn't all that surprised.
"Well, this is the old Sami alright. I'm really sorry for what happened, Nicole. But maybe there's still a chance for you and Eric. I mean, I'm sure there's some way for him to find another job, and he can still be with you..." Rafe really wasn't sure what else to say. He knew that his scenario was unrealistic.
"Eric's very serious about his job. He feels like it's his calling. And I've had bad luck in terms of guys choosing me over anything, or anyone, else."
Rafe knew this was true. He hugged Nicole. "Well," he said in a soft, comforting voice," let's hope for the best. You never know. And maybe this is a good thing that the truth is exposed. You don't have to worry about the burden of keeping secrets, and neither does Father Eric."
Nicole nodded. "You're right. I'll keep my hopes up. It's just been a really horrible day. And now I have to walk all the way back through the Town Square, through all those staring eyes and whispers, to get to the Church, where I'm probably not welcome anymore."
"No you don't", said Rafe. "You can stay here. Like you did before, except you can use some of Gabi's old pajamas."
"Oh, Rafe, I can't-"
"Don't worry, they're not footie pajamas." Rafe and Nicole both laughed.
"I mean, I can't accept your offer", she said. "I don't want to be a burden or anything."
"Burden?" Rafe began. "Nicole, it's one night! Besides, you're never a burden for me." Rafe and Nicole smiled at each other, and locked eyes. Nicole knew she couldn't resist that look Rafe gave her.
"OK, OK, I give up," Nicole said. She hugged Rafe, her strawberry perfume intoxicating him. "Thanks. For being the best friend in the whole wide world," Nicole said.
"Well, thanks for being good company." Rafe told her.
"When I'm not crying," Nicole joked. They both laughed. Rafe made some popcorn and finished his beer, playing Game of Thrones, while Nicole was sitting on the sofa, playing Bejeweled on her Iphone. Rafe finally sat down next to her, putting the afghan over the both of them. Their hands dug through the popcorn bowl and lightly touched. Rafe and Nicole looked briefly at each other, both blushing, but eventually looked away. Rafe felt warm in his heart, and he finally began to accept that he would be happy if Eric and Nicole didn't make it. Maybe he should be grateful to Sami, because he could finally have a shot at stealing Nicole's heart.