Chapter 18
Nick watched his father hug Poppy. He was a good hugger, always had been, but then he’d had a lot of practice over the years.
His dad would simply move in and wrap his arms around you if he thought you needed it.
It didn’t matter if you were angry, sad, or happy.
A hug, according to Gerry Atherton, was one of life’s necessities.
“I’m sorry.” She pulled away. “Really. I don’t usually fall apart like that all over a stranger. I need to get dressed and pack.” Panic was written all over her sweet face. She ran then, out the kitchen door.
His mother made clucking noises when Poppy had gone. “That poor girl. She’s at her wit’s end. All pale and bruised. Her arm too. That must hurt.”
“It’s been a tough few days,” Nick added, taking the coffee his father handed him. “She’s running scared and not used to anyone in her corner.”
“I can’t imagine what that would be like,” Gracie said.
“Lots of people have no one,” Nick said.
“We don’t know all the details.” His father took a seat at the table, which to Nick suggested he was settling in for a nice long chat.
“I’m pretty sure she’d feel more comfortable if you guys left. I’m struggling to make her see reason about staying here as it is,” Nick said.
“We’re not going anywhere. You just told us that girl needs support, so we’re supporting her because she’s your friend. Now you sit, and I’ll tidy your kitchen and finish fixing breakfast for you and Poppy,” his mother said.
“What did Billy tell you?” Resigned, Nick sat.
“Nothing. I knew she was here. Em told me,” Gracie said. “So what’s the deal? You and her, I mean.”
“No deal. She’s got some stuff going on, and I’m helping her.”
“We know she was attacked on the street after her book signing. Then her house was broken into, and now she’s here with you,” his mother said. She was polishing his toaster.
Bernice Atherton was a clean freak. She loved nothing better than going into her kids’ homes and cleaning.
When she left, there was usually home baking on a counter.
However, you made sure there was nothing lying around that could incriminate you, or she’d make a big deal if required.
She’d once found an overdue traffic violation, and his life had been hell for weeks.
“Sam said you went to college together, but you weren’t very nice to her,” his father said. “We raised you better than that, Nicky.”
“I hadn’t matured yet,” Nick protested. “Cut me a break.”
“And you have now?” Gracie made a scoffing sound.
He lunged out of his chair her way, and she squealed. Job done.
“Pinhead.” Swearing was not allowed in front of the Atherton matriarch.
“Is there more going on here, Nicky?” his father asked. “Billy wouldn’t elaborate.”
“Any chance you can just leave?” Nick said even as he knew the words were futile.
Three sets of eyes looked at him.
“This is dangerous.”
“I heard that from Em,” Gracie said.
“All I can tell you is some guy has been hassling Poppy for a while now. She thought he’d stopped, turns out he hasn’t, and his prints were all over her house after the break in,” Nick said.
“Billy is looking into it, but this could get ugly, because he’s obsessed with her.
He may also know she’s here, and we don’t want you guys involved. ”
“You’re a ‘we’ now?” His mother had moved on to polishing the front of his refrigerator.
“Mom,” Nick said.
“Don’t you ‘Mom’ me in that tone, Nicholas Atherton.” She pointed her cloth at him.
“I like her,” his father said.
“Me too,” Gracie added.
“You just met her, and for five minutes, tops,” Nick gritted out.
“You wouldn’t have her here in your house if you didn’t like her too,” Gracie said.
Slapping his coffee back on the table only resulted in it sloshing through the hole in the lid and landing on his hand. His mother tsked and bustled over with her cloth. Nick pushed back his chair.
“I’m checking on Poppy.”
“Good. I’ll make breakfast. Come back down soon so you can eat it while it’s hot,” his mother said.
Trying to have a rational discussion with his family was impossible, so he left before he started yelling. Taking the stairs up, he knocked.
“I’ll be down in a minute” came the reply.
“Open the door, Poppy.”
“I’m all good, Nick, and won’t be long.”
He turned the handle and found it locked.
“Poppy, unlock the door.”
Silence.
“You have to come out at some stage, so it may as well be now.”
“I’m dressing!”
“Can I watch?” He heard her gasp. “Just open the damn door. I need to tell you something.”
“What?”
“I’m not discussing it through wood.” There was more silence, so he started hammering his fist on the door.
Coming from a large family taught you a few things: persistence and how to be annoying when required. On the fifth thud, he heard the lock click and the door open.
“Stop that! Your family will hear,” she hissed. “Or have they gone?” She looked hopeful now.
“Mom’s cooking breakfast for you,” Nick said, running his eyes over the fluffy blue sweater she wore teamed with jeans. Placing a hand on her shoulder, he nudged her back a few steps and then used his heel to shut the door.
“Don’t push me, and I don’t want to have breakfast. I’m packed and will be leaving.” Her words came out louder than needed, but he guessed that was because she wanted to convince him she was serious.
“Mom would be hurt if you left before eating it… even if I let you leave.”
She slapped the hand that was still on her shoulder. He didn’t remove it, instead sliding it around her back to pull her in close.
“Now you need to listen to me, Tinker Bell, and make sure you understand what I’m saying.”
“No,” she snapped back.
“You need to stop fighting me and understand I’m in your corner. You need to know I’m not going anywhere, and it’s my choice, and the choice of my family, who I cannot control no matter how much I wished I could sometimes.”
“You’re lucky to have them.” The words had a whole lot of longing in them he would unpack another time.
She looked up at him. Nick could lose himself in Poppy’s eyes. She made him feel things. He wanted to slay her demons and make her feel safe.
“I know that, Poppy. I love them and count my blessings daily that I was born into my family, but sometimes the thought of solitude?—”
“Until you’ve lived with solitude, don’t wish for it.”
He cupped her cheek. “I’m sorry you’ve lived alone, Poppy. Sorry that asshole forced you to avoid people.”
“I didn’t avoid people.”
He left that alone. “You are not leaving, and I am helping you through this. Get used to it,” Nick said
“You don’t?—”
Nick kissed her to shut her up, and then he kept right on kissing because she tasted like sin, and that was one of his favorite flavors.