All Chapters of Once up on an Us: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

I heard voices that caused me to swim in and out of consciousness.I opened my eyes to blinding bright lights, then immediately closed them. Only to have someone forcing both my eyelids open to shine lights in them.I tried to push the person away, but my hands and body overall felt heavy.I could hear intangible voices, then the feeling of being moved.I didn't feel like myself. It felt as if I was floating.I looked around the room to see where I was, then I remembered.Nick, oh God Nick.I tried to talk, to ask for him, only to find that a tube of some sort was in my mouth. One which wasn't there when I just came to the hospital.Tears burnt my eyes as I thought of the worst.'Like, why do I have a tube down my throat?''Was Nick ok?'I closed my eyes again, willing my tears to stop, telling myself that Nick was ok, he had to be ok.He can't just leave me like this. I can't lose him, not now.He's my sanity. I can't go through this again.Why does life have to be this cruel to me?

"Good morning." I said to Nick, even though he couldn't hear me.I placed fresh flowers on the table beside his bed, then kissed his lips."Jackson and Rickie are almost done with the houses. They didn't want to do them without you, but I didn't want the opening of the community to stall any longer. It has been years in the making."I took Nick's hands in mine, watching his motionless body.For weeks, I visited Nick, sitting by his bedside, day and night, hoping and praying, but there was no change in him.And even though I thought talking to him would wake him up, it didn't."I'll see you tomorrow." I said, kissing his lips before leaving.I went home to shower and get something to eat, but in my state, I had a hard time cooking. And an even harder time getting much down. Everything was bland to me and tasted like cardboard.I was just surprised that I wasn't throwing up.My phone rang, causing me to jump as it dragged me out of my daydream.I answered the phone, bracing myself, afte

"Good morning." I greeted Nick brightly."Good morning." Nick greeted back, but it was filled with uncertainty.Even after visiting him for four days in a row, I wouldn't say we were making progress.He still stared at me with skepticism in his eyes and asked me questions about his life I didn't have the answers to.Like boating events, polo club and things only my father used to do.On the fifth day, I laid in the waiting room, trying to get a night's rest.After seeing that there was no way of convincing me to go home, the staff let me be, offering me a pillow and blanket.Just as I was about to doze off, someone poked my arm.I jumped up to see that it was Nick. Our eyes locked as he stared at me."What are you doing?" He asked.I stretched and yawned. “Well, I was just about to go swimming when you stopped me. Good thing too, because the water seemed cold."He cracked a smile, then laughed, something I hadn't heard in a long while."Of course. Hmm, I'm hungry and I don't want to s

"Well, the place is yours. Sit down, look around, feel free to do whatever you want." I told him.As I busied myself with putting Nick's things away, I heard a crash coming from the livingroom. I rushed to see what it was, only to find him standing over a vase."Sorry. I was admiring the patterns when it slipped out of my fingers somehow."I gave a tight smile. “It's fine, not like it cost ten grand or anything. I'll clean it up."When I came back with the little broom and shovel, I saw that Nick was picking up the pieces.He looked up at me, his face had a look as if he realised something."Did you marry me for my money? You know, like a sugar baby or something, cause you look fairly young. Don't get my wrong, but like am I sponsoring you in some sort of way."I frowned while biting my bottom lip, then laughed."No, nothing like that, and I did say that this is my place. Plus, I'm only four years younger than you.""You look younger than twenty-seven. Yeah, ok, but I could have easil

"The house is on your right, just up here." Nick said.I pulled up to the curb, then reached for the bottle of alcohol in the back, promising that I would buy a new bottle tomorrow."Nothing has changed. Are you sure that it has been years since I have been home?" Nick asked as we walked up to the front door."Maybe your parents are simple people." I joked.We didn't have to knock on the door. It opened almost automatically, with a butler behind it.His nose was up in the air as he held onto the front of his suit and spoke with a fake Italian accent."Good evening," he greeted, offering us warm rags infused with lemon scent.Nick took one while I refused. Thinking that these people should be in damn Bel Air, because not even my parents were this extra.These people seemed to enjoy flaunting their cash around.Not that I'm judging.Nick's mother came rounding the corner with a smile on her face.She pulled him into an embrace, kissing both his cheeks, "Nicholas."She then turned to nod