Lina came home from work, thanking God that Wednesdays were slow days. She needed some water and a nap. Entering the kitchen, she tossed her keys on the counter. They hit a note in her mum's handwriting.
Lina - message on the phone from Nick.
"Mooom?" Lina drew the word out with the American long "o" instead of the British short "u". It conveyed nervousness a little better.
"Down here," her mother called from the basement. "Your Dad and I are going out tonight..."
"Who picked up the message?" Lina cut in sharply, moving to the stairwell.
"I did."
"What'd he want?"
"It's on the machine," was the reply. "I think it was an apology."
"What?" and then, "Did you listen to the whole thing?"
"I forgot where the skip button is," her mother sounded apologetic. "He sounded sincere, if that's what you're asking."
Lina wasn't sure what she was asking. Her thoughts a whirlwind, she retreated to her room to check the message.
"Hey Lina, it's Nick. Um, you rushed off last night. Alex thinks maybe I offended you? I dunno what I did, but I hope you're not mad at me. I'd like to see you again. So, uh, gimme a call. My cell number's ___________. And Lina? If I did anything, I'm sorry."
"Damn, he is stubborn." The message wasn't really for her benefit. Nick knew she was often the last into the house in the evening. He also knew her work number. This was a way of letting the Allens know that their daughter might have a boyfriend. He was still hanging on to the idea of a real world relationship.
She debated calling him, but wasn't sure what to say. Besides which, international calls were still expensive this early in the evening. Later. Later turned into "he's onstage". With Chicago an hour behind Toronto, Lina found it easy enough to forget about calling at all.
She was startled out of a late night IRC conversation with Alice by the phone's ring. She grabbed the receiver immediately, trying to keep her parents from waking. It wasn't until she put the receiver to her ear that she realised it had been a long distance ring.
"Hello?" she asked, suddenly hoping her brother was calling from university
"Turn off the computer." It wasn't her brother.
"Why?"
"'Cause I'm going to apologize and you're going to need to pay attention."
"Sounds like this could take a while," she teased, typing an excuse to Alice.
"Oh it will."
"Should I get comfortable?" She halted the computer.
"Don't give me visuals Lina," he groaned.
"Why not?" she grinned. "It might make the apology that much more heartfelt."
"You're mean," he accused.
"I am a complete and total bitch," she agreed happily, moving to turn off the lights. "Hang on. " Lina laid down the phone long enough to get into bed. "Back."
"You're not in bed."
"I'm not allowed to lie, Nickelodeon."
"You're flirting with me and you just called me Nickelodeon. Do I even need to apologize?"
"Say it anyway. I want to know if you clued in to what you should be sorry for."
"You sound like your mum."
"She's a wise woman. Now?"
Nick quit complaining. His next words were completely sincere, "I'm sorry I took you for granted."
"Well..."
"You mean the world to me, Lina." he continued, ignoring her. "I don't know what I'd do without you. I love you."
He heard her breath catch at the words it had taken him far too long to say. "I still amn't sure about that, Nickelodeon." Her voice was soft, pained.
"If you mean about the two months..."
"I don't," she cut him off. "I talked to Suzanne last night. She explained."
"How...?"
"She put in a mental block. You didn't react well, you were still in the hospital..."
"She's never been a fan of our partnership," Nick began to get angry.
"Don't be mad. She was looking out for both of us."
"If she hadn't put that up..."
"... you might still be in hospital. I wasn't ready to go in and yank you out of yourself, especially as second choice, and you wouldn't have been able to hang in long enough for me to be ready."
"But..." Lina could hear his confusion. "If I reacted that badly, why can't you believe that I do love you?"
"Because I can't forget what happened that night," she sighed as the tears threatened to fall again. "I had nightmares for weeks reliving that moment. It's not something anyone can make all better in a minute, even you."
"Will you give me time to try?" He held his breath.
"Yeah." It was a tiny squeak, but it would do. They fell into a long moment of silence, neither of them knowing quite what to say. Nick wasn't sure whether he most wanted to hold Lina and make it all better, or be held and have her make it all better.
"How've you been, otherwise?" he asked.
"All right." He could heard the rustle of sheets as she stretched. "Work's the same ol', same ol'. Mum's on my case for "an overactive social life". The world's a little too quiet without you, y'know?"
"I know. And the Net isn't helpful."
"Treat you like glass too?"
"Everyone shuts up the second I tune in. Have you sworn the entire *world* to secrecy?"
"Partly afraid of upsetting you, partly afraid of the wrath of the Dragon Lady, I guess," she answered ruefully. "You haven't heard much news, then?"
"Nope. Anything juicy?"
"Peggy moved out of her parents place."
"Parents still giving her grief about Jeremy?" he asked with sympathy.
"Worse. She.."
"...told them. Damn. I told her not to."
"You did?"
"'Bout a week before the accident she was on the Net asking for advice. I told her anyone prejudiced against one set of "different" people weren't going to be any better with another."
"Wisdom. What are you, Yoda all of a sudden?"
"Once you embrace the Dark Side, consume you it will."
"Oh dear."
The silence this time was much more friendly, comfortable.
"Nick, what happened with Mandy?"
Another subject he knew would come up eventually. "Mandy...will probably never forgive me, not that I blame her."
"Wait, have you or haven't you..."
"I have. I moved out just before the tour."
"Oh..... What'd you tell her?"
"Pretty much the truth - that I was using her while I waited for somebody else."
"It wasn't always that simple."
"I know. She wasn't in the mood to believe me."
"Would you have..." Lina stopped herself. "No, don't answer that."
"I would have moved out anytime you gave the word," he declared, guessing her question. "Would you ever have given it?"
"No, probably not," she conceded quietly. "As horrible as the whole arrangement was, it had its advantages."
"Like what?"
"Not over the phone. Will I see you when you hit town?"
"Is that a request?"
"Yes," she answered, surprisingly frank.
"Then you'll see me." He caught Lina yawning. "Goodnight?"
"Yeah, I guess so."
"Okay. Call me tomorrow."
"I will. 'Night."