I'm There (Part 3)

March 3rd. Violet looks whiter than usual as she hangs up the phone. The hospital Chaplin has just told her about her mother, Rose. It wasn't good. Nick could see that on Violet's face. "Wait, No!"

Violet begins crying and her legs lost their strength. She sits on the kitchen floor as the woman on the other end of the phone describes how her mother lost a sad, lonely, two week long fight against Covid-19, since they last spoke.

As a hospital employee, they believe she contracted it from one of her patients. A transient who had refused to wear a mask, and spit in her face, unexpectedly. The CDC were now in charge of disposing of her remains.

Violet was in shock.Nick had seen this look before, after Jay told him about his ex-wife, when he saw himself, in a mirror, moments after.

Violet hangs up the phone and drops it to the kitchen floor. Nick is glad he got her a good case, for a second, then he asks her what was wrong. "Vi," he bent down and was looking her in the eyes, "What's the matter?" Violet could only continue to cry. He holds her as she falls into him.

When she finally settles enough to speak, she tells him, looking in his eyes, "My mom, she's... she's ...." Nick knew, before she even said any more. She begins crying again. "I've got you." Nick holds her.

"My head... hurts." She finally said, after ten more minutes of crying. "Can you get me my medication, from my ... over.... night... bag.?"

Nick understood. She couldn't even say it, because she knew, she was here for a lot more than just a night.

The last two were weeks they went shopping every other day for new clothes for her with costumes, streetwear, gym clothes and lingerie. Nick had been monopolizing her time for months now, and she missed the last good months of her mom's life, for him, and the art they were making. Nick felt terrible about that.

He did everything he could to take care of her and comfort her for the rest of the day, including walking the dog, which was something Violet did mostly. When they return, Pandora tries to cheer Violet up, but wasn't able to do so. Nick had remembered that Violet had a sister, Lilly, while he was out with the dog. "Vi?" She just stared blankly, then turns her head to him. It frightened him. She looks awful, like a ghost of herself, and Nick had no way to make her feel better, and was about to make her life harder with every word he had to speak next. "Have you told your sister yet?"

"Violet is still processing, she can't come to the phone right now." She said, and made a motion where she looks like she fell over, but just lays down. "I have to go to the bathroom, I'll be back in a few." Nick gave her a kiss on her head and left the room. In her direct line of sight, was Nick's old fashioned liquor cart.

She gets up and goes to the pretty chrome mobile shelf. She picks up the Scotch he had after the Valentine's Day party. Then picks out a glass, and fills it. She drinks the whole glass, as the sound of the toilet flushing comes from the other room. The liquid felt like fire and demons going down her throat. She almost doubles over from the experience as Nick walks out the bathroom.

"So that looks like you took a shot of Scotch. Are you OK?" Nick asked.

She pours herself another, and says, "I Drank this much?" Then pounds down the second glass. This is enough to put Nick down. He saw his near future, holding his love's hair back as she pukes.

"Can I have my phone back?" She asks, with the first bit of calm he'd seen since the call.

"It's on the kitchen counter." He replies.

Violet turns around and walks over to get the phone. She looks up her sister's number, and takes a seat next to Nick on the couch.

Pandora hops up next, to cuddle with Violet. "Lilly?"

"Violet! Hey, little sis, how's life?" she was so cheerful. Violet couldn't speak, and ruin her day. "Vi?" Her sister said again.

"Mom's gone." Violet said it. It was the first time she had accepted it enough, to say it out loud. "What's the matter Violet? You're speaking so quietly." Violet said it again, "Mom's gone."

"What? No!" Violet and Lily spoke for the next hour. Lilly talks her through the big stuff and tells her she would be coming home as soon as she could. "I'm there, kiddo."

When they hung up, Violet left her phone on the couch, runs to the kitchen sink and vomits. She sprays the thick parts down the drain, and drunkenly stumbles to bed.

When she passes out, Nick calls the office and tells Charlotte what happened. "Oh! The poor girl. What are we going to do about the business?"

"Don't worry Charlotte, I can pay you and Steve through the year if need be. Violet needs me, honestly, she needs all her friends right now." Charlotte said she understood.

Violet's phone was right next to him. He picks it up, and tries to get in; there was no lock. Nick looks up Ratched Rachel's number and tells her what has gone down, and how Violet will need her friends. Nick invites Rachel over and orders food for three people.

Rachel and the food arrive right after one another. Nick and Rachel have dinner together and get to know each other a little more. When Violet finally wakes up a few hours later, Rachel can hear her crying from the living room. She leaves Nick's company and cuddles with her friend in bed, holding her as she cries.

"I heard all about your mom, Vi. It's gonna be OK, I got you." she held her friend as Violet continues to cry. The pain in her friends eyes was awful. Rachel just wishes she could wave a magic wand and make it stop hurting.

***

Violet holds Nick's hand with her right and Rachel's with her left. Lilly holds her boyfriend Greg's hand. The preacher is speaking, but nobody really hears the empty platitudes that spill from his mouth. Violet knew, this was all for show. That her mom was already ashes at the CDC.

Nick ensures Violet and her sister Lilly had everything they need. He paid for the wake, their plane tickets, and the luncheon afterwards for their extended families. He still felt like it wasn't enough.

Until her sister arrived, Violet was a ghost of her former self. The grief overwhelms her. Nick didn't like meeting her family like this, but when Lilly heard how much he had done for them, she gave in to the idea that Nick was a big part of Violet's life, and that maybe she really needed him; now, more than ever.

As Lilly set up the collage of pictures of Rose Carrigan, Nick walks over to find out what she looked like. He was shocked and saddened, at the realization, she was the nurse who helped him with his ex, the night of the accident with his Jeep. Nick tells the story to Lilly and Violet. Violet again sees the synchronicity of their over lapping lives and hugs Nick.

Lilly couldn't adore Nick like Violet did. Not exactly, but she could see, before this, they were happy. He was doting on her, making sure all her needs and wants were met. Lilly could see he cared for her. That it wasn't the act of some old man chasing the skirt of a young woman. They may have the challenges of a May/December relationship, but they were doing it together. Lilly could see how much she appreciated Nick. Lilly even later remarks to her boyfriend, how much Nick reminds her of her father. "Freud would have a field day, but she's happy. So I guess that's all that matters." becomes Lilly's attitude, even if her mother wouldn't have approved of what they were doing together. Lilly supports Violet, because she loves her, and what she was doing, made her feel beautiful and happy.

***

Nick had Violet and Lilly's home cleaned the next day, so everyone could move back in, if they so desired. Lilly and Greg moved in for their week long stay to settle their mother's life. Violet had many migraines during the time, and left most of the final decisions to Lilly and Greg, while Nick's deep pockets paid for it all.

The day they found out from the bank, her mother owed taxes and with the rest of the mortgage, totaling over Fifty Thousand dollars, Nick took Greg out for some beers.

That night, and when Greg told him about the problem, Nick took out his checkbook and paid off the full amount. From that day forward, Violet and Lilly would always have their parents home, in their names.

The next day, Lilly and Greg takes Violet and Nick out to dinner. Lilly treats Nick like an older brother, from there on, even though he was dating her little sister.

***

It is now the Ides of March. The CDC declares a lockdown for the country, and unless they drive Lilly and Greg will have to remain much longer than a week in their ancestral home.

Nick was alone with Pandora most of the week as the sisters worked out their lives under the stress of the pandemic lockdown. When Violet finally makes it back to Nick, she is exhausted, and cuddles with him on the couch. Violet's hair is now a vibrant green, matching her eyes.

"I'm sorry." she says.

"Huh? What for?" Nick asks.

"Do you remember my Christmas present for you, those concert tickets?" Violet asks, almost with tears in her eyes.

"Yeah, I forgot all about it with everything that was going on with your ..." Nick stops, he didn't want to trigger her.

"It got postponed because of the sickness that killed my mom." Violet was all cried out emotionally, but a tear rolls down her sad face, as she apologizes to Nick.

Nick had heard things were getting bad, but was too distracted with life to pay attention to the news. "It's OK, Violet. I love you."

"I love you too, Nick." Violet says, as she falls asleep in his arms, on the couch, with Pandora curled up behind her legs.

At the end of the show he is watching, he picks her up, and carries her to bed. Pandora hops up and spins in a circle looking for a place to rest, and finally lays down. Nick holds Violet all night as they sleep.