“Okay,” Amy replied as Paul took her over to the gentleman who led her off.
It was Nikki’s turn to feel trepidation as Paul returned. “Look, Paul, about earlier. I didn’t mean to snap at you. I was just a little overwhelmed…”
“And jealous?” he added.
She smiled weakly. “And jealous. I wanted to be the one to get through to her, but I guess it makes more sense that you did. You have a daughter, so you can relate.”
“Nikki, there’s no need to feel like that. You know I’m just helping.”
“I know, which is why I feel stupid, so I apologize for it,” she said and twiddled with her fingers. “In some way, I also felt like I was the reason she wanted to leave.”
“You can’t blame yourself for that. As you can see, she is her own person, and she still needs to process all of this.”
“Yeah, you’re right. Again.” Nikki smiled. “What would I do without you?”
“You’d do just fine. You’re a tough cookie.”
Nikki laughed as Amy joined them again.
“You have a really nice place,” she told Paul. “I’m looking forward to working here.”
“Looking forward to having you.” Paul smiled and patted her shoulder. “Welcome on board. I’ll email your onboarding documents. Fill them out at your earliest convenience, and then we’re good to go.”
“I will,” Amy replied.
“Now, if you’ll both excuse me, I have to return to the kitchen.”
“No problem. We’ll talk later,” Nikki said, and they walked out.
Amy was like a kid when they were in the car and headed back to the Nestled Inn. She couldn’t stop talking about the place as she compared it to all the other diners she’d worked in.
“I’ve never worked in a place this classy before,” she said nervously.
“Don’t worry, you’ll be alright,” Nikki assured her.
As soon as she dropped Amy off at the house, she drove to the hospital. Like every other visit, she hoped for good news but was equally let down when she was told there was no change. Like all the other times before, she pulled up the chair next to Trish’s bed and took her hand.
“So Amy’s staying here after all,” she said as tears formed in her eyes. “I was scared for a moment that I’d chase her off, and you’d never get to meet her. But Paul has been a godsend. He convinced her to stay, and I can’t wait for you to meet her. She’s so beautiful and full of life. She reminds me so much of you when you were her age,” Nikki said as she laid her head against Trish’s hip.
“You need to wake up,” she told her sister. “A lot of people are depending on you, and I think you’d do a better job than me at this mothering thing. It’s hard to mother a twenty-one-year-old.” She laughed softly. “I need help, so wake up and help me.”
She shifted her head to look at Trish, but nothing was different. The same annoying beeping reminded her that her sister was still alive and was also a constant reminder that she was still in a deep coma. She hoped she could hear her but knew how painful it might be for her to be hearing all that was going on but not able to communicate any.
She probably felt trapped in her own body.
And just the thought brought fresh tears to Nikki’s eyes.
ChapterSeventeen
Two days later, Nikki was at the house cleaning when her phone rang. Amy had started working at the restaurant the same day they’d talked to Paul, and she had been very excited after only day one.
She wrinkled her brows when she heard the phone. It couldn’t be time to get Amy already. Where had the time gone?
She wiped her hand across her brow, and her heart raced when she saw Paul’s name. It was like getting a call from the principal of your child’s school. “Paul?” she asked when she answered.
“I’m afraid I have a bit of bad news,” he began, increasing Nikki’s anxiety as her knees suddenly weakened.
“What?” she asked, dreading that Amy had taken off without saying anything to her.
