“Your sister is well-loved by the residents of Camano Island. The minute persons became aware of this event, they were ready to throw in their support,” Nelly informed her.
“I’m blown away every time someone speaks about her,” Nikki confessed. She noticed Reed motioning to her from across the room. “Excuse me for a minute Nelly.” With that, she walked over to the man whose demeanor told her something wasn’t right.
“Hey, Reed. What’s wrong?” she asked in concern.
“I think I underprojected. More people are arriving for the fundraiser by the minute, and I’m afraid there won’t be enough food to feed them all.” He scratched the back of his head nervously as his eyes darted outside to the patio before focusing on her once more. “I don’t want to let everyone down…this event was supposed to be perfect. Trish deserves only the best,” he rambled on, his voice a mix of frustration and disappointment.
Nikki placed a hand on his shoulder in calming reassurance. “Reed, listen to me, relax. You did a fantastic job. No one will fault you for doing your best. Trish would be overwhelmed with gratitude if she was here right now,” she spoke convincingly. “Besides, Paul has Lot 28 on standby to make up for any food shortage we may have if the crowd gets too overwhelming.”
Reed’s shoulders relaxed, and he breathed out in relief. A smile appeared on his lips. “Thanks, Nikki, I think I needed that. I just want everything to be perfect for Trish…I mean for the foundation we’re setting up in her name.”
Nikki smiled knowingly but said nothing about his earlier statement.
“I’ll be sure to thank Paul for all the help he’s been giving,” Reed finished, and Nikki nodded in agreement.
“I have a suggestion,” she said, looking over at the man staring back at her with interest.
“What’s that?” he asked.
“For the speech you’re going to give, why don’t we move it to the outside? We can take the podium out there, and that way, everyone will be able to participate better.”
“That’s a good idea,” he agreed. “I’ll get someone to help me take it outside.”
Reed moved off to find someone to help him with the task, and Nikki smiled in glee at his retreating back. If she weren’t already sure, Reed’s mini-freak-out and his slipup about the foundation was enough for her to know that the man’s feelings for her sister ran very deep. She couldn’t wait to witness their awkward phase of tiptoeing around each other instead of admitting how they really felt. Kind of like what she and Paul were doing. She smiled wryly.
Nikki spent a couple more minutes greeting the people who had known Trish and had so many stories to tell about how they knew her. With each passing comment, her love and respect for Trish grew even more.
Paul and Amy brought over the thank-you boxes filled with treats for their guests before joining her outside as they prepared for Reed to give his speech about the fundraiser.
Nikki stood looking behind the podium at the vast ocean in the distance. The waves crashed over each other in white foamy splendor as they raced for the sandy shores. She felt the presence of someone beside her, and she looked over to see her niece, who turned to smile at her. She felt another presence on her opposite side, and she looked over to see Paul standing there. Although the time was relatively warm, even with the breeze coming in from the ocean, Nikki felt the fine ridges of goose bumps raise along her bare arms as the butterflies rushed in to take a comfortable seat in her chest. Paul looked over and smiled. Her lips automatically raised at the corners in response. Just then, Reed began to talk, and Nikki turned to focus on what he was saying.
“As you all are aware, our beloved Trish was in an accident some time ago and has been in a coma ever since. We are still confident she will wake up soon because she is a fighter.”
There were murmurs of agreement to Reed’s latter statement, bringing a smile to Nikki’s lips.
“Trish was and still is a force to be reckoned with. She cares deeply for the things she’s involved in, and more importantly, she has a deep love for this community. It is why she joined the Humane Society and dedicated her time and resources to rehabilitating the many stray animals we’ve housed over the years while working to find suitable homes for them. Trish believed that if an animal’s spirit that has been broken can be restored, then so can that of humans. She always tried to find families who needed to be reminded that there was meaning in their lives and that to love is truly a gift to be cherished.”
A tear ran down Nikki’s cheek as she listened to Reed’s speech. Her sister was a true saint. She just wished she would wake up so she could tell her how much she loved her and was proud of her.
“While Trish is regaining her strength, her sister, Nikki, has been here working upfront and behind the scenes, maintaining Trish’s legacy, and today, we want to applaud her for that.”
All eyes turned to her as applause rang all around her. Nikki smiled sheepishly. When the clapping died down, Reed continued.
“We hope you will continue to serve on the board, Nikki. You have been doing a great job, and we are happy to have you.”
Amy reached over to intertwine their fingers, and Nikki smiled before bumping her shoulder with hers affectionately.
She felt another pair of eyes on her, and she turned to see Paul staring back at her with admiration.
He leaned forward and whispered against her ear. “In case you didn’t already know, you are a phenomenal woman too, Nikki.”
She ducked her head as her cheeks heated, and an ear-splitting grin appeared on her lips. She looked back at him when she was sure she’d gotten her blushing under control.
“Thank you for everything, Paul. I don’t think I could have gotten through this without your help.” She smiled appreciatively at him.
“I’m happy I could,” he responded, his eyes shining with emotion as he stared at her.
Nikki felt her heartbeat quicken, and she turned to listen to the rest of what Reed was saying.
