“I know you’re all excited that Trish is finally awake, but like I said before, she has a long road to recovery, and the support from her family and friends will play an integral role in that recovery.”
Nikki nodded her head in understanding.
“Trish has a broken leg. It’ll take a little longer to heal than most breaks because of where the breaks are and their size. She also has head trauma, so we’ll have to monitor her over the coming weeks to determine that there really aren’t any adverse effects. She’ll need a lot of physiotherapy to relearn how to use her limbs, and she’ll also need counseling to cope with the trauma from the accident.” After a short pause, the doctor turned serious eyes on her. “What I am telling you, Ms. Murphy, is that you have to be strong for her because there will be moments when she’ll feel so weak that she wants to give up, and she may even lash out.”
“I’m willing to do whatever it takes to make sure my sister gets better, Doctor,” Nikki assured him with a look of determination.
“That’s what I want to hear.” Dr. Smith smiled.
The two parted, and Nikki made her way downstairs to find Paul and Amy by the car.
“Where’s Reed?” she asked.
“He left. He said to tell you not to worry about the cleanup. They’ve got it under control,” Paul informed her.
“What did the doctor say?” Amy asked expectantly.
“He was saying that we need to be there to help Trish in her recovery,” she summarized.
Both Amy and Paul nodded in understanding. The three climbed into the car, and this time, Nikki sat up front.
As Paul cruised down Main Street, Nikki turned her body in the seat to look back at Amy. “I’m really proud of you, Amy, for how far you’ve come. I look at you, and all I see is a strong and determined young woman. You’ve faced so much more than a lot of us have, yet you still stand with your head held high. I can’t wait to see what you do because I know it will be great.” She smiled proudly at the young woman whose eyes shone with tears.
“Your aunt is right, Amy. You are a remarkable young woman, and I see a very bright future for you,” Paul corroborated, looking at her through the rearview mirror.
“Thank you both. I appreciate it and am glad I have you both and Mom in my corner,” Amy responded, smiling.
Nikki reached back to take her niece’s hand and squeezed it lovingly.
After Paul dropped them off, Amy and Nikki headed straight for the kitchen. “You hungry?” Nikki asked as she reached up into the cupboard to remove a mug.
“I could eat,” Amy replied.
Nikki recalled that they hadn’t been able to eat anything from the fundraiser because of the call they’d received.
Walking over to the refrigerator, she removed the chicken lasagna she’d made the evening before. She eased a good portion of it onto two plates before warming them in the microwave. She then put a tea bag in the mug while she waited for the water in the kettle to boil. When the tea and food were ready, she placed Amy’s before her on the island and took a seat across from her. They both dug into the meal almost immediately.
“So…”
Amy looked up from taking another bite of the lasagna to look at Nikki.
She put down her cup to give her niece her undivided attention. “How do you feel about today?” she asked.
Amy’s brows furrowed in thought as her eyes took on a faraway look. Finally, her eyes focused back on Nikki as she replied. “I feel happy, relieved, but also fearful.”
Nikki’s chin jerked downward before coming back up in understanding.
“I’m glad my mom is awake. The feelings that I have toward her are kind of new to me because I’ve always wanted a mother who would love me and want me as much as I wanted her, but with my adoptive mother, I always wondered if she even liked me, especially after she started acting cold toward me after I called the police on her husband.”
Nikki’s heart constricted from the pain she felt oozing out of Amy as she spoke, and she wished there was some way she could erase all those bad memories and replace them with good ones.
“I have a lot of questions that I want to ask her, but I’m afraid that it’ll make her treat me differently.” Her eyes flicked downward in guilt.
Nikki reached over to rest her hand over the one Amy rested on the island. Amy looked up at her, her eyes filled with pain.
“Trish isn’t like that, Amy. She was prepared to look for you because she wants you with all her heart. I know she has prepared for your questions, and nothing could make her want you less. If anything, she’s afraid of you not wanting her and her losing you again.”
A tear slipped and fell down Amy’s cheek, and Nikki reached over to wipe it away. “Your mother…Trish loves you very much, and I need you to understand that you have a right to ask the tough questions without fear of rejection.”
