Page 47 of Dreaming
Slipping his arms under his woman’s body, he carefully lifted Nia and kept his arm around her for support. Her eyes blinked open and Nellie held a bottle of water to her lips.
“Drink, Nia. A little bit of water.” Looking at Wallace, her mother said, “Get her people on the line please.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Nellie cupped Nia’s face. “Nia, look at me. Focus on me.” Frowning, she snapped her fingers in front of her daughter’s face. “Nia…”
“Nellie, I’m sorry. Excuse me.”
Dennis smoothed his palm over Nia’s cheek, tilted her head, and kissed her.
After a few seconds, she started returning the kiss. He didn’t stop until she moaned softly against his lips.
Lifting his face, he stared into her eyes. “Hi.”
She murmured, “Well, this is going to get fucking embarrassing.”
“No.” Dennis shook his head. “I love you. You don’t have to feel embarrassed, Nia.” He helped her sit up as Nellie stared at them with her lips parted. “We’re working on a system but…it felt disrespectful to use it in front of you.”
Barely audible, Nia’s mom replied, “Well. Aren’t you a fucking keeper?” He chuckled. Wallace handed Nellie his phone and she put it to her ear. “Hello? Yes, Krystle. It’s Nellie. Nia sorted information.”
Wallace handed her the pad from the kitchen.
Nellie recited it to the director of the Think Tank and listened. “Yes, I realize she wasn’t supposed to work but something came up in conversation.” There was a pause. “Well, your people should have said something and I wouldn’t have mentioned it.”
There was another gap in conversation. “All of you take excellent care of my daughter but we truly must work on our communication. Things are stressing me out.”
“Amen,” Dennis mumbled. He focused on Nia as Nellie received details from Krystle in North Dakota.
“No. Bring her to Chicago but keep her away from Nia. I need to go. By the way, Dennis brought her up so fast. Mm. I agree. Talk soon, dear.” Nellie handed Wallace back his phone and leveled her gaze on Dennis. “Do you love my daughter, Dennis?”
“Very much.”
“That’s wonderful. I’d like to tell you a little about her past.”
She held out her hand and he helped her off the floor. Settling beside Nia, she held her hand.
“When Nia had such episodes as a child, only my husband and son could calm her.” She smiled. “My daughter is strong, her brain powerful, but she’s fragile in ways that require a gentle touch backed by a specific strength she doesn’t have when this happens. I don’t have it either.”
“You’ve done great, Mom.”
She kissed the back of Nia’s hand. “We’ve muddled through, haven’t we? I was never very emotionally strong. I led a charmed life, loving my husband, my children, and complex equations. I didn’t know true hardship until our family was taken from us.”
“Don’t talk about it, Mom…”
“It’s okay, honey. We both know I quit the world when you needed me most.”
“That isn’t what happened at all. You were grieving and it broke you.” Nia rested her head against her mom’s. “I understood then and now. We healed together.”
“My darling.” Nellie kissed Nia’s hair and looked at Dennis. “You’re strong enough and - in the deepest part of herself – my sweet girl recognizes and responds to it like she did her for her father and brother.”
“I’m glad.” Dennis kissed Nia again lightly and encouraged her to drink more water. “How do you feel?”
“Foggy but clearing up by the second.”
“Don’t think about anything…”
“Nicki…”