Chapter Eighteen

Wow, it has really been a long time since I wrote anything. Two nights ago I found some motivation and sat down and wrote two chapters. So, I'm not sure if anyone is actually going to read this, but if you are reading this I hope that you enjoy it. As I said, I wrote two chapters and the second of the two is my favorite so I will be posting another chapter within the next week... well that is if I receive feedback that lets me know that people want to read more. 

Chapter Eighteen

Kris did well in camp, but his name appeared on the list of guys that had been cut from the team and were being sent to Wilkes-Barre. Having been cut from the again was painful, but not as painful as it would be to be away from Nikki again. They had said good-bye before, but each one had been hard. Kris was looking forward to finally getting to be able to spend some quality time with the girl he loved.

Nikki was in glass when Kris came to his name on the list, but having to be apart again was not something to be discussed in the form of text messages. She would be coming to the Marriott after her last class of the day, so Kris decided to break the bad news to her when she arrived at the hotel. A simple text arrived on her phone when there was still an hour left in her last class. ‘I love you, Nicolette.’

They often expressed their love for each other, but it was not normally how their conversations began; something was wrong. She would find out what was in two hours. So a reply of, ‘I love you, too, Kristopher.’ was sent.

Class finally ended and Nikki left Kris know what she was on her way to see him. Parking spaces were hard to come by where Kris was staying, except for in the paid garage, so Nikki parked at the fire station that her dad had worked at and walked the few short blocks back to the Marriott. 

The elevator doors closed and slowly moved towards Kris’ floor. It had been a few days since Nikki had gotten to see Kris and she had missed him. She couldn’t wait to see his face light up when he saw that it was her at the door and to be back in his arms. When the gold doors slid open Nikki made her way down the hall towards her destination. Knocking twice to let Kris know that it was her she waited for the door to open and her boyfriend’s smiling face to appear. When the door opened her smile disappeared; she was right, something was wrong. Kris was always happy to see her, even after loss, but now his perfect smile was nowhere to be seen and in its place was a look of sadness. “Kris, baby, what’s wrong?”

Stepping aside and opening the door wider Kris let Nikki enter the room before sitting on the large bed next to her. “I didn’t make the cut; I’m leaving for Wilkes-Barre tomorrow afternoon. I would have told you sooner, but I didn’t think this was something that I should tell you in a text.”

“Oh Kristopher, I’m so sorry baby. “ She turned sideways and wrapped her arms around him.

 Kris pulled one of his arms free and returned the hug. “Promise me that we’ll be okay when I’m not here.”

“Kristopher, we have spent our first few months together apart. I love you so much and I only want to be with you. You are my life mon amour and I promise that while you are in Wilkes-Barre nothing about us will change.”

“I love you too,” he took her hands and placed a gentle kiss on her check. “I’m sorry that we spend so much time apart, I tried my best the past two weeks.”

“Kristopher, look at me.” He was looking down at the patterned carpet, but not taking the shapes or colors in. Nikki ran her hand along his check to turn his face towards her. Kris’ hair fell into his face and covered his right eye; he was too upset to move it, but Nikki ran her fingers through the soft brown locks and held them away from his face as she spoke. “I knew what I was getting into when I agreed to go out with a professional athlete. We will be absolutely fine, nothing could come between us. Just remember, there’s always a chance of getting called up.”

“Stay here with me tonight?” He asked moving his hand to hers that was still in his hair.

“Of course, baby.” She moved as close as she could to the man she loved and gently kiss his lips.

***

Nikki skipped her morning class so that she could spend every possible moment with Kris. She helped him pack and once everything was in his bags they laid on the bed, Nikki’s head on Kris’ chest until it was time to go down to the lobby.

“I’m going to miss you so much,” Kris said his arms wrapped around the women he loved. 

“I’m going to miss you too. I promise, if you haven’t been called up by the start of my Christmas break I’ll come see you in WBS.” They stood in each other’s arms in the lobby of the hotel for a few minutes until a taxi pulled up outside the front door. Kris would be flying into Wilkes-Barre instead of driving. “I love you, Kristopher.”

“I love you too, Nicolette.” They both squeezed tightly one more time before looking into each other’s eyes. Both his chocolate brown ones as well as her ice blue ones were filled with sadness. All of their emotion was poured into the last kiss that they would share for at least a few weeks. “Au Revoir, mon amour.”

“Au revoir.” Kris left a kiss on Nikki’s forehead before picking up his bags and turning towards the cab that awaited him. Once his bags were in the trunk and he closed the car door he blew Nikki a kiss and got one in return before the car drove away.