Wind Carved Names Into Silence by Zex Hollow 216

Chapter 216 

Bonnie 

I’d be lying if I said that hearing those words out of Lottie’s mouth didn’t break my heart and I can both sense and feel that Nick feels the same. There are so many things that I want to say to her right now, but I hold back both wanting and feeling that Nick should 

take the lead here. 

He takes a deep breath while keeping his eyes locked with hers. “If that’s the truth, then yes, that’s what I want to hear. We need to get to the bottom of whatever is going on, no matter how hard it may be for you to say or for us to hear.” Nick tries to remain calm, but i can feel his emotions, and they are all over the place. “So, is that the truth?” 

She nods her head as she wipes more tears away from her eyes. “Why, sweetheart? Why are you feeling jealous?” She stares at Nick, but I can see it in her eyes. She is struggling to word what she wants to say, but I’m pretty sure that I have it figured out, so I just go with it and blurt it out. “Lottie, am I right in thinking that you’re jealous of your dad having another baby because you’re scared? Are you scared that you won’t be his number one anymore? Scared that a new baby will mean you won’t matter as much or your life won’t be as important to your dad as the new baby?” 

The more I talk, the wider her eyes become, convincing me even more that I am in fact right. Nick, however, now turns his attention to me. “What makes you think that?” I give him a gentle smile and take his hand in mine, resting them both on the table. “Nick, it’s always been you and Lottie. All she has ever known is the two of you. All of your attention has been on her and her only. Whenever she has needed you, you have been there, and it’s been made even easier by the fact that you only had her to focus your attention on. 

And now… well, in the space of two months, she has found herself with a stepmom and now a sibling on the way. It’s a lot to take in for us and we are older. Granted, I’m not much older than her, but still, I knew this could happen. She has had all of this just landed on her lap, and I can only imagine how much it is to handle.” 

I take a deep breath from my word vomit and turn my attention back to Lottie. “If I’m completely off base, then please tell me, darling?” She shakes her head and once again wipes her tears. “I’m sorry.” I can’t handle seeing her in this mess anymore and move from my seat and around the table so that I can hug her only before I even reach her she jumps out of her seat and into my arms. “I’m so sorry, Bon… mom. I didn’t mean it. I don’t even know why I did it, why I said it.” 

“It’s OK, sweetheart. It’s okay to feel like that, I get it. I just wish you had talked to me about it instead. I wouldn’t have judged you, Lottie. She nods, but before she can say anything, Nick’s voice brings our attention to him. “Lottie, sit back down.” His tone seems off, but I can’t figure out why. “Nick, what’s going on?” He gives me a look, silently asking me to sit too and while I do what he wants I still can’t figure out what’s going on. 

“OK, Lottie, how about you now tell us the real reason for this?” I’m sorry, what did he just say? “What do you mean?” She asks him, but while she talks, I quickly realize that she doesn’t seem that surprised at what he asked her. Nowhere near as surprised as me, that’s for sure. “Don’t do that, sweetheart. Don’t try and pretend that you don’t know what I’m talking about.” 

I have questions but still, I remain quiet while Lottie appears to be thinking over her words before she speaks. “Dad… I… I can’t.” Suddenly her face goes from a look of sadness to completely broken as she works to hold back sobs, and it’s gotten me worried. “You can tell me anything, sweetheart. You know this.”