Conversation

Author: Sarah Grauvogl
 
Email: grauvose@muohio.edu
 
Rating: G
 
Summary: Follow-up to the "Greater Need" installment of the
*Scratched Coffee Table* Holidaze Fic Series

Author's Note: Yeah, I know, over the word limit again --- but... one of these 
days I will get it right. :)


 
--+--



Fumbling with his keys at the front door, Nick felt as if he had made
the right choice coming home. He worried about Burton being there
alone, tonight more so than usual, maybe he shouldn't have gone over
to Kim's in the first place. Nick wasn't sure why he called, or what
he expected to be different when he saw her. He thought that going
out beforehand, well ... no.

Nick knew what he would get with her, release like no other, but
tonight -- it just wasn't enough. The feeling just wasn't there.

Burton could barely turn his head, his muscles stiff, "Nicholas?"

Surprised that Burton was still awake, Nick stopped in the living
room and eyed Burton on the couch, "everything all right?"

"Fine, fine, I just wasn't expecting you this early," Burton relaxed
back against the full cushions, trying to get comfortable.

Nick reached over his father, trying to adjust his pillows, "I just
thought I should come home."

"Not on my account, I hope," Burton reached for his cigarettes on the
coffee table, and pulled one from the pack, "weren't you out with,
ah ... what's her name? The blonde from your birthday."

Nick shrugged and handed Burton his lighter, "it was nothing."

Burton nodded as he lit up, "was?"

"It's getting late," Nick knew Burton was just trying to help, but
his relationships weren't a topic he was willing to discuss with
anyone, much less his father.

Eyeing Nick as he stood awkwardly to the side of the couch, with a
deep sadness in his eyes, he couldn't help but wonder if this was
just a bad end to a rotten day. Burton leaned forward and glanced at
the scratched coffee table, thinking maybe that's why Nick was so
bent out of shape, "you know, you can get that fixed, Son?"

Shoving his right hand into his coat pocket, he felt the thin
business card that Lulu had given him, "I know."

"It was nice, to see that Louisa today...you two still friends?"
Burton asked, not having seen the two together since he was already
in the car.

"Ooh..." Nick didn't have an answer to that, he certainly would like
to think they could be more than friends, but lately --- he just
didn't know, he shrugged and turned his head away, a non-
confrontational way of abandoning the question.

Burton shook his head, trying to remember what had come up not too
long ago, "she is married to that doctor? The one from Pitts..."

"They're divorced," Nick interrupted, updating Burton and affirming
the news for himself as well. God, he didn't know how to take it --
and wondered why the hell Lulu hadn't told him earlier.

"Oh," Burton released a heavy sigh, it seemed as if there was a lot
more to Nick's feelings for Louisa than he was letting on, it had
been that way for a while. Burton liked her well enough, she
certainly appeared to care for his son, "I had a good chat with her
earlier."

"Really?" Nick's eyes widened with the prospect, though he knew
better when it came to Lulu, especially after what happened at The
Incline. He should've said something, he should've asked her to talk,
hell -- if anything, he should've thanked her for earlier. But, he
didn't do any of that and that's just how it was. He let Kim's hands
wander over his body while his head and his heart were with someone
else, standing just a few feet away.

Nick wanted to believe there was a reason she came to the table, even
seeing he was with Kim, and it wasn't just about a damned scratched
coffee table...Maybe he was offended she hadn't told him about Brian,
maybe he was hurt she didn't want to stay...he didn't know how to
feel when Lulu was around anymore.

**
 
THE END