“Why don’t you go back and take rest, Ashley,” Nick’s mom said to me when she came into the room, “You’ve been here for hours.”

“I don’t want to leave him.” I said her rubbing my teary and tired eyes.

“But you need to rest,” she said concernedly, “We don’t want you to be sick. We’ll call you if he wakes up.”

“I want to be here when he wakes up,” I told, “Please don’t force me to leave his side.”

“I won’t,” she said with teary eyes and hugged me. I couldn’t contain my tears from coming down and I sobbed on her shoulders. She sobbed with me. “I’m so sorry Ashley. So sorry for what we all have done to you. I never expected it would turn out this way. We never planned for you or Nick to find out this way. We wanted to tell you nicely. We know you both would be angry but we never thought it will be like this.”

“So Nick really doesn’t know about this?” I couldn’t stop myself asking.

“No,” she shook her head.

Hearing that I cried harder, “I didn’t listen when he said he didn’t know about it. I accused him of scheming it. I said nasty things to him. I’m the cause of his accident. I’m the one to blame. If only I listened to him.”

“Oh Ashley,” his mother hugged me again, “Don’t blame yourself. We all are at fault. We are the ones that have caused all this chaos. We made you leave him. We are all wrong,” she cried.

“I was so happy to be his wife and suddenly I’m not,” I said to her, “I was so devastated when I realized that I’m not. I love your son, Jenny. I don’t want to lose him. I want to remain his wife.”

“I’m so glad to hear that and I’m sure that once Nick’s wakes up, he would want the same thing too. He loves you, Ashley. He has been in love with you for a very long time,” she told me.

I looked at her, “How do…..”

She cuts me off, “I know because he has your photo in his wallet, his computer and his room since high school.”

I was stunned, “I don’t remember seeing my photo in his room when I slept there,” I told her.

“He must have hidden it from you,” she smiled. “We knew about you and Nick pretending to be a couple. Nick didn’t tell us about it but Amy did. She told us how you kept saying that you are not Nick’s type and you both are not meant for each other. We just wanted to prove to you that you are wrong about that.”

“So you decided to come out with an idea that we both are married?” I asked. “Isn’t that mean?”

“Yes it is but that’s the only way to make you accept Nick in your life. Would you stay with him if you were not married to him?” she asked.

“I had asked for annulment at first,” I told her, “I didn’t want to stay married to him but we both were thinking about hurting your feelings if we told you the truth about our relationship. We were worried about your feelings if you know the truth and here the four of you already know the truth and much more,” I pouted my lips.

She chuckled, “We knew that you would never want to hurt us if we continued pretending that we didn’t know about you. We knew that both of you don’t have the heart to tell us the truth and continued with the charade. Knowing Nick, we knew that he would not let the chance of having you as his wife slip away. He would find a way to make you agree to stay married to him and he did. He even managed to make you fall in love with him just in a week,” she said proudly.

“You are right. He managed to make me realized how lucky I am to have him as my husband. I finally know the real him, the charming and caring Nick,” I admitted. “All of you are right; I would have not given him a chance if he was not my husband. I have been pushing him away all this while and blinding myself from seeing the real Nick. I made myself hate him when the actual fact is I actually liked him a lot before this mess. When I see him laying here motionless and probably going to lose him, I realized I love him. I don’t want to live without him,” I confessed and I looked at Nick’s motionless body, “Am I too late to realize it?”

She pulled me nearer to her and kissed my forehead, “No, you’re not,” she said confidently, “I know Nick is strong and he will fight all this and survive. You will have your chance to tell him how you feel. I’m sure of that. Who knows if you keep whispering those words to him he might wake up?”

I sniffed, “You are right. Nick is strong and I’ll be there to make sure he’ll stay strong.”

She kissed my cheek again, “I know you will but if you want him to be strong you have to be strong yourself. You have to take care of yourself. You need to freshen up and I’m sure you haven’t eaten anything since yesterday, right?” I nodded my head, “Why don’t you go and take rest for a short while?”

I looked at her and realized she’s right. I can’t let Nick see me in a mess when he wakes up. Besides I remember I need to check out from the hotel and move back to our apartment. Yes, our apartment; mine and Nick’s.

“You’re right,” I told her, “I need to get my things from the hotel I’m staying right now. You promise to call me if anything changes?”

“I promise,” she smiled before suggesting, “Why don’t you let Amy go with you?” looking at me with pleading eyes, “Please forgive her. She’s been so sad since yesterday and kept on blaming herself for what happened to you and Nick. I don’t think she would be able forgive herself if you don’t ever forgive her first.” I just nodded my head.

“Come on let’s not waste anymore time. The faster you get going the sooner you can come back here,” she said.

I nodded my head and got up. I kissed Nick on the forehead and cheek before whispering in his ears, “I’ll be back soon, baby. You stay strong and don’t you dare leave me. I love you.”

Nick’s mom followed me out and everyone outside looking at me concernedly, “I need to go and take my thing from the hotel I’m staying in,” I told them and they just nodded.

“You want me to come with you,” offered daddy.

I shook my head, “No, I’m going with Amy and Marc,” I told him and looked at Amy’s distraught and teary face. She looked worse than me, I think. She immediately nodded her head and smiled weakly at me.

I gave Marc my hotel’s card and he drove us there in silence. I saw them holding hands, and Marc was squeezing Amy’s hand as if giving her some encouragement. I wish Nick could hold my hand right now.

When we reached the hotel, both Marc and Amy followed me into my room.

“I need to take a bath first,” I told them without looking at either one of them taking my clothes out from one of my suitcases. I didn’t wait for their response when I dashed into the bathroom. I don’t want to waste any time as I wanted to be at Nick’s side as soon as possible.

“Marc took your big suitcase down,” Amy told me softly when I came out from the bathroom. I nodded and mumbled thanks while combing my hair, applied some powder on my face and a light lipstick on my lips.

“I’m ready,” I told her and walked towards the door after checking I had taken everything.

“I’m sorry for what I have done, Ash,” she said softly making me turn and look at her. With tears in her eyes she continued, “I didn’t expect all this to happen. I have made you hate Nick and I have caused my brother’s accident,” she sobbed.

I couldn’t help myself and I cried with her. I hugged her tightly, “I don’t blame you and you shouldn’t too. I’m at fault too. If only I hadn’t been so stubborn to admit my feelings towards him all this won’t happen. We both are to blame for what happen.”

“I’m sorry, Ash, I love you and Nick so much. I want you both to be happy,” she sobbed again.

“I know we both have been at your best interest. I forgive you and please forgive me too for saying all those things to you,” I sobbed with her.

“There’s nothing to forgive. You have never done anything wrong to me. I’m the one who always mess up your life,” she smiled weakly.

“I love you messing up my life,” I chuckled, “You managed to make me see the real Nick and realize my feelings. I should thank you for what you’ve done.”

“I love you, Ash,” she hugged me tight again, “Please don’t say you hate me ever again.”

I smiled, “I love you too, Amy. I could never hate you. I’ve tried though but I still can’t.”

She laughed and we walked down to lobby hand in hand. Marc look at us smiling, “Friends again?” he asked and we both nodded. “Nick would like that,” he said and I nodded again and smiled.

“How did Nick get into the accident?” I asked him.

“He was driving his car to chase after your cab,” Amy replied. I looked at her to tell her to continue, “After you left, Nick followed you down but you already had gotten inside the cab. He managed to take down your cab’s number. He must be driving recklessly. All I know was dad received a call from the police informing us about the accident.”

I felt tears flows down my eyes again, “It’s my fault. If I listened to him, he would be fine right now.”

Amy hugged and cried with me, “don’t blame yourself, I’m the one at fault here.’

“There’s no point in blaming anyone,” injected Marc, “What is done is done. Nick wouldn’t want any one of you to blame yourself for what happen to him.”

“Yeah you are right,” I nodded in agreement. “Now all we have to do is pray for his full recovery.”

When we in the car I couldn’t help myself but to ask Amy, “I’m curious, Amy. What actually happened while we’re in Vegas?”

“Don’t you remember anything?” she asked.

“If I did, I won’t ask you,” I smirked.

She smiled, “Well, it was nearly the end of the night and everyone was drunk except me and Marc. As usual you and Nick were condeming each other and I don’t know what happened, before we know it you both were kissing. I was telling you the truth when I said you and Nick couldn’t take your hands and lips off each other. You both were kissing like your life really depends on it.”

I blushed hearing her words while she continued, “However, you managed to stop him when he tried to get intimate telling him that you would not have sex unless you are married. Well, I overheard and joked that we'll marry you off. You were drunk and you immediately agreed. Marc pretended to be priest while I become your witness and married you both. We even gave you our rings for you to borrow. After that both of you went to room and I guess you know what happened then,” I couldn't help from blushing hearing about it.

She then continued, “I was so thrilled that you were finally with him but Marc pointed out that you will definitely regret what happened the next morning and you will definitely blame Nick. You might accuse him of taking advantage of you. That was when I decided to trick you both into believing that you were married. Knowing you, I knew you would ask for a divorce immediately but you would not hurt our parents’ feelings if they knew about your marriage. So, I called both our parents telling them about my plan and surprisingly they agreed.”

She looked at me intensely before adding on, “I just wanted you to have the chance to get to know my brother and I know once you did, you will love him, but you were too stubborn. You always block yourself away from him. I know Nick loved you but his ego is too big to tell you the truth. It seems that my plan worked and you discovered him in not only personally but sexually also.” She started laughing at her own joke.

“He wanted to tell you how he felt before we left for college but the way you treated him, made him back off,” added Marc who has been quiet all the while.

“I was so stupid and blind, wasn’t I?” I said to them in a regretful tone.

“No you weren’t stupid,” defended Amy, “You are just stubborn and big-headed,” she chuckled.

I chuckled with her, “Yeah you are right,” then I sighed, “I hope I’m not too late now to tell him the truth about how I feel.”

Amy touched my hands comforting me, “Let’s pray together.”