The New Game Ch. 05

"Talk to me," I whispered to her as I held her so tightly.

"This was supposed to be fun and games," she stated. "I wasn't supposed to care about you. You weren't supposed to be able to hurt me. I was supposed to be the rock of this game. Now look at me, I am a sappy, weepy mommy."

She sounded angry with herself at that moment. I tried to listen and understand.

"I wasn't supposed to miss you," Nikki announced as she stepped back and away from me. "But I did. I wasn't supposed to want your touch when you were gone. But I did. I wasn't supposed to be crushed inside when you weren't there the day my son was born. Or when you didn't call the next day. Or the next day. But I was."

Nikki cried as she spoke. The tears overflowed in her eyes and ran sprints down her face. I listened and took everything she said so that I would understand.

"You made a promise to me in Las Vegas," she yelled at me. "You promised to try to get my Monica out of that other game she is in. You promised me. I never had a bigger hero in my life than you were to me that night. Then you just ran away and hid. Like a coward. My son was born and Monica's amnesty was over. I died the day she had to go back to that game. I hated you that day. I hate you now."

"I don't know what to say to you," I admitted.

"Don't say anything," she snapped. "You are useless to me."

"Nik, I'm so sorry," I confessed. "I'm back now. For good. I have every intention of keeping that promise."

"Don't fucking worry about it," she growled at me through her tears. "My family doesn't need you. I will take care of things myself. Just stay away from us."

"Nik, that's not fair," I countered. "Give me a chance."

"Oh, cause it was so fair when you bailed out on all of us," she snapped at me. "Spare me your shit about being fair. Just get lost."

The glass door slid open and Penny stepped out of the house. Nikki turned around and started to walk towards the house. I saw red. I was angry and I was not finished talking to Nikki. I snapped.

"Don't either of you take another fucking step," I yelled at both of them but I was staring at the back of Nikki's head. "Nikki, turn around and come here. Penny, go back in the house and wait."

"But it's my 10 minutes, Leslie's rules," Penny whined.

"You go back in that house and tell Leslie that she said everyone gets 10 minutes, so I am taking my 10 minutes for myself right fucking now," I shouted loudly, hoping Leslie and all the women inside would hear me.

Nikki had not moved, but Penny turned around and went back inside. As the glass door shut I focused on Nikki and how to get through to her.

"I need another chance," I said to Nikki, who was still facing away from me.

"You don't get one," Nikki answered definitively.

"That's not gonna work," I informed her. "I'm not doing this without you."

"Then you are not doing it because I am done," Nikki declared.

"What's it gonna take for you to at least look at me," I pleaded for her to turn around.

Nikki turned and faced me. She had anger in her eyes.

"I won't let you hurt me again," she explained coldly.

"I made a few mistakes," I admitted. "But I will not repeat them."

"I am glad that you have learned," she said. "That will be to the benefit of whomever you move on to next."

"Nikki, don't be so cold," I urged for both of our benefits. "I need you to forgive me and go forward with all of us. Otherwise this doesn't work."

"You know, the first time we were together it was all physical," she recapped. "I told myself that would always be the case. But it wasn't. You needed each of us for different things and we all needed you too, for many things. But you bailed out on us. I can't just forget that. It cut me too deep to ever allow you to do it again."

I heard the glass door open behind her but I didn't look to see who it was. It didn't matter. This conversation wasn't over. If it was over, like this, then so was this night and this game. I stared intently at Nikki.

"Nik, you are right," I agreed. "I am sorry. I can keep saying it but if you don't give me a chance to live up to those words, then it's irrelevant. I'm asking, please. Look inside and try to find a way to give me a chance."

"You must be deaf," she shouted at me. "I'm done. What do you think that means?"

"I think it means that you are letting your anger get the best of you," a voice said from behind her, interrupting us.

Nikki spun around as I looked past her shoulder to see Monica standing there. The glass door behind her was now closed and she was alternating her looks between Nikki and me.

"Nicholette, you know that I love you," Monica said as she walked towards Nikki. "You can not let your anger win this battle. You are not only angry with him, you are very angry at yourself. You are angry at me. You are angry at Emma. There is a lot of conflict and pain going on inside of you. Don't take it all out on him. I believe him. I think you should believe him too."

Nikki stood silent and I could see her shaking slightly, as if she were weeping.

"I will support whatever decision you make," Monica explained. "I know you care about the women in that house. If you turn around and see a man that you no longer care about, fine. You're out and this game is over. But if you turn around and see a man that you do still care about, you need to be fair, to him, to those other women who love you and mostly to yourself."

I could see Nikki nodding her head.

Monica looked past her now and looked at me. Her glare was piercing. Nikki turned around and looked at me. The tears filled her eyes though she fought them from falling. She walked silently to where I was standing. She glared up at me, looking almost sad. I waited, anxiously, to see what her next move was going to be.

Nikki opened her arms and hugged me tightly around the midsection. I hugged her back and held her firmly.

"Thank you," I said clearly as I was staring at Monica.

"If you make a liar out of me and I have to pick the pieces of a mess you make, then you will have to deal with me," Monica declared in perfect protection of her love.

"I wouldn't expect anything less," I commented as I nodded to her.

Nikki pulled away from me and looked up at me. She smiled through her tears before turning around. She walked back towards Monica, grabbing her hand and pulling her towards the house. They both disappeared through the glass door and I knew who was coming out next.

Penny came through the open space and the glass door shut behind her. She walked towards me with her head down. She would not look at me and I thought I knew why.

"I'm sorry that I yelled," I apologized.

"That's ok," she responded softly, her head still down. "Why did you show up at that meeting?"

I was confused by this question. I felt like it was almost an accusation of something that I had not done. I did not know how to respond.

"Why didn't you tell them that I was back," I asked in return.

"I wanted you all to myself," she revealed sharply as she raised her head to look at me. "I wanted this game to be over and then we could be a normal couple. I wanted it more than anything from the moment you returned."

There was a fire in her eyes that I had never seen. It was powerful and passionate, but very scared.

"Why didn't you tell me that," I asked. "You didn't have to do all this scheming if you don't want to play this game anymore."

"I feared that your loyalty to the other women would have led you to play it with or without me," she confessed.

I looked at her, concerned for where this conversation was heading.

"What is going on between you and the other women," I asked, looking for some sense of where the game was.

"Everyone cleared the air," she informed me. "I made my apologies, but there is some residual anger and hurt feelings about a lot of things. Brooke went to get you. I am still pissed about that. I should have been the one to go get you."

"Penny, she's your friend and she did it for you," I told her. "Let that anger go. Tell me what you want right now."

"She is my friend, probably the best one I have ever had," Penny confirmed. "I can't be mad at her. After all, she brought you back to me. I want you. Whatever way that has to be, it has to be. But know this, when this game is over, you are mine. Period."

"I love you Penny," I reminded her. "You know that. When the game is over, if you still feel that way, then I will be a lucky man. The women will decide the fate of the game tonight. Am I to assume that you will vote with the majority?"

"I will," she confirmed. "I owe it to them."

"Your leadership will be called into question if we continue," I surmised.

"I expect," she agreed.

"I owe it to you to support you if you still want to lead," I expressed. "So how are we going to play that one?"

"If we are going to play, I would still like to lead," she acknowledged. "It makes the lonely nights easier to take."

"Ok, then that's how it will be," I announced. "I will make sure of it."

"Thank you," she replied. "I'm sorry."

"Why didn't you tell me that Nikki was so hurt and angry towards me," I asked her in return.

"I should have," she admitted, staring at the ground again. "I knew that you were walking into a war with her."

"I feel awful that she was so hurt," I declared. "She didn't deserve that."

I heard the glass door slide open behind Penny and a voice called out to us.

"Time's up. Come inside, both of you," Leslie yelled.

Penny and I looked at each other. I knew that I had still not talked to Emma, so going inside now seemed premature to me. I could not figure out what exactly was happening but I followed Penny back into the house. I shut the glass door behind me as Penny took a seat at the table with all of the other women. I noticed Monica in the kitchen holding her son and rocking him gently. He seemed to me like a very peaceful baby.

I looked around the table at all their faces. Emma was the only one who would not look at me. I was highly concerned as to where she stood, after all, she started this game. She didn't or wouldn't take the ten minutes with me and now she would not even acknowledge that I was in the room. This was disturbing to say the least.

"Okay, now everyone has had their time," Leslie stated.

"Not everyone," I interrupted her, staring a hole through Emma.

"Excuse me," Leslie continued around my remark. "As I was saying, EVERYONE has had their time. So we need to discuss what we are going to do and then vote."

"Leslie, everyone has not had their time," I repeated.

"The floor is open to anyone who wants it," Leslie stated, ignoring me again.

I looked around the table and all the women were looking at each other. There was a lot of confusion and disorganization amongst them. I waited, now silently. I paced back and forth around the table.

"Well, are we going to continue, as we were before all of this," Nikki asked bluntly. "I think that we each need to decide."

"I agree," Brooke added. "Leslie, just take a vote. We've all been through enough this week."

"Ok then, let's vote," Leslie proceeded. "Yes or no. Yes if you want to play, no if you don't."

"What are the terms," I asked, since I didn't have an actual vote. "Is this a majority vote or does it have to be unanimous?"

Leslie looked at me, confusion all over her face. She, like me, didn't know the answer to the question. The harder part was that neither of us knew who to ask to get that answer. I was stunned as I stood there.

"It's a majority vote," Penny declared. "I was in charge before you left, so until I am replaced or the game is dissolved, then I am still running things. So, it's a majority. 4 or more 'yes' votes will allow the game to continue. Anyone who votes 'no' will have the option to exit the game without penalty."

None of the women said a word. Penny's confidence and tone were crystal clear, if we were going forward, then we were doing it her way. I loved that move. I was wearing a big smile as the vote began.

"I vote yes," Leslie announced. "Brooke?"

"I vote yes," Brooke stated.

"I vote yes," Mindy followed.

"I vote yes," Penny continued around the table.

"I vote no," Vivian said.

Everyone at the table turned to look at her. Vivian kept her best poker face on as she gave nothing away. She said nothing and everyone was in a state that bordered on disbelief.

"I vote yes," Nikki revealed crisply, grabbing everyone's attention after our long and brutal exchange outside.

I knew the women were probably listening to everything that went on between me and each of them as they came to discuss things with me. I again stared at Emma, who would not look at me.

"There's one vote left," I clarified loudly.

"You already have 5 'yes' votes, there's no need to go any further," Leslie postured.

"Yes there is," I argued. "I want to hear all the votes. I owned to up to everything that happened. I answered all of your questions and made no excuses for my mistakes. I deserve to hear every vote."

"I agree," Vivian said as she rose from the table.

Her eyes were locked on me as she walked towards me. She walked past me and into the kitchen. I heard her heels on the wood floor in the hall and then I heard the front door open and shut. I looked back at Emma, who was now staring at me.

"You got 5 'yes' votes, you win," Emma declared as she stood up. "Go back to the hotel. Check out tomorrow and go home. Come back to work on Monday. Case closed."

Emma did not say another word. She, too, walked past me and through Leslie's front hall. The front door opened and shut again. Everyone was frozen. No one had moved and it appeared as though most of us were trying to slow our breathing to limit our movements. This was not good. There was a solid pain in my abdomen as I stood there.

Leslie stood up from the table and walked over to where I was standing. She threw her arms around me and hugged me tightly. She kissed me gently on the cheek as she pulled away.

"Welcome home," she said with a very big smile as she released her grip on me.

Brooke followed suit by getting up from the table and giving me a large hug. She then put her arms around my neck and kissed me on the lips softly.

"Welcome home, baby," Brooke repeated as she pulled away from me.

Mindy, Nikki and Penny all did exactly the same thing, all welcoming me home. It was more flattered than I had ever felt in my life. I almost felt good about things for a moment, but then I realized Vivian had still left, very hurt. I was not happy about that at all. I made my way through the kitchen and was headed towards the front door when I heard a voice from behind me.

"Hey," the charming Australian accent called out to me.

I turned to see Monica looking at me shyly.

"What can I do for you," I asked her genuinely.

"Welcome home," she said before turning around and disappearing back into the kitchen where the rest of the ladies were gathered.

I was truly overwhelmed as I left the house. I headed back to the Marriott for the last time. I was going home tomorrow. While I was unsure of what exactly was going to happen with Emma or Vivian, it would be good to be home. I just liked being there.

I pulled up to the valet and put the car in park. I got out and left it running as I headed back to my room. Once inside, I immediately started gathering my shit. I packed as much as I could before jumping in the shower. I let the water clear my mind as it ran over me. It was very relaxing after the process I had just been through. I shut the water off and dried myself, thinking all the time that I was so glad to be back here, despite having to answer for my laziness.

I threw a towel around my waist and started to gather my toiletries. I collected my other miscellaneous bathroom items together went to get my duffle bag to put them in. I exited the bathroom and was so startled that I stumbled backwards into the bathroom door frame. I steadied myself and looked several times to be sure I wasn't seeing things. But then, after several moments of staring, I was certain that I wasn't dreaming. The visitor waiting for me, sitting on the edge of the bed, was as real as real gets.

As if out of a dream, there was Emma. She was wearing a long, beige overcoat and her right leg was crossed over her left. Her hands were folded neatly in her lap and she appeared very alert. She was looking at me intently. Her gaze was not filled with anger or with passion. Her eyes seemed very wide open to me and the look upon her face was extremely confident and matter-of-fact. I gathered myself and wondered why she was here. She had not taken her 10 minutes with me at Leslie's house, which insulted me somewhat but mostly confused me. Where were we headed tonight?

"Why didn't you take your 10 minutes with me back at Leslie's house," I could not resist asking the question.

I moved towards my duffle bag and began filling it with the items from the bathroom that I still had in my hands. I waited for Emma's response with anxious abandon.

"Nikki needed it much more than I did," she informed me.

"Nikki used her 10 minutes and my 10 minutes for me," I countered.

"You getting 10 minutes for yourself was not part of the deal," Emma revealed. "We just can't have you going around and making up your own rules, dear boy."

I was taken back by the words "dear boy." I wondered if that remark was meant to belittle or demean me. It stung, but I didn't want to read too much into it. Unfortunately, at this moment, I couldn't help but do exactly that in my mind. I tried to shake that thought and go back to our conversation.

"So you gave Nikki your 10 minutes because your mind was already made up going in," I surmised.

"Indeed it was," she confirmed.

"Of course it was," I replied sharply. "Then why bother. It's not like anything I was going to say would have changed your mind. It's not like you started this game by choosing me. Heaven forbid that you might have shown me the respect of at least hearing me out. Nope. Not you. Not the mighty and firm Emma Cartwright."

My tone was stern and angry. She had pushed me to a place I did not want to go but had already reached. She owed me more than this, I believed. But in the back of my mind I was terrified that the truth was, after all this time, that she owed me nothing at all.

"Don't forget that I had to save face in front of my sister, too," she added insult to my injury.

"Right, how could I forget that," I responded sarcastically.

I stopped what I was doing and looked at her sternly. I slowed my mind down and replayed the exchange of words that had just occurred. I confused myself at some point, now not sure of what Emma meant by anything she said.

"So, what are you doing here then," I asked her directly.

Emma stood up off the edge of the bed and undid the belt that was holding her overcoat closed. She let the coat fall off her shoulders and I watched as it cascaded into a neat little lump on the floor. I took in the sight of Emma and was in awe.

She had on a black lace bra, a matching garter belt that was attached to lace thigh high stockings and black pumps. That was all that she was wearing. The sight of her gorgeous body captivated me instantly. I felt an immediate reaction under the towel that was still secured around my waist. I didn't have any words that would have justified speaking at that moment, so I remained cautiously silent.

Emma smiled at me as she began to move. She walked to me and then past me on my right. She put her left hand on my shoulder as she moved behind me. She let her fingers walk up my neck which sent a shiver down my spine and caused me to twitch slightly.

"I came here to set the record straight," Emma whispered in my left ear as she put her chin on my left shoulder.