Why Nickie Died

Unlike Nickie, Walter didn't waste any time.

He carried his bloody daughter in his rough hands, carrying her to his car. As he drove his daughter to the nearest hospital, a part of him tells that his daughter wouldn't have a chance. Another voice said she will.

Walter followed the second voice.

Poor Nickie, poor Nickie..., he kept on thinking. How horrible he felt. Nickie is the reason that he changed into another person. A better person. Guilt and anger suddenly filled his emotions. How could he let the past days pass by him without his daughter? With such frustration, he looked at his daughter at the back seat of the car. He sobbed as he slammed his hands on the car windows. He didn't care if his hands will bleed.

All he cared about was his daughter's life.

***

Walter hugged Anne as soon as she went inside the room where Nickie lied.

"Oh my God, Walter. Our poor daughter!!!", Anne shouted.

Walter hugged Anne tighter.

"I'm so sorry, Anne. This is the least that I can do.", he said as he looked into Anne's red eyes.
"You need some explaining to do.", Anne replied as she broke free of Walter arms.

They both sat down at the two little chairs.

"I-I don't know h-how t-to begin.", Walter said as he cried silently.
"Did you know that it's you that Nickie is always talking about when she stayed with me?"
"R-really?", Walter said as he looked up.
"Yes."

Walter relaxed a little bit.

"Okay. Before she moved in with you, we had a little fight.", Walter began. "Well, a big fight actually. She cried so much that day. And I still can't believe I'm the one responsible for that. For all of this, even. If I could just turn back time!!!", Walter shouted.
"Shh.", Anne comforted when her husband threatened to punch the walls.

Walter sighed.

"Then after that day, we haven't talked. We haven't had a single conversation, even. I knew at that day that I should apologize to her. For all the mistakes that I did to her. For making her feel horrible. But I couldn't, Anne. That day, it felt like Nickie is the parent. It felt like as if she was my mother. She's a strong girl, she really is.

"And then, she told me that you were coming here to New Jersey. I felt instantly happy with that information. I thought that, if you came to live with us, the tension between us will vanish. I waited days, but you weren't coming to my house. I felt afraid to ask Nickie about it. Then, one morning, I just woke up with the sound of a car taking off. And then I understood everything."

Anne cried in Walter shoulders.

"During the days that she was gone, It felt empty.", Walter continued. "I felt lonely and alone. Useless, even. I kept on thinking that I already lost you, Anne. And now I'm going to lose my only daughter." Walter looked at Nickie. "During those times, I even accepted the fact that I'm not going to see her anymore. I felt the pain that I experienced when you left me. Ten times stronger. I didn't know what I should do, actually. Until she called me one night.

"She was crying over the phone, and I absolutely felt I didn't desrve that kind of love. She was such a martyr. Then I found myself apologizing to her, too. After that moment, I made up my mind that I should change myself. Live a better life. That night, I knew that I wasn't going to see Nickie anymore. But I wasn't going to waste the only thing that Nickie left me. Her love.

"I planned on going to your house for her birthday. I wanted to surprise her, make her happy. I was actually nervous when I turned on to your street. That exact moment, I saw that stupid car hit my Nichole!", Walter said.

Anne comforted Walter again.

"She has changed us all. She brought us back together.", Anne concluded as she rested her head on Walter's right shoulder.

That was the time that Nickie stopped listening to her parents and give up with happiness.