Can't Get Over You, Can't Get Through to You

Brian's POV

I woke up to see a pair of brown eyes, my eyes, looking straight at me. There was Mariemaia, right in front of my face, smiling, and waiting for me to get up. "Morning Daddy," she said, giving me a hug.

"Morning Mari," I laughed, hugging my daughter back.

I looked to the side and saw that Nikki was gone. She always was there whenever I woke up and I was getting worried.

"Where's your mommy," I asked.

Right on queue, Nikki walked out of the bathroom, drying her hair. She had a pair of black jeans on and a black tank top on. She had a black and white striped tie in her mouth as she tossed the towel onto a chair, putting on the white button down shirt. Mari and I watched as Nikki rolled the sleeves up to her elbows and began tying the tie.

"Morning you two," Nikki said, giving us each a kiss on the foreheads.

"Why are you up early," I asked, watching as Mari laughed as Nikki tied her tie around her head.

"Because I have a session with my therapist," she replied.

"Oh. So I guess I'll have Mari for the morning?"

"Yeah. I'm leaving right now so you'll have to drive one of my cars and no, I'm not letting you drive my Lambo," Nikki said, putting on a leather jacket.

"Aw, you never let me drive the Lambo," I complained.

"Too bad. Its mine."

I drove Nikki's Hummer to the Atruskia. Mariemaia begged me to drive it so I did. I can't say no to her, can I? She followed me in, holding her tiger in her arms, as we walked in. The valet greeted us warmly because they knew she was the owner's daughter and I was now the owner's boyfriend. So yeah, everyone has to be nice to us or else they feel the wrath of Nicole Storm McCade who happens to be going through heroin withdrawals.

"Grandma, Grandpa," Mari squealed when she saw my parents.

They smiled as she ran towards them. Mariemaia is spoiled by my parents, she really is. As much as Nikki and I tried to not spoil her, she is. Then again, Nikki had bought her anything she wanted.......except for a horse. She put her foot down on the horse and was against it. She still is against it.

"Where's Nikki," dad asked, looking around for her.

"Therapy."

"How is she," Suzy asked as we headed to the food court.

"She tries to hide it," I sighed, biting my lip, "She's up really early or awake all night. She's restless when she actually does sleep. Its honestly really hard to watch Nikki go through all this."

I thought about the nights where I'd wake up to find Nikki sitting there, wide awake as she stared at the walls. Occasionally she'd move to her study, lie on the couch and stare at the infomercials on the TV. Other times, she'd sit in the kitchen and stare off at the walls. It was just heart breaking to watch it and having to explain to Mariemaia why her mom is like that is even worst.

"How's Mari taking it," dad asked as Mari dragged Suzy to a restaurant to get food.

"Nikki tries to hide it from her but Mari knows that there's something wrong. I tried to explain to her but I just couldn't."

He just nodded. How the Hell was a parent supposed to explain to a child that her mother is a heroin addict who's going cold turkey so is going to be acting weird? But then again, Mariemaia was one smart kid.

"You still wear that?"

"Wear what," I asked as my dad's voice brought me out of my thoughts.

"That necklace," he pointed.

I looked down to see what he was talking about. It was the promise ring I was originally going to give Nikki but she disappeared on us. Out of depression, I just put it around a chain and wore it, eventually forgetting that it was there. I don't know why I did it, I just did.

"Yeah."

"You should give it to Nikki," my dad said.

"Why?"

"Its obvious that you still love her and she does in fact love you."

"Brian, what's Mariemaia's last name," Suzy asked as they came back.

"McCade. That's Nikki's last name," I replied, confused.

"Then why did everyone refer to her with your last name?"

My jaw dropped as I looked at Mariemaia who was eating ice cream. "Mari, what's your mommy's last name?"

"McCade."

"What's you're last name?"

"Her last name is the same as yours, Brian. I put your name instead of my own," Nikki's voice came.

Nikki's POV

I walked into the Atruskia after my session with Dr. Levesque. She wanted me to write down my thoughts and what I did when I was having "a moment", aka going through one of my fits. I guess she wanted to "study" me before giving me medication or something like. Dr. Levesque also wanted me to do something else but I said I'd think about it.

There was Suzy, Papa, Brian, and Mari all talking to one another. I guess they found out that Mariemaia's last name is not my last name.

"Her last name is the same as yours, Brian. I put your name instead of my own."

They all looked at me when I said that, shocked. I knew they would be but I guess they thought that I'd use my last name.

"Her last name is Haner," Brian asked, walking towards me.

"Yup."

"I assumed that it was McCade," he muttered.

I rolled my eyes, "You know what it means to assume, right?"

"Yeah. I made an ass out of myself."

I smiled as I gave him a hug. "Surprising isn't it?"

"Yeah."

"Oh, my therapist wants you to come with me to my next session."