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Date Posted: 00:49:29 02/10/09 Tue
Author: Hannah
Author Host/IP: bas21-toronto12-1242561122.dsl.bell.ca / 74.15.250.98
Subject: Northern Woods, Chapter 167
In reply to: Hannah 's message, "Northern Woods, Chapter 167" on 00:46:40 02/10/09 Tue

Chapter 167

Lakeisha’s door opened, but Willie didn’t notice. Instead, he continued to brood over what he saw as his earlier lack of foresight; a willing captive in his self-imposed dungeon of recrimination.

‘Damn… I hope Nikita’s okay.’ He thought miserably. ‘She really looked upset earlier. I can’t believe what that witch did! Damn it all.. a lot of good *I* am as a bodyguard.. I didn’t see that attack coming! Michael’s going to kill me later!’

“Willie?” Lakeisha murmured softly.

Willie looked up in surprise at the unexpected interruption, finally registering the fact that Lakeisha was standing before him.

“What?” Willie snapped suspiciously as he noted her impish grin. “What in the world are you so happy about?”

“Are you okay, Willie?” Lakeisha inquired gently.

“No, I’m not okay. Is Nikita?” he asked quietly.

“Of course she’s okay Willie.” Lakeisha replied. “She wasn’t hurt before remember?”

“Yeah, I know, but she did look like she was in shock.” Willie retorted.

“She was, I think.” Lakeisha replied. “However, everything’s fine now.”

“Are you sure?” he asked.

“Very sure.” Lakeisha replied. “Are *you* okay?”

“Yeah, right… sure.” Willie grumbled. “I’m just *fine*.”

“That’s good.” Lakeisha replied simply as she smirked at his glowering face.

“What are you so happy about?” Willie repeated miserably. “I can’t imagine why you aren’t mad at me. I failed. I didn’t protect Nikita.”

“That’s ridiculous Willie! You didn’t fail her!” Lakeisha said softly. “There wasn’t any way in the world you could have foreseen that woman tossing wine all over Nikita.”

Willie said nothing, but glowered moodily in response; refusing to meet her concerned gaze.

‘Oh my… he’s really upset!’ Lakeisha realized. ‘I’m mad at him… but I can’t let him suffer over this!’

“Willie?” she tried again.

“What?” he snapped.

“You didn’t fail Nikita.” Lakeisha proclaimed insistently.

“That’s your opinion.” He maintained stubbornly. “Michael will probably fire me.”

“I doubt that. If you’ll stop being so moody for about five minutes, maybe you’ll hear what I’m going to ask you.” Lakeisha continued.

“You have my undivided attention.” A petulant Willie replied; now watching his love seriously.

“Nikita wants to know if you’ll escort her downstairs.” Lakeisha inquired, shaking her head at his temperamental behaviour.

“Of course.” Willie replied, with a surprised look on his face. “You three managed to fix her dress?”

“Not exactly.” Lakeisha replied. “It’s still soaking… but Marie thinks it will be fine. Michael supplied us with another one for her.”

“Another one?” a puzzled Willie replied. “How? When?”

“Earlier this evening… but that doesn’t matter right now. Wait until you see her Willie.” Lakeisha gushed in reply. “Remember how Michael calls her an angel?”

Willie’s lips reluctantly curved in a slight grin. “Yeah. I can see why he’d say that, you know? She does resemble one… and not just physically.”

“I know.” Lakeisha replied. “If you’ve seen that before… wait until you see her now!”

“What do you mean?” a now puzzled Willie replied.

“Will you escort me downstairs Willie?” Nikita’s familiar voice rang out in interruption. “After all, if this is going to be *a show*, I’ll need your assistance.”

“Nikita?” Willie replied, as his head snapped up towards the sound of that voice coming from Lakeisha’s doorway.

“Isn’t she gorgeous?” Lakeisha whispered breathlessly, as a wide-eyed Willie’s head swiveled sharply towards her opened hotel room door.

Willie just stared in open-mouthed wonderment as he noted his ‘sister’s’ ‘diamond’ covered lacy gown and the delicate pink roses she held.

He’d always known that the white girl Carla had befriended was beautiful both inwardly and physically, but he was stunned momentarily by the vision in front of him. Nikita looked incredible!

“You’re beautiful. You really look like a bride.” A wide-eyed Willie finally breathed. “I wish Mom and Tyrone could see you.”

‘And Carla.’ Lakeisha thought. ‘Oh Carla… you’d be so proud of Nikita! You’d be so happy for her too!’

“Thank you.” Nikita responded as a blush arose in her pale cheeks.

‘She’s blushing! Doesn’t she know she’s beautiful?’ Willie wondered in amazement. ‘Doesn’t she know how special she is? Mom and Dad saw it too… I know they did! Only Michael has ever pinned it down… she *is* as sweet and as lovely as the priests say angels are! Doesn’t she know *that’s why* Tyrone and I protected her as much as we did Carla? She became our sister… doesn’t she know how much we came to care about her?’

“D-did you say you needed me to escort you?” Willie asked as he finally recovered enough to be lucid. ‘Somehow… I have to let her know how we all feel… how we all *felt* for her! She’s the only sister I have left!’

“Yes.” Nikita replied with a sweet smile that made Willie’s determination to do that jell. “If we’re going to do this *right*, I’ll need an escort to take me to my *groom*, wouldn’t you say?”

Willie nodded mutely, unsure of what he should say.

‘If that’s what she wants… sure.’ He thought, overwhelmed by the vision he saw standing before him. ‘She deserves that if not more.’

“I thought maybe” Nikita continued with a loving smile, “that my *brother* would like to volunteer for the job.”

“I’d be honoured.” Willie replied as a gentle smile finally lit up his handsome face. “Michael is one hell of a lucky guy.”

“And I’m lucky to have him.” Nikita replied seriously. As she leaned forward and gently kissed Willie’s cheek. “And I’m also lucky to have you for a ‘brother’.”

“You’re not mad at me?” Willie inquired incredulously. ‘So she does realize… just a little maybe?’

“For what?” Nikita asked curiously; cocking her head and looking inquiringly at Willie with wide serious blue eyes.

“That… that woman… she… she attacked you…” Willie stammered.

“Yes, she did.” Nikita replied, as her tone turned into what he and the others heard as a ‘sisterly’ one while she took in her ‘brother’s’ serious demeanour . “And you’re not to blame yourself Willie… do you hear me? I know you. You’ve been standing out here all this time berating yourself for your failure to protect me, haven’t you?”

“I did fail you.” Willie said simply as he nodded affirmatively. “I’m sorry.”

“Willie…” Nikita said with a soft sigh. “That’s ridiculous! You did not fail me. I refuse to let you think that even for one more minute… do you hear me?”

“But I..” Willie began again.

“No.” Nikita said firmly. “You did not fail me. Claire’s attack was not something you could have anticipated.”

“B..b..but..” a now stuttering Willie began; overwhelmed by the compassion and understanding he plainly saw in the serious blue eyes of the beautiful woman he considered to be his surrogate sister, “Michael hired me to anticipate the unexpected. I didn’t. It’s that simple.”

“I appreciate your determination to do a good job Willie, but you’re not physic.” Nikita replied firmly once more as she continued to gaze seriously at her ‘brother’. “Besides, I wasn’t hurt, I just got spattered with wine. No one ever died from that.”

“True.” Willie quietly conceded, “but you didn’t deserve that kind of treatment. I know you liked that dress and you looked really hot in it too.”

“You’re very sweet Willie” Nikita replied with a slight smile as her face flushed anew, “but Marie assures me the dress will survive, and I’m sure I will too.”

Marie smiled too, seeing the genuine affection between the lovely blonde and the dark-skinned security man. ‘He talks to her like Chuck does with me!’ she realized as she listened to the gentle banter that reminded her of her sibling’s teasing.

“All right. I’ll accept that.” Willie replied; nodding his head slightly in concession to her point of view. “As long as you think Michael will feel the same way.”

“I’m sure he will.” Nikita said firmly as her loving blue eyes continued to scan his face for any wavering from what she wanted to see there. Her smile broadened slightly when her perusal was rewarded with his concurrence.

“If you say so. Now… let’s get this… what did you call it? This *show*… on the road.” Willie grinned.

“Yes, let’s.” Nikita replied with a sweet smile. “Poor Michael must be wondering if I’m coming back to the party.”

“I’m sure. If you ask me, I think that husband of yours has waited long enough for his gorgeous wife. Shall we?” Willie replied.

‘It *must* be the dresses… he must have liked both of them!’ Nikita thought modestly as she felt her face flush again. ‘Why else would Willie be handing out compliments? He never did before!’

Willie leaned forward and gently kissed a still blushing Nikita’s forehead. “I’m proud of you Nikita. Those women were ignorant to you… and you didn’t retaliate. You’re a real class act, sis. Mom would be proud of you and so would Tyrone.” He murmured, and then before she could reply, he gently tucked her arm within his. Ignoring her startled reaction, he purposefully began striding towards the elevators.

‘Ohhhhh… when he’s being *that* sweet it’s hard to stay mad at him!’ Lakeisha thought as she observed the gentle interactions of the man she loved with her friend.

‘How truly wonderful!’ Marie thought as she took in the emotional interactions of the people who had entered Michel’s life. ‘No wonder Michel looked so happy until those witches attacked! Nikita and these two have brought a joy back to his life that Chuck tells me died a long time ago! He and Adam will be safe in their care! I just know it!’

“Come on Marie…” Lakeisha said, breaking her reverie and gesturing to her new acquaintance. “Let’s go and get that party underway again!’

“Good idea.” Marie agreed.

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