43 - Im Sorry

"Are you ready, Helena?" Erik asked, taking his own bag with his personal things, without realizing that he hadn't closed the zipper and everything inside fell all over the living room floor. "Shit..." he exclaimed, bending down.

Helena, who was sitting on the couch along with her maternity bag and comfortable pajama clothes, couldn't help but laugh. Although she wanted to help, it would be impossible to bend down with the weight of her belly.

-Are you nervous, Erik? -She mocked.

The young man snorted as he put everything into his bag.

-I would be lying if I said no, I never thought about having children and I thought that then I would never have to be around something like that... -he exclaimed, closing his eye- These things really scare me.

-Erik, you're not helping...- she exclaimed annoyed.

-Sorry! But just thinking about it, the needles, the surgery...and...and...

"Stop it!" the young woman screamed. "Besides, you're not going to be there."

-Even so!-He said nervously. Then he took a deep breath and placed his backpack on his back and took Helena's bag, who was looking at him with an unfriendly face. "Okay, I've gotten it off my chest, I won't say anything more."

-Good- Helena smiled- Now help me up.

Erik took her arm and they both left the cabin where the car that would take them to the clinic was waiting for them.

Erik didn't say anything else, he didn't want to tell his sister that he was very scared, not only because the birth would have complications, but because while they were there they would be vulnerable to the Sol Group.

Yes, he had put all of his men guarding the clinic, but he was still very nervous.

He turned to her sister, and as best she could she smiled at him to encourage him, receiving a nervous smile from her.

"Everything is going to be fine," she exclaimed, begging for it to be so.

---

Nick was walking towards the car that was waiting for him at the entrance to his family's mansion. His father walked next to him holding a very expensive cane.

"Remember why you do this, son," his father said.

Before Nick got into the car he turned towards the house and looked at the second floor windows one by one, wondering in which of all those rooms his brother was imprisoned by his own father.

He felt the man's hand pressing on his back to get him into the car at once and he did.

The man leaned toward his son, showing his old, smiling face inside the car.

"Remember the plan and remember that you are a White, don't forget it," he said, closing the door in his face.

Mr. White hit the roof of the car and the driver took off, leaving with his bodyguard towards the clinic where Helena was about to give birth.

After a tortuous journey, they finally arrived, parking a little far from the clinic. His father's men were not stupid, they knew that his enemies would be surrounding the entire establishment to protect the brothers.

"I'll go first," Nick informed them, following the plan as his father had told him.

It was obeying or having his brother become just a memory.

---

Erik was at the reception with his sister when his cell phone rang. He took the call without flinching while Helena watched him out of the corner of her eye and surreptitiously. He could see how his brother's face paled as he listened to what they were saying on the other side.

"Okay, I'm going there," he exclaimed, cutting off the call.

-Who was?

"Nothing important," she lied.

-It's about Nick, right?

Erik couldn't help but be surprised by that.

-H-how do you know?-

-Okay Erik, let him pass, I told him to come.

"No, no way," he growled, remembering the grudge he had with the Whites.

"Erik, Nick is your friend, you yourself know that he is not like Ivan and his father... he no longer wants to have anything to do with them," he said softly.

-Even so…

"Please," he begged with his bright honey-colored eyes. "I want him to be here..."

Erik sighed exhaustedly, he knew that he had a weakness for his older sister, feeling like a miserable only child for so many years and suddenly knowing that he had a sister had been the best news of his life. Now he felt like he couldn't say no to anything she asked of him. He was lost.

Erik took his cell phone and dialed a number.

-Okay, tell him to come to the reception. Yes, I'm sure, just don't let your guard down...-he ordered, cutting the call.

Helena smiled widely and sat in the waiting room awaiting the arrival of her brother-in-law. On the other hand, Erik couldn't sit still, he kept looking in all directions with paranoia, fearing an ambush at any moment.

-Helena!-Erik turned towards the voice that he knew perfectly.

He couldn't help but become defensive, clenching his fists as Nick approached them. But when he saw his friend's face and his wide, bright smile, his fists unclenched. He had always set Nick apart from his family, he had been a great friend of his all his life. He saw beyond his last name.

"Hello Nick!" the young woman exclaimed happily.

Nick waved at her.

-But he just looks at that belly! -He exclaimed happily. Then he timidly looked at his friend.

-Hello Erik…

"Nick," she said.

-I know you don't trust me and I understand it. – He began to say – But believe me, I am not like them….

Nick felt shit about lying to their faces. He looked at his friend's belly and her radiant smile, and prayed that they would ever forgive him for his betrayal.

They couldn't say anything else because a nurse came over with a wheelchair for the young woman.

-Are you ready miss?

Erik and Nick looked at each other before helping her into the chair.

"Ready," she said with emotion as the three walked towards the maternity section along with two other bodyguards that Nick knew he had to get rid of to continue with his perverted father's plan.

---

Erik was sitting on a stool in the maternity waiting room while he waited for news about Helena. In front of him stood two bodyguards, one on each side of the surgery.

Nick arrived with a cardboard tray with four coffees.

"Here... you need it," he exclaimed, placing the glass of steaming coffee in front of Erik's face.

The young man removed his hands from his house and looked up at his friend, who was smiling sideways. He looked at the glass and wrapped it in his hands, feeling the comforting warmth of the drink.

"Thank you..." he murmured, taking a sip of coffee.

-A lot is missing?

"I shouldn't… they must be finishing already," he exclaimed thoughtfully.

Nick approached the men and handed them two coffees.

The bodyguards seemed unfazed by the glasses in front of them, completely ignoring the young man.

-Okay, drink some, it's going to be a long night.

The men obeyed and drank their coffees, nodding their heads in gratitude.

Nick sat next to Erik and silently watched him drink every last drop of coffee.

"Everything is going to be fine," Nick exclaimed.

Erik didn't say anything. That phrase was beginning to make no sense to him. Everyone said that, even himself. But would everything really turn out well? Until he was back with Helena and the child, far away from there and away from danger, he would not feel calm.

He suddenly began to feel the edges of his vision turn black and a tiredness overwhelmed him. He looked up and rubbed his eyes hard against his heavy eyelids. He watched in bewilderment as both men slid down the wall until they were sitting limp on the floor.

"What do I..." he could barely say, his tongue feeling numb.

He shifted his blurry gaze toward Nick, meeting a look of…

Blame?

-That…?

"I'm sorry, Erik," he exclaimed with a broken voice. "I'm very sorry."

The last thing the young Black saw before falling unconscious was the face of his friend with her eyes full of tears.