"It's okay," Nicole assured her. "I'm going to get help." She got up and started to the doorway, but bumped into the large figure that instantly came in front of her. She shrieked, but then realized it was just Ethan and hugged him tightly.
"Jesus, baby." He frantically looked her over as she repeatedly assured him she was fine.
"Please Ethan, you've got to get help for my mother, she's dying. Marvin shot her in the stomach."
"Are you fine?"
"Yes." She cupped his face to assure his racing panic. "Get help right away, please love."
Understanding lifted his form and he rushed over to the staircase running past Marvin's dead body and out the door. Sirens were real close, but Nicole was intent on saving her mother's life.
Kneeling back to her mother, she rubbed her forehead for comfort. Lynne opened her eyes and tears ran down her cheek. There was a lot of pain on her face, but Nicole had a feeling it had nothing to do with her physical suffering.
Nicole reached down and applied pressure over her mother's hands. "Just hold still, Lynne."
"I'm...sorry Nicole. I should have realized you were the innocent a long time ago. It wasn't your fault."
"Don't talk, just hold still," she whispered desperately to Lynne. "Save your strength."
Lynne pried her hand from under Nicole and grasped her shoulder. "Do you love him?"
Nicole saw the intense look in her mother's eyes and couldn't help but tell the truth. "Yes, I love him."
This seemed to relieve Lynne for the moment and she relaxed a bit and rested her hand on top of Nicole's. "I had to know and he has to know. He needs love, Nicole. He needs more than I could ever give, cause I could never love myself. I don't blame Nanna for my evils. I was trying to compete with Ecole and I should have known I never could, but I should have accepted who I was. I never could even after she died knowing Marvin and I had betrayed her. I'm sorry. Then Nanna found out about the betrayal which caused...her first stroke. I thought if I could get the money I would be happy, but it wouldn't have." She sobbed. "When I saw that pain Ethan caused you by breaking your heart, I knew then what I did to you was wrong. I knew nothing in this world could ever be done to make up for what I've done in the past. Oh Nicole, I should have never done this too you."