Chapter 24
All the five tests came out positive for pregnancy, and Nora had started packing her bags. She was carrying Theo’s child. She had a part of him growing inside her, and now she could feel it. Every so often, she stopped and placed a hand on her belly and she couldn’t help herself from smiling. Even though there was no future for them together, at least this way, she would always have a part of him with her. Even if he never knew.
Now her feelings of impending motherhood overwhelmed whatever sadness she might have felt for leaving home again. She couldn’t be sad anymore, because she was going to have a child in nine months and that child was going to be as much Theo’s as it was going to be hers. Even without knowing, his wish was going to come true. He was going to be a father.
Nora carried her bags downstairs and left them by the front door. Her father was in the living room, still sitting on the couch, but he wasn’t watching TV anymore. He noticed the change of clothes. She was dressed for traveling, and he knew.
“What are you going to do, Nora?” he asked, in the same somber voice. She could sense that he had been sitting here, thinking about all this.
“Nothing different, dad. I’m going to go back to work and live my life normally. I have my own place now and a good job, so stability and money won’t be an issue,” she said, wringing her hands together. This was not the kind of conversation she had planned on having with him on this trip.
Her father took in a deep breath and nodded his head.
“So, I’m going to be a grandfather,” he said, a smile creeping up on his face and Nora felt a flood of relief.
“If everything goes well, then, yes,” she said and walked over to him to give him a hug.
“I’ll come visit you when I’m fit enough to travel. You don’t need to worry about me, honey,” he said, encasing her in his arms. Nora closed her eyes as she rested her head on his chest and held her father tightly.
“I won’t. I know you can take care of yourself,” she said and drew away from him. They were smiling at each other, and she was glad that he had taken it so well.
“You don’t have to return here anytime soon if it’s going to be painful for you,” he said, with kindness in his eyes and Nora nodded her head.
“Yeah, I might stay away for a while. But there’s always room for you in my apartment, so I’ll see you soon,” she said and he tried to stand but she patted him back down on the couch.
“You don’t have to stand up dad,” she said and they heard the honk of the cab outside. “My ride’s here. I have to go now. I love you and you take care of yourself,” she said and placed a kiss on top of his head.
Nora tried to keep her body from shaking as she walked to the door with her bags. She waved at him from outside, as she got into the cab and saw him wave back at her. She couldn’t even imagine if he would ever speak to Theo again, if their friendship was now ruined. But she couldn’t worry about that anymore, she had to think about the human being that was growing inside her.
The cab drove through the streets towards the airport, and Nora stared at the town passing her by. When was she going to visit again? Another seven years might go by before the pull of her hometown might become too overwhelming. She wouldn’t want her child to never visit its grandfather. Would Theo still be there? Nora pressed her eyes close, trying to not think about him anymore. She knew she was always going to be in love with him and this child would be a testament to it.
She still had her eyes closed and squealed when the cab came to a screeching stop.
“What the Hell, man!” the cab driver banged the door open and jumped out. Nora looked over the seat with widened eyes and saw that an Audi had parked itself right in the middle of the road, blocking the cab’s path. There could have been an accident!
Theo was getting out of the front seat, facing up to the driver and Nora pushed the door open and got out.
“Just relax!” Theo was yelling back at the cab driver and then he caught Nora’s eye and rushed towards her.
“What do you think you’re doing, Theo?” she screeched at him, confused and still in shock.
“Nora, you can’t leave right now,” he said, grabbing her roughly by the shoulders.
“You could have gotten us killed!” the cab driver was screaming behind them.
He was staring into her eyes as he held her, and she was aware that they were holding up traffic. That people had stopped on the pavements to stare at them.
“We have to get off the road right now, Theo,” she said, flaring her nostrils at him.
“Just hear me out, okay?” he said and Nora looked around her, at the surprised faces of locals on the street.
“Nora, look at me…look at me!” Theo’s voice was ringing in her ears and she was beginning to feel sick again. Her knees were buckling as he held her, she was going to collapse. Theo grabbed her waist and pulled her up against himself, before she could react, he had pressed his lips to her and Nora gasped, kissing him back furiously. She clutched a fistful of his shirt in both hands and clung to him, as his tongue parted her lips and he devoured her. Dizzy with desire and feeling overwhelmed with her happiness, Nora kissed him back. She didn’t care anymore who was looking.