Disclaimer: All characters are owned by someone greater & more powerful than me; only their ideas suck so I�m using mine ha ha� Nora stepped out of the cab struggling to put her umbrella up as she crossed the street to her apartment, in the end she decided to simply make a run for it. She finally made it to her front door soaking through and more than a little annoyed; it had been another one of those days. She fumbled in her bag for the keys and as she did she could hear a strange noise from inside, a moaning almost. She gently turned the key and slid the door open as she crept inside, Jack was supposed to be home alone so what the hell was he doing in there? The lights were dim and she could just make out whispered voices coming from the lounge and there was no mistaking the definite sound of somebody making love. She marched into the lounge and found Jack lying on the couch in sweatpants staring at the t.v and laughing hysterically as Nora turned the lights on. She threw her bag onto a chair. �What the hell are you doing?� �Watching American Pie, it�s fucking brilliant.� �How much have you had to drink.� �Hmm I don�t remember.� He grinned childishly and sat up. �So how was your evening?� �Lousy!� She marched into the kitchen and began fussing with the coffeepot before giving it up and simply pouring herself a glass of wine and collapsing on the couch next to Jack. He lifted his legs to the side so she could sit down and then rested them on her knee watching her as she sipped her wine and stared at the t.v. �How the hell can you watch this, isn�t it just soft porn?� �No, it�s funny stuff, reminds what it was like to be a teenager.� �So you did this kind of stuff?� She smiled pointing at the screen. �Not exactly, forget it.� He switched the television off and turned his full attention to her. �So what went wrong this evening?� �Don�t even ask, there is no way I�m going to win this next election.� �Of course you will and you know it.� He rubbed her arm and turned the t.v back on. �So cheer up.� �That�s it, that�s the end of the chat.� She took a gulp of wine and leant back on the couch. �We�ve only been married a year and already he�s losing interest.� �Oh come on, as if I�d ever lose interest.� He smiled and took hold of her hand. �I can see you�re stressed, so why don�t we just relax and watch this and then maybe if you�re lucky I may just carry you to bed.� He leant forward and kissed her cheek suggestively. �Hmm you will.� He nodded while staring at the screen and smiling, and she picked the remote control up and turned the t.v off again and threw the remote across the floor. �What the hell � Nora! I was watching that.� �Well maybe I want to talk.� �Ok, about?� He turned onto his back so he could see better, but Nora lifted his legs up and got up from the couch beginning to pace the room. �Come on, talk to me, is it the election?� �No, it�s more serious.� She stopped pacing and put her glass down on the coffee table. �God this is hard, especially as I never ever thought I�d have to do it.� �Nora, you�re scaring me now, what is it, are you ill?� �No, not really. I mean Jack, I think I may be pregnant� which is impossible really considering my age and the fact that in my entire life I�ve never have been caught out. But we don�t really use protection and I� I just don�t know.� She collapsed into a chair across from him. �Have you been to the Doctors?� �No, can�t get an appointment until next week.� �I�ll come with you.� �Are you upset?� �No! God no,� He moved over to her and knelt down taking her hand. �Nora, if you are pregnant then we�ll deal with it together like we have every thing else. How could I possibly be upset? It would be our child.� �But we never even considered children, I�ve never really wanted them.� She pushed Jack�s arms away and got up again running her hand through her wet hair, she smelt of drying rain and her clothes were sticking to her. �I�ve gotta have a shower and go to bed, I�m so tired.� �Ok, I�ll make you some tea and bring it in.� He went to rub her shoulder but she ignored him and walked straight into the bedroom closing the door. * * * When Nora finally emerged from the bathroom Jack was already in bed, he usually read when she wasn�t there or simply turned the lamp off and closed his eyes. But not tonight, he was staring at the walls expectantly, waiting for her. She took off her robe and walked around the side of the bed, turning off the lamp on her side before she climbed in next to him. �I made you tea.� Jack whispered. �I�m fine.� She snapped back, she heard his sharp intake of breath and instantly regretted taking her mood out on him. She moved closer to him and he lifted his arm up so she could bury her head against his chest. �I�m sorry.� She eventually said. �I know. I�m sorry you�re not happy about this.� �It�s not that I�m not happy about it, I�m just, well shocked.� Jack laughed. �Me too, thought I was too old for all this baby stuff, I feel like those kids in that god damn movie. Good job you�re the only woman I�ve slept with without protection! Sorry I�m making jokes.� �Inappropriate ones too.� She pinched his side. �But I don�t mind.� She rested herself comfortably against him and closed her eyes. * * * Three hours had passed and still neither of them had been able to go to sleep. It had stopped raining now but it was hot and sticky and Jack had thrown his half of the duvet off as they�d tossed and turned in bed. He lay on his back watching Nora�s chest rise and fall with her breathing. �Stop watching me.� She whispered without opening her eyes. �I can�t sleep.� He replied. �It�s too hot.� �I know, just try not to move and it�s not as uncomfortable.� �It�s not just that.� He whispered turning onto his back and closing his eyes. They were silent again for a while, but Nora knew Jack wanted to talk some more, and she understood why, there was plenty to say. She tried to formulate some kind of sentence appropriate for broaching the subject but really she had no more idea than he did about where this was going. She opened her eyes and looked across at the clock, 3a.m thank god it was Saturday so she didn�t have to worry about dragging herself into work. �I�m scared.� She finally whispered. �Me too.� Jack instantly replied turning back to her and grabbing her hand. �I�ve never even considered the idea of us starting a family. I thought that was behind me, and with our ages.� �I know, I hate to think of myself as old but�� �You�re not old, it�s just not always straightforward having a baby at your age.� �Far too many things can go wrong Jack, the problems the baby could have.� �And you, I�m worried about you, I couldn�t bear not having you here with me.� �Jack please.� She turned onto her side to face him and his arms slipped around her waist. �No listen, when I lost Claire I never thought I�d find anybody who could make me feel good about myself again. But you have, I thought she was the one but I was wrong and I�m damned if I�m going to let you go.� She gently kissed him and watched his reaction as she did. �I do love you Nora.� He whispered. �I know.� She kissed him again, this time with her eyes closed; it was good to know after a year of marriage the magic hadn�t faded. He rolled her onto her back and kissed the base of her neck, the place he liked best. �I love you more now than I did when we married.� �You do � why?� She ran her hand through his hair. �Because I know you better.� He rested his head on the pillow next to her. �That�s why I know if you do turn out to be pregnant we�ll be having this baby.� She smiled relieved. �Thank you, I couldn�t not at least try. It may seem strange to people, to reach my age and then start thinking about babies but I really have never been in the position before where I�ve wanted to have a child with someone. If I am pregnant then this could be my only chance.� �I know, but if we do go ahead with it there will be no late nights at work, no rushing about, no stressful weeks spent campaigning for what you believe in.� �Alright, I get the point.� �Good, because I want you and the baby healthy. I need you.� * * * Two Days Later Jack knew there was no definite confirmation that Nora was pregnant, she still had three days until her doctor's appointment and yet he couldn�t resist getting excited all over again at the prospect of becoming a father. He hadn�t exactly excelled at it first time around, but he was a different person now, no longer selfish and completely consumed with work. And more importantly than that he�d found the right woman this time the one he was meant to be with. He squeezed the teddy bear in his hand and laughed at how ridiculous he�d been buying it on the spur of the moment. But he wanted to get Nora something and somehow this seemed appropriate. He put it back in the gift bag and hid it under his desk when he spotted Nora approaching his office door. �Hey.� He smiled as she came in; he went to kiss her but stopped himself. He�d realised she didn�t like to give the others something to gossip about. �What�s wrong, you don�t look happy. Is it the election again?� �No, can I sit down, are you busy?� �Not especially, I�d always make time for you.� He sat on the edge of his desk as she almost collapsed onto his sofa. �Coffee?� She shook her head. �Jack I have something to tell you.� �Ok.� He folded his hands, expecting to be grilled over some case. �This is very awkward, and a little embarrassing to be honest. I, erm, I just went to the bathroom and well I think I can safely say I�m not pregnant.� �What?!� He blurted out shocked. �I�m sorry, I know you were getting excited.� �So were you and it�s not your fault.� He knelt down in front of her taking her shaking hands, not caring that the entire office could see them through the windows. �I guess we just got caught up in it all, we should have waited until we�d been to the doctors.� She nodded trying not to cry. �I was just kind of getting used to the idea of being a mom.� �Oh honey.� He pulled her close to him and she buried her head against his chest as the tears spilled over. He gently rubbed her back and kissed her head. �We can still try if you want to.� �I don�t know, I guess it just means I wasn�t meant to have children.� She lifted her head back up. �We don�t know that.� He rubbed the tears from her cheeks and kissed her forehead and she shook her head trying to shake off the feeling of dread. �Oh god, everyone�s seen.� �Forget about them, why don�t I take you out for lunch. We could go to the park for a an hour.� �I could use the air, it�s so hot in here. I�ll go tidy myself up, do I look a real mess?� �No, perfect.� �You�re biased. But thank you.� She rested her open palm against his chest then leant forward and kissed him properly, full on the mouth. �I love you. I won�t be long.� �Ok.� Jack watched her leave before he stood up. He didn�t even think about the implications of the office staff witnessing that little scene. He reached under his desk to the gift bag and pulled it up, he didn�t look inside just opened his filing cabinet and tucked it behind the hundreds of files in there. It was something Nora didn�t need to see right now. |
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| S c a r e |
| by Ms. E |