A Dance of Life

19

Days turn into weeks and Nathan is still upset with me. The one time I get to see him is when he picks up the kids for school and drops them home afterwards. But the encounters have become so uncomfortable that I started to make myself scarce.

Fortunately, I'm able to start shadowing Ms. Bernard, after getting permission from the doctor, and get out of the house. She starts me off with the 6-8 year olds; they have 1 hour classes twice a week so it's not too much stress.

I'm reaching the end of three months and my belly is starting to really show. The diet has also done its job and everything is bigger than I'm used to, even my biggest shirt can't conceal the fact that I've put on some weight.

I'm sitting cross-legged on the couch Friday afternoon with a scrapbook/album in front of me. All of us at home have been making the most out of my pregnancy and we've been taking pictures of me at all sorts of times. This has resulted in the most diverse and artistic baby album I've ever seen. But considering that I only have the one my mom made for reference, I wouldn't give myself too much credit.

Because the diner is holding an event this evening, Pat had to leave for work early. So I'm alone at home trying to organize the scrapbook and my life. Only the former seems to be going as planned. I'm itching my belly with my shirt raised over it when the door opens abruptly. Lucas runs to me and envelopes me in a hug before I have time to react and pull my shirt down. He's been doing this every day to see how big I've grown. I tap his head in greeting before he runs into the bedroom.

How did I forget to lock the door?

I turn to find Nathan frozen in the doorway staring at me. I quickly cover myself and stand, but he seems to remember that he's not talking to me and turns to leave.

"Nathan, hold on a sec," I say, standing to meet him.

He stops and faces me, his face uninterested. He doesn't say anything; just lifts an eyebrow as a sign that he's willing to hear what I have to say.

I clear my throat and scratch my head nervously as I try to figure out how to start. "I'm sorry," I simply say after coming up short.

"It's fine, Annelise, I'm not mad at you," he replies in a monotone voice.

I squint at him in disbelief, "Yes, you are; can you even hear the way you're talking to me?"

"I'm finding it difficult to figure out how to balance my charity work from my personal life, so pardon me."

"Okay, I deserved that but this just proves that you're still upset."

"Fine," he says, throwing his hands in the air, "I'm upset; are you happy now?"

"Of course I'm not happy. Why would I be happy about the fact that you're upset with me?" I ask him, shaking my head in exasperation.

"Annelise, can I please take a nap before I start on my homework?" Lucas asks from the bedroom entrance.

I face him with a smile, "Sure, and you don't have to do your homework today if you don't want to."

His face lights up at the prospect of a free night and he dashes back into the room, slamming the door. I sigh and turn back to Nathan but he's not there. I see him entering his car and I make a quick decision to go after him.

"Hey! Hey, stop; I want to talk to you," I tell him once I reach him, slightly out of breath.

I'm so unfit, geez, I think to myself.

"We're not done with the conversation, but I know you're an expert at that; leaving people hanging."

I mentally facepalm myself, there you go again, Annelise.