Slow Poison

EPILOGUE (PART 2)

All this time, when I was away, I had no idea that Nicole was carrying a little human in her belly. A little baby that we made together, which was a part of her and also a part of me. I was going to be a father. Fuck! Thinking about it makes my heart fucking beat a thousand times faster. I know I should be angry at Mark for not telling me this before, but it just doesn't seem to matter anymore. The amount of happiness I am feeling right now is nothing compared to the rage that I could have felt for him. It just doesn't seem to exist. All I could think about now is my Nicole and the little me or little her that she is carrying in her round belly.

When I saw Nicole earlier, I knew something was different about her. She seemed chubbier, and it just made her look even sexier and pretty. Now I realize what's the reason behind her looking so radiant.

"Christopher?" Nicole gestures towards me to sit on the couch. "Do you want me to get something to drink?" she asks as she removes her coat and hangs it on the rack. I notice the beautiful white floral dress she is wearing which was earlier covered underneath the oversized coat she was having on. The dress hugs her belly perfectly, and it makes her look more gorgeous. Fuck! I look down at her full lips and restrain myself from grabbing her and kissing the hell out of her.

"No, thanks." I walk towards the couch, trying to distract my thoughts and place her bag that she dropped back there. I asked her to let me carry that for her. I feel guilty that she had already been through a lot on her own, so now when I am finally back, I wouldn't let her do anything.

"I just want you to sit here and listen to me," I say to her.

"Okay." She purses her lips and reaches to sit at a far corner of the couch. There is a moment of awkward silence as I sit down, keeping my distance. I don't want her to feel uncomfortable.

"You've got a nice place," I say to her after a moment, trying to start a conversation.

She puts a stray strand behind her ear and hesitates. "My parents got divorced." She then looks at me and says. "My mom came here to look after me and that's why we moved to this apartment."

"Is she here?" I ask her.

"No, she is out on her night shift." She answers. I want to ask her what does that means but at the same time, I don't want to be too nosy, so I simply jump to the next question.

"How are Francis and Charlotte?"

"They are good." She replies. "They have enrolled at UCLA. So we all can stay close."

"It means Mark is left alone in San Diego," I blurt, looking at her. "Maybe that's the reason why he finally got to realize his mistake."

Nicole raises an eyebrow at me in confusion when she doesn't get it.

"Your dad called me yesterday...." I begin to explain, but before I can go further, she cuts me off.

"So you decided to come back into my life again because my father granted you the permission to and not just because you really wanted to?" She asks me angrily.

"I didn't say that." I frown.

"But you exactly meant that."

I sigh. "No, Nicole. I mean, your father asking me to leave might be one reason...but there were several other factors too that led me to opt for that decision."

"Care to explain them to me?" Nicole says in a bitter tone.

"I had issues, Nicole. My mind wasn't in the right place."

"Then what did you do to get it in the right place?" She snaps, and it begins to piss me off.

"Will you just let me speak?" I clench my jaw and look at her. I don't know why she is being so childish. I can understand she is angry with me, but at least she can give me a chance to explain things to her. She doesn't say anything as she turns her gaze to the other side.