Wandering Off

How to keep a workaholic on bed rest

"Of course, that's why she didn't want me to tell him anything. Is she scared of him? Were you or are you? Did he threaten her or you", Sean inquired, but I shook my head quickly, explaining:

"It's not the way, you think it is. He is just as hard to himself and tries to push everyone, including his son and him, to go beyond what they think they can. I am very sure, if he had known about the baby, he would have carried her around instead of making her work harder. He loves her a lot, Sean. He just couldn't let go of his wife for so long, that he wanted to keep her from waiting for him and instead find someone, who could give her, what she deserved!"

My boyfriend nodded and laid his arms around me.

"I would like to bring her to the hospital or the practice and do an ultrasound and a couple of other tests. Would you like to come with us? We could spend some more time and Nathalie had a friend with her, a female, who she trusts. I always feel, that's making it easier for the women!", he suggested and I instantly agreed.

"Of course, I would love to come. If Gabriel is okay with it, that is!"

"I am more than okay with you coming with us", his usually calm and a little scary voice came from the door, just that he sounded anxious and nervous right now, "in fact, I am not sure, that I can stay all of the time, because there is a very important meeting today, that could decide over the brands complete future, so... I don't like it, but I have to be there. As I actually can't send my assistant...", he chuckled cynically, then admitted, "I've heard your conversation and must thank you for your nice words, I know, I have been a bloody bastard. But I want to do better with both these children. And I am feeling really bad, for pushing Nathalie too much! But I also figured something out, that will hopefully show her, what she means to me! But I have to wait for my lawyer to call, before I can do so."

I beamed widely. Having done one semester of family law at the university, I knew, what he was referring too.

"So you figured out, that your wife has been gone long enough for you to become a single man again, right? When and how are you going to ask Nathalie to marry you?", I exclaimed enthusiastically, "you have to do something very special, to prove, how big of an idiot and how wrong you were!"

He wanted to yell at me in anger, that much I could tell by his look, but then he lowered his gaze and stared to the floor, murmuring:

"You're right about that! I've hurt her too much and way too long. It's about time, that I try to make her happy!", he gave me a stern look, then gulped heavily, whispering with tears brimming his eyes, "I'm sorry for all, I put you through as well. I.....when I told you, that I love you, I meant it. I just.....it's.....Nathalie is....."

I stopped his rambling by laying a hand on his arm.

"I understand, Gabriel", I told him softly, "but right now the most important thing is, to take care of her health. Hers and her baby's! And while the two of you can take care of how to get her to the hospital or the practice, without drawing any attention, I'll go and see, how she's doing, alright?"

He nodded and bent down, to peck my cheek and I could literally hear and feel Sean tense up from a couple of feet away. I went to him and placed my mouth on his.

"Relax, this was nothing more than a kiss under friends!", I whispered against his lips.

Just a moment later, I gently knocked at the door frame of Nathalie's room, as the men had left it open to be able to notice, if something wasn't right.

"Hey", I said softly, "you really have to stop scaring me!"

I grinned at her mischievously, then went on: