Chapter 53 Nora
NORA
Iclimb onto Nate’s lap, straddling him on the sofa, and kiss his forehead. “You all right?”
His hands slide over my belly, and he buries his face in my breasts. “I’m sorry.” He kisses my chest over my dress.
I hold him against me. “Everything will be all right, won’t it?”
His breath falters. “I’m sorry for how things went down, but I’m not sorry for standing up for our baby.” His hands smooth over my belly again. “You and this baby mean everything to me.”
“I know. I love you so much, and Ev and our baby.” My fingertips run through his hair, scratching his scalp. “Where’s Ev?”
Nate peers up at me with sad eyes. “He’s upstairs figuring some things out.” His thumb traces slow circles over my belly.
I pull back, my hands on his shoulders. “What things?”
“I don’t know. I think he needs some space. Maybe you can talk some sense into him, but I sure as hell can’t.” He drops his head, caressing my belly. “I don’t want you getting upset. Today’s been stressful enough already.”
“Why would I get upset?” My chest tightens, my pulse kicking up.
Nate wraps his arms around my waist, holding me in place, his only focus my stomach.
“Nate, you’re scaring me.”
“You have me, Nora. I’m not going anywhere. I can take care of this family.”
I shuffle from his lap. “Ev is our family too. Where’s he going?” Before Nate can answer, I climb off his legs and rush up the stairs, my heart pounding in my throat. “Ev?”
Evan’s in our bedroom, zipping up a bag. He exhales, then hauls the bag on his shoulder.
“Ev?” My hand wraps around my throat, willing myself to breathe.
The wardrobe doors hang open behind him. Drawers pulled halfway out. Clothes missing.
My brain refuses to make sense of what I’m seeing. “You going somewhere?”
He avoids my eyes, adjusting the bag strap on his shoulder. “Just giving you some space.”
“But I don’t want space.” I step farther into the room, my pulse roaring in my ears. “Why are all your things packed?”
He exhales, shoulders rising and falling. “Nora—”
“No.” I shake my head, backing away a step as understanding creeps in. “You don’t get to say my name like that when you’re clearly leaving.”
His jaw clenches. “Everyone needs some space tonight.”
“We’re having a baby and your solution is space?”
“This is bigger than us now,” he says. “You heard what happened today.”
“Yes,” I whisper. “I heard his mother say cruel things. I didn’t hear anyone ask you to walk out on us.”
“I’m not walking out,” he says, voice rough. “I’m trying to make things easier.”
“For who?” My hands press protectively over my stomach. “Because it’s not easier for me.”
Rain taps against the window, soft but relentless.
“You and Nate deserve a real chance to be a family without everything being… complicated because of me.”
“You are our family.” I move closer, refusing the distance he’s trying to create. “This baby exists because we chose this together. Because we love each other… Don’t we?”
His throat works as he swallows, but he stays silent.
“Evan, do you love me?”
He doesn’t speak, just stands there with his bag, full of broken promises and disappointment.
Nate appears at the top of the stairs, his arms folded.
“Nate, tell him. He can’t go.” I stand in the bedroom with no tears left to cry.
“Let him go, Nora,” Nate says, leaning against the wall.
“Why won’t you fight?”
“Because I shouldn’t need to. If he doesn’t want to stay, then I’m not gonna ask him to, and neither should you.”
“What’s happening? This morning we were happy.”
Ev closes the distance between us. “You’ll be happy again, Nora. Just not with me.”
I hit his chest, wishing I could knock some sense into him.
He stands there, letting me hit him again. Then on the third blow he catches my wrist and pulls me close, holding me tight. “It’s easier this way.”
Nate huffs behind me. “Yeah, easier for you.”
Ev ignores Nate and lets me go. “I gotta go. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He stops in front of Nate, and for a moment I think he might stay.
Nate’s nostrils flare. His jaw ticks as he gazes into Ev’s deep blue pools.
“I’m sorry,” Ev murmurs, then shuffles on by and down the stairs, my heart cracking with each step as he descends.
Nate catches me before I fall and pulls me against his chest.
The front door opens downstairs. Then closes, the sound echoing through the house.
I shudder. My knees finally give out, and Nate lowers us both onto the edge of the bed, his arms wrapped tight around me, holding me together when everything inside me is splintering.
“He’ll come back,” I whisper, though I don’t know if I’m trying to convince him or myself.
Nate doesn’t answer. His hand rests over my stomach, trembling.
Outside, an engine starts. Headlights sweep briefly across the bedroom wall before disappearing.
And then he’s gone, taking a piece of me with him.