“What are you going to do Nicole? Are you going to tell him?”
Natalie asked, they were all sitting in Nicole’s room and they have both been walking on eggshells around her since Grace and her got back from the hospital, she didn’t know what to do, she has been quiet the whole time as they discuss within themselves, her thoughts were running far and wide, not like she wasn’t happy by the news that she had a chance of being a mom again, no, she was happy, she thought she would never get to experience what it is like to be a mom yet she was giving the chance to, she was happy but then, there were so many things not right that she has to put in place, and she didn’t know how to go about doing that.
“You can’t stay quiet all day you know, you will need to say something at one point, Nicole, don’t keep it in,”
Grace said.
“What do you want me to say?”
“Anything, like what are you thinking right now, you have been frowning since we got back, a baby is actually good news you know, and a perfect way to start the year,”
“I never said it wasn’t Grace, I am just, I just, nevermind forget I said anything,”
“That’s it, that’s the problem, you are keeping it in when you should voice it out, don’t you want the baby?”
Natalie asked.
“How can you say that? You know I love kids, of course, I want my baby, why will I not, it’s just that it still feels so unreal.”
“Just think of yourself as lucky Nicole, you get a second chance at being a mom, whether it feels surreal or whether you are thinking about how to disclose the news to the father or you are thinking about whether you are ready or not, just be happy,”
Grace said, coming to sit beside her and holding her hands.
“Should I really be happy? Can I be happy? What if I am happy and this all turns out to be a dream I am having on new year’s Eve, I don’t think I can bear the disappointment I will feel, I don’t know how I am going to bear it,”
“It’s not a dream, that much I can tell you, it is real, you are going to be a mom and my Nirael ship sailed even after it crashed,”
Grace said adding a hint of mischief in the last few words, she was really into this team name she made for her and Rafael, but would Rafael accept their child? That’s another thing she couldn’t get out of her mind.
“What’s that? How come I am just hearing?”
Natalie asked, coming closer to them.
“It nothing much, it’s the ship name for Nicole and Rafael,”
“Ohh, I thought I missed something, it’s nice though,”
“Yup, so Nicole, what are you going to do?”
Nicole let out a breath.
“I am going to tell my mom and dad, that’s what I am going to do,”
She said.
“That’s certain but what about the dad? Aren’t you going to tell him?”
Natalie asked.
“I don’t know yet, do I have to tell him? I mean there are lots of single mothers in the world, I won’t be the first, I don’t need him to care for my child,”
Nicole responded.
“That doesn’t sound right Nicole, honestly, you have to tell him, that’s how it’s supposed to be, who knows, this might be what brings you guys back together.”
“No,”
Nicole responded. If he talks about getting back together when he finds out she is with child she is going to turn him down.
“You aren’t going to tell him?”
Grace asked in shock.
“I will, of course, I will tell him but I don’t know when yet, I said no because of what Natalie said,”
“What did I say?”
“You talked about us getting back together for the baby, I don’t want that, if he says something like that I am going to punch him and I am not kidding, I am not his baby-making machine that he would only look at me when I am carrying his child.”
She explained.
“Oh, I get you, I understand what you mean,”
“Good, now both of you leave me alone, I am still in shock, I will think later I need to rest,”
She said and told them to get out of her room, they complied for once and left her alone, she spent the rest of the day in her room, doing nothing really, she only went out to eat dinner and came right back in, she had a lot on her mind but she did her best not to have any negative thoughts, the baby was good news and she would keep it that way, she already loves her so much even though she was still scared that it might be a dream…
****
Nicole decided to go see Aron, the exhibition was close and they haven’t talked she had opened the gallery on a low because of the exhibition and it would officially start running the day after the exhibition, she already got quite a number of works from various artists including Aron that would be on display, of course, her works were more, they will be displayed after Aron was done using the place, she arrived at Aron’s studio and met him working, she sat with him going over their previous discussions and everything they planned, it was all good.
“So, I have a suggestion,”
He said when they were done.
“Okay, what’s that?”
“I was wondering if you would like to consider partnering with me,”
“With what? I don’t understand,”
“You know the gallery, I want us to be partners,”
He said.
“Aron, listen, I am going to help as much as I can but there is not going to be a partnership, I understand what you are saying but I don’t want to do it,”
Nicole responded, the gallery was barely opening and the reason she was opening in January is so he can use it, she wasn’t going to partner with anyone, the gallery stays a solo organization, just for her, she wasn’t looking for interest or profit, even though she knew she will get it, the main point of opening the gallery is to show off her work and also work with great artist like Aron and show off his works too, she will support him as a friend but nothing more.