Rosalinda thought for a moment. “I was thinking about something.”
“What’s that?”
“It’s time to tell him, I think,” she sighed. She had her hands behind her back, trying not to wring them. It was a severely tempting thing to do. She wanted to panic, to run away and do anything other than tell Dominick. Her fear was holding her back, but she couldn’t let fear stop her from living. She couldn’t let it stop her from giving her son a great life.
“Are you sure?” Nick was visibly taken aback.
She steeled her resolve and nodded. “Yeah. He deserves to know who his father is.”
“Don’t you think it’s going to be a little confusing for him?”
“Probably.” She pushed the hair back from her face. “But we can make it clear.”
“Can we?” Nick looked troubled. “I’m sorry about all of this. I don’t even know how to talk to him about it.”
“Talk to me about what?” Rosalinda hadn’t even noticed when Dom had walked back up to her, but there he was.
“About stuff,” she replied vaguely.
“What kind of stuff?”
Nick’s eyes darted back and forth. “We were talking about what kind of things we’re going to do next.”
“What are we doing next?”
“How about the train?” Rosalinda suggested. “The train is always fun.”
“I love the train,” Dom said excitedly.
“And I love being able to see everything and rest my feet,” Rosalinda laughed. “Have you ever been on the train, Nick?”
“It’s been a long time since I’ve been here,” Nick admitted. “But I’d love to go on the train. Let’s get started on that.”
Dominick gladly led the way to the loading platform. Rosalinda waited for train with the two men that filled her life. For the first time in a long time, they felt like a real family. Eventually, one of the ladies there came up and smiled, looking up at Nick.
“He looks just like you,” she said kindly, pointing to Dominick.
Rosalinda paled, and Nick stammered. Dominick beamed at the lady. “You really think so?”
“Yeah, you look just like your daddy!” The woman ruffled Dom’s hair and then walked away from him.
Dominick turned back to his mother. “That was nice of her.”
“It really was.”
“Do I really look like Nick?”
“You really do, honey.” She glanced down at him nervously. “You look just like him.”
“That’ll make it easier when he becomes my daddy.”
Nick audibly gulped. “What makes you say that?”
“It’s easier if you look like your new daddy,” Dominick grinned. “And Nick is gonna marry my mom and become my dad.”
“What makes you say that?” Rosalinda looked down at him in surprise.
“Because it just feels right. That’s the way it has to be.”
She sighed. “We need to have a talk about that.”
“About what?”
She squatted down to look at him. “I hate to say this, but do you remember all those times I said that you didn’t have a daddy?”
Dominick nodded unsurely. “Yeah, I remember.”
“It’s not so hard, I guess. But you did have a daddy. I just had a hard time talking about it.”
“Who is it?” Dominick asked, glancing up at Nick.
Nick nodded in confirmation. “It’s me.”
Dominick’s happy squeals and hugs took them both by surprise. He looked thrilled. “Does this mean we get to do this a lot?”
“I’m glad you’re happy,” Rosalinda smiled unsteadily as she was pulled into a group hug with Nick and their son.
“I want to spend more time with you, if you want me,” Nick offered
“I want you to come around a lot. Does this mean you’re gonna marry my mom?”
“We don’t know that yet. It could happen,” Nick shrugged. “I’m sorry. I told you it takes adults some time to figure things out.”
Rosalinda was afraid that Dominick was going to ask a bunch of uncomfortable questions, but he was still a seven-year-old, and seemed to not know how to ask about the awkwardness of his conception and about meeting his father later in life.
“I can’t believe this is really true.” Dominick was celebrating so much that they almost missed the train. Once on board, he chattered on and on about the possibilities and what it all meant for him to finally have a father. He was planning to tell his entire class.
Nick and Rosalinda didn’t have much chance to talk while the boy was rambling on and on about it. Instead, they just followed along, Nick making sure to buy treats to make the day extra special.
Dominick had a full bag of t-shirts, hats, and toys when they finally left for the day. The kid was asleep by the time they had gotten onto the highway, and the pair were finally able to do some talking about all of the big changes that had happened between them.
“How are you feeling?” asked Rosalinda.
Nick took a moment to answer as he drove down the road. “I don’t know yet.”
“He seemed to be pretty happy about it,” she said, trying to make the comment casual, but there was a little bit of a strain behind her voice.
“I didn’t expect him to take it so well,” Nick said with a thin smile.
“I’m not sure if that’s a good thing, a bad thing, or something else entirely.” Rosalinda looked down at her hands.
“He probably thinks we’re going to get married now,” Nick laughed.
For some reason, Rosalinda found that hilarious. Like a giant release of tension, she felt herself stuck in the catharsis.
Nick laughed with her. And she felt closer to him for it. “Thank you,” he said.
She was confused. “Thank you? For what?”
He caught his breath. “I’m sorry about this. I just don’t know how to thank you for giving me this chance. To let me be a part of your family.”
“It’s your family too,” she assured him.
“It is now.”
“He really is going to think we’re getting married,” she said as she glanced out at the road. The sky was starting to grow dark.
“Is that such a problem?”
“I don’t think it is,” she shook her head. “But I’m not sure if I’m quite ready to take that step yet.”
“But it’s a possibility to consider, I hope.” He looked over at her.
“Only if you actually watch the road and not me when you drive.”
He snickered. They were both amused by the turn the conversation had taken. And they deserved that amusement. At least, she thought that way. “Sorry,” Nick apologized.
“Don’t be sorry. Be safe.” It was a playful lecture, and they were already laughing about it.
The rest of the trip was filled with joking conversation, bringing them further and further towards the love that they both thought they had lost so long ago. They were enjoying the ease of talking together as they pulled into Rosalinda’s driveway.
“Whose car is that?” Rosalinda squinted.
“I don’t know.” Nick sighed.
“It looks like a rental car.”
“It could be anyone then,” the man said anxiously.
“Who’s that?” she asked, squinting at her front porch.
Nick glanced around. “What?”
“There’s a woman by my front door,” she pointed. Her heart started to beat a lot faster.
Nick glanced her direction and groaned. “It’s Janice. What is she doing here?”
“I don’t know.” Rosalinda felt her heart start to race. “Why would she come here?”
“Probably to try to get me back,” he sighed. “Do you want to wait in the car?”
She nodded, and watched Nick climb out of the car. She rolled down her window so she could listen to the conversation.
Nick strode over to the front porch. “What are you doing here?” he asked.
“I came to see you.” There were tears st
reaming down Janice’s face.
“I already told you that it was over,” he sighed. “I’m not coming back to you.”
“He left me, Nick.”
“I know, Janice. I figured that much out.”
She threw herself into his arms. Rosalinda stared at the scene, not sure if she should get out of the car or let him handle it on his own.
She decided to wait it out. Nick held the other woman for a moment before releasing his ex-wife. “Janice. That doesn’t mean you can come running back to me.”
“I can’t be alone, Nick. You have to take me back.”
“I’m sorry, Janice. I’m in love with someone else. And we’re not good together. You were so happy when we split up.”
“But now I’m alone.”
“And I’m not.” He shook his head. “I’m not alone. And you can’t make me come back to you.”
“What am I going to do?” She looked desperate. “I can’t go back home. I can’t be alone. I wasn’t meant to be alone.”
“I don’t know what you’re going to do. Lots of people live alone, Janice. You’ll be fine.”
“You don’t understand. I’m supposed to be a wife. Have kids. That’s what’s right.”
“Are you so sure about that?” Janice continued. As she watched, Rosalinda was in awe of how calm Nick was about this whole thing.
“We were never meant to be together,” Nick said steadily. “We shouldn’t have gotten married. We both rushed into it because we were afraid of being alone. And you’re still afraid of being alone.”
“I can’t be alone. I’m not meant to be alone.”
He shook his head. “There has to be someone else out there for you, then. I’m not coming back to you.”
“You know you’ll just end up coming back to me!” she shouted. The woman was starting to get obviously angry at him. “I deserve better than this. You can’t leave me like this.”
“You left me, Janice. You can’t expect someone that you left to just jump and take you back. I get it. You’ve got a broken heart, but there’s something better for you out there. Someone who really loves you. And you can find that guy.”
“Do you really think so?”
“I do. But I know that it’s not me. I’m happy with my life here. It took me some time, but once I got used to it, I could move on.”
“I can’t just move on like that.”
“Yes, you can. But you need to stop pining over something that never existed. You never loved me, and I never loved you. We were just afraid of being alone.”
Rosalinda’s eyes widened and she realized that she, too, was afraid of not being alone. That’s what scared her so much about Nick. There was no one to share this information with, but she knew it and it all sunk in.
It was absolutely perfect. It made all the sense in the world. She had been afraid of not being alone.
The realization made it so much easier to accept Nick when he finally got back into the car so that he could move it to let Janice pull out of the parking lot. She had screamed and she had railed, but she had eventually accepted it. And Dominick had luckily stayed asleep through every second.
26
Sick Day
“How long have we been together now?” Nick looked down at the soup bowl in front of him. He only had a few spoonfuls left.
“A couple of months now, I guess?” Rosalinda curled up under the blanket on the couch. “It’s been pretty good, hasn’t it?” Her soup bowl was still mostly full.
“Do you not like soup? I opened the can just for us.”
“I’m just not really feeling the food thing. It’s not like that. Your can opening skills are not in doubt, I promise.”
Nick frowned, and put his hand to her forehead. She didn’t seem to be running a fever. “You still look pale,” he said uncertainly. “I thought you never get sick.”
“I never did before you,” she said, laughing at him. “I don’t think that I’ve gotten sick in years.”
“Maybe it’s food poisoning?”
“I ate the same things as everyone else,” she sighed. “You or Dom would be sick too.”
“Maybe it’s just a stomach bug?”
“That’s what I’m thinking, but it’s not like a normal stomach bug. Do those last this long?”
“Is it dysentery?” he joked with her. It was making him late for work, but he didn’t care about any of that.
“What is this, the Oregon trail?” she laughed. “Plus, I think that comes out the other end.”
He offered a casual shrug, teasing her a little. “Well, it must be my fault then.” He smiled reassuringly at her. “You should still have your soup, or I can make you a sandwich. Maybe some grilled cheese?”
“I don’t think that I can hold down a sandwich right now.” She glanced down at her bowl. “I’m sure I’ll be fine soon.”
“I could stay home with you.”
“You don’t have to do that. Just pick up Dom when you head home.”
“Are you sure? I don’t mind keeping you company.”
“Me being sick isn’t exactly sexy or attractive.”
“I don’t care about any of that,” he insisted. “You know I love you no matter what you do. Or how you look.”
“Do I look that bad?”
“You look absolutely beautiful.”
“You’re just saying that.”
Nick laughed. “I’m saying that because it’s absolutely true. It doesn’t matter what you do, or what happens. Or how messy your hair is. You’re absolutely beautiful to me.”
“Are you so sure about that?”
“I am. Are you sure that you don’t want me to stay home with you?”
“I’m sure. No sense in us both being stuck here; your students need you.”
“Want me to cover at least one of your classes for you today?”
“Do you remember physics?”
“At least basic physics,” he shrugged.
“No. I think one of the TAs will be fine at it,” she assured him.
“I have to go to school, then. Are you sure you want to stay at home? You can come in with me and sit in my office. I can take care of you in between classes.”
She nodded. “Yeah. I’m really not feeling like coming in today. As tempting as that offer is, I’d rather not spread this around to anyone else.”
“You’ve missed most of your classes this week,” Nick said, looking a little concerned.
“Yeah. A TA is covering for me.” She offered a weak smile. “I’ll be fine.”
“Are you sure you’re going to be okay here by yourself?”
“I’ll be fine, I promise.” She playfully shoved him away. “Just go get to work, and I’ll be here when you get back.”
“Probably walking around like you’re perfectly fine again.” He nudged her with his elbow. “You’ve been doing that.”
“Probably, yeah,” she laughed. “That’s the way it’s been this whole week.”
He glanced over at the clock on the cable box. He was going to be cutting it close for his office hours, but he quickly realized that he didn’t care at all about being a little late. He was allowed to cancel the occasional office hours. And it was late enough in the semester that very few students actually used them. “If you need anything, call me.”
“Don’t worry. I will.”
“Promise me,” he said, grabbing her hand.
“Don’t be so dramatic about it.”
He pouted. “Why can’t I be dramatic? I thought you liked that sort of thing.”
“Neither of us is heading into war. I’m just a little sick,” she laughed, and patted his arm. “Being separated isn’t the end of the world.”
“I was thinking that next semester we could try to get similar teaching schedules.” He broached the subject.
“Why?”
“So that we could carpool.”
“That might be a good idea. You’re always here anyway,” she teased him.
“What’s it
worth to leave?” He took her hand and did a fancy bow.
“Are you going to kiss my hand next?” she teased.
But he did it; he kissed her hand. “Why wouldn’t I do that?”
She blushed. “I wasn’t expecting that.”
“That’s because you don’t know any gentlemen.”
“Are you a gentleman?” She smiled at him.
“All right. Well. Gimme a kiss, and I’ll head out.”
She pulled him down to give him a kiss. “Now get out, before I puke all over you again.”
“Please don’t do that to me.” He backed up and crossed his fingers at her. “I don’t want to go to work smelling like thrown up soup.”
“Then get out of here.” She shooed him out of the door, but he paused for a moment. “I love you,” she said. “Now go.”
“I love you too.” He grinned at her and walked out of the house, climbed into his car and drove down to the school. He was humming as he worked, throwing texts towards Rosalinda every time he got the chance. She was feeling better pretty quickly, getting up and about in between naps.
The TA, Ben, popped his head into the office a while later. “How’s it going? Need any help grading?”
“Not today,” Nick smiled. “I think I’ve got this. I’m starting to get stuff down.”
“You’re picking it up pretty quick.” The younger man held out a cup of coffee.
“What’s that for?”
“I figured that you could use it. You looked a little tired.”
“Had a bit of a late night last night.”
“Anything fun happen?” The TA looked hopeful. “Was there a big party that I didn’t hear about?”
“Nah, we just stayed up binge-watching an entire season of her show.”
“What’s the show?”
Nick blushed. “That’s kind of embarrassing to admit. It’s one of those reality shows that she loves.”
“She loves reality television?”
“I said nothing.” Nick zipped his lip and threw away an imaginary key.
“Right. I heard nothing.”
“Good.”
“I heard Professor Carlisle is out sick again,” Ben smirked. “She doing alright?”
“Yeah. She wasn’t feeling well again this morning. Throwing up all over the place.” He offered a weak smile. “I’m sure she’ll be better soon.”
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