Posted by hummingbird on 2/21/2014, 8:14 am VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV
Chapter Fifteen
The weekend was finally here. Nora and Matthew, both clad in their pajamas, padded to the kitchen for breakfast.
“What sounds good, Sweetie?” she asked the baby on her hip as she peered into the fridge. “Mmmm...how about scrambled egg and a banana. Sound good?”
She grabbed a banana and placed Matthew in the high chair. Then she peeled it and tore it into tiny pieces. He was just starting to eat some table food and loved it.
“There. Now, you work on that while I make your egg. Bo’s coming today, Matthew! Do you remember Bo? He’s coming to see us!” she said with excitement.
Bo hadn’t been to visit since before the Llanview shooting. He had been far too busy with work. But, during the weeks apart, he started calling more frequently, usually after Nora had Matthew tucked in and she was already in bed. She didn’t mind...it reminded her of their dating days when he would call her at bedtime to ‘say goodnight’ and they would talk for an hour. She smiled at the memory. She was really looking forward to his visit this time. He had to pick up his jeep, of course, and they planned to finish her painting.
She blew on Matthew’s scrambled egg to cool it before breaking it into tiny pieces and putting it on his tray. “There you go, Sweetpea. Now it’s time for Mommy’s coffee.”
She was filling her mug with coffee when she heard a knock on the door. Looking through the screen she saw Bo standing there.
“Bo!” She went to let him in. “What are you doing here? I didn’t expect you until at least 1:00!”
“Really? Don’t you listen to your messages? I left you a message saying I was coming after work on Friday and would be ready to paint early Saturday morning.”
“I didn’t get a message…”
He pointed to the flashing light on her answering machine. “You are losing your observation skills, Counselor,” he grinned, “and, by the way, it’s good to see you too.” Then to Matthew, “Hi Buddy! Eating breakfast? Yum!”
She smiled. “It is good to see you. I just wasn’t expecting you so early,” she said running a hand through her tousled hair.
“Obviously,” he grinned running his eyes over her pajama-clad body. The pajamas consisted of a tank top and some very short pajama shorts which revealed the long legs he loved.
“I think I’ll just go get my robe…” she said heading down the hall.
“Don’t do it on my account,” he called after her.
“You’re a rogue, Bo Buchanan,” she shouted from her room.
Bo sat on a chair across from Matthew and whispered, “I’ve seen your Mommy’s legs before...bunches of times. Mommy has great legs, doesn’t she Bud?”
“Hey, hey, hey, I heard that,” Nora said returning in her robe. “He’s far too young for that kind of talk.”
“We’ll talk about it later,” he winked at Matthew.
Nora gave him the look. “Would you like a cup of coffee, sir?”
“Yes, Ma’am,” he said with feigned propriety. “Thank you, Ma’am.”
She laughed as she handed him his cup. “What is wrong with you? You’re very ornery this morning,” she said looking into his eyes.
“Well...I’m just happy to be here, I guess. It’s good to see you again...and you!” he said poking Matthew’s belly gently making him giggle.
“Have you had breakfast?” she asked.
“At the hotel. I ate and threw on my grubbies. So... I’m ready to paint.”
“Well then...I’ll get my painting clothes on and we’ll get started.”
* * * * * * *
By the time Nora had changed clothes, Bo had washed Matthew’s face and hands and cleaned off the high chair.
“You’re pretty handy,” she commented when she returned.
“I try. Here...take him,” he said, handing the baby to Nora. “I brought something for him but left it in the car. Be right back.”
She took Matthew to change his clothes. When she came back, Bo showed her his gift for Matthew. It was a baby walker.
“I thought this would keep him out of the cabinets...and things like dish soap...while we work. This way he’s mobile but he can’t open the cabinets and he has new things to play with right here on the front….what do you think?” he asked Nora.
“Oh Bo. It’s perfect...a great idea! Thank you. I don’t know why I didn’t think of this,” she said.
“I told you...you’re slipping, Counselor,” he said shaking his head.
“Here we go again. Just put the baby in so we can get busy.”
* * * * * * *
The baby walker worked like a charm. Matthew loved bouncing in the seat, and quickly learned that by moving his legs he could maneuver it around the kitchen. Because he was occupied and content, Nora and Bo were able to finish the painting in record time. They were finished by 11:30.
Bo closed the paint cans. “There’s the last piece of trim tape. Do you want to do the honors?”
Nora gave the tape a pull. “Wala! We’re done!" She looked at the results. "What do you think, Bo? I was going for a “beachy” look. Does the blue look beachy?”
“ ‘Beachy?’ Is ‘beachy’ a real word?”
“Oh...you know what I mean!” she said playfully.. “Do you think the aqua and white looks like it belongs in a beach cottage?”
“Oh...yeah...yeah, it does. As soon as I saw it I thought, ‘beachy’,” he said nodding his head seriously.
She ignored his silly remark and went on, “Now, I just need to get some beach photos or decorations to hang up...and my weather vane...it would look perfect in here…”
“You mean the one with the rust,” he inquired. “That rust won’t match…”
“Buchanan…” she began, waving a finger at him…”Oh nevermind. Your silly remarks are not going to spoil my enthusiasm.”
“I would never try to do that,” he said smiling at her.
She looked around the entire space, kitchen and living room. “I love it!” she said.“So glad to finally have this done. Thanks, Bo.”
“You’re welcome,” he said as he continued to clean up.
She rattled on, “Do you know what this means? I can get rid of the painting supplies I’ve had stashed in that corner for weeks...I can finish my decorating...I can get my nails done without fear of chipping them by scraping and painting...” She looked at her hands. “Maybe I’ll feel like a woman again!”
He laughed aloud. “You don’t feel like a woman?” he asked.
“No...not when my hands look like this...I’ve just been so busy...No time for pampering when you have work and a baby and painting to do.”
“I know exactly what you mean,” he said nodding his head.
“Oh you do not!” she said exasperated.
He laughed at her frustration. “I’m just teasing you...Tell you what... we got done a lot earlier than we expected. Why don’t you let me watch Matthew and you go out and pamper yourself...get your nails done, do some shopping, have lunch with a friend...what do you think?”
She looked at him surprised at the offer. “I can’t do that…” she began.
“Why not?" he shrugged. "I’d love to watch Matthew...it would be fun for me. And...it would be good for you. When was the last time you even shopped without pushing a stroller?”
Nora thought for a moment.
“See?” he told her, “You can’t even remember. Please...I insist.” He pulled Matthew out of the walker. “We’ll get along just fine. Go on...call a friend. Go.”
“Bo, you didn’t make this long trip to babysit…”
“No, I didn’t, but...I want you to do this. I think you need some...what do you women call it?”
“ ‘Me time’, ” she offered.
“Yes! That’s it...some ‘me time’.”
“But, I feel guilty leaving when you came all this way…”
He interrupted her, “Okay, how about this idea? You take the afternoon for some ‘me time’... and then...maybe tonight...you and I could spend some time together...just the two of us. Maybe we could go to that little carnival in town...do you think Clara would be willing to watch Matthew for the evening?...”
Nora hesitated. “That sounds suspiciously like a date, Buchanan…” she said looking at him from the corner of her eye.
“It could be...or not...whichever way you prefer,” he said looking at her intently.
She contemplated the idea for a moment before responding. “I’d like that,” she said quietly. “I guess it will depend on whether or not Clara’s available…”
“Well...I guess I’ll let you deal with those details. Right now I think we have a hungry boy here. Tell me what you want him to have for lunch.”
* * * * * * *
Nora enjoyed her afternoon of ‘me time’ immensely. She got a haircut, then met her friend Betsy for lunch. Betsy was another professor on staff at the university. They discovered through conversing that they were both from the Chicago area. It gave them much to talk about.
After lunch they both went to get manicures and pedicures and did some shopping. Nora found a cute sundress on sale because it was the end of the season. She snatched it up for her evening with Bo. She thought she could wear it since the weather that week had been unseasonably warm for October. After making a few more purchases, she picked up a bottle of sparkling wine...perhaps they would want a nightcap before the evening ended. She arrived back at the cottage very happy.
When she walked in the door, she found Bo asleep on the couch with Matthew stretched out and snoozing on his chest. The sight of them made her melt. Bo heard the shopping bags and woke up.
“Hey Red,” he whispered sleepily rubbing a hand over his face, “Did you have fun?”
She approached the couch quietly. “I did.” she nodded.
“Good... Look,” he said peering down at Matthew.
She saw what he was referring to...Matthew’s tiny hand had Bo’s finger in a firm grip as he slept.
Bo smiled. “I know I should have laid him down, but…” He shrugged.
She smiled. “That’s okay.”
He looked at her. “Your hair looks nice,” he whispered.
"Thanks."
Then he bent his head and looked at her from the corner of his eye, "Let me see your nails..."
She showed off her newly manicured hands.
“So...do you feel like a woman again?” he asked grinning.
“Yes, I do,” she said with whispered enthusiasm and wide eyes, “and...I have a date tonight!”
“Oh? Who’s the lucky guy?” he asked.
“My babysitter,” she whispered flirtatiously before scooping up her shopping bags and flouncing down the hall.
Bo watched her go with a huge smile. He could hardly wait.
Re: FF-Begin Again-Chapter 15
Posted by Mary Ann on 2/21/2014, 9:33 am, in reply to "FF-Begin Again-Chapter 15" VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV
Ohhhh date night. That has LOTS of potential. I love the idea of Bo and Matthew together. I'm glad he's taking Miss Maggie's advice!
Re: FF-Begin Again-Chapter 15
Posted by Vivian on 2/21/2014, 5:15 pm, in reply to "FF-Begin Again-Chapter 15" VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV
So good!!! Wish we could have seen scenes like this actually written for them by TPTB.
Even though they were finally reunited, I think their reunion-courtship was rushed and not given enough air time. That's why I enjoy these great FFs so....