The insistent ring of a mobile phone disturbed Nina from her sleep. 'That's not my phone', she thought to herself and burrowed back into the bedclothes to try and return to slumber. But something didn't feel right, or rather felt too right. The warm embrace she felt wasn't just her doona, but a familiar pair of arms. "Ugh" she groaned, certain that she was dreaming that Patrick was back in her bed- their bed. She'd had those dreams almost every night since he had moved out, and they always seemed so vivid, until she woke to the cold reality of her loneliness.
But this time was different. The phone had stopped ringing, only to start again within seconds, and once Nina woke up enough, she cautiously opened one eye and peered over her shoulder, confirming her greatest hope. Patrick was here, familiar, and attractive as ever, with his morning stubble and tousled hair. He had one arm protectively resting on Nina's lower abdomen, and it brought a gentle smile to her face, as she remembered the emotions they had both felt last night as they stared intently at the ultrasound screen and heard the sweet sound of a healthy heartbeat. 'It wasn't a dream', she told herself, and reveled a little longer in the perfection of her life right now.
The previous night, once Nina & Patrick had satisfied themselves that all was well with the baby, and each other, they had made a beeline for their house, without a thought for the birthday party still in full swing in the hospital basement. A couple of times Nina had started to ask Patrick if he was really ok with her being pregnant, but he had stopped her emphatically by kissing her, and telling her not to worry. By the time they entered the darkened house, her fears had been allayed, and she was overcome with exhaustion, both physical and mental. Patrick, concerned for Nina's welfare as always, had insisted on carrying her upstairs, helping her out of her party costume, and into bed. She had fallen asleep almost instantly and hadn't stirred till now, several hours later.
That phone would not stop ringing, and as Patrick showed no signs of rousing, Nina reached across him to the bedside table on his side, and grasped at the phone. That movement was enough to wake Patrick, and as Nina moved back to her side of the bed, ringing phone in hand, he grabbed it from her and answered it, not bothering to check who was calling. Patrick settled back, one arm still around Nina possessively, cleared his throat and answered the call.
"Hello?". His voice, still thick with sleep, sounded adorable to Nina, and she nestled in closer to him, only to be startled by the shouting through the other end of the phone. She looked up quizzically at Patrick, trying to decipher who the caller was, and what she (it sounded like a female voice) was so angry about. Realisation soon dawned as Patrick replied:
"Kate, Kate, Kate, calm down, ok? I'm fine!". He glanced down at Nina and gave her a wry smile, before turning the phone on to speaker.
"Where the hell are you? I've been worried sick. You let all my calls go to message last night, you didn't come home, your car isn't here, no one at the Ainsworth seems to know who you are, let alone where! I was about to call the police, for God's sake!".
As soon as Kate paused for breath, Patrick jumped in:
"I'm fine, Kate. I'm… I'm at Nina's-, umm, our place-".
Before he could say another word, Kate gasped, and insisted on speaking to Nina. Patrick shrugged in exasperation, and gestured to Nina to say something.
"Hello Kate, it's Nina. How ar-"
"Nina! Oh, I'm so glad it's you! I mean, of course it's you, who else would it be? Oh never mind, it's just wonderful that you're back together. You are back together, aren't you? Don't answer that, of course you are! Now I'm just rabbiting on, I'm sorry. I should be doing something useful instead. Actually I'll do that right now. I'll pack up Patrick's things and bring them over. Yep, won't take too long at all, I just have to give Isabella her breakfast, and-"
All the while Kate was talking at a mile a minute, Nina was staring helplessly at Patrick, who seemed equally powerless to interrupt his sister. He did however manage to say Kate's name enough times that she stopped for long enough to allow him to speak.
"Kate, I'll tell you what. How about we get ready and come over? We'll bring breakfast and then I'll pack…" Patrick stopped himself from saying any more, suddenly stricken with doubt. Both Kate and he had assumed that he would move back in with Nina, but what if that wasn't what she wanted? She'd talked about doing it solo when it came to the pregnancy, after all. He shook his head, and returned to the phone call. "We'll be over soon, ok? Bye".
Patrick turned to Nina, who was looking at him questioningly.
"Sorry, I didn't ask you how you felt about me moving back in. I mean, it's fine if you don't want me to Neens, whatever you want, I'm totally ok with."
Nina's face lit up with recognition. It was time to clear up some things. No more confusion, no more conversations at cross-purposes, no more attributing bad motives to the other person. No more misunderstanding. She took a deep breath, and reached out to take Patrick's hands in hers.
"Of course you're moving back in. This is our home, Patrick, and you belong here as much as I do." Nina felt the tension leave Patrick's body, and she gently rubbed her fingers over his knuckles in sympathy. But there was more that needed to be said.
"I'm not going to pretend that it's going to be easy; I'm not sure that we're capable of that". She snorted with a short laugh, and Patrick chuckled lightly too. Nina continued,
"But Patrick, we will work this out. Together. And not just because we're having a baby, but because we love each other. Ok?"
Patrick's eyes welled up and he was incapable of doing anything but nodding in agreement.
"Ok then. Let's get ready and go and see Kate. I can't wait to see the look on her face when we tell her about the baby!"
Patrick regained his voice enough to check that Nina really wanted to share their news with his sister. "Are you kidding? Everyone at the party must have figured it out by now, and there's no way they can keep a secret. Kate's been our biggest champion, and she deserves to hear it from us Patrick".
"I love you". Such simple words, but Patrick conveyed such emotion with them, that Nina knew the truth in them, and that everything was going to be ok.
"I love you too. Now let's go!".
Next: Kate's reaction to Nina & Patrick's big news.