Here goes!
"Harry I'm pregnant."
"I'm having a baby."
"You're going to be a father."
Ruth looked in the mirror. She sighed.
Today.
She must tell him today.
"Harry, may I have a word."
He nodded and pointed to the chair.
She didn't move. He didn't press her.
"I…."
He waited.
"I'm…sorry I reacted like I did when Dimitri…when he….at the window."
Thank god, thought Harry.
"It's okay, Ruth," was all he said.
"No, it's not okay," she whispered.
"I understand why."
"You don't understand, Harry."
"I do. You were embarrassed, as was I, but I just hoped we were stronger, that perhaps we'd moved on beyond that."
"Yes, we have moved on beyond that," she said thoughtfully.
"Ruth, you know I still feel the same don't you?"
"Do you?"
"Yes. Always."
"How can you say always?"
"I just can."
"Always is a long time and you don't know what's round the corner, Harry," she warned.
"No, I don't but I promise not to get shot."
She smiled despite her worry.
"And," he added, "I promise to make it snow every year."
He stood up and crossed, leaning against the desk in front of her. His smile was wonderful and warm and welcoming and she felt safe and loved and desired.
"Harry, I'm…" the rest wouldn't come.
He waited.
"I'm having…"
And waited.
"You're going to.….."
"Yes?" he asked.
"You're going to … to…"
"Die of old age waiting for you to get to the end of a sentence" he said smiling.
"No," she didn't smile and he felt foolish and unfair for interrupting her.
"I'm sorry, Ruth. Go on."
'I can't Harry, I don't know how to." Her eyes had descended to the floor and he truly feared he'd lost her again and that any hope he had was disappearing.
"Ruth, please, we can be happy."
"It's not that simple," she said, nearly breaking down.
'Why?"
She shook her head.
"Please, Ruth. Just tell me."
She said nothing.
"It'll all be alright," he took her hand in his.
"No. No, it won't."
"Ruth, what is it?"
His eyes beseeched her. She met them and studied them and didn't know what exactly she hoped for.
"What is it?" he repeated.
"Please tell me."
She slipped her hand from within his and guided his palm, laying it gently on her stomach. She watched it resting there and then she looked at him.
He looked from her to his hand and back to her.
She saw the confusion on his face and then she saw the light of dawn, the light of his understanding.
What was she doing, he didn't understand. Why had she put his hand here? On her stomach? What was she trying to tell him? What hadn't she been able to say?
And then and he saw.
And then he knew.
"Ruth…..you're…."
She nodded.
More to come.