SCORPION - GRAVITY - CHAPTER 35
Thanks for all of your amazing reviews on my last chapters! An author couldn't be rewarded in a better way ! I'm taking in notes your remarks for further chapters so I can produce the best content I can :) I wish I wrote more of the other characters too, but I just have so many ideas for Walter and Paige development that I have to write mostly about them.
Summer holidays were now over and it had been a while since Walter hadn't seen Paige. Of course they texted, and called each other a few times, but they never went out as they planned. Walter didn't mind, he understood if Paige needed some space and had other preoccupations than going out with him, and even if deep down he knew he wanted more, he was okay with how things were between them for now. He saw Linda once or twice two, and she didn't share his opinion about stepping back with Paige. She said that if it was her, she would be waiting for Walter to make a move so she could leave the 'stupid baseball player', but Walter thought that Paige was very different from Linda, and well, she was pregnant with Drew too so he was sure he was doing the right thing.
Of course, this self persuasion didn't prevent his heart from skipping a bit when he received a text from Paige that day.
'So genius boy, are we gonna buy these new clothes or what?'
Walter immediately answered that he was free whenever she wanted to so the next day, at exactly 3pm, he was picking her up in front of Drew's apartment, which was pretty much her apartment now that school had started again and that Drew was coming back only when he didn't have a game or training on the weekend, meaning almost never.
Paige was now six months pregnant and her belly was much bigger than the last time Walter saw her, but he still thought she looked beautiful.
She was smiling and he was glad to see that she seemed healthy. When she got in the car, she gave him a brief hug and when she saw Walter wasn't starting the car, Paige felt obligated to say something.
« I'm glad to see you. It's been a while… »
« Tell me about it. »
He didn't say this in a mean voice at all, it was just a statement, but Paige could feel he was maybe not angry but at least a little bit sad about it.
« Do you want to talk about it? I can expla…»
« No it's ok. » interrupted Walter. « I'm not mad at you, you had a lot to deal with. I just want to enjoy today. »
« Great, me too. Let's go refresh your wardrobe O'Brien. »
A few minutes later, they were at the mall, Paige doing most of the job as to chose new shirts for Walter.
« Come on Walter, you got to help me I'm not going to be the one wearing them! »
« I just… I'm sure whatever you like will be great. Besides I picked something for you last time so it's your turn now. »
Paige sighed and turned her back on Walter to look for something. When she faced him again she had a purple shirt with a matching tie in her hands.
« Okay why don't you try this? »
Walter nodded and went to a cabin as Paige waited outside for him. While he was changing, he didn't know why he thought this was a good time to ask something he had been meaning to ask Paige, but he just did, maybe because it was easier asking about personal stuff when he wasn't facing her to see all the emotions her face could show.
« Paige I um… I was wondering… Why wasn't you mother here at the uh… at your dad's funeral? »
« Oh. My mother. »
She then marked a pause and Walter thought he was a moron for even bringing the subject. He still had to learn to keep some questions to himself, or for a more appropriate moment.
« I'm sorry, you don't have to… »
Paige grabbed the curtain of the waiting room and started playing with it. Walter could see her hand toying with the folds of it and he regretted not being able to see her face after all.
« No don't apologize, I'm okay telling you. Well I told you things weren't good with my mother but I didn't ask her not to come at the service. I wasn't exactly surprised at first but then I found out that she… um don't say that to anyone I'm not exactly proud of it, not that it's my fault or that you would actually tell anyone for all that I know… »
Walter felt she wasn't confortable so he forgot about buttoning up his shirt and pushed the curtain to see Paige. She was looking at her feet so Walter gently took her arm.
« You know you… um you can tell me anything. »
« Well my mother is in prison. »
« What? Why? »
« Um fraud or something like this, I don't really want to know I… »
And there Paige made the mistake to raise her head to look at Walter. She hadn't noticed he came out with his shirt open and now she found herself staring at his torso. She was used to well shaped bodies with Drew but Walter was different… He was slimmer since he didn't do much sport but damn, she could have sworn he had been at least working out a little. Paige started to feel hot and cursed her stupid pregnancy hormones for making this even more difficult than it was.
She must have turned all red or been staring for too long because Walter asked in a concerned tone « Are you okay Paige? »
Paige tore her gaze from Walter's abdomen to look at his face and realized it was another mistake. He was looking at her worriedly with those beautiful chestnut eyes of him and she knew she had to distance herself from him before doing anything stupid, again.
« Uh yeah I'm fine, I'm just going to… look for baby clothes for… you know for Ralph. »
Then she went quickly to the opposite part of the store, with Walter following her as he finally buttoned up the shirt.
« Wait a second, Ralph? Is that how… »
« Yup that's how I'm going to name my son. » said Paige as she looked for newborn clothes, still refusing herself to face Walter.
« Isn't that… »
« Yes that's my father's name. »
Paige felt herself cooled down so she took a look at Walter who seemed perplex.
« You think that's weird don't you? »
« No I… I understand. »
Walter was a terrible liar, he indeed thought that it was weird naming you son that is supposed to bring you happiness after someone who's dead, which is kind of sad. But what did he know, what makes him happy is cracking software and he was pretty sure he would make a terrible father, if he had to be a father someday which he doubted.
Paige knew he was lying, but she didn't try explaining him because she appreciated the fact that he at least saw it was important for her and pretended to get it.
« So you uh… dropped school right? »
She was glad that Walter changed the subject. He was starting to be the one always coming up with small talks and she wished she could also find things to ask him but her brain tented to short circuit when she was around him recently.
« Yeah I figured out that since I won't be able to take the exams or even follow classes in three month I'd better not start this year at all. »
« And… are you going to do something like… I don't know maybe work? »
« Oh yeah actually I took a job as a waitress at Kovelsky's. People know me there so it wasn't too hard. »
Walter winced hearing this. He really wasn't thrilled about the idea of Paige working in a fast-food while pregnant and that's exactly what he was afraid she would be. That's why he brought that up actually, he put a lot of thoughts in this and there was one thing he could do.
« You should come work for me. I'll be a much better boss I swear. »
Paige dropped the small jeans she had in her hands out of surprise. She really didn't expect that.
« Wh-what? What do you mean work for you? »
« Uh yeah you know, with my private contracts and my few missions with Homeland I have um… some paperwork to do and that's not exactly my thing so… I-I just think it would be better for you than running between not always so nice clients… »
« Walter you must be kidding me. How would you even pay me? »
« Well I make good money on some of the missions I mean it wouldn't be a dream salary but… »
Paige couldn't believe he wanted to do that for her. Nobody ever cared enough for her to even consider something like this, she knew it. But it was crazy.
« Walter I know you want to buy the garage, you need the money. »
« It- it can wait. This is more important. »
Paige could feel her eyes becoming wet but she didn't want to cry in front of him. She wanted Walter to know how much she appreciated this, but she couldn't just accept.
« Walter I… I'm really grateful that you thought about me but… I've always lived at the expense of other people. This is my chance to be the actress of my own life, I just… I need to do this and I don't expect you to understand but just… don't fight with me on this okay? »
« Okay. Just know that if you ever change your mind you can always… »
« I know. And it really means a lot to me. »
Paige realized that they were actually really close and they just stood there, in the middle of the store, looking into each others eyes. She was so lost in one glance, because what she was seing in his eyes was so contrary with everything he told her. She was seeing desire, and affection, and maybe even…
« Sir, are you going to buy this shirt? »
Walter and Paige both jumped as the salesman spoke. They were too absorbed to see him coming.
« Wh-what? »
« You've been wearing this shirt around for the last ten minutes, so you're buying it or what? »
Walter opened his mouth, not even sure what he was going to tell but Paige didn't let him answer.
« Yes he's taking it. And the tie. »
So I have to say I couldn't remember if we actually know something about why Ralph is named like this or if we know Paige's dad's name so I made that up, thinking it would fit well in this story.
Also, sorry on the delay for this chapter, I've been meaning to update sooner but with the french elections and my exams coming up soon, I got a little off from writing. I hope I can post more regularly again soon !