Robert walked back to the restaurant after visiting the local butcher. Next week, there would be a celebrity at his restaurant, and he wanted to make sure to have the best meat that evening. It was a nice spring day, so he had decided to walk back. In the distance he saw a woman walking. Robert recognized her movements. The way she was swaying her hips, how her back was straight, with her shoulders straightened. He sped up his pace and managed to catch up with her. He put his hand in hers, the woman pulled her hand back and pushed him away. He tripped down the stairs she just reached.
He sat up and looked into the scared eyes of Cora. "Hello, darling." He said smiling foolish.
Cora kneeled. "You Donk, why did you scare me like that. I am so sorry for pushing you. Are you alright?" She reached to his cheek.
Robert looked at his knuckles, who were bleeding. He touched his ankle, which felt bruised. "I am not sure if I can stand." He frowned.
"Lean on me, while you get up." Cora offered him her hand, and he pulled himself up. It hurt to put wait on his ankle, but he could stand on it.
Cora took his hand in hers and carefully touched his knuckles, she brought his hand to her mouth and softly placed a kiss on it. "Try to walk."
Robert stepped forwards, but immediately felt, he was not able to walk. "Aww, that really hurts." He complained.
Cora frowned. "You are not going back to work. I will call for a cab and bring you home."
Robert wanted to protest but saw the look in Cora's eyes and knew he should better listen. Even though he tried. "I can do some paperwork, this afternoon. I will let John do the work." He heard Cora breath in, and he did not even need to look at her, to know the expression that would be on her face. He smiled, he loved her so much, it was incredible how you could love someone.
Cora put her phone back in her bag. "What are you smiling about?"
"I realised how blessed I am with you." He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close.
"I push you down the stairs and you are feeling blessed? I married a strange man." Cora chuckled.
"Well, if this is your response, when a stranger takes your hand, I am only more blessed. Come here." He moved his hand to her neck and kissed her. He tried to enter her mouth with his tongue but got pushed back.
"Not on the street." She put her hand on his cheek. "I love you, but we are in public. The cab driver will be here soon, he said he was around the corner."
The moment Cora said that a cab stopped. Cora pulled Robert's hand over her shoulder and let him use her as a crutch. Together they wobbled towards the car.
Robert had fallen asleep on the sofa. Cora had brought him home, she herself had to go back to her office, when Robert saw her on the street, she was just out for an afternoon stroll. He felt guilty for scaring her, and at the same time, he could not love her more at that moment. He stretched and felt a weight on his lap. He looked down and saw Cora had laid down on his lap. He caressed her chestnut brown curls. She had let her hair down, Robert loved it when her hair was down like this. It gave her face an even more angelic look. He twirled a string of her hair on his finger. With his other hand he softly brushed her cheek. It woke her up.
Cora looked up and Robert saw the familiar twinkle in her eyes. He was glad it was back; they had a rough couple of weeks, and he saw pain in Cora's eyes every day. He wishes there was an easy solution to her pain, but there was not. Yes, there was an option to operate, but it did not mean she would be able to get pregnant. He knew how much she was longing to have a little one in her arms. He knew she was meant to be a mother and he would do anything to make that dream come true.
"What are you thinking?" Cora said with a soft voice.
She knew perfectly well, what that expression on his face meant. She felt a pain in her heart, she could not give him what he was wanting. She was not able to give him a family.
"I am sorry, Robert." She said, with a tick voice and sat up straight.
Robert took her hand. "Why are you sorry? I tripped down those stairs myself."
"It is not that." She lowered her eyes. "I... I just wish I could give you the family you want."
"Oh, darling. My darling, come here." He put out his hands to pull her close in a tight hug. He kissed the top of her head. "You are all the family I need. You are my world."
Cora let out a soft cry. She felt Robert strong hands on her back, and she let him reassure her. "Do you think, we need to try that operation?"
"Only if you are up for it. I do not want to force you into that operation. It does not give us any guarantee."
"I know." Cora stopped for a second and took a deep breath. "But I will never forgive myself if we do not try, everything that we can. And that means having this operation."
"Cora." Robert took her face in his hands. "Do not force yourself, we will only go through with it, if you really want it."
"I want a baby." Cora's voice was almost inaudible. "A baby from you."
Robert kissed away the tear that rolled down her cheek. "Then we will give Dr. Clarkson a call and prepare for it." He kissed her other cheek when another tear rolled down. "Now, I do not know about you, but I am pretty hungry."
Cora shot up and looked at the clock. "Oh no, dinner." She got up and walked towards the kitchen.
"Cora, I did not mean." He sighed, got up and limped towards the kitchen, where he was met with a wonderful smell. Cora just took a dish out of the oven. She turned around and frowned.
"You should not walk on it."
"It is already getting better; I think it is just bruised." Robert said, sitting down on one of the kitchen chairs.
"Good." She put the 'Pan haggerty' on two plates and put it in front of Robert. Cora bent down and kissed Robert on his lips. "Thank you for everything."
