They arrived at Evangeline's apartment with both arms and hands full of shopping bags, more than either had expected to buy. As Evangeline struggled to get her key into the lock the door suddenly flew open and she nearly fell face forward onto the floor, but before she did strong arms wrapped around her and righted her again.
"Where have you been?" John asked causing both Evangeline and Nora to look at him as if he were a crazy man, and the look in his eyes made them think he actually was. John paced about in front of them, blocking their entrance into the apartment. "You said you'd be here by now relaxing, but I got here three hours ago and you weren't here and I tried to call you but your cell was off," He ranted and Evangeline's face instantly took on a guilty look, which Nora notice and she quickly intervened.
"Whoa John, it's my fault I drug her to all the baby shops in town I believe, and all of them had a policy about cell phones so we just turned them off."
"You couldn't have put them on vibrate?" John asked and he threw an angry glare at Nora and she took a step back never having seen him look so mad.
"I'm sorry," A meek voice spoke out and both John and Nora looked in surprise at Evangeline who was pushing her way past John as she settled her bags onto the floor. "I worried you and I didn't mean to," She said her eyes watering and lips trembling, which made regret fill John and he instantly moved to her and enveloped her in a tight embrace.
"No, I'm sorry I'm an idiot, you didn't do anything wrong. I was just worried that's all, but that doesn't give me the right to bite your head off like that," He had hoped these words would calm her and stop the waterfalls he was sure were about to fall but when he pulled back a bit to look into her face he knew his words had no effect as Evangeline started to cry. She pulled from his arms and rushed into her bedroom, leaving a regretful John and pissed-off Nora behind.
"Do you think you could have been a little more insensitive?" Nora asked as she now entered the apartment and settled her bags on the floor beside Evangeline's.
"I didn't mean…"
"No you guys never do, but for future reference, she's pregnant and that makes her hormones all wacky, so you need to be extra caring and sensitive and understanding, or you 'will' have a lot more of that," Nora said pointing towards the bedroom. "For the entire nine months."
"Sorry, I'm stupid. I just was so worried that something happened to her and the baby," John spoke as he moved to the couch and flopped down, grabbing the pillow beside him and hugging it to his chest. Nora smiled at him recalling that Sam behaved the same way with her when she was pregnant with Matthew. She moved and took a seat beside John on the couch.
"Yeah well, you guys tend to get 'stupider' when you discover you're a father. For some odd reason you suddenly see us as weak and helpless, but the fact of the matter is, we're the stronger species, which is why 'we' birth the babies," Nora joked with a smile one John returned.
"So Yoda, tell me what do I do. How do I fix this?"
"Well, when Evangeline comes back out here feeling silly for reacting the way she did, and she will do that every time, you say it was all your fault and take her out to dinner."
"That's it?" John asked as he eyed her skeptically.
"That's it, that will be your saving grace for the next thirty-something weeks. Her hormones will make her feel and say things that she doesn't mean, or she does mean but would never say if she were in her right mind. You just have to be understanding and allow her to 'always' be right, and then throw food at her. During this time food will be better to her than sex," Nora said and John threw her a disappointed frown. "Well during times when she's not so incredible horny she's attacking you to satisfy that need," Those words brought an arch to John's brow and a smile to his lips. They both turned when they heard Evangeline's bedroom door open. They both stood and Nora moved to Evangeline as John nervously stood in his spot by the couch.
"Hey sweetie how are you feeling?" Nora asked as she wrapped a gentle arm around her best friend.
"To be honest, very silly," Evangeline replied as she avoided John's eyes.
"Don't feel that way this is my fault, I was being an ass and I'm so sorry," John spoke out and Evangeline finally looked up at him and smiled. "You forgive me right?" John asked as he returned the smile and took a couple of steps forward. Evangeline nodded her head as her smile widened and before she could move Nora had gently shoved her into John's waiting arms.
"Good, great all is well again in the JoVan nation," Nora said as both John and Evangeline threw her a baffled look at the term. "Just a name Michael and I made up, I'll tell you all about it later, right now I'm gonna head home, while you two get ready for your date," Nora said, again getting baffled looks from the two standing before her.
"Our date?" Evangeline said through her grin and she looked from Nora to John, who nervously looked down at her and then to Nora.
"Yup, John was just telling me how he was gonna take you to the Palace for dinner your reservation's at 8 so you better hurry, and John would you help me get these bags down to my car?" Nora asked and John nodded.
"And I'll go get ready," Evangeline said as her face suddenly lit up with excitement. She rose on her tiptoes and gave John a soft kiss on the lips before heading off to her bedroom. John waited until she had closed the door before he turned back to Nora to ask her how he was supposed to get reservations at such short notice. Reservations at the Palace were nearly impossible to get unless you booked it a week in advance. When he turned back to Nora she was already on her cell phone.
"Yes, James just change the name from Nora Hannan to John McBain, but it's still just a party of two. All right, yes, thank you so much, James. Bye," Nora hung up her phone. "You're all set."
"How the hell did you do that, what you got the hookup at the Palace?" John joked.
"No, but I already did have reservations. Rachel's in town for a few days and we were going there tonight for dinner."
"Oh, Nora I can't take you and your daughter's meal like that," John began to protest.
"Don't worry about it believe me when I tell you we both would prefer a burger at Rodi's. So you go, take Evangeline out to eat and maybe a little dancing."
"I don't know about the dancing," John said.
"Fine, Mr. Uptight, just pamper her a bit and maybe give her some courage to face her mother, whom she hasn't told about the pregnancy yet."
"Oh great, don't know if you're aware of this but I'm not her mother's biggest fan, and I don't think she'll be too pleased to know I got her daughter pregnant."
"Yeah well it may make her hate you even more but I guarantee you she's still gonna spoil that baby and love it unconditionally."
"Yeah her and Eve both, which reminds me I haven't told my mother yet either, about any of it"
"Any of it?" Nora repeated wanting him to elaborate.
"She doesn't know about the baby…o..or Evangeline."
"What!" Nora shouted a bit louder than she had intended but then hurriedly lowered her voice a bit. "You haven't told your mother about Evangeline yet, you've been dating her for a year and a half now John what the hell is wrong with you?"
"Well my mom and I aren't that close and we don't talk that much, so…"
"Man, are you in big trouble if Evangeline finds out you haven't told your mother about her yet," Nora said.
"Your mother doesn't know about me, John?" A voice spoke out and both John and Nora turned to face Evangeline, who had reentered the room after hearing Nora's outburst. "Why not, are you ashamed of me?"
