16 September 2012
"How... How did this..?" she said, slumping into the bed with the baby still in her arms. "I don't know. Look, I don't know if it's actually.. You know.. But whatever's happened we need to find out soon. How do you feel?" Nate said, sitting next to her but angling himself to face her, asking the questions formally as if in an interview. "Fine. Shocked, but fine" "Tell me as soon as you feel queasy. Promise?" "Yes yes... Nate?" she asked timidly. "What babe?" "What are we going to do?" she whispered, gazing deeply into his eyes. "I don't know" he replied, holding her head against his chest, cradling the baby between them.
Meanwhile, on the other side of New York, Ellie and Joe were driving across the Brooklyn Bridge: a slight detour from the path they should have taken but there was no better gateway to the city from JFK airport in Queens. "I can't wait to see them! And the baby!" Ellie squealed over the thumping of the air against their heads as they sped along with the roof down on their Ferrari. "Don't smother them, I've heard they're having problems" Joe said, slowing slightly to roughly abide by the speed limit. "What? Tiffany didn't tell me that last time we spoke" "I don't know for sure, and they might all be resolved, but he said they just lived alongside each other now, not like a husband and wife should. If you get where I'm coming from" "Poor T... I'm still excited to see the little girl for the first time though! I feel so guilty about not coming back here sooner" she said, as the East side of the city began to rise up from the ground as if she was watching it all being built from scratch in fast forward. She closed her eyes and breathed in the air of New York City, the air she was raised on. As she gazed ahead, the towers of her district raised their heads in the right of her vision, but on the left were the giants of the city: the mid section where height was all important. They drove off the bridge, heading straight for the heart of the Upper East Side, and as they drove, Ellie looked up to the sky, and towards the newest tower to scrape the blue City sky: Tower One, built as a memorial to the original twin towers. As she looked up at it's monstrous height, she thought of a Phoenix, rising from the ashes of destruction and devastation, providing a beacon of hope for people around the world. The towers stood so tall, she couldn't help but imagine some groups seeing it as a challenge; others as something to cling onto; and others as something with such almighty power that they would never challenge its position again. Park Avenue: Ellie's and Tiffany's playground when they were younger sped past as they crossed it, and turned right up Madison, heading North, into the heart of one of the world's most affluent city neighbourhoods. "Good to be home?" Joe asked Ellie as he looked across at her wide eyes, darting around to take in every small detail of this glorious place. "So good" Ellie muttered, blinking slowly and clocking the flashing memories that whizzed in her vision. "We're here" Joe said, pulling into the underground car park situated near the apartment.
"Mollie, we were thinking that maybe you'd be better off at school now. I mean, you've got so many exams coming up, and you need to be working not babysitting, and Nate and I are back on track now" Tiffany began, with a slight quiver to her voice, which Mollie had picked up on but chose not to speak of. "Oh alright. You're sure?" Mollie said, clutching both of Tiffany's hands. "I am. Thank you" Tiffany said, hugging her best friend and quietly whispering "I'll text you later. Something's happened, but don't worry" Mollie looked back at Tiffany in gratitude, but her eyes told a story of intrigue and worry that only Tiffany could pick up on. "Thanks" Nate said, hugging Mollie but releasing her quickly, further deepening the worry in Mollie's mind. "I'll see you at school" Mollie replied to Nate "And I'll see you so soon" she said to Tiffany, hugging her again. "Hello?" a voice called from the front door. "Who's th--" Nate struggled to ask, before his wife had dashed towards the door, leaving the baby in her crib, knowing that familiar voice from her childhood, and crying out in exclamation.
Love You Too: PART 101 • Opuss № I