Baby Wipes

Ashamed didn't begin to explain how Bo felt about the way he had treated Nora when she told him his test results were wrong-- that he could indeed father a child. Where had that anger come from? Suddenly all the pain of the past year was right there-- Drew's lifeless body on the dock. The Woman of the Year banquet. The feeling the night he walked out of their house. Seeing Sam carry Nora into the emergency room the night she had Matthew. The fire at Club Indigo. The divorce papers. Bo needed to apologize to Nora. He rang the doorbell at their house. Even that hurt.

NORA: (looking surprised) Bo...
BO: Can I come in?
NORA: Sure.
BO: I'm here to apologize. I've thought about what I was going to say but it all sounds so lame. I was a jerk, plain and simple. If Matthew is my son, god, of course I'll be happy. It's just such a shock. I had put it out of my mind... tried to, anyway. And now... it's just that... I don't want to face the pain all over again if he's not mine.
NORA: You don't have to explain. Really. I can't imagine your pain. Well, maybe I can. I don't know who the father of my baby is. How pathetic is that?

They looked at each other trying to find a way to connect.

BO: Could I....see Matthew?
NORA: Of course.

Upstairs as he looked at this sleeping angel, the pain washed over him again. Drew. Nora. Sam. Drew. Nora. Sam. It pounded over and over in his head. Drew. Nora. Sam.

BO: I think.. I need.. a drink.

Nora was at a loss for words as he rushed past her. How could she help him?
She found Bo in the kitchen drinking shots of Wild Turkey left over from a party eons ago. She had never seen him like this. He poured a shot and downed it. He poured another and downed it.

NORA: (softly) Bo...

When he turned and looked at her, she saw tears rimming his eyes. He wiped them away roughly with the palms of his hands.

BO: I'm okay. I'm okay. Perfectly okay.
NORA: Bo, please sleep here tonight. Please don't go out and drive like this. Please.
BO: I'm not even going to argue with you. Wake me in about 300 years.

He walked past her and went upstairs. Nora turned out the lights and locked the door. Upstairs she checked on Matthew. She was disappointed when she saw that Bo had gone into Rachel's old room. What did she expect? Bo was too much of a gentleman to do something as presumptuous as going into their bedroom. Still, she wished he had.

As he lay in bed, Bo was thinking virtually the same thing. How he longed to hold Nora right now. Nora-- with that light that always seemed to show him the way out of darkness. How he missed her. How pointless it was to pretend he was over her. How silly it was to even think Lindsay could take Nora's place in his life. The thing about Nora-- she made him want to give everything, and the more he gave to her, the more the well inside him replenished itself. Lindsay just seemed to suck everything dry.

In the other room, Nora got into bed. But sleep? Not a chance. She was almost happy to hear Matthew cry. When she went into his room to check on him, Bo was already there.

NORA: He's hard to ignore isn't he?
BO: Who would want to? He's wonderful. No matter who his father is.(to Matthew) It's okay. Your mommy is here now.
NORA: I don't think he could be hungry, but you never know. Oops, he's wet!

Bo watched as Nora changed Matthew. He had walked out on her when she was pregnant. And yet, she had come through the ordeal filled with love to give this child. He knew what his anger was all about now. He wanted this! He always had. He wanted Nora and Matthew. Pretending he didn't-- that was the unbearable burden.

NORA: (putting Matthew back in bed) All better now. Sleep tight. Don't let the bed bugs bite.

Emotion rose over him, but now Bo knew what it was.. love. It was longing. It was need for his soulmate-- the woman who made him laugh-- the woman who changed existing into living.

Nora wiped her hands with a baby wipe and when she turned around their faces were just inches apart. They stood there staring into each other's eyes.. asking silent questions.

BO: Your perfume. It's divine.
NORA: Eau de baby wipes? It's very exclusive, but both men and women can wear it. You should try it sometime.
BO: How about now?

He kissed her and she kissed him back. Nothing had felt so right to either of them in months. It was soft and gentle and easy-- the exquisite pain that comes with getting something you've ached for.

BO: You're going to have to tell me if you want me to stop.
NORA: (breathless) I.. don't.. want.. you.. to.. stop. (kisses him) Please don't stop.
BO: (kisses her) I wasn't going to anyway.
NORA: (smiling) Make love to me in our bed and I'll rub baby wipes all over your body.
BO: Now you've done it! (laughing) I MUST have you!

They fumbled their way into the bedroom and fell on the bed. What was this remarkable feeling? The only way Bo could describe it was-- healing. With every touch, Nora was sewing up the wounds in his soul.

The next morning when they woke up, they just held each other for a long time without saying anything. So many questions answered. So many remaining.

BO: There's something I need to say about last night. I want to make sure you understand.
NORA: Understand what?
BO: Last night-- it wasn't about sex. You know that, don't you? I love you. And no matter what happens with Matthew, I'll still love you. I need you in my life. I'll do whatever it takes. Anything. Even if it means Sam, in some way, remains involved.
NORA: (she touched his face) Sam who?

As they looked at each other, Bo and Nora knew the road ahead was not an easy one, but somehow they had passed through the nightmare into morning.

BO: Uh, do you have any more of those.. baby wipes?
NORA: (smiling) Turned you on, did they, Buchanan?
BO: (eyes twinkling) The idea of spending the rest of my life with you, raising Matthew.. yeah.. it turns me on.

The end.
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