A CHARMED LIFE - PART 2
The next morning Nora was awakened by little hands shaking her hard.
M: Mommy! Mommy! Wake up!! You promised we'd go to breakfast today. I'm huuungry.
Nora rose, groggily, her hand cramped from holding the bracelet. She scooped up Matthew in her arms.
N: You're hungry, huh? Well, I guess we'd better take care of that belly of yours.
She poked him and tickled him, causing him to laugh hysterically.
M: What's that?
He grabbed the bracelet from her hand.
N: Oooh, Matt, be careful. It's a bracelet that means a lot to me.
M: It's pretty. Did daddy give it to you?
N: No, he didn't. A special friend did.
She put the bracelet back in the velvet pouch and stuck it back in the jewelry box.
N: You better wash up and change out of those pj's or the diner will run out of pancakes.
M: Really?
N: Yes. Now run along.
Matthew runs upstairs. Nora laughs and cleans up the living room. She retrieves her wedding ring from the glass, rinses it off and carries the jewelry box back up to her bedroom. She showers and dresses. She had debated about wearing the bracelet, but thought better of it. "It's a New Year and a new me! The past is gone." She races Matthew down the stairs and they head to the diner.
Matthew is going a mile a minute as they enter the diner.
M: I want pancakes and waffles and cereal and oatmeal and eggs and juice.
N (laughing): Is that all?
She spots Bo and Melanie out of the corner of her eye. "Oh great!" she mumbles as Matthew chooses a booth.
Bo sees her and smiles. He gives her a quick wave.
B (to Melanie): Excuse me a minute,
Mel.
Lame-o: Of course, Bo. Anything for you, Bo.
He walks over to their table.
B: Well, hello again. Happy New Year you two. How are you?
M: I'm hungry.
B (he laughs): Well, you came to the right place. Nora, are you okay? You look tired.
N: I'm fine. I am tired. I went to sleep kind of late. It is New Year's after all.
B: Right. Well, I hope you had a good one.
N: I've had better. How about you? What'd you do?
B: Well, like I told you, I worked. I didn't get home until 2 a.m. or so.
N: Oh, I'm sure Melanie didn't like that. I know I used to hate it if you…
Her voice trailed off.
N: No more talk of the past! It's a New Year and I'm a new person. Look, we have to order. See ya around, Bo.
B: Of course. Enjoy your breakfast. See ya.
Lame-o: How's Nora?
B: She says she's okay, but I'm not so sure. I'm kind of worried about her.
L: I can tell. Well, Bo I should leave now. I have to get to Statesville to visit Lindsay.
B: You know, I don't know why you bother with that psycho sister of yours.
L: Bo! She's my sister. I'm the only one she has left.
B: Well, it serves her right. She's twisted, Mel. She's right where she belongs.
L: I don't want to discuss this now. I'll call you later.
They kiss quickly. Nora sees it and sticks her finger down her throat pretending to gag. Matthew cracks up laughing and milk comes out of his nose. Nora starts to laugh uncontrollably. Soon, the two of them are causing a commotion and the whole diner is looking at them. Bo can't help but laugh. He stares at them for a long time. He takes one last swig of coffee and leaves.
He walks through Angel Square, clears some snow off a bench, and sits down.
He thinks about what he just witnessed in the diner. His ex-wife and her son laughing together without a care in the world. They made him laugh and he wasn't even in on the joke.
Sometime later he hears Nora and Matthew in another area of the park.
N: Yes, you can make a snowman, but keep your scarf on!!
B: Hey.
N: Oooh, Bo! You scared me.
B: Sorry.
N: I'd help him, but I didn't come prepared. I always bundle him up, but not myself.
Bo laughs.
B: Well, I hope you take better care of yourself in the New Year.
N: I intend to.
B: Good. You deserve it.
N: Thank you.
They watch Matthew as he tries to build the snowman.
N: So……
B: What are you guys up to today?
N: Not much. We'll head home and just relax I think. What about you?
B: Same.
N: You're not going over to Asa's for a big New Year's Day meal?
B (sadly): No. Pa and I still haven't been able to reconcile our relationship.
N: Oh, sorry. I thought that maybe things were better now.
B: No, not really. I miss him though. Clint too. Unfortunately, I think the Buchanan family has broken apart. I don't know if it can ever heal.
N: I think all wounds can be healed. You just have to never give up.
B: You think so?
Nora smiles at him engagingly.
N: Yeah, I do. Look at us!
Bo looks at her, then Matthew, then back to her.
B: You are an amazing woman, Nora. You've been through something so horrible, yet you live life to the fullest everyday.
N: Well, I wouldn't go that far. (She laughs) But, I have to be there for my children and for my work.
B (quietly): Right. Do you really think things are okay between us?
N: Do you?
B: Well, I like to believe I'm trying as best as I can. You can always come to me at anytime, you know that don't you?
N: You want the truth?
B: Of course.
N: I don't feel that I can, Bo. If there are times when I think of things or have questions about something, I can't just come see you. You are with someone else now. It's not fair of me to intrude or take up your time.
B: Is that how you really feel?
N: Yes, it is.
B: Well, stop it! Nora, you are my friend. As a friend you should be able to feel you can talk to me about anything. We were a big part of each other's lives. Unfortunately, some of your life has been erased. But, I want to help you in any way I can. Melanie understands that. We are not together as much as you think.
N: Really? That's not what I hear or what I see for that matter.
B: I don't know. She spends so much of her time worrying about Lindsay. It drives me crazy.
N: Lindsay! Lindsay is the root of all evil.
Bo laughs. She could always make him laugh or smile. He just never seems to feel as good as he does when he is with Nora.
N: Well, we should go. I don't want Matt to catch a cold. Have a good day, Bo. Matthew, come on! Let's go.
B: So long, Red. Remember what I said. I'm here for you.
N: Thanks.
He watches them walk away. He goes to check out Matthew's snowman. "Not bad", he says, even though it was just two big balls of snow. Bo wraps his scarf around the snowman's neck.
TO BE CONTINUED…….
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