Countdown part 4
Week 24
Nora woke alone. She lay in bed reminiscing how great last night had been with Bo. Making love was some how different now that she was pregnant. She told him a million times over that all her senses were so heightened. She smiled as she let her mind wander to his hands caressing her, his lips kissing her, his…
Nora: Bacon and eggs!! (sitting straight up in bed) Oh! That man is an angel! (getting out of bed and putting her robe on) There are a lot of benefits to this heightened sense of smell!
She makes her way down stairs to the kitchen. Before she enters, she hears Bo and Matt talking.
Matt: Yeah, but Pop…if Mom doesn’t want to know…you can’t ruin it for her…
Bo: Matty…(sliding eggs on a plate) technically it’s not ruining it…technically it could be construed as a Freudian slip…get it?
Matt: (grabbing a piece of bacon) I dunno…I think you’re playing with fire…I was reading in that book of yours…right now…where Mom is in this pregnancy…the mood swings are killer…
Nora walks in, trying to look serious and a bit irritated…
Nora: If you’re looking for justification Buchanan…you aren’t gonna get it (turning towards Matt) And you!
Matt: (looking at Bo) Whad-I tell ya?
Nora: (walking over to Matt and hugging him as he sits on the counter stool) You are one smart cookie! (kissing his cheek) defending my honor like that…and sweetie…the mood swings aren’t all that bad…they have a tendency to blow all that stuff way outta proportion….(glaring at Bo) especially THAT kind of book…
Bo: Whaddya mean “that kinda book”?
Nora: I just mean (grabbing a piece of bacon herself) that it’s written for men and they try to…
Bo: Hey! “that” kinda book has been my manual for these past six months…
Nora: And I respect that…it’s just that…never mind…its not that big of a deal…just don’t Freudian slip anything…
Bo: Oh…you heard…
Nora: (touching her ear) heightened sense of hearing….
Bo: I think there are a couple of these heightened senses I am beginning to not appreciate as much as others…(Bo walks to the table and serves three plates)
Nora: This looks fabulous! (placing her napkin on her lap) I am starving!
Matt: So…it is true…
Nora: (picking up a fork full of eggs) What’s that?
Matt: Well…the book said this part is like the baby’s biggest growth spurt, so it was not uncommon for the mother to be in a constant state of hunger…so the baby must be causing you quite an appetite, huh?
Bo: (under his breath) Among other things…
Nora kicks him under the table
Matt: If this is going to be some gross kissy face thing…I’m gonna go eat in the living room…Extreme sports is on…(he picks up his plate and balances his juice and heads into the living room)
Nora: Go…don’t drop any food in the couch…
Matt: Yeah…whatever…
Nora: (to Bo) What did that mean?…”among other things”
Bo: Nothing…I just know what caused your appetite this morning…and I can honestly say that I woke up equally ravenous…it took all my restraint not to satisfy the hunger with a repeat (he takes her hand and kisses it) performance
Nora:(blushing slightly) Last night was pretty incredible…
Bo: (leaning over and kissing her) why don’t we finish breakfast and see if we can improve on it?
Nora: I would love to (kissing him back)
Bo: (sitting back down in his chair) but…
Nora: (smiling sadly) but I am going to pick out the nursery fabric with Vicki today…she’s expecting me in like (looking up at the clock) shoot! Forty five minutes!! (she begins to seriously eat)
Bo: Is panic a sense?
Nora: I suppose…(mouthful of toast) why?
Bo: That’s been heightened too…
Nora: (drinking her juice) What have you got planned for today?
Bo: Matt and I were gonna watch the game…then we were
Nora looks dejected..
Bo: (exasperated) Whaaat?
Nora: I was just hoping you and Matt could start to put the nursery together…I mean…a whole Saturday and you guys are both home…
Bo: We put the boxes up there…
Nora: And there they have sat…for four weeks…
Bo: Honey….we have time….
Nora: (starting to tear up) you just don’t want the baby to have a nice place to sleep….all those wonderful people….all the hard work my son…
Bo: (rolling his eyes) Our son
Nora: No…my son…because he at least cares about me…(totally in tears) he was nice enough to have that shower….he was so considerate of my feelings…not you …no…you only care about….about….(almost sobbing) yourself…and….and…this p-p-poor helpless b-b-baby…will have to sleep….sleep….in a shoebox….
She sits at the table balling. Bo cannot believe how his wife just transformed from a sexy and very desirable woman to a blubbering, tear stained mess, and right before his eye. He sat wide-eyed and transfixed on her, not knowing what to do.
Nora looks up and sees him staring.
Nora: (still crying) you’re staring…what? (wiping her nose with the napkin) why are you staring at me? Am I a freak?…I am…aren’t I?….(starts crying again) You think I’m some kind of crazed freak!! …and…and…that is why you won’t do the nursery….you’re taking it out…(trying to catch her breath between sobs) on the baby…because you think…think…I’m a freak….
Bo slowly backs away from the table and takes his plate to the sink.
Nora: Now you’re running away from me! (she puts her head down on the table and cries)
Bo: (bending down and quietly speaking) Nora….honey…I don’t know what just happened here…but if you need anything…I’ll be up in the nursery putting the crib together….honey?….ok?
Nora: (sitting up and throwing her arms around his neck) Oh Bo!!! I love you so much!!! You are the best father any child could hope for!!! (she kisses him deeply) I love you!!
Bo: (still confused) ok…(smiling as he stands and gently pats her shoulder) you finish your breakfast…Vicki will be here soon…
Bo walks out of the kitchen and stops near the couch.
Matt: What was…
Bo: Don’t ask…
Matt: Do I want…
Bo: No…no…you don’t…(patting Matt’s shoulder as he looks toward the kitchen door in bewilderment) you really don’t want to know…I’ll be upstairs, putting the crib together…
Matt: I thought we were going to watch….
Bo: Plan’s changed…come up when you’re finished…bring the TV from the study…
Matt: Got it…
Bo looks at he kitchen once more, shakes his head and goes
upstairs.
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At the interior designers
Vicki: So…I see you’ve given in and begun to wear your new clothes…
Nora: (smiling) Had no choice…I’ve gotten accustomed to breathing…and the other clothes left little room for that!
Vicki: Well, I must say…maternity wear has come along way…that suit is beautiful!
Nora: Thank you…(holding up a sample of fabric) I can’t believe this is in a nursery book! It looks simply office!
Vicki: That it does! (flipping through a book) so…did Bo tell you what the baby is?
Nora: (closing the book she was looking at) Vicki! (closing her eyes and trying to remain calm) did he tell you?
Vicki: He told Renee…(cautiously) she told Jesse….
Nora: You heard it from Jesse? (slapping her knee) Great!
Vicki: Actually, I heard it from Carlotta…
Nora: What?!!
Vicki: I guess Jesse told Christian and he told his mother…Ben and I were at the diner day before last and she asked us if we had heard the good news….
Nora: I do not believe him!
Vicki: I’m sure Christian…
Nora: Not Christian…Bo!! He has the biggest mouth in Llanto County!!
Vicki: Oh…I see…You didn’t want anyone other than the two of you to know?
Nora: Vicki…I don’t want to know! (exhaling deeply) I wanted to wait and be surprised, but Mr. “I-Have-To-Know-Everything-Because-I-Am-Police-Commissioner-Buchanan” just had to find out…and now he seems to be cutting his own little swath of information throughout Llanview!
Vicki: Well…I will try to do a little damage control…I will inform everyone that under no circumstances are they to tell you what you are having…(opening a book) now…lets pick out this baby’s room…
Nora: Do me one favor…
Vicki: Anything…
Nora: Make sure you get to Renee…tell her
Vicki: Asa…
Nora: (smiling weakly) Yeah..Asa…
Vicki: Got it covered.
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A few hours later Nora arrives home from her trip with Vicki. She walks into the living room to see Matt, sitting with his feet up on the arm of the couch, eating peanuts and watching football.
Nora: (taking off her coat) Why aren’t you upstairs helping your father…
Matt: (sitting up) Oh! Hi Mom…um…cuz he’s not here…
Nora: Where did he go?
Matt: Um…something about he had to go to the hardware store…something about a stripped screw…
Nora: Uh huh…I’m gonna strip his screw…(she turns to walk upstairs)
Matt: Hey…mom…
Nora: Yeah…
Matt: That suit looks really pretty on you…
Nora: Thanks (pausing and turning toward the couch)…Matt…you do know I want to keep the sex of the baby a secret for myself…right?
Matt: Half the free world does…
Nora: You wouldn’t purposely try and ruin it for me, would you?
Matt: No mom….I know how important it is to you…I’m gonna go to Stacy’s for dinner….ok? (getting off the couch)
Nora: Thank you…yeah…that’s fine…don’t stay too late…say hello to Mrs. Molenari…thank her again for the manicotti she sent over last week…
Matt: Will do…you’re gonna be ok alone?
Nora: I’ll be fine…I think the baby (touching her stomach) and I are going to take a nap…
Matt: (putting on his jacket) ok…see ya later…
Nora: Bye sweetie…
Nora kicks off her shoes and heads upstairs. She unbuttons her blouse as she walks toward her room.
Nora: (to herself) A nap would be wonderful…
As she walks past the nursery door, she notices it is closed and a piece of yellow police barrier tape is across it.
Nora: (to herself) “do not cross…police barricade” (she pulls the tape off) What the heck have you done Buchanan?
She opens the door.
Nora: What the?
To be continued
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