Countdown part 5
Nora stood in the doorway of the nursery. Her eyes began to mist over as she looked around. Bo stood in the center of the room, a huge smile on his face and his arms outstretched.
Bo: (quietly) surprise Red…
Nora: (awe struck) Bo…it’s…it’s beautiful…
She stepped into the room and lightly brushed her hand over the small white dresser on to the changing table and finally standing looking into the crib. The tears ran freely down her cheeks. Bo stepped up behind her and gently kissed the back of her neck.
Bo: Tears of happiness?
Nora: (turning to face him) Oh yes! (she throws her arms around his neck and kisses him)
Bo: (smiling) Good…dance with me?
Nora: (confused) Dance?
He presses the small button on the crib light and the room is filled with the twinkling melody of Brahms’ Lullaby
Nora holds him as close as her newly protruding belly will allow.
Nora: And to think, I came home angry at you…and now…how can I be angry with someone who does all this in four short hours…
Bo: I had help…
Nora: Matt?
Bo: Among others…
They continue to slowly sway in a small circle. Nora takes in the whole view of the nursery as they slowly turn.
Nora: Oh Bo…this is incredible…Vicki and I almost didn’t have…(Nora stops swaying and backs away from him) Vicki was in on this, wasn’t she?
Bo: (smiling) Among others (he lightly brushes her hair back behind her ear) honey…
Nora: (tears in her eyes) Bo Buchanan! (hugging him) I love you….how did you ever get…when did you ever get all this stuff? (pausing and walking to the window) I mean, I know we had the crib and dresser and changer…but…the draperies…the gliding chair…the border…
Bo: I hope you don’t feel I overstepped your plan…Matt and I picked it all out and Rachel helped…
Nora: Rachel??
Bo: Yeah…Matt e-mailed the patterns to her for approval and then Renee talked to that designer friend of hers…
Nora: Dimitri?
Bo: That guy that’s friends with Nigel…
Nora: Jean-Claude….
Bo: Yeah…he ordered it all and voila! It’s called Baby’s Heaven Sent
Nora: (turns to look at Bo and gently caresses his cheek) Bo…thank you for all of this…but most of all…for keeping it neutral…
Bo: Well…the mint green is kind of a base…but depending on if it’s a girl or a boy we can accent with blue or pink…(walking her to the dresser) look at this! (he switches the light on and the shade begins to turn and cast gently shadows around the room) Is that not the coolest thing?
Nora: Bo…you’re scaring me…(she begins to laugh) you…(kiss) are…(kiss) wonderful…(she grabs her stomach) Oh!!!
Bo: (a worried look crosses his face) Red….what’s the matter??
Nora: (taking his hand) Sshh…(she presses his hand to her stomach) hang on…there!
Bo: (a smile spreads across his face) Is that….
Nora: (smiling as the baby kicks again) that is our baby…(she touches his face with her other hand) our baby approving of its room (she leans in and begins to kiss him)
Bo: (breaking from the kiss) Oop! There it is again!! (he moves his hands to her face and pulls her into another kiss) I love you so much…
Nora: I love you too…
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Week 29
Bo sat behind his desk trying to work, but work was actually the last thing he was doing. In front of him sat a list of names. Although he knew what the baby was, as did half of Llanview, he still promised to keep it a secret and played along by choosing names for both a boy and a girl. He was deep in thought staring at a list on his computer monitor and didn’t hear the door open.
Hank: Hey buddy!
Bo: Hey Hank! I didn’t hear you come in!
Hank: Reading the new daddy manual again?
Bo: Nah…finished it twice over…actually Matt is reading it…I’m still making a list…
Hank: Oh no…not the name list again…Bo…you spent the entire poker game last night quizzing us on names…come on man…do what I did…wait til the baby is here…look at it and give it a name…besides…I thought you already settled on a name…
Bo: Well, I did…but if I get to hung up on it, Nora’s gonna know we’re having a…
Nora: (walking in to the office) Not another word Buchanan!
Hank turns to see Nora waddling into the office.
Hank: How ya doing Nora? (he walks over and kisses her on the cheek) I always said you were incredibly beautiful when you were expecting…
Bo: (getting up from behind his desk and going to Nora) hey! Are you hitting on my wife? (kissing Nora) The mother of my children? (kisses her again) the woman I am crazy in love with? (kisses her once more)
Hank: Ok…ok…I get it…take it easy you two, I’ll talk to you later buddy….
Hank leaves
Bo: I thought he’d never leave…now let me greet you properly (he slowly runs his hand along her cheek and to the back of her neck, gently pulling her into a deep kiss)
Nora: Oh Bo (sighing breathlessly)….let me go out and come in once more…
Bo: Why leave? (he kisses her a second time) come on and sit down…you want something to drink? (he presses his speaker call button) Alice…get me a juice from the machine….(to Nora) Want something to eat?
Nora: No…sweetheart, I’m fine…really…
Bo: (he sits on the corner of his desk as she sits in the chair) So….how’d the doctor’s appointment go? (pausing) You know I wanted to go with you….I don’t like you driving yourself…what if…
Nora: Honey, I’m fine driving….really…and the doctor said baby is doing great…she said we can listen to the heartbeat at home…we should be able to hear it with this (she reaches into her purse and pulls out a stethoscope) and she gave this one to us…
Bo: Really? (he gets up and walks over to his door as Alice brings the juice) Thanks Alice…(he shuts the door and draws the blinds) we can hear the baby…(he walks over to the other door and locks it)
Nora: What are you doing, Buchanan? (she smiles at him)
Bo: (raising an eyebrow) Oh….nothing…(he stops behind her chair and begins to massage her shoulders) I just thought you might like some privacy (he bends and starts to kiss her neck) and maybe see if we can hear the baby…
Nora: (looking up at him as he kisses the front of her neck) Why do I think you have more than hearing the baby in mind? (she sighs)
Bo: Now whatever (he looks down her blouse) gave you that idea?
Nora: Oh…I don’t know…
Bo walks around to the front of the chair places his hands on the arms of the chair and leans in kissing her passionately as he takes the stethoscope from her hands and playfully places it around the back of her neck. He stands upright and takes a step back, extending his hand to her.
Nora takes his hand and looks at Bo as he maneuvers them around the chair and back to the small sofa. They stand in front of it and look into each other’s eyes. Bo slowly pulls the stethoscope from her neck.
Nora: (as Bo kisses her neck and up near her ear) You sure you want to listen for the baby here…it’s kinda noisy…you…(breathing deeply as he kisses across her throat to the opposite ear) you may not hear anything…
Bo: All I want to hear is you (he moves his hand up to her cheek as she tilts her head back) telling me (he lightly kisses her cheek moving towards her lips) how badly you want me…
Nora: (pushing his jacket off) I want you Bo….
Bo: (teasingly) How bad?
Nora: (backs away a bit to look into his eyes and bites her lip for a second) real bad…
After an interesting hour or so, Nora sat up on the couch with a startle.
Nora: (looking at her watch) Damn it! (she reaches for her blouse)
Bo: (kissing her still bare shoulder) you are so beautiful.(he tries to pull her back into a cuddle but she resists) honey…what’s wrong?
Nora: (frustrated) only a little thing like picking up our son from tryouts…
Bo: Was that today?
Nora: For spring league…all afternoon…(she puts her shoe on and stands to straighten herself out) you better put your clothes back on…
Bo frowns as he pulls his pants on.
Bo: I hate this…
Nora: Well…get used to it (she pushes her hair back behind her ears) because soon our time will be even more stolen…
Bo: I guess…(he buttons his shirt) but I suppose we’ll take what time together we can get?
Nora: For now…(looking at her watch) Ok…I have to go…remember the Molenaris are coming for dinner tonight…please remember to pick up the dessert at the Palace…Renee will have a tray of mini éclairs…. man does that sound good right now…and mini cream puffs…oh man…mini éclairs and that great split pea soup…
Bo: Together?
Nora: (irritated) just…please remember to stop…(she takes a step towards him and kisses him quickly) thanks for lunch (she winks)
Bo: My pleasure…be careful.
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At the Palace later that afternoon
Renee: (holding her arms out to greet him) Hey Bo! Right on time! I was just having the kitchen finish up the tray for Nora…
Bo: (kissing her on the cheek warmly) She told me a dozen times to not forget to stop… so here I am…
Renee: Great! Let me go get the box.
Bo: Hey Renee…you wouldn’t happen to have any of that incredible split pea soup, would you?
Renee: I didn’t think you liked it Bo…
Bo: I don’t. No offense…but Nora had a taste for it earlier…
Renee: I should have guessed! She’s been in here everyday for lunch for the past week…I thought she finally lost the taste for it today when I didn’t see her come in…
Bo: I ah…kinda made other plans for her for lunch today…
Renee: You two! (smiling and playfully slapping his arm) Let me see what the kitchen has…suppose she’d want a Cobb salad with garlic dressing and extra egg?
Bo: (faining a gag) Oh my God! Is that what she’s been eating?
Renee: Everyday…two bowls of the soup, a Cobb salad with garlic dressing and extra egg, washing it all down with a chocolate soda…
Bo: (scratching his head) Renee…that is disgusting…simply disgusting…my baby is going to be green! (pausing) but if that is what makes her happy…go ahead…(Bo’s phone rings and he answers it) Buchanan…
Nora: You had better be at the Palace mister…
Bo: As we speak…
Nora: Good…hey…if it wouldn’t be too much trouble…
Bo: (smiling) yes…
Nora: Could you see if Renee could put me together a snack…
Bo: Got it covered…split pea soup, Cobb salad with garlic dressing and extra egg? (Renee walks out with the bags on top of a carry out bakery box)
Nora: No!! Oh no, no, no!…see if she can put together a take out container of the Palace’s delicious shrimp cocktail, some of their chicken salad in a tomato half and some tropical sorbet…
Bo’s mouth drops.
Bo: Are the Molenaris still coming for dinner?
Nora: Yes…why do you ask?
Bo: Are they still coming for six?
Nora: Bo! We’ve had these plans for dinner for a week! (pausing) yes they are coming over for six…for heaven’s sake…why are you acting so strange?
Bo: Nothing, its just…that’s a lot of food to eat for a snack…
Nora: Are you saying I am a pig? (getting upset) you are…you think I am over eating! You think I am stuffing myself like an old farm sow…thanks a lot Bo…just forget it…forget it all and sorry I was hungry!
Bo: Honey! (putting his head in his hand) Nora…. sweetheart…I’ll talk to Renee…I’ll see if she can get (motioning to Renee) a shrimp cocktail, chicken salad in a half tomato and tropical sorbet (Renee nods and takes two bags back to the kitchen with her) Red…stop crying…you are not a sow…I’m sorry…. sweetheart…
Nora: I don’t understand why my eating habits are such a big deal to you or anybody…I really don’t get it…
Bo: Honey…it’s not (exhaling deeply) Nora…stop crying…calm down…I’ll be home shortly…ok…I’m sorry…(they hang up)
Renee: Changed her mind?
Bo: (frustrated) again…I’m sorry Renee…
Renee: (waving her hand) don’t worry about it…comes with the territory…you look like you need a break…
Bo: I need her to have this baby…between the mood swings and the cravings and crying jags about how she’s never going to have the baby, how she’s going to be pregnant forever then the next minute she’s as sweet and loving as ever…Renee, I’m wore out!
Renee: (touching his cheek) Poor baby…
Bo: Really Renee! (looking like a pathetic little boy) I wonder if I am going to survive the next month and a half!
Renee: You will my dear…you will (she hands him the box with a bag on it) you’re a Buchanan…you’re tough (flexing her muscles)…(deepening her voice) you’re strong …
Bo: You’re full of it…
Renee: (putting her arm around his shoulder as they walk to the front door) give Nora my love…
Bo: If she lets me in the house…
To be continued
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