Previously - Chapter 2
Now looking at her, peacefully asleep in his arms, he swore he had made the right decision. She was the bridge he would cross.
Chapter 3 - What does Nikolai really want?
There is no shorter night, than the night to a day you are looking forward to. Anna’s didn’t take long.
She was the first to awake, and quickly hurried to get everything ready. That didn’t have to be difficult. She had done laundry only the previous day. So everything was already set, her travel cloth were readily packed away in her suitcase.
She hurriedly set them to iron, but first, she would prepare some coffee for Nikola who was still a sleep.
She set the kettle, and sat down on the stool, watching it start to simmer. Her mind momentarily drifted. The vacation was a turn in their two year stay, which surprised even her. Granted, Nikolai was a surprise dude, but this vacation thing had come way too abruptly, she wasn’t sure what to make of it.
Was it the excitement of the job he had just got? Whatever! It didn’t matter, she finally sighed, standing up to fill the tea flask.
Meanwhile, at the bed room, Nikolai was deep asleep, when the bed vibrated; he quickly reached for the phone, meaning to turn the damn thing off, until he glanced at the blinking screen,
His heart skipped, as he quickly rolled off and sat on the bed, staring almost hypnotically at the blinking screen, unsure whether to answer, or not to answer. And he might have just about stared at it forever, if not the call ended.
The sigh that escaped his nostrils was of both anger and relief. Until yesterday, he had waited for that call for the last four years. And until yesterday, he had hoped for this moment. But yesterday he had finally let go off that hope.
Claire, he had finally told himself, was the bridge to burn. That recognition had given way to his decision yesterday, to finally propose to Ann. The vacation was supposed to consecrate that moment. He had the engagement ring ready, stuffed in his backpack.
And now today of all days, Claire was calling. Whatever this was, Nikolai didn’t know what to be, or even how to be. He wanted to feel anger. But he instead felt cold, empty in his mind. And he just stared at the wall for what seemed like an eternity of a time, his mind blank, when Anna called,
“Hunny the tea is ready!”
Nikolai sighed, a part of him grateful she had called him, and saved him from the stupid thoughts. There was no turning back on Anna, he silently confided in himself. His decision was made.
At the dining table, he acted as fine as he could, making the most deliberate of attempts to brush aside conflicting thoughts. After tea, they would be leaving for vacation. And that was it.
He was about to gulp down his last swallow, when his phone beeped.
His heart pumping, he overcame the hesitation, and swiped the screen, his eyes instinctively darting across the room to Anna. She was busy cutting the bread, her back facing him. It gave him the lease to complete it, “I called you earlier on, Niko,” the message read, “I returned home. I need to see you today.”
And with that, Nikolai’s biggest nightmare was confirmed. Claire wasn’t just calling him, she as around. Now what? Why had she returned? And why did she want to meet him? Four years after she left, without word, without warning, what now?
Nikolai’s mind drifted away, it was the movement of the chair opposite him that jerked his thoughts back,
“Ahem,” he cleared his throat, gulping down the coffee.
“Is everything well,” Anna asked,
“Umm, ” he stuttered, simultaneously pressing his thumb on the SMS, and drifting his index finger along the pop up to tap on the ‘delete’ option, “something just came up at office….i am sorry Anna”.
Next - Chapter 4
Previous Chapters
Chapter 2
