Let Me Love You Again
Chapter 99

Nate

We had just returned from the visit to the gynaecologist, according to the doctor was all right, the pulse was there and it was strong. Maya had expressed her fears and the doctor had reassured her, telling her to pay more attention to stress and rest as much as possible.

I looked at Axel from the rearview mirror and noticed that he had fallen asleep in his car seat, the bottle we gave him dangled and still held him tight in his little hand. Lately, he was broken, he slept little and he was always agitated. He played less and many times he was silent, he just sat on the mat and watched his toys. I didn’t like what was happening to him at all, I didn’t like that this little creature was already so traumatized, and I wanted to rip the head off whoever caused that pain.

Maya was sitting next to me, texting on the phone.

“Some secret admirer texting you for a quickie?” I asked, recalling the scenes of jealousy that were raging in the last days whenever I was holding the phone.

“I’m not a quickie woman, I prefer to take my time, you know,” she answered without taking her eyes off the phone.

“Oh I’m aware of that,” I said, winking.

Lately, with all the chaos that came from Axel, Maya and I had not had a moment of intimacy. It was rare when we could be alone and have some healthy old s*x. Axel slept in our bed every night and even during the day he was glued to one of the two.

When we went to bed, we were too broken to do anything, and when we did it, it was because Maya was totally horny and she was riding me. Not that I didn’t want it, on the contrary, I always wanted it, but I was so tired that I couldn’t really be a part of it, so I just let Maya do it and there was nothing more beautiful.

“So what?” I asked, stopping with my car at a red light.

“So what is it?”

“Who are you talking to?”

“Jess” replied sighing, “She’s filling me with pictures of the twins and asked me to come to her for lunch tomorrow since we’re both alone.”

“Maybe in the company of some other child Axel won’t be so bad,” I said.

“I hope so,” he sighed.

“Don’t try too hard, if you can’t do it don’t go there”

“I’m not an old woman, Nate.”

“I know it”

“Then stop treating me like one,” he said, offended and folded his arms across his chest.

“I don’t treat you like an old woman, I’m just worried about all the stress that’s been around you lately, I don’t want anything bad to happen, you know?”

“I know, but I’m fine, we’re fine, you heard the doctor, then I know too, there’s nothing to worry about,” she said, putting her hand on her belly and gently caressing her.

I also laid a hand on her round tummy, hoping to feel some movement but nothing hit my hand, nothing. I sighed.

“She will move, I feel her inside, there is no need to worry, it is not always precise the date on which they should begin to move for the first time, it is approximate, it can be much sooner or much later,” said Maya placing her hand on mine.

I nodded my head and I kept driving.

*****

I shut the phone with my client and snorted. I hated complicated cases, and even more so complicated people who couldn’t make peace with their brains. I put my hand over my face and went back to my computer to continue working on another case.

Someone knocked on my door and looked up, Zeke in front of me.

“The chief wants us in the conference room, future chief,” he said playfully.

“If you say that in front of Jess, she might rip your balls out with her bare hands,” I said, I was standing up.

“But luckily Jess isn’t here and won’t be for some time yet”

“When the cat isn’t there, the mice dance,” I said, closing the door to my office.

Zeke laughed and together we went to the conference room. My father was already sitting at the head of the oval glass table, his hands resting on his armrests as he hung from side to side. I immediately went to sit on his right side while everyone else sat around the table and left the chair next to my father on the left side, which was my sister’s.

When everyone was seated, my father stopped the chair and put his elbows on the table.

“I’ve summoned you here because a matter has arisen,” Dad began, “Some of you will have to go and follow a case in Seattle for one of our old clients, you will have to follow up the case and resolve matters for this signature. I assure you that the choices I have made concern those I consider most competent in this field,” said my father.

“How long?” I asked.

“A month at most,” answered my father, “The names I have chosen are: Nelson, Dare, Lopez and Carter. Next Monday you will leave,” said my father.

I looked up but didn’t say a word, I waited for everyone to finish and leave the room, to be alone with my father.

When everyone was finally out I looked at him, holding his hand on his face and resting it on his chin.

“Why me?” I asked him after minutes of silence.

“Because you’re one of my best lawyers and I need my name on this case,” my father replied.

“What about my wife? My son? You know the s**t we’re going through, I can’t go halfway across the country,” I said with clenched teeth.

“I know it’s a shitty time, Nate, remember that I was the one who made sure that mess was resolved? I know I’m asking a lot of you, but I don’t know who else to send. I need you to be my eyes and ears, it’s just you. Your sister is on maternity leave or she would have taken your place,” Dad said.

“Maya’s pregnant, Dad. Axel’s not well, I can’t leave.”

“You must. The signature will pass to you in a few years and it is good that you take responsibility for this case. The Fishers are the most important clients we have, I can’t just send anyone,” he insisted.

I put both hands on my desperate face, “She won’t be happy. She won’t be able to be alone with Axel,” I said to myself.

“Have you tried talking to one of the specialists I gave you?”

“Not yet, we were deciding which one was the best,” I said, “There’s also the mess of the house, the move we have to make next week, you can’t do this to me,” I said still desperate.

“Your mother and I will take care of it, as far as Maya is concerned, if it makes you feel any better, your mother will help her in everything, we’ll make sure she’s never alone but you have to go,” she repeated, still.

“s**t,” I said between my teeth.