culpables years later

Noah

Nick and I lay in bed for a while, dreaming of our future. We lay close to each other, kissing everywhere, like teenagers.

I was relieved when I finally told Nick. We wanted a baby, of course, but just in the situation where we were, it made it a little bit complicated. Nick's hands stroked my stomach, and that triggered happiness hormones in me. Then the emotion crap starts again and the nausea starts. I'd like to do without that. "How are we going to tell the others?" He smiled and put his head down gently on my stomach. "First, let's tell Andrew. Then maybe we'll get him a shirt that says best big brother." 

I imagined it, and I liked it. I ran my hands through Nick's hair. "I'd like that too. But now might be a bad time." "When would be a good time? Everyone would be happy, Noah." Actually, Nick was right. It was one of the best news in a long time. It was a happy moment for our family. I should be happy, too. At some point when it was time for dinner, we got dressed again. "By the way, freckles, thank you for telling me personally and not by message."

My laughter rang out loud in the room. The thought back was funny. "You know, Nick, I actually wanted to email you this time, but I thought maybe I should tell you in person." 

"How generous of you, Noah. I appreciate it so much." His saccasm was audible. I turned to him and stuck out my tongue cheekily. Ready dressed, we sat down to dinner with my mom and William. It was weird not being able to tell them, but it was a thrilling feeling. "Have you heard from Lopez?" We shook our heads, and my mom sighed. 

My mom wasn't doing so well, and it was palpable. Nick mostly tries to start the conversations and make them joyful. I really appreciated that. 

I smiled at him with gratitude, and he smiled back. Our parents weren't very hungry, so at times they would say goodbye. We were left alone. Nick cleared the table, and I put everything in the dishwasher. Together, we lay down on the couch and watched a racing car movie. We lay arm in arm on the couch enjoying the evening. "You know what I was thinking about? How about we sell our house and buy one nearby on the beach? But a bigger one. What do you say?"

I loved our current house, it had a lot of memories and great value to me. Nick had bought it for me at the time as a gift and help to continue studying and to raise Andie. On the other hand, it was too small for four people. He was right. We needed a new house, and we needed a real house. I wanted our kids to enjoy the best. 

"You're right, it wouldn't be bad. But it's going to be tough." "That I live to see the moment when I'm right. I haven't gotten used to hearing you say that yet."

I punched him in the arm. "You ass!" He laughed and snapped me closer to him. "Well, we can go see some houses these days? We'll take Steve and Alex will stay here." I nodded to confirm, and N suddenly appeared before my eyes. N snuggled up between me and Nick and started purring. "Actually, N was our first child." He grinned and clawed him. I was startled when we were startled by a bark. Thor, of course, wanted to cuddle along. He also ran between us and spread over me, his head resting on my stomach, and it seemed like he could feel the baby. 

He and N began to meow and bark. "You both feel the baby? Man freckles, I get competition." "Everybody needs a lot of love, Nick. That's all, and they're protective." The moment was too sweet.

The next day I had arranged to meet Jenna for shopping and dinner. Nick insisted that Steve accompany me for the city and I didn't mind. After that I would pick up Andie and Maggie and take them both to their sports. When Jenna and I met, we hugged. It felt like a long time ago that we'd seen each other. While shopping, she talked about her vacation and her relationship with Lion. Apparently, they had some problems. We also talked about the Michael situation, but it was depressing. After shopping and feeling the tenth bag, we decided to go out to dinner. 

"What exactly is going on with you, Jenna? Why are you going through a bad patch?" She looked at me sad and annoyed. "We almost don't have sex anymore, and we just fight anymore. We never used to be like this, but now? Either he doesn't think I'm hot anymore, he's gay, or he has someone else."

"Come on, Jenna. You're Jenna and Lion. You don't have any problems, just obstacles you're going to solve. Put on something hot and seduce your man! He loves you like crazy, and you have wonderful kids." She shook her head and sipped her cocktail. "It's just weird, Noah. I feel lonely, even though I'm not alone. If you don't mind me asking you, how often do you have sex? And do you have to make Nick horny?" I choked on my juice and looked at her in horror. I was amazed that she asked me this. There's no question that we had a deep friendship, only we didn't talk about our exact sex life. 

"Different. Depending on the mood. I don't have to do anything to get him on, he's always on the hook for sex. Like a teenager." "It makes me feel so much better. I really don't mind it, except I haven't had sex in so long. It's frustrating." I looked at her compassionately. 

It wasn't the time to tell her. She needed love from her best friend. The day with her went by fast, and before I knew it, I picked up the kids and drove them home to get ready. Nick was still at work, Rafaella and Will in their room. As Maggie was getting ready, Andrew pulled me into a hug. "Are you okay, honey?" "Yes, Mom. I love you. I want you to know." I kissed his forehead and held him. He was really cute. "Should I come back later?" Maggie interrupted us and stood on the stairs with a mischievous grin.

"If you want a hug, just tell Maggie." Smiling, I held out my hand, and she hesitated. Finally, she cuddled with us. She took Andie's hand, and together I drove them to their sports. Unfortunately, I got stuck in traffic on the way back. It would take forever to get home and pick up the kids right away. So I decided to sit down in a coffee shop and do some reading. Steve gave us a ride and ordered us some cocoa. "Steve, you know my secret, don't you?" He grinned at me. "Yes, I know."

I looked back and forth between my book and the drink. "I'm happy for you, Noah. You deserve to be happy." 

"Thank you Steve, for everything I mean. It's not easy right now, and I really appreciate what you're doing for us." He smiled gratefully at me. Just as I was about to say something back, I heard my name from afar. "Noah? It's been a while." I couldn't believe my eyes. I never thought I'd see that person again.

Noah

Nick and I lay in bed for a while, dreaming of our future. We lay close to each other, kissing everywhere, like teenagers.

I was relieved when I finally told Nick. We wanted a baby, of course, but just in the situation where we were, it made it a little bit complicated. Nick's hands stroked my stomach, and that triggered happiness hormones in me. Then the emotion crap starts again and the nausea starts. I'd like to do without that. "How are we going to tell the others?" He smiled and put his head down gently on my stomach. "First, let's tell Andrew. Then maybe we'll get him a shirt that says best big brother." 

I imagined it, and I liked it. I ran my hands through Nick's hair. "I'd like that too. But now might be a bad time." "When would be a good time? Everyone would be happy, Noah." Actually, Nick was right. It was one of the best news in a long time. It was a happy moment for our family. I should be happy, too. At some point when it was time for dinner, we got dressed again. "By the way, freckles, thank you for telling me personally and not by message."

My laughter rang out loud in the room. The thought back was funny. "You know, Nick, I actually wanted to email you this time, but I thought maybe I should tell you in person." 

"How generous of you, Noah. I appreciate it so much." His saccasm was audible. I turned to him and stuck out my tongue cheekily. Ready dressed, we sat down to dinner with my mom and William. It was weird not being able to tell them, but it was a thrilling feeling. "Have you heard from Lopez?" We shook our heads, and my mom sighed. 

My mom wasn't doing so well, and it was palpable. Nick mostly tries to start the conversations and make them joyful. I really appreciated that. 

I smiled at him with gratitude, and he smiled back. Our parents weren't very hungry, so at times they would say goodbye. We were left alone. Nick cleared the table, and I put everything in the dishwasher. Together, we lay down on the couch and watched a racing car movie. We lay arm in arm on the couch enjoying the evening. "You know what I was thinking about? How about we sell our house and buy one nearby on the beach? But a bigger one. What do you say?"

I loved our current house, it had a lot of memories and great value to me. Nick had bought it for me at the time as a gift and help to continue studying and to raise Andie. On the other hand, it was too small for four people. He was right. We needed a new house, and we needed a real house. I wanted our kids to enjoy the best. 

"You're right, it wouldn't be bad. But it's going to be tough." "That I live to see the moment when I'm right. I haven't gotten used to hearing you say that yet."

I punched him in the arm. "You ass!" He laughed and snapped me closer to him. "Well, we can go see some houses these days? We'll take Steve and Alex will stay here." I nodded to confirm, and N suddenly appeared before my eyes. N snuggled up between me and Nick and started purring. "Actually, N was our first child." He grinned and clawed him. I was startled when we were startled by a bark. Thor, of course, wanted to cuddle along. He also ran between us and spread over me, his head resting on my stomach, and it seemed like he could feel the baby. 

He and N began to meow and bark. "You both feel the baby? Man freckles, I get competition." "Everybody needs a lot of love, Nick. That's all, and they're protective." The moment was too sweet.

The next day I had arranged to meet Jenna for shopping and dinner. Nick insisted that Steve accompany me for the city and I didn't mind. After that I would pick up Andie and Maggie and take them both to their sports. When Jenna and I met, we hugged. It felt like a long time ago that we'd seen each other. While shopping, she talked about her vacation and her relationship with Lion. Apparently, they had some problems. We also talked about the Michael situation, but it was depressing. After shopping and feeling the tenth bag, we decided to go out to dinner. 

"What exactly is going on with you, Jenna? Why are you going through a bad patch?" She looked at me sad and annoyed. "We almost don't have sex anymore, and we just fight anymore. We never used to be like this, but now? Either he doesn't think I'm hot anymore, he's gay, or he has someone else."

"Come on, Jenna. You're Jenna and Lion. You don't have any problems, just obstacles you're going to solve. Put on something hot and seduce your man! He loves you like crazy, and you have wonderful kids." She shook her head and sipped her cocktail. "It's just weird, Noah. I feel lonely, even though I'm not alone. If you don't mind me asking you, how often do you have sex? And do you have to make Nick horny?" I choked on my juice and looked at her in horror. I was amazed that she asked me this. There's no question that we had a deep friendship, only we didn't talk about our exact sex life. 

"Different. Depending on the mood. I don't have to do anything to get him on, he's always on the hook for sex. Like a teenager." "It makes me feel so much better. I really don't mind it, except I haven't had sex in so long. It's frustrating." I looked at her compassionately. 

It wasn't the time to tell her. She needed love from her best friend. The day with her went by fast, and before I knew it, I picked up the kids and drove them home to get ready. Nick was still at work, Rafaella and Will in their room. As Maggie was getting ready, Andrew pulled me into a hug. "Are you okay, honey?" "Yes, Mom. I love you. I want you to know." I kissed his forehead and held him. He was really cute. "Should I come back later?" Maggie interrupted us and stood on the stairs with a mischievous grin.

"If you want a hug, just tell Maggie." Smiling, I held out my hand, and she hesitated. Finally, she cuddled with us. She took Andie's hand, and together I drove them to their sports. Unfortunately, I got stuck in traffic on the way back. It would take forever to get home and pick up the kids right away. So I decided to sit down in a coffee shop and do some reading. Steve gave us a ride and ordered us some cocoa. "Steve, you know my secret, don't you?" He grinned at me. "Yes, I know."

I looked back and forth between my book and the drink. "I'm happy for you, Noah. You deserve to be happy." 

"Thank you Steve, for everything I mean. It's not easy right now, and I really appreciate what you're doing for us." He smiled gratefully at me. Just as I was about to say something back, I heard my name from afar. "Noah? It's been a while." I couldn't believe my eyes. I never thought I'd see that person again.