Chasing Rainbows

It was a small step forward, but it led to amicable conversations and time together without arguing. Jacob wanted more, he wanted the intimacy and closeness that he’d had with her back in London, but he knew that he couldn’t rush that. He had to take what he could get, because he knew if he screwed up again that she’d run, she’d be gone and he may never be part of his child’s life, this was about more than just him and Emma.

He sat at his laptop in the lounge loving hearing Emma singing along to the radio as she made them dinner. She was a great cook, which was a surprise, he was limited to breakfast and the odd steak, but she’d provided some amazing concoctions, he’d assured her that she didn’t have to do this, provide for him, but she was adamant.

                “What else can I do to fill my days?”

He’d not had an answer to that.

His phone ringing pulled him from his reverie, “yup?” He answered without checking the caller id.

                “Coren! You old dog. Biggest month of your life and you lock yourself away in some love nest. We have got business to discuss.”

                “Andy,” he sighed, his upcoming deal was the furthest thing from his mind since Emma had arrived in his home. “I’ve got a lot on my plate...”

                “I bet you have,” Andy cut him off, “but this doesn’t sell itself. You HAVE to check over these papers, I can’t get then back to the guys in Japan until you’ve agreed the small print, it’s ok, I’ve read it all obviously, but you have got to sign. Can you come over?”

The smell of something divine cooking was wafting into the lounge and he couldn’t leave now.

                “I’m just about to have dinner...”

Andy’s guffaws must have been audible in the kitchen, and Jacob could only groan as he said, “YOU? Coren you are the man who survived three years in college on whisky and popcorn alone.”

Taking the verbal abuse he smiled to himself, “I’ve not had a beautiful woman cooking for me before; I am making the most of it.”

He could almost hear the cogs turning in Andy’s mind and could barely hide a groan as the other man spoke, “dinner it is then, chance for us to meet your young lady. Come to ours tomorrow?” Hearing the hesitation he added, “we have to meet her, and YOU have to sign these documents.”

Jacob glanced towards the kitchen unsure how Emma would deal with this, but Andy was right, they had to meet at some point.  So he gave him a quick “ok”.

Emma was dancing, at the same time as trying to chop basil, and it all looked a little dangerous, but also a little erotic, her hips swirling like that. He shook his head needing to get his mind out of the gutter.

                “We’ve been invited out for dinner. Tomorrow. Say you’ll come.”

Emma turned around and was shocked at the look in Jacob’s eyes; whatever was going on this meant a lot to him. Did she want to meet people? That changed this arrangement, whatever it was. But then they were in this for the long haul, the baby assured them of that.

                “I don’t mind. Who are me meeting?”

She didn’t miss the sigh of relief, “Andy’s my best mate, and kind of business cohort, there’s a little business I need to attend to, but other than that it’s just dinner with him and his girlfriend, actually you might find that advantageous, she’s an actress too, Selena Schwartz. Have you heard of her? She was in a sitcom last year, not sure if it made it to your screens across the pond.”

The name wasn’t unfamiliar, but she couldn’t picture the woman by her name. As she dished up the pasta she’d spent the last hour preparing she looked up at Jacob, he was leaning against the work surface watching her.

                “So what is it that you do? I can’t believe I don’t know that.”

He laughed making for the fridge and pulling out a beer, “can I get you a soda?” He asked apologetically at the fact that she couldn’t have a beer. When she shook he head, he closed the fridge and sighed, “I work in software, computing, you know?”

She wrinkled her nose, “I know almost nothing about computers, other than email, facebook and online shopping they’re a mystery to me!”

He laughed, “for most people that’s all they need to know. But I like creating programs, concepts.”

She pretended to know what that meant, “so you work for yourself?”

Taking a long slug of beer it was a moment before he answered, “yep, I work from myself, from here...” he nodded towards the home office she’d seen a few days earlier, “or I use an office area across town too.”

                “Will you show me it one day?”

He smiled, “if you like.”

A day later Emma wasn’t as calm, she had dressed in a dozen different items of clothing, and she was still none the wiser. She’d been ok until she’d googled Selena. The resulting images were a teenage boys dream, she was tall, blonde, willowy...a long way from her, everything she wasn’t. Suddenly she felt so inadequate, she more than anything else wanted to be everything for Jacob, this was his best friend, and the thought that she would look less than worthy for him scared her.

A tap at the bedroom door disturbed her mental carnage.

                “Hi?” Jacob peeped nervously around the corner, “we really need to be going...” The words froze on his lips as he took in the chaos of the room. “What the hell happened here?”

Emma gave him a forlorn look, “I don’t know what to wear.”

                “Really?” He stepped towards her, trying to ignore the fact that she only wore a robe and it wasn’t exactly tied tightly.

She nodded and felt tears well in her eyes, “I saw pictures of Selena...she’s beautiful...”

He smiled, reaching out to wipe away her tears with his thumbs, “I’m sure you think she is, but you’re beautiful too, and she’s no contest for you.”

Looking up at him she tried a watery smile, “you mean that?”

He nodded, pulling her into his arms, his hand in her hair pulling her close, his lips on her forehead murmuring words of encouragement, “you were beautiful back in that shopping mall in Vegas. I couldn’t take my eyes off you, now I see you and KNOW that you’re carrying my baby...our baby...” He sighed, “I cannot tell you how attractive that is. Ok? Andy and Selena will love you, because you are intelligent, funny, friendly, and innately beautiful, inside and out.”

She pulled her head back and looked up at him, “I think my hormones might be going mad.”

Jacob laughed, “I imagine they are, and I hear they only get worse!”

When she finally emerged in a little black dress, Jacob waiting in the hallway gave a long low whistle, “wow, you look amazing. You could knock anyone dead!”

Emma smiled nervously, “you think?”

                “I know!”

Jacob watched Emma as she chatted to Selena in the kitchen, Selena was beautiful in a kind of willowy flouncy way, but stood together there really was only one woman that ensnared him.

                “Pregnant! Still can’t believe that Coren!” Andy slapped Jacob on the shoulder, “and I admit I was wrong, she seems amazing, though how the hell someone like you snapped up someone like her...well it’s unbelievable.”

Jacob punched Andy’s arm, “nice one friend.”

Andy laughed, “I know you better than she does, you should be counting your blessings and trying to keep her.”

Jacob sighed, she had been amazing since they’d arrived, all through dinner she’d chatted, laughed, and been the perfect companion. The two women had some mutual acquaintances and she and Andy had a rather random fondness for Monty Python, and they had dipped into catchphrases throughout the meal.

It had been a real pleasurable night, he couldn’t remember ever taking another woman to Andy’s home, but then he formally hadn’t dated a woman in years.

                “You going to introduce her to your olds?”

That was a question that made him freeze, he hadn’t thought about them, not in a while. When he first knew about the baby he’d imagined telling his parents, but now, he didn’t want them within a mile of her, Emma and his baby were too precious for them, that much he knew.

Shaking his head he changed the subject, “where are these papers? And when is this thing complete?”

                “You look bushed,” the voice woke Emma from what was a half sleep, Selena was making coffee, she’d taken a few moments to rest. Now a warm hand was running into her hair bringing her back to life with exotic tingles all over her scalp.

Opening her eyes, she looked up at Jacob’s face, full of concern, “it’s been a long day.”

He nodded, “I’ll call us a cab, it’s only a ten minute ride.” Taking her hand he pulled her to her feet, “so glad that you came though Emma, this has been a really nice night.”

                “Hear hear,” Selena came into the room, “I’ll second that. It’s been lovely. We can do this more often, I mean Jacob when was the last time you came to us for dinner?”

He blushed, “not sure.”

                “Never!” Selena turned to Emma, “he must have been invited a hundred times, but he never darkens this door.”

Emma smiled, “well you should come to us one night too.”

Jacob raised his eyebrow, Emma, making plans for them; it was all music to his ears.

                “So I’m thinking I need to go home.” She offered over breakfast the next morning. Jacob paused mid mouthful of his cereal, slowly turning to look at her.

                “What?” It was the last thing he’d expected. Just as things were getting better between them.

                “I told my parents that they’re about to be grandparents by telephone, my best friend has just returned from honeymoon...I NEED to go back.”

His head dropped for a moment, “I thought things were getting better.”

Emma nodded, “we’ve spent almost a week in this house without arguing, that’s definitely an improvement.”

                “So why are you running away?”

Standing she paced across to the fridge then pulled out the orange juice, “I can travel now, in a couple of months I can’t, I want to see my friends and family, I have to.”

Jacob wanted to go with her, but he had the month from hell ahead of him, he couldn’t not be around. He could see her logic, but the thought of her leaving, well it scared him.

                “Trust me.” She offered as though she could read his mind. “I’ll be home for a month, maybe two, then be back in time for Christmas. Ok? Then there’ll be six weeks until the baby’s due.”

Jacob felt sick; it all seemed so final, and so far away. “You can’t wait until the New Year?”

She laughed, “I can’t fly after mid November, so it has to be now. Please Jacob, I have to do this. There are a couple of auditions at the end of next month; I have to be back for then.”

                “I can’t stop you.”

She nodded, “that’s true, and now is not the time to be a caveman, ok?” Emma placed her hands on his shoulders and he leaned back into her touch.

How was he going to survive with her being away for so long? He missed her already.