How Soon Is Now

Part One - Chapter Thirty-Two: Troubling Starts

Nicola frowned as she rested a hand against her stomach, she was thirty-seven weeks pregnant and she had a bad feeling about what was going to happen; she couldn’t shake the feeling that it was going to be big.

Nora was sat next to her watching a film, the little girl had grown closer to Nicola in the past few weeks and things had gotten better since discovering that Nora had magic.

Fernando watched the two wondering what was unsettling his wife, he sighed as he stepped into the room making Nicola look at him; she forced a smile as she shifted her weight again.

“What’s wrong?” Fernando asked concerned, he could see that she was uncomfortable but that wasn’t uncommon now that they only had three weeks until their baby was born.

Nicola shook her head, she watched Fernando as he walked across the living room and sat down next to her; she didn’t want to worry him over nothing.

“I have a bad feeling,” Nicola confessed quietly so that Nora wouldn’t hear and get worried, but it was clear that the little girl knew that something was wrong; Fernando sighed as he watched his wife concerned.

“It’s probably nothing Nando,” Nicola continued making her husband sigh and shake his head; he knew that if it was nothing then it wouldn’t be worrying her.

However before Fernando could disagree, a ringing sounded in his ears making him sigh; Nicola looked at him knowing that it was possibly the Elders wanting to talk to him about something.

“I’ll be back soon,” Fernando promised her before he orbed away to the Heavens to see what he wanted, he had no intentions of leaving them alone for long; he wanted to look after his wife when she needed him most.

Nicola sighed shaking her head, she had no idea what the Elders wanted but she hoped it wasn’t bad news; they had enough on their plate and a baby due in three weeks.

Nora watched her step-mother concerned knowing that there was something more bothering her, however she didn’t get to say anything when a woman walked into the living room as if she owned the place.

Nicola stared at the woman wondering how she had gotten into the house, she slowly got to her feet wondering what was going on; she suddenly wished that Fernando hadn’t left them alone.

“Hello Nicola,” the woman greeted, she had arrived at the right time and she knew that they would be alone for a while now; there was no way that Fernando was going to make it back in time.

Nicola gently pushed Nora behind her before trying to use her powers to blow up the woman up since it was clear that she wasn’t human; however it didn’t work making Nicola panic a little since she had no idea what was going on.

Nicola swallowed panicked as she tried to push her back with her telekinesis but it still didn’t work; she wondered for a moment if this was a consequence of going into labour early and not telling Fernando.

“Who are you? What do you want?” Nicola hissed before she felt water run down her legs and a sharp pain in her stomach; she gasped clutching at her stomach realising that this was going to happen now.

The woman smiled walking calmly over to Nicola knowing that the blonde wasn’t a threat to her right now, she would need to act quickly and she doubted that magic would be down for long.

Nicola gritted her teeth, she could only pray that her baby would be able to hold on until Fernando came back from his meeting with the Elders; she was defenceless right now and in a lot of trouble.

***

The Heavens appeared completely empty when Fernando arrived, he looked around wondering what was going on; he walked around trying to find anyone who could tell him why he had been summoned.