How Soon Is Now

Part One - Chapter Two: Troubled Meetings

Fernando grumbled to himself as he did the weekly food shop, it had been a week since he had moved to Hallows Town and still Olalla was sulking about the move.

Olalla refused to do the simplest of things and Fernando was forced to judging his new job and looking after Nora.

“Papa?” Nora asked making Fernando look at her, she stared at him innocently making him wonder what she wanted; he hated the tension that filled their home and he knew it was starting to hurt Nora.

“Why is mama sad?” Nora asked softly peeking up at her father, she pouted a little knowing that her mother hadn’t been happy since they arrived in their new home.

Olalla didn’t seem to be settling into their new home like he had hoped; she was sleeping in the guest room as some sort of protest about living in such a small country town.

“She just misses Liverpool,” Fernando said pushing the trolley down the aisle after he had selected a cereal that was Olalla approved; he didn’t know what else to tell his daughter and he hated that he couldn’t make things better.

“I like our new home Papa,” Nora said making Fernando smile at her, he was happy that at least someone did; it was the perfect place for them to raise Nora and he hoped that Olalla would one day see it.

Fernando paused as he felt a chill run through him, he looked up as someone worked into the small local ship; he stopped when his eyes caught on the blonde that had stepped inside.

Fernando ignored the two people that she was with, his heart beating wildly in his chest as if trying to tell him something about the woman that he was looking at.

Fernando took a deep breath shaking his head, he turned his attention back to his daughter knowing that he was a married man; it wouldn’t do him any good to stare at a complete stranger.

Nicola Matthews sighed looking at Lydia Jones, she didn’t understand why her friend had so many issues with what she did; Nicola liked helping people but Lydia and her twin brother, Nathan wanted them to isolate themselves.

“I just don’t see what the problem is, I like helping people,” Nicola argued making the Lydia glare at her, she didn’t see why they had to be shut off; it only made people more suspicious about them and she was starting to get a little lonely.

“You could have been seen, you promised you’d stop using to protect the humans,” Nathan said angrily, he didn’t like the fact that Nicola wasn’t doing as she was told; she was younger than them and a risk if she carried on doing what she did.

Nicola brushed some hair from her face as she walked away from Lydia and Nathan, she didn’t understand why they had to constantly bring her down; she paused spotting an unfamiliar man standing in the aisle with a child.

Fernando looked up feeling someone looking at him, his brown eyes locking with Nicola’s; he swallowed quickly looking away as he felt an odd feeling fill him.

“Is that him?” Fernando heard Nathan ask in a harsh voice; he didn’t hear a response but he wondered why the man had spoken like that about him.

***

After completing the shopping Fernando returned to the car with Nora, the little girl watched as her father started to put the shopping into the car; she didn’t know what it was but Fernando felt different to her.

“Why don’t we start dinner when we get home to surprise Mama?” Fernando asked, not paying attention as Nora slowly wandered away from his side playing with her dolly; he smiled hoping it would make his wife happy.

It wasn’t until he looked down that he realised that she wasn’t by his side, Fernando looked around frantically before there was the sound of tires screeching.

Fernando’s head snapped in the direction as the car moved towards Nora, Fernando felt sick as he rushed forward but everything seemed to be moving in slow motion.

Nicola seemingly appeared from nowhere as she rushed out of the store and pushed Nora out of the way; there was a moment of stillness before everyone rushed forward.

“Papa,” Nora said as Fernando pulled his daughter into his arms, he closed his eyes relieved as Nicola slipped away from the scene, un-noticed by those around her as they moved to check on Nora.

Lydia and Nathan stood at the doors of the store, frowns etched on their faces as Nicola looked back and met their gaze; she knew that she would be in trouble when she got home.

Fernando looked around he wanted to thank the woman for what she had done, he frowned watching her disappearing into the distance; he wondered why she didn’t want to be thanked for what she had done.

***

Nicola hadn’t been able to resist coming to the hospital to make sure that the little girl that she had saved was okay, she had left quickly so no one would ask her any questions about what she had done.

“What were you thinking?” Nathan hissed stopping Nicola in her tracks, she sighed looking at him and his twin sister; they were upset with her decision to save the girl but she couldn’t let her die.

“That I couldn’t let a little girl needlessly die,” Nicola replied making the two twins frown at her words; they couldn’t believe she was being so careless about using her powers like that.

Nicola crossed her arms, she wasn’t going to tell them about the odd connection that she felt with the girl’s father; she didn’t want to admit that the warning that they had gotten was about him.

“You should of…” Lydia hissed before she noticed they were being listened to, she looked around to find Fernando coming out of a consultation room.

Lydia frowned, she didn’t trust the man that had warned about by Gideon; he had told them to stay away from him and she didn’t know why.

“We’ll talk about this later Nicola,” Lydia said before she turned on her heel and stormed away with her brother; Nicola watched them leave as she heard Fernando walk over to her.

“Gracias for saving Nora’s life,” Fernando said still not sure how she had done it but he didn’t care; Nicola shook her head as she shifted nervously.

“I didn’t do anything,” Nicola insisted making Fernando frown at her confused why she was denying saving his daughter; he wondered if this had anything to do with what the twins had said.

“I want to thank you…” Fernando said wondering how he could make this up to the woman who had saved his little girl’s life; Nicola stared at him for a moment then she shook her head.

“As I said I didn’t do anything… and if I did I still wouldn’t want anything in return,” Nicola said making him look at her as she went to leave Fernando grabbed her hand.

The moment Fernando touched her, a charge of electricity passed through the two of them, making Nicola gasp before she pulled away from Fernando.

Nicola stared at him for a moment, taking in what had happened; Fernando felt breathless just from touching the woman.

“I have to go,” Nicola said before she turned on her heel and ran away from Fernando, he watched her for a second as he wondered what the hell had just happened between the two of them.