This is War✔

Fifteen

When Andrew arrived in London the next Thursday, he was nervous, not only because of his appointment at Whitehall but also because of Cora's avoidance of telling him about their baby. Despite his worries, he arrived on the steps of Whitehall at precisely 9:30 and went in.

                       ______

   After the meeting was over Andrew emerged into the bright, chilly sunlight. It had been nothing to worry about. Now he was worried about seeing Cora. It pressed down on him like a great weight.

   He pulled the envelope from his mother's letter out of his RAF jacket pocket and glanced at the address: 503 Whetstone Road. Neither his mother nor his wife knew that he was coming to London. He wasn't sure if he would be welcome. Had he done something wrong to upset Cora?

   He had written to Cora every week. He had thought of her every day. He had missed her every hour. What could he have possibly done in Wales to make her angry? He was walking down Whetstone Road. He tapped the envelope nervously against his leg.

   He was stopping at the door for flat series 499-503. His heart rate quickened. How would they react? He ascended the stairs and now stood before the door of 503. He extended a sweaty hand and knocked on the door.

   No answer. He knocked again. Were they gone for the day? Then-- the door opened and a man about ten years older than him stood in the doorway.

   "Who are you?" He asked rather rudely.

   "My name is Andrew. Who are you?"

   "Why are you asking?" The man crossed his arms.

   A million thoughts raced through his mind but his quickly settled on just one-- Cora had been cheating on him with whoever this was. That would explain her avoidance of telling him about the baby.

   "Is Cora here?"

   "No one named Cora is here currently." The man was tense.

   So, he was hiding the affair.

   "I'll be seeing you." Andrew abruptly took his leave. He then took a taxi to The Royal London hospital, where his mother had mentioned she and Cora both worked. In the passion of the moment he only had one desire-- to confront Cora publicly.

   A hatred he had never felt towards her was boiling up inside of him. He arrived at the hospital and quickly climbed the front steps. He asked for Cora and upon finding what floor she was on, ran up the multiple flights of stairs to get there quickly; He currently had no patience for the lift.

   He arrived on Dr. Stanford's floor and prepared himself. He walked into the ward and there, sitting at the receptionist's desk was Cora. He approached her and said, "Cora."

   His wife looked at him and stood up, almost fearfully. She's guilty. "A-Andrew."

   "Have you been having an affair with the man in 503 Whetstone?!" The whole ward was watching but he didn't care. He was pleased. She should be publicly humiliated for what she had done.

   "What?! I have no idea--"

   "Don't deny it!"

   "I have only loved you!"

   "Then why didn't you tell me about the baby?!"

   "I'm not telling you now, you swine." And she walked out. Ellie left a patient for a moment and ushered her son out of the ward and into the stairwell.

   "What in heaven's name did you think you were doing?!"

   "I just thought that-that the man in 503 was-"

   "Well, you thought wrong. He's the landlord. I just moved out. Cora left, so I chose to downsize. Happy?"

   Andrew silently groaned but his ego got in the way of him expressing any visible remorse. Instead, he answered her second question.

   "I'm being reassigned elsewhere."

   "Where?"

   "I can't tell you."

   "Well then at least tell Cora! Your father told me when he was assigned a few months ago."

   "No. She won't tell me what I want to know, so I won't tell her anything."

   "Andrew, I hope you recognize how incredibly immature that sounds."

   "I don't care. I have to go, Mum." He hurriedly kissed her on the cheek and ran down the stairs. Ellie crossed her arms. At that moment, he didn't seem mature. He just seemed like the same, immature eighteen-year-old she hadn't wanted to marry Cora Prescott.