Before and After

XVII

I can't imagine life
Without your presence with me,
Without the tenderness of your words
And the softness of your fingers.

I can't imagine life,
Without your smile to light up my days,
Without your love to warm my nights.

I can't imagine life without you,
Because my happiness, I owe it to you.

I love you...

-

Where are Aiden and Kc?  I asked my mother.

- They are at home.  They will not worry.

I smiled weakly.  Henry was quietly sipping his coffee while my mother held it in his hands.

- Eva.  We have to seriously talk.  You know that I really care about you and that we are here to help you.  Why end your life?

I instinctively turned my head towards the bedside.  To believe that she is always there to help me when I really need it.

Henry had risen.  Surely wanting to dodge the conversation.

- I think I'm over the top.  I will leave you alone.

My mother stopped him in his tracks and quickly found an excuse for him to stay.

- You have the right and the duty to stay.  A child is made by two.  Even if the situation in which we find ourselves is not the most beautiful.  Do you have something to say.  It's your child.

Henry therefore sat on the small armchair.  My mother turned my head towards me again.

- Did you think of us before doing that?  Aiden, me, Kc, and Henry.  Imagine our cruel little world without you.  You have a wonderful future ahead of you.  Look what you've been through since.  Don't let this ordeal destroy you.  Hm?

I could only nod and accept all his words they had just said.

She was not wrong.

Several days had passed.  So fast for others but so slow for me.

Today, I was finally free to leave her four white walls.  It had almost become torture.

Henry had been with me to the end.  He had taken a few days off to take care of me.  He was sleeping at my bedside.  He kept me company.  We were talking about everything and nothing.  And I learned a lot about him.

I remember the day before yesterday.  When I had closed my eyes, he therefore concluded that I was sleeping.  He approached me and put his hand on my stomach, talking to the baby in his deep voice.

He said he was excited to meet him.  That being a father is too new to him.

《A child is the only person we love without even having already met him.  It's so amazing!》
He had said.

I don't doubt for a second that he will be a wonderful dad for this baby.


- Ready?


I nodded in agreement.

Henry had come to get me to take me home.  And according to him, a surprise awaits me there.


We were heading for the parking lot.  A gentle breeze tickled my face.  How good it felt!


He supported me by the hips while I was walking.  My hands crossed me a little pain for my greatest happiness.


- Are you in pain ?



- Contrary to what I thought, it's fine.


To my amazement, he had raised me to land in the car.

And as he did one day, he fastened my seat belt again.


Always the same manly smell.  Always look at him before one of us decides to break him.  What's going on with him?


He goes around the car before getting in turn.

While the car was moving, I admired the landscape passing through the window.


- Thank you for staying at my bedside.  And to have also called my mother.  Had I ended up going out, turning to him.


His gaze was quickly detached from the road to accompany the smile he offered me.


- This is completely normal.



- When do you plan to go back to work?  I already have you

Wastes enough time like that.

- But no !  I will resume on Monday.  And besides, it made me vacation.

I let out a little laugh.

- Let's not be so formal.  We are afraid to speak out, you know.

- No problem.