Love Letter

Dont Ever Come Back.....

"You can go now and PLEASE don't ever let me see your face again. You just don't belong here anymore!"

Ali stood up, smiling broadly. "David, you have NO idea how much that means to me!"

David MacDonald stood and walked around his desk. Taking her hand, his previous frown broke into a large smile. "I'm a rubbish actor, thank God I was half decent at thorasic surgery, eh? I'm so happy for you, Ali. You and Tom. Pity he couldn't be here for this, but I suppose multi-million dollar movies can't really be made without the multi-million dollar lead now, can they?"

"Jeez, if only he was! Multi-million, I mean. I have a feeling our lives are about to get incredibly expensive." She smiled, and pink dots appeared in her cheeks.

David looked at her for a second, then grinned. "Really?!? No!"

Ali nodded, "Yes!"

"Oh Ali, that's wonderful. What did Tom say?" He walked to the office door with her, arm in arm.

"Oh, he doesn't know. I didn't actually know myself until yesterday. I'm only 8 weeks gone. I waited till I'd missed two before I took a test, just in case it was just a fluke. We decided when the last chemo was done to just let nature take its course. Didn't expect nature to be quite so on the ball, really!"

David opened the door and paused. "Well, if there's anyone who deserves this, it's you two." He guided her into the corridor. "Good luck, Ali. I'll look forward to seeing your happy ever after in the papers in a few months." He kissed her cheek. "Tell Tom I said hi, and he's to remember to faint away from the bed when the time comes."

Their laughter echoed down the corridor as she walked away.

Hmmm, Tom. How should she tell him? He'd be home in a couple of weeks. Shooting was almost complete. Facetime now? In person, then? It was a difficult choice. She desperately wanted to share the news with him, but she didn't want him distracted - or worried - while shooting.

She decided to speak to the one person she knew would understand. Who'd been through the same dilemma. From Tom's side.

Getting home, she looked at the clock. It would be 7am with Chris. He'd definitely be up. If only because of his young twins, who were not only his precious boys but complete bundles of mischievious energy.

Elsa, Chris, and her hit it off at the wedding and kept in touch. Tom had been thrilled to find his brother from another mother, liked Ali, as much as he liked Elsa.

She dialled the number and waited.

"Ali?.G'day! How the bloody hell are ya?" Chris was nothing if not Australian through and through. Ali laughed,

"Oh, Chris, never better. Never better. How's Elsa? The kids? Is India still begging to be in a film?"

Chris laughed. "Oh, you have NO idea. Still, all that will come to you two eventually. Just have to be patient, I guess?" He said in a kindly voice, unaware of the momentous reason she was calling.

"Well, there's the thing. I need your advice..."

"Sorry mate, I'm pretty sure there's nothing about making babies that you two bright sparks don't already know.!" He laughed loudly, and she flushed at the implication.
"No, you big Kangaroo!" She teased him, "I just need to ask you something from a father's perspective."

She paused, and she could almost hear Chris sit down, waving Elsa to him.
"Go on?." He encouraged her gently.

"Well, from the father-to-be perspective anyway....." she smiled, waiting for him to catch up.

"BLOODY HELL MATE!".......He'd caught up.......

It was the longest two weeks of her life. To her utter amazement, morning sickness had only lasted approximately three weeks, and after that? Nothing more than mild nausea. Nothing a couple of gingernut biscuits couldn't cure.

As she now sat in the arrivals lounge her heart pounded, and her palms sweated. What would he say now he could actually see her? If his facetime response was anything to go by, it would consist of blubbering and sniffing and grinning madly. Not to mention lots of thank you's.

Chris had said tell him. The feeling of having that delicious secret from the world before she began to show was one that he'd loved every single time. By the time he came back, she'd be suspiciously plump and wearing baggy clothes would only fan the flames. The pregnant cat would be out of the bag.

Ali had agreed, and the next morning, she'd fished the little plastic stick out from its hiding place in her bedside drawer.

Now, her stomach churned, and it wasn't anything to do with the little bean nestled in it.

Swallowing the last of her peppermint tea, the lounge door opened, and some passengers, presumably from the same flight, walked in. Flying first class had its perks. Like a lounge to freshen up in when you arrived from long haul.

There weren't many, of course, and it wasn't long before she could make out his shadowy form through the frosted glass.

Looking at herself in the window's reflection, she made sure she was tidy. Then she stood and walked to the door, waiting. Shaking like a leaf.

The other passengers knew he was on the plane and knew that he had flown this way for privacy. They all retreated quickly to little booths, just like the one Ali had failed to relax in, giving them space.

The door slid open, and Tom walked in, carryon case in hand. He was on the phone already, presumably to Luke, and at first, he didn't see her. Then, as he came fully into the luxuriously quiet lounge, he stopped.

His face broke into a huge grin, "Call you back, mate." Was all he said and hung up.

"Hi!" He said softly, dropping his case at his feet, and took a step towards her. He reached out and gathered her into his arms, "Hi." He whispered softly, his eyes searching her face, brimming with tears.

"Hi." She responded, the tears now spilling from hers too. "We've missed you so much." She kissed him tenderly, and automatically, his arms tightened around her. She sighed very softly into the kiss, passion and relief building, making him pull back suddenly.

"Oh God, sorry love, are you ok? I'm so sorry I..."

Ali smiled and stroked his face, "Its ok, I was actually enjoying that. Alot!" She winked, "I'm not going to break love. You can hug - and anything else - me. In fact, I'd quite like you to. As soon as we get home." She grinned, her hormones all over the place.

She took his hand and laid it on her now gently rounded belly. "Let's take our baby home."

As they walked to the car, Tom and Ali thought that things were heading in the right direction at last.  If only they'd remebered the words of one of their favourite poets..

"Two roads diverged in a yellow wood and sorry I could not travel both, and be one traveller;
Long I stood ......"

How long would they stand? Which road would they take....