Glaze

FOUR - HER

Chapter 4

NORA
_________

Gasped awake, startled and nearly choking on my own tongue.

My breath was in pants so I rested my palm agasint my chest in an effort to calm me. Flashes of my dream flooded through my mind while beats of sweat drenched my clothes and covered my forehead. "Even the baby couldn't stand you."

Immediately, I pulled off my blanket, freeing myself from the tangled 'trapped' feeling of the sheets and stood. Stumbling to the bathroom, and splashing my face one last time, my heart rate began to slow and I gripped the countertop. That was the second night in a row I've had that same dream. The same dream of me laying on the sofa and him barging in with sudden knowledge of my miscarriage, then suddenly another flashback of how we met before being interrupted by his cigarette burning my flesh.

Dear God, gotten away yet my own mind betrayed me? Flooding my thoughts with images I wanted to run away from? Was this a sign... Was he close, near? My anxiety set in causing me to splash more water on my face and grunting to myself.

Upset my mind was turning on me, my body cooled instantly as the water washed it away. I inhaled deeply, waiting patiently as my sorrows flowed down the drain.

You're loosing your mind.

Removing myself from the shower, wrapping an orchid-colored silk robe around my body and tied bow before drying my hair. You're right, I thought, but when will it end? The question left my lips and lingered in the air like a ghost wanting to be seen.

I ignored it, as per usual, when a sudden knock at my front door had my heart leaping out my chest.

I dramatically jumped awake and peaked out my bathroom curtain in hopes of at least seeing who was at my door.

'Nora, you have a guest. Would you like me to sound the alarm?'

"No, Alexa. Jus-Just play piano music on 10%."

"Now playing paino at 10%."

Making my way through my bedroom, I ran to the door, immediately peaking through the hole in the center. The person must've known I'd look through it because their thumb was held against its opening.

I approached my desktop and tapped the screen of my tablet to check the live video. The camera gave me full view of my front door and the mysterious man who stood in front of it.

I studied him closely. His hair was jet black and would have held small waves if he allowed it to grow while his figure was tall and lean, a tad bit broad. This man had slacks on with a navy-blue dress shirt paired with stylish boots.

He looked like he had never lived a day here, that alone made him dangerous.

With Alexa granting me permission through the intruder mode, my hidden security box had popped open, revealing my handheld pistol I kept near my desk incase of times like this. Another knock echoed from the door and I quickly grabbed various rubber bands and slid them above my knee quickly until my gun was stored under them.

I adjusted it so it wasn't obvious and walked over to the door, opening it just enough to peak half way and reveal merely half my body.