Part 5
Nick stumbled through the sand, barely keeping his balance in his haste to reach her. He came to a stop several feet behind her, suddenly at a complete loss for words. She still had her back to him, but she was more beautiful than he remembered. Her hair was longer, although the sun-kissed highlights were almost gone; what he could see of her skin was much paler than before and she was barefoot, her toes curling in the warm sand.
Becca had heard him approach, but stood frozen in place. She both craved this moment and dreaded it. And finally he spoke.
"Becca?" he whispered brokenly.
His voice was like a sound from heaven. God, she had missed him so.
"Hi, Nick." She giggled nervously at the absurdity of it all. Turn around, he's going to find out sooner or later, she thought. As she turned to face him, the breeze caught her gown, billowing up underneath it like a parachute, concealing what lay beneath.
Nick's breath caught in his throat and he could swear his heart stopped as she turned to face him. He could read the fear in her eyes and something else, something he couldn't quite put his finger on. But she was so beautiful, more than he'd remembered and he needed her in his arms. "Welcome home, baby," he said softly and held out his arms.
She fell into them and it was only then that he fully understood what she had been going through for the past five months. He held her close, willing their bodies to meld and become forever inseparable as his mind wrapped around the changes she'd been going through. "Bec?" he asked, trying hard to get used to the new way she now fit against him.
"Surprise," she whispered just before bursting into tears.
Nick tipped her face back, looking at the anguish in her eyes and his only thought was to make it all better. "I love you, Bec. Don't ever doubt that." And then, with all the longing he'd stored up in her absence, he kissed her.
Sarah stood on the deck wrapped in Howie's arms as they watched the scene unfold before them. He held her tightly, knowing that both their eyes were wet. For such a long time they'd both feared this day would never come and from the looks of it, things were going to be just fine.
As Nick's mouth moved slowly over Becca's, his hand strayed from her back to the rounded shape of her tummy. He caressed her gently, jumping at the sudden movement he felt beneath his fingers. Dropping to his knees he rested his cheek against her, breathing in her scent and marveling at the wonder that lay cradled within.
"When?" he asked reverently.
"Christmas Eve, Nick. We weren't exactly careful that night."
"A baby … god, Bec, we're gonna have a baby."
"I know, sweetheart. Nick –"
"It's gonna be ok, Becca. I mean that."
"About what I-"
He pulled her down to the sand and held her on his lap. "I know all about Andrew, Bec. I know I drove you away from me." He stopped suddenly, emotion clouding his vision. "Bec, if I could take back what I said …"
"Nick, I was so scared. I shouldn't have run, but I just wasn't thinking. I'm so sorry."
"It's all my fault. What I said that night - I made it impossible for you to come to me."
"I hurt you, Nick. I loved you and then I left you. How can you even want me back?"
"Becca, do you just not get it? I love you. When I figured out what was going on –"
"You knew?" She sat back, a confused look on her face.
Nick shook his head. "Not for a long time, but then I found the newspaper that Howie and Sarah hid from me. Becca, I could only think of you and the hell you were going through. Baby, you were out there alone and I felt so helpless."
"I was so frightened," she whispered. "The thought that because of what I had done-"
"No, what ANDREW had done. You were never to blame for any of this."
"But the thought that I had passed it on to you-" Becca was crying softly. "It nearly killed me to think what I had done to you."
Nick knew there were no words that could take away the pain that she had been through. Somehow they would have to find a way to get past it and move on. "I missed you so much, you're more beautiful than I remembered."
Becca shook her head in denial. "I've changed."
Nick laughed. "And your point? Becca, you're pregnant, of course you've changed!" Touching her face he tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "What made you come home?"
"Besides Sarah?" she smiled. "I missed you. I can't do this alone, Nick. I need you and so does our baby."
"We've got a lot of plans to make, Bec."
"Not tonight, Nick. I'm just really tired. Our flight left in the middle of the night and I'm drained."
"C'mon," he said, helping her to her feet, "I've got just the place."