Chapter 71

...Dickinson pov…

I couldn't tear my eyes away from the screen, feeling overwhelmed with love and wonder at the tiny life growing inside me. "Thank you so much," I said, my voice trembling with emotion.

Dr.Jones patted my hands gently as he looked at me intently. "Of Course. It's a pleasure to be a part of this journey with you. And don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns."

I nodded, feeling a sense of deep gratitude towards this kind and knowledgeable doctor who was helping me bring my child into the world. As I changed back into my regular clothes and headed out of the office, I knew that my life would never be the same again. But for the first time in a long time, that thought filled me with hope and happiness.

I stood in the corner, watching as Emily and Emile got into the backseat of the car. The driver held the door open for Emily, and Emile followed behind her into the passenger's seat. As the driver hopped into the car and started the engine,

******* The next day *********

We walked over to the ticket booth, and Henry handed me a ticket with a big grin on his face. "Let's go get some popcorn," he said, and I followed him eagerly to the concession stand.

As we walked down the aisle, I noticed a couple already seated in the front row, and my heart sank a little. I had always hated sitting too close to the screen, but I didn't want to disappoint Henry by being picky. As we settled into our seats, the couple started pawing at each other, making it hard to concentrate on the movie. I tried my best to ignore them, but Henry couldn't help but giggle at their antics.

I shifted in my seat, feeling restless and wishing that the movie would just start already. I turned to Henry and whispered, "Do you think they'll ever stop?" He shook his head and grinned at me. "Let's just try to focus on the movie," he said, and I nodded in agreement. As the lights dimmed and the previews started to roll, I tried to push the couple out of my mind and settle into the film. I sat in the cinema next to Henry, my mind was racing. I had agreed to this "friendly" movie outing to get my mind off of Dickinson and his strange behavior, but now I was regretting it.

The movie was supposed to be a comedy, but I wasn't finding anything funny. My mind kept wandering back to Dickinson and our unborn child. What was going on with him? Was he really just going through a midlife crisis, or was something more sinister at play?

I fidgeted in my seat, trying to get comfortable. The theater was too cold, and my mind was too restless. I glanced over at Henry, hoping he wouldn't notice my discomfort. He was laughing at something on the screen, completely engrossed in the movie.

I tried to focus on the movie, but my mind kept drifting back to Dickinson. What was he doing right now? Was he okay? Did he need me?

As the movie dragged on, I found myself getting more and more restless. I wanted to leave, to go check on Dickinson and make sure everything was okay. But I didn't want to be rude to Henry.

I glanced at my watch, hoping the movie would end soon. Finally, the credits began to roll, and I let out a sigh of relief. I turned to Henry and forced a smile. "That was great," I lied. "Thanks for taking me out."

He smiled back, oblivious to my inner turmoil. "Anytime, Emile. Let's grab some popcorn and head out."As I walked out of the cinema, holding onto my bag of popcorn, Henry continued to ramble on about the movie we had just watched. I smiled and nodded along, enjoying his company and the outing we had just shared.

Suddenly, he jerked me up and asked, "What about your fiance?"

My heart sank as I realized that Emile had once again come up in conversation. I knew that Henry meant well, but it was hard to escape the constant reminders of my failed engagement.

I took a deep breath and replied, "Oh, yes. He's absolutely fine."

Henry nodded and we continued walking towards the exit. As we stepped outside, he hailed down a cab and escorted me inside before bidding me farewell.

As the car drove away, I let out a sigh of relief. It had been a pleasant evening, but I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease whenever Emile was brought up in conversation.

We arrived in front of Emile's house and paid the driver and quickly stepped out of the car. I made my way inside and collapsed onto the couch, grateful for this peaceful and quiet moment.

This whole situation with Emile had been difficult. However, as I reached for the doorknob, I realized with a sinking feeling that the door was locked. Emile's mom wasn't home.

"I didn't take any keys when I went out". I began to frantically search for another way in. I circled the house, checking all the windows and doors, but everything was securely locked.

My mind raced as I tried to figure out what to do next. I knew I couldn't stay outside all night, but I didn't have a spare key or any other way to get inside.

I thought about calling Emile, as I dialed her number. I heard from the other side a familiar voice that was grating to the ear. She was visibly angry.

"Hello Emile," she said…

I felt embarrassed and I couldn't help but think about the trouble Emily would give Emile.

"Sorry I made a mistake", I said as I hung up. "Now I was out of option one", I muttered.

As I stood there, feeling helpless, I realized that the only option left was to call Emile's mother. She had a spare key and had kept it hidden somewhere on the property.

But I couldn't just call her out of the blue and ask for the spare key. It would be suspicious if I didn't already know where it was.

I decided to take my phone and pretend to be making a routine call to her, casually asking where she had hidden the spare key. It wasn't the best plan, but it was all I had.

As I dialed her number, my heart raced with anxiety. What if she asked why I didn't already know where the key was? What if she suspected something was wrong.

In the midst of my dilemma, I heard a voice call out my name. "Oh, Mom," I said as I turned to face her, plastering a weak smile on my face.

I could see the baffled expression on her face as she looked at me incredulously. She walked up to me and stood in front of me, looking at me intently.

"What is happening to you, Emile? How could you not know where the spare key is hidden?" she asked, shaking her head in worry.

I stumbled over my words, trying to come up with an excuse. "I...I don't really know...okay...Mom, where is it? I must have forgotten where it used to be."

I watched her as she strode past me and took the spare key from its hiding place. Then she turned and handed the key to me.

Emile's mom looked at me incredulously, her expression was one of complete confusion and disbelief. Her eyes widened, and her eyebrows furrowed, creating a look that was all too familiar to me.

I couldn't help but be reminded of Emile himself as I looked at her. They had the same piercing gaze and the same furrowed brow when they were deep in thought or trying to make sense of something.

It was a look that I had grown to love, and it always made me feel safe. But in this moment, seeing that same expression on her mother's face, it only added to my embarrassment and frustration.

"Hope you haven't forgotten how to unlock a door," she said as she stepped back.

I took the key and quickly made my way back to the front door. With a sigh of relief, I unlocked the door and stepped inside.

I entered my house and immediately made my way up to my room. I laid on my bed and my mind began to wander. I couldn't help but think about my child that was about to be born. The thought of being a father filled me with both excitement and fear.

As I lay there, lost in thought, my mind suddenly clicked. I remembered the speculation I had during the ultrasound, and a thought popped into my head.

Maybe this whole thing was meant for me to be able to understand this feeling. A feeling of realization washed over me, I had almost forgotten about it. Someone had told me that they could help me settle my quarrel just before this thing happened.

'Was this the solution? Who was it? Could it be…'