Expecting
It was early morning. The first sunbeams enlightened the room through the broken blends. John was still asleep and she intended this to stay that way.
As quiet as possible Angela got out of bed and grabbed some of her cloth. It was better to get dressed in the bathroom as to wake him up. She wasn't
ready for the talk yet.
The door shut not as quiet as she was hoping, she stood by the door for a while listening, but inside the apartment nothing happened.
The sun was still climbing the morning sky when Angela set foot outside her house. She wrapped her jacket a little tighter around her body and started
to walk. Not really knowing where she was supposed to go. John would not be happy when he woke up and she wasn't there. But did she really mind?
She walked through the town along all of these familiar buildings. But nothing seemed the same than just yesterday. Everything changed over night.
Nothing will ever be the same again. Angela saw some kids get of the schoolbus and run into the little brick building she never really paid attention,
too. It was a pretty building with colorful artwork all over the windows. If the kids are happy there? If they learn what they need to learn for their life in
the world outside that brick building?
Angela wasn't sure how long she was standing there looking at the school, the windows and the playground. The bell brought her back to reality,
children where laughing and screaming as she continued her way. It wasn't long when she passed the little pub on the corner of the road. The
big sign with the pretty picture and the gray letters hanging there as always over the open door. “The Wishing Well” always looked so welcoming to
guest. It was just like it would say “Come in and forget your problems for a bit.” But this time Angela hesitated before she actually walked inside.
“Hello Angela, so early that morning? Where is John? The usual?” the bar tender greeted her friendly. “John's still asleep” was the only answer he got.
Angela wasn't here to talk. She wasn't even sure why she was here. The young women sat down on one of the tables way back. Nobody would notice
her, but she could see almost everything. The bar tender came and brought her a big glass of Cider, he smiled and left. Angela was glad that he knew
when to leave people alone.
Cider was one of her favorite drinks. John was it, who bought her her first just a few days after she arrived. She met him here in The Wishing Well on
her first stroll through the town. His dark black hair, his big brown eyes. She was fascinated when she first set eyes on him. His smile made her cheeks
glow and as he actually turned and talked to her she thought she couldn't find one word to say. Angela never believed in something like love of first
sight, but John just blew her mind. Talking to him made everything else so easy. He was majoring Languages and told her about all the dreams he had
for life. He was as crazy as she and they shared the dream of traveling the world. For hours they would sit in that same table, drink Ciders and talk
about their plans. It didn't take long until they moved in together. She must have been the happiest girl in town.
But now, everything will fall apart. She just knew. Angela rose from the table and left the Wishing Well with out any further words, the cider still
untouched. She wasn't ready to go home yet. She walked along a busy road, watching the cars go by one by one way to fast. There were a lot of
accidents here. People always speeding because they are late for work or another important thing. Nobody would pay attention. She never thought
about how dangerous this could be.
After a while she reached the park. The birds were singing happily. Angela walked across some beds of colorful flowers. She didn't know all their names,
but they were pretty. John would always bring her pretty flowers home from work. “Just because” he would say and giving her a kiss which made her
heart skip a beat. This memory made her stomach ache.
She walked on and finally she sat down on a bench near the playground. Mothers were playing with their little children and was watching them for a
while. Again her thoughts went to the time she will be back home talking to John. He wouldn't understand. They both had so many plans. Italy, France,
Africa, they wanted to see the world. Until now they only made it to Spain. “I just need to find the right job” John would say when they where dreaming
about riding camels through the Sahara. “Then we can afford all this” Now he got that job. The job they where waiting for for almost two years now. He
would earn enough money to do all this crazy things they always wanted to do. How they celebrated this big opportunity.
But now she had to leave him, he had to do all this stuff by himself. She didn't want him to miss anything but she just couldn't go on like this. Not
after what she found out yesterday. She was angry with herself. Why? But now it was to late and she had to live with it.
The sun was high on the sky, Angela didn't know what time it was. John must be freaking out right now. He never liked her leaving without her phone,
or without telling him where she was. He was afraid something could happen. But did it matter today?
Angela took a deep breath when she rose from the bench and slowly made her way back. Along the busy road, passing the Wishing Well and the little
brick school building. To soon she was standing in front of the house. She looked up the the window of the living room wondering what John was doing
right now. The hall was cool when she walked up the steps. In front of the apartment she stopped again. She still wasn't ready but she had to do it. It
was not fair to wait any longer.
As she walked into the apartment, she saw him. Sitting there on the couch, silently waiting for her to come home. She couldn't breath, she couldn't talk.
She stared at him unsure what to do. His black hair, his big brown eyes. Tears filled her eyes. John looked down to the coffee table and Angela
followed his eyes. There it was. The thing who changed her life so rapidly yesterday night. Angela didn't know what to say, she stood there motionless.
John was the one who stood up and walked across the room until he was right in front of her. His eyes fixing hers. Angela could hear her own
heartbeat, the tears ran down her cheeks.
“A baby?” John said. He swung his arms around her and hold her tight. “You making me the happiest man on earth.”
And he really meant it.
