Let it Snow!

❄Sixteen❄

"Nora," a very familiar voice reached her from behind a group of people, and as she looked up, her eyes met Martin's.

"Hi," she said, beaming at him, her hand on Daniel's shoulder, "I can't leave now I must meet... Oh."

She stopped talking and bit her lip when Martin's hand came to rest on Daniel's shoulder, very close to hers. "You are Daniel's father. I can't believe that I haven't figured it out earlier... You two have the same eyes... And that's what you meant when you said my grandmother helped you when you moved here. She loved children, she helped you with Daniel, just like Clelia and Adele... " Nora continued, feeling out of breath but unable to stop the words from tumbling, unfiltered, out of her mouth.

All the pieces of information she had gathered since she had arrived fitted nicely together, and she finally got a clear picture. She had to keep talking otherwise... Otherwise, she would start thinking. And she didn't want to think that this man... this man she... liked more than she cared to admit... was married...

Oh gosh. This wasn't good. Nora dropped her gaze that had been fixed on Martin's while she talked and removed her hand from Daniel's shoulder. The boy must have a mother. Martin isn't single, a small, obnoxious voice spoke in her mind. Where do you fit in this picture, what is Martin doing in your life, in your thoughts...

As if she could sense Nora's discomfort, Clelia spoke from behind her. "Well, hello, you two. Shall we let Daddy talk to Nora while we grab a tart from Mary?" She extended her hand towards Daniel, who took it immediately, nodding eagerly. "Will you keep an eye on the books for me, Nora?"

"Of course," Nora muttered, moving behind the stall, using it as a temporary wall between herself and the bewildering man standing in front of her.

"Don't make him eat too much, Clelia, please, he still has to have his dinner before I leave him with Adele... if our dinner is still on..." he muttered the rest of his line so that only Nora could hear it. "Will you come for dinner with me now that you know Daniel belongs to me?"

Nora took a deep breath and met his eyes again as she replied, "Daniel is wonderful. If it's only for him, then you don't need to worry at all... But won't his mother mind?"

"No. Will you please let me explain it to you later, when we're alone?" he begged, shifting his weight uneasily even as he ran his hand through his hair.

Nora was burning with curiosity, but as Daniel skipped back to his father's side just then, his cheeks smeared with what looked like strawberry jam, she only nodded. She would have to wait for his answers.

She noticed how Martin exhaled deeply, as if he had been holding his breath for a very long time, before he said, "I'm... so glad. I... didn't know how to tell you about him, I was afraid that..." He shook his head. "I'll be back here at nine, is that ok?"

"Yes." Nora told him, then turned to Daniel, "You have a nice evening with Adele. I'll see you on Monday."

"Oh, you might see each other before," Clelia said, "he usually comes over to my reading group on the weekends."

"Clelia told me you will be reading tomorrow," Daniel said, his large, curious eyes searching Nora's.

"That's true!" Nora said, realising that with everything else happening in her life, she had nearly forgotten about it. "Until tomorrow, then."

"See you, Nora," Daniel said, and grabbing his father's hand, he started pulling him away.

"I'll be back soon." Martin smiled at her over his shoulder.

Then they were gone, vanishing slowly into the crowd in the direction of the castle.

The moment they were out of sight, Clelia asked, "Are you two... Are you seeing Martin tonight?"