Free Pieces of Me by LaShawn Vasser

order. She’d been standing at the file cabinet when she started to feel light headed. Nicole sat down in the nearest chair. It took a moment for the spell to pass.
     
    Dana walked into the office. “Hey Nicole….Nicole? Are you ok? You don’t look good.”
     
    “Thanks Dana for that boost to my self-esteem.”
     
    “That sarcastic mouth of yours is going to be the death of you. Seriously, are you ok? You look flushed. Let me get you some water.”
     
    “I’m fine. I just haven’t been feeling very well lately.”
     
    Dana knelt down by Nicole and felt her forehead. “Well, you don’t have a fever. What’s been bothering you?”
     
    “It’s really weird. One minute, I’m starving and the next I want to throw it all up.”
     
    “Hmm…what else?”
     
    “Well, certain smells drive me crazy, I’m tired all the time, and lately I’ve been having these dizzy spells.”
     
    “Nicole, when was the last time you had your period?”
     
    Nicole thought back for a moment and then her eyes got wide as saucers.
     
    “Was it before you left for Fiji?”
     
    “Dana don’t even go there. That’s impossible.”
     
    “Is it? I know you didn’t really want to talk much about your time on the island so I didn’t push but it’s obvious something happened. You’ve been different. And, as far as I know, you and Todd haven’t been together in months. Is it really so impossible?”
     
    “Dana, he’s trying to make things work with his ex-wife. I can’t be pregnant.”
     
    “Well, first things first, you need to take a pregnancy test. No point in worrying if you don’t have to. And, then we’ll figure it out from there.”
     
    A half an hour later, Dana came back from the local drugstore with a pregnancy kit. And, twenty minutes after that Nicole confirmed she was going to be a mother.
     
    *****
     
    The very next day was the ribbon cutting ceremony for the opening of the school. All the local dignitaries were gathered and in the far corner of the room stood Davis Chatham. Nicole’s heart almost stopped. She’d barely had 24 hours to digest the news that she was pregnant and there he stood all 6’4 inches of him.
     
    Dana had told her that she didn’t think he would actually come to the ceremony since the school was so small and he’d only given her the money as a favor to his sister.
     
    The two hour ceremony was all a blur. However, Nicole was pretty sure she smiled in all the right places and shook all the necessary hands. Thank goodness it was almost over and that she had managed to avoid Davis. It was as if Nicole hand conjured him up because as soon as she’d finished her thought she felt his presence behind her. As she was finishing up a conversation with one of the remaining guests, she heard his voice.
     
    “Excuse me. Nicole, do you think I could have a word?”
     
    She briefly closed her eyes and took a deep breath before turning around “Of course, Mr. Chatham. I’ll be with you in one moment.”
     
    Davis waited while she finished her conversation. It bothered him that she was so formal. He would usually have sent one of his representatives or even a letter to this type of event but he needed to see her. He’d wondered if she was still as beautiful as he remembered. Stressful situations sometimes have a way of making people think and feel things that maybe a person otherwise wouldn’t. But, in this case, she was even more beautiful. Those big curls were still as unruly as ever as they fell over her shoulders. The conservative navy blue dress with the cap sleeves fit her like a glove. The sweetheart neckline brought back memories of him kissing her. She had the most beautiful skin he’d ever seen. It was as smooth as hot caramel. Nicole was a curvy girl but it seemed she might have lost a little weight. After a closer look she also looked a bit tired. Maybe she was working too hard. He’d find out and make sure she was okay. It had been two long hours before he could