she reasoned.
Eric shook his head. His mind was a swirl of confusion. His feelings for Nathalie were awake again - in a way he had never expected - and he was at a loss as to what he should do. He wanted to tell her about Jack - tell her that he knows about their son, that he loved him.
"I seem to recall you saying the same thing when you presented me with my son," he said emphatically, "seven years ago. You said it would be a couple of months - it's been years Sarah. Years."
She wrung her hands together. "It's not going to be years," she whispered.
"Damn straight it won't" he told her pointedly. "I'm willing to wait until after her surgery but not a moment longer. And if you aren't ready to tell her then well too bad because I am done playing by your rules!"
Brushing past Andrew he stormed out of his office, slamming the door shut behind him.
"He's right, you know" he told her, sitting on the edge of the desk.
"I don't need you to pile on" she answered. "Not now."
Leaning forward, he touched her shoulder. "I'm not trying to pile on Sarah. I'm trying to help you."
"Help me?" she scoffed. "Why would help me? You can barely stand me."
"That's not true and you know it," he challenged, giving her a heated look. "But the truth is going to come out and it's better if it comes from you. Don't let Jack or Nathalie discover this on their own." He paused for a moment as a distant memory washed over him. The dark clouds passing through his eyes did not go unnoticed by Sarah. "They both need to hear it from you."
Nodding, she rose to her feet trying to reclaim her calm exterior. "Who knew you were such a sage?" Her fingers tightened around her purse strap.
"I'm a lot of things," he replied. "You just need to be willing to find out."
Sarah paused, a reply on the tip of her tongue, but thinking better of it, shook her head and left.
#
Nathalie stood on the roof under the beating sun and took a deep breath. She was feeling caged in after Keith's departure and needed some peace and quiet to process the myriad of conflicting thoughts running through her mind. She was genuinely saddened at Keith leaving even though she knew it was for the best for both of them. She was also confused by the softening in Eric's attitude towards her; she didn't dare to hope that it was more than just his intrinsic kindness coming through.
It had been almost 48 hours since her last seizure and while she considered that a good sign, the increased intensity of her ever-present headaches were less of one. She hated relying on pain medication, hated having her senses altered but it was getting harder and harder to simply tough it out. She was well aware the need for surgery was becoming more urgent. That realization filled her with dread. Control was very important to her and there was little about this that was within hers. What would happen after surgery? Would she really just fly back to Tanzania and resume her life as though nothing had changed? Was it a possibility for her to stay here - near her sister and though she hated to admit it, near Eric? What was she supposed to do? Who was she supposed to be?
She jumped as the door to the roof flew open and a man strode through. With his hands balled up in fists and his entire body rigid, he let loose a primal scream that threatened to shake the foundation.
"Feel better?" she asked, having recognized the back of Eric's head. There had been a time when she knew every inch of his body as intimately as her own.
Shocked at the unexpected voice behind him, he slowly turned as his cheeks burned brightly with embarrassment at being caught.
"Surprisingly yes" he admitted, taking a step towards her. "What are you doing up here?"
She shrugged and looked back at the skyline. "I needed to do some thinking and that's just not possible in the room. I spend almost all my free time outside in Tanzania," she said, stopping short at the revelation.
"Tanzania?" Eric asked cautiously.
She smiled sheepishly. "Just outside Mbamba. Lots of space and quiet to think." Pausing, she took a step towards him. "What brings you up here - other than scaring the birds away?"
He chuckled softly. "I just needed to blow