Some big news

After Noah's story had reached its end, they talked a little about what should be the next step. The topic of conversation shifted and more a more cheerful conversation took place. They chatted, laughed a bit and it started to feel like all the sad feelings from before had all been but a dream. All this while, as the conversation flowed from one topic to another, Laila said nothing about what she had done that day. About the decision she had made.

With both Steve and Maria keeping their mouths shut about matter as well, as they felt it wasn't their place to say, no one addressed the topic and avoided everything that led the conversation in that direction. They were all in agreement that it had to be Laila who tells Noah, but the longer the elephant in the room was being avoided, the more Maria and Steve felt worried and feared Noah's response to the news.

Though with Noah and Laila's savings, Noah's current income, Laila's decision was a very insignificant thing. There would be no trouble for them if Laila went through a few months of no income. But the hiding. The him being the last to know. That was something they doubted Noah would take well. As for Laila, the longer that the topic was being avoided, the harder it became for her to address it.

She had been feeling too emotional when Noah came home, her mind being filled with anything but her having quit her job. When she had been feeling relieved and comforted, they had joined Maria and Steve, making it more difficult for her to bring up a topic that quite frankly only affected the two of them. Despite her having shared it with Maria and Steve, it wasn't as if she wasn't aware that Noah should have been the first to hear it and from her lips, not another's. And now, with the amount of time that had passed between Noah's coming home and her failing to tell him about it, the only option Laila saw, was to tell Noah before they would go to bed.

After the third close call, of the topic coming up and her being forced to say something, Laila decided to call it a night. She had waited long enough and wasted enough time. Now she needed to behave like the grownup that she was and have a conversation that might not come easy. She turned to Noah and said in a soft voice, "Why don't we head upstairs and leave these two to themselves. You and I have a few things left to talk about that I don't want to bother Maria and Steve with."

Noah wasn't entirely sure what Laila wanted to talk about and then he suddenly remembered the message he had received from Laila earlier in the day. Saying that she had some big news to tell him after he would get home but not specifying what. Now it seems that he would find out what that big news is. So, he nodded and gave a little squeeze to Laila's leg as he smiled and got up from the couch. While holding his hand out for Laila to grab, so he could help her get up from the couch as well, he said to Steve and Maria, "Well, we are going to call it a night. I am sure you two will be able to find something to keep yourselves busy with. We'll see you two in the morning. At least, I am assuming that Mr. Mooch will be staying over again tonight."

Steve showed a wide grin and replied cheerfully, "Don't mind if I do." Noah shook his head as he let out a chuckle and walked away after he put one hand in his pocket, the other wrapped around Laila's shoulder. Laila too let out a small chuckle behind her closed fist but her face quickly let up as her mind focused on what she had to say in just a few moments.

Once they were upstairs, Noah closed the door behind them. As he was loosening his buttons and tie, Noah opened up the conversation for Laila. He had felt that Laila was a bit tense as they were making their way to their bedroom. So, he figured, the sooner he brought it up, the better. "So, what was it you wanted to tell me? I was told to expect some big news." Laila felt a bit startled by Noah suddenly bringing her big news up, before she had the chance to fully gather her thoughts.

But she just took a deep breath and reminded herself of the words she had repeated in her head many times, when she was convincing herself that it was fine for her to tell Maria and Steve about her news before she had the chance to tell Noah. 'It is just a job and there would be nothing they would be losing that they couldn't miss. If it hadn't been for his sudden date, he would have been the first to know. Or at least the second.'