Doing what I can

The live feed was over, and Laila was still processing what she had seen. "I can't believe it. That they would arrest her like that. Can't say she didn't deserve it, but it sure feels surreal." Noah chuckled, "Well, you can start believing it, because it is true. I rushed over just to let you witness it for yourself." That is when Laila realized that it hadn't just been a very late night for her, it had been one for Noah as well. She turned to him and said, "That reminds me, it was past midnight when you came home, was it that busy at the office? You must be exhausted. I hope you won't be having many more of such long workdays."

Noah chuckled and put his arms around Laila for a second time after he placed down his glass of water that he had poured himself. Using his tall frame and neck to turn his body around Laila's chair, in order to look at the side of her face, he said, "Oh did you finally have room to think about your poor husband. I was beginning to feel neglected." When Laila looked around with narrowed eyes and a 'really??' type of look on her face, Noah chuckled once more before taking a seat beside her. He then said with a warm smile on his face, "Don't worry. I had plenty of such days when we just started the company. Just because we have grown as much as we have, doesn't mean I don't have to put in days like these from time to time, or that I can't handle them. With Steve not there and the mess that Harold created, we are far behind and there is a lot to do. I don't want to burden the rest of the team with it all, so I am doing what I can to help us catch up, while doing my own tasks and Steve's tasks as well."

Then, while facing his glass of water, and as he used his index finger to trace the patterns on the edge of the table he softly added, "He seems useless when he is there, and as if he does nothing other than goofing off, but now that he isn't there, I am almost starting to miss that stupid face of his." But his words hadn't been said soft enough to escape Laila's hearing, and his wife wasn't one to let such words just slide by her without making a comment on them. With a taunting tone and look on her face Laila said, as she brought her face forward until it was only a few inches away from Noah's, "Oh? Is someone finally admitting that Steve is important as both a friend and business partner?" Noah immediately turned around and glared at Laila as he said, "You heard what I said perfectly fine. Don't make me repeat it. And you had better keep it to yourself."

Laila found his reaction very endearing. Seeing the shy, embarrassed Noah made her squeal as it was quite a rare sight to see, with it being a side of him he very much liked to hide. She leaped forward and put her arms around Noah, intensifying their gaze, before she whispered, "I can't make any promises". Then she placed a kiss on his lips before letting out a chuckle as Noah continued to glare at her. He then turned back to the table and cleared his throat. Trying to pass it off as something that had never happened. That is when he noticed what Laila had been working so hard on. He reached for the fabric on the table and held it between his fingers as he touched it. He then turned towards Laila again and asked, "What is this? Did you make it?"

Laila nodded and her face began to beam with excitement. She then said, "Yes. It is a dress. I made it for my old boss to thank her and because I promised I would make my first piece for her." Noah looked back at the dress, and then at the sketch that Laila had made of how the finished dress would look, and then he put his arm around Laila as he pulled her closer and placed a kiss on her cheek. Then he said, "This looks amazing honey. I am so proud of you and your first creation. The first step is always the hardest and you managed to take it so well. Despite all the distractions and troubles, you pushed on and got here in such a short time."

Laila smiled in response and said, "Really? You like it? It looks good? I was nervous about picking this sketch from the few I have made, but thank you. Hearing that from you means a lot." Noah then reassured her once more as he said, "You have nothing to worry about. I love it and I am sure she will too." Then he lowered his face and turned his eyes to Laila's belly. As he addressed their unborn baby, he said, "But we keep getting distracted by one thing or another. It is time for us to go to bed, isn't it Nick? Mom and dad have kept you up for way too long. Tomorrow will bring us a new day to further our dreams. For today we have done plenty, and we should call it a day."

Laila chuckled and watched as Noah kissed and rubbed her belly, before cupping her face and moving on to kiss her. He then helped Laila up from the chair as they headed to their beds to catch a well-deserved night of sleep.