New fic has Angela in it...
Title: A Petrelli Family Affair (1/3)
Fandom: Heroes
Rating/Genre: PG/gen; small hints of het, slash and femslash
Characters/Pairing: Nathan, Heidi, Angela, Arthur, Peter/no pairings - yet!
Summary: How did it happen that Nathan Petrelli married a girl like Heidi? The night they met was a strange night; he wasn’t looking for love - and neither was she - but there was a connection between them, and he introduced her to the family…
Word count: 2 935
Spoilers/Warnings: No.
Notes: This story became longer than I thought it would, so I’m posting it in three parts.
The night Nathan Petrelli met Heidi was a strange night. He saw her across a crowded room full of people; mostly young and successful people in the very starting points of their careers. The air was loaded with ambition and hope for the future; they were all happy, celebrating - later on, he couldn’t remember exactly what they had been celebrating - and all of them were aiming to become kings and queens of the world.
Nathan was not looking for love, not particularly. He had broken up with his last girlfriend a couple of weeks ago, and he was in no rush to fill her place. If he were, he knew that plenty of girls would willingly become his. Both his parents and many of his friends were always ready to introduce him to this or that young lady who would be his perfect match. Their hints about settling down became less and less subtle; he was still young, but a family was important; almost as important for a career as the right schools and the right connections.
The problem with that was that Nathan was not ready to make any commitments. He just wanted to have fun. He liked fun. He liked girls. Actually, he liked boys, too - sometimes, he found himself to be irresistibly drawn to some beautiful, dark-eyed and sensitive young man - but that was kind of a secret that no one needed to know about. And even having fun with girls did not include introducing them to his mother and start talking about settling down.
In fact, he had stopped introducing his girlfriends to his mother a long time ago, because even though she was never unkind to any of them, it was clear to him that she didn’t approve of his choices. When he was younger, she made an effort to like them, until she said to him one day: “Nathan, what’s the use of getting to know your flavour of the month and learning their names and trying to care about them, when you have someone new a few weeks later? This last one - Sarah, was it? - I was actually starting to like her. I’ll tell you what - don’t bring any more girls home until you’re truly going to tell me that you have stopped spreading your wild oats and are ready for something serious. Before then, I don’t want to hear or know about it.”
Nathan didn’t think that he was ready for that any time soon.
That’s why it was so strange with Heidi. When he first laid eyes on her and saw her smile from across the room and saw how the lights were reflecting in her shiny dark hair - yes, and she was dark, too; not even his type - he thought: She’s the one; I’m going to bring her home.
He thought, then, that this was one of those “love at first sight”-moments that he until then had thought only existed in the crappy romantic movies some girls liked to watch.
He didn’t know what to say when he approached her - another weird detail to remember from this night, because usually he knew exactly what to say - but it turned out that he didn’t have to initiate the conversation.
‘Oh, hi, Nathan, how are you doing?’ the beautiful girl said.
‘Um’, he said, ‘fine, I guess, and you? And hey… Um, what’s your name?’
The girl laughed sweetly, but there was something sharp in her voice when she said:
‘Oh, I knew you wouldn’t recognize me. I’m Heidi; we went to high school together.’
‘We did?’ Nathan said dumbly. ‘Sorry, I don’t think I remember you. I don’t know why I don’t, though, because you certainly strike me as someone to remember…’
By the look on her face, he concluded that he had perhaps said something stupid, but somehow he had forgotten all about how to best handle an “I can’t remember your name”-situation.
‘Well, maybe because I wore braces and was too shy to flirt and dance… But anyway I was in your class and you invited me to your fourteenth birthday party. And your fifteenth. Along with the rest of the class, naturally.’
‘Oh yes’, he replied, ‘I remember those parties. Honestly, Heidi - some fifteen year old boys are too stupid and immature to know how to talk to shy girls. I hope it’s fair to say that I’m more grown up now.’
‘And I am less shy.’
Heidi seemed to have forgiven his forgetfulness, and that was the beginning of it.
They talked the whole night. They talked a little about “old times” but more about the present, and not much at all about the future. Nathan felt very present. He didn’t think: “Will she sleep with me tonight?” or even: “I wonder what she’s like in bed?”, but he did notice that he liked the glow in her eyes and the softness of her voice. And she was fun to be with. Once his initial and uncharacteristic shyness had left him, he found that Heidi was very easy to talk to.
Their conversation never halted, but there were natural pauses sometimes. When that happened, Nathan noticed that people were noticing them. Some people came up to them, too, wanting to join the conversation. People looked at them as if they were being admirable just by sitting there; he and Heidi, together. Nathan could understand that they looked very good, very attractive, on that white couch in that big room full of people and lights, with sparkling drinks in their hands. They were only just getting to know each other, they were not quite familiar yet, but Nathan imagined himself putting his arm around Heidi’s waist, pulling her a little closer, in the flashing lights of cameras, and his family smiling somewhere in the background. They would look so good.
Nathan didn’t walk her home that night, but she gave him her number and he knew that he was going to call her. He didn’t kiss her either. He just leaned in a little closer when they said good bye and placed a gentle peck on her cheek. Heidi seemed to be content with that.
***
To her surprise, Heidi liked Nathan much more than she thought she would. That party was full of self-important men, and she thought that he was just another high-and-mighty one.
She recognized him, of course; he hadn’t changed that much since their school days, except that he was now grown up. Already as a young boy had he been attractive and self-confident; tall, dark and handsome with a flashing, arrogant smile.
She wouldn’t have thought that they had anything in common, but apparently she was wrong. It didn’t take very long before she felt relaxed around him and she found it very easy to laugh and to say whatever she wanted, and he was actually talking to her - like, really talking, not just flirting.
They had been seeing each other for a few months - more parties, functions, theater plays, sometimes lunches and late night talks in her apartment with other friends, and he was always the last to leave - when he invited her to dinner one Sunday evening with his parents.
They didn’t really talk it through and she wasn’t sure that it meant something, but she noticed that he was a little tense, nervous even, and that made her a bit nervous, too.
‘Ma, dad, this is my very good friend, Heidi. I’ve been wanting you all to meet for a long time now.’
‘Welcome, Heidi’, Nathan’s mother said. ‘Don’t I know you from somewhere? I think I have seen you before.’
‘Yes, Mrs. Petrelli. Nathan and I went to high school together.’
‘Ah, yes. I thought your face looked so familiar.’
She must have a very good memory, Heidi thought, or maybe parents pay more attention than the kids think they do. After all, she remembered Angela Petrelli too. Nathan’s father never showed up in school, except for the graduation day, but the mother had been one of the active, influential parents. Heidi remembered the school play that year when Nathan was involved; not as an actor but assistant director. With his natural authority, he was soon enough running the whole thing. Heidi had been one the extras with no lines, and Nathan hadn’t looked at her twice. On the opening night, Mrs. Petrelli had been there, with Nathan’s baby brother in her arms, and from her place in the side-scenes had she admired her elegance and beauty. Maybe it wasn’t the first time she had seen Angela Petrelli, but that was the first time she remembered, because Mrs. Petrelli had been the prettiest mother in the audience, and that was very well worth noticing.
Now, years later, Mrs. Petrelli was no less beautiful, and both she and her husband greeted Heidi quite warmly and said that they were pleased to meet her, and the dinner promised to be agreeable.
There was a strong family resemblance to all of them, Heidi thought. A teenage boy was there too, and much smaller than Nathan and his father and with softer features, but with the same eyes and black hair.
‘Hello’, she said, ‘You must be Peter. Wow, you’re so grown up; the last time I saw you, you were so…’
Heidi’s voice fell and she started over.
‘Oh, I’m sorry; I normally don’t say things like that because I know how tiresome it is to hear - it’s just that it was a very long time ago… wow, I feel old for saying that.’
‘Yeah’, Peter said and smiled, ‘I know, it’s one of the things you have to accept as the younger brother. No matter how old you get, somehow you’re never allowed to forget that you were once very small and very cute.’
‘I didn’t know you’ve met Peter before’, Nathan said.
‘Yes, on those big birthday parties you used to have, remember? He was not supposed to show himself, of course, but I guess that as all small kids he liked spying on his older brother… to the delight of us girls.’
Heidi was not one of the popular girls; not a cheerleader, not cool, not remarkable in any way. She was not bullied or an outcast, but she never used to have much fun at parties; she was just hanging out with a few like-minded girls, observing and daydreaming. The fact that Nathan had a cute little brother to play with had been a nice bonus for the non-popular girls, because small boys don’t understand that kind of things, they are just happy about the attention. A small crowd of girls had been playing with Peter and his cuddly toys, until his mother came and relentlessly put him to bed.
‘I don’t remember that’, Nathan said.
That’s not surprising, Heidi though. Nathan’s birthday parties in high school had been like when in the old days, common people were invited to watch the royalties eat their dinner in luxury and splendour. Nathan had many friends growing up, but he invited even more people to his parties, cool kids or not, just because he could. If Heidi hadn’t been there, he wouldn’t have known - but she was there, just because she could.
‘Anyway’, Nathan went on, ‘I’m sure my brother made himself very popular. If I remember correctly, those were the days when he alternated between pretending to be a dinosaur, a talking truck and a squirrel. Now he’s pretending that he wants to become a nurse or something, isn’t that right, Pete? Not a doctor, but a nurse!’
‘I’m not pretending’, Peter protested, and his father sniffed at it.
‘Of course not’, Angela Petrelli said and ruffled his hair, ‘you will be a fine nurse or a fine anything you want to be.’
‘Mom, please..!’
‘All right, all right. Heidi, the table is ready laid; shall we sit down?’
At dinner, Mr. Petrelli asked her what she did, who her parents were and what they did; he nodded approvingly, and then he didn’t say much. Angela and her sons talked a lot, and Heidi enjoyed both the conversation and the meal. They poured her more wine when her glass was empty and they all seemed to want to maker her feel at home.
Later, Nathan commented on how well it went and how surprisingly charming his mother had been.
‘She never likes my girlfriends but you must have made a very good impression.’
‘Maybe’, Heidi answered, ‘because you didn’t introduce me as your girlfriend exactly.’
She had noticed that he put some emphasis on the last word when he called her “my very good friend”, and she figured that he didn’t want his parents to get the wrong idea. But what was the right idea? They weren’t sleeping together. They had kissed a few times, sometimes made out a little when they had been drinking, but they never talked about it. She wasn’t sure about what either of them really wanted; if this was only friendship or - like it felt sometimes - the beginning of something more; something life altering and big.
‘Maybe not’, Nathan said lightly, ‘but I’m sure they would have liked you just as much if I did.’
‘I liked your mother a lot, anyway.’
‘I’m glad’, Nathan said, ‘everyone is happy, then.’
And nothing seemed to change radically after that; it was more like a slow development into a new season; just like when the summer turns into fall, there are still lots of vibrant colors all over the parks, and just as beautiful ones, but different.
Heidi became a regular guest at the Petrelli mansion, because even though she still spent time with Nathan as before, she also enjoyed the company of his mother and brother, and Nathan, although starting to be a bit absent-minded, didn’t mind bringing her to Sunday dinners at his parents’ place. Eventually it seemed to her that she spent more time with his family than with him. She went shopping and lunching sometimes with Angela, and every now and then they went to concerts that the men in the family claimed to be “boring as hell.”
Once, Peter even told her that he was beginning to see her almost like a sister.
‘Of course’, he said, ‘that’s just a sentimental way of saying that I like you and that I’m glad that Nathan has found you. But maybe one day that will be a less sentimental statement and more real…’
Heidi knew what Peter meant, but didn’t know what to answer. She just mumbled something and looked away, trying to collect her thoughts. Of course she liked Peter too, almost like a brother - but Heidi didn’t have any brothers or sisters, so she wasn’t sure she knew exactly what that meant; to have that kind of feelings for someone.
She looked back at the teenager who swept the hair away from his face with one hand and smiled gently - his smile, although not as big and bright as Nathan’s, was always very warm - and asked her if she had seen that awesome film on TV last night. She was thankful for his extraordinary gift of knowing when to change the subject, and chatted to him about TV for a while, until Angela came in and ordered him to go and finish his homework.
When Angela turned to her and nodded lightly as if she was pleased and not at all surprised to see her there, Heidi thought: I hope that Nathan won’t ever ask me to marry him or even to sleep with him, because I think that Angela will like me less if he does, and I don’t…
Heidi took a deep breath and tried to stop the suddenly so fast-running train of thoughts that rushed through her.
Angela gave her a piercing look.
‘What’s the matter, dear? Are you not well?’
‘I’m fine.’ Heidi gulped. ‘It’s nothing, I… I wanted to thank you, Mrs. Petrelli, for taking me to that concert last night. I don’t think I really told you because I was too impressed to speak, but it was wonderful.’
‘I thought you’d like it’, Angela said. ‘Nathan and his father are foolish enough to prefer other diversions and Peter is still too young to appreciate that kind of music. I’m the one who should thank you for keeping me company.’
‘Any time, Mrs. Petrelli. Any time you want.’
Angela smiled and touched her cheek lightly with her fingertips.
‘You’re a sweet girl, Heidi. Now go and find Nathan and Arthur and tell them that dinner is ready any minute.’
I don’t want to loose her friendship, because I know that nothing in the world could ever replace that.
That was the thought that Heidi had tried to avoid; the thought that she had never articulated before, but that now jumped right at her. How was she supposed to react to that, she asked herself, what ever did she mean, thinking things like that? She realized that she did have a distinct feeling that Nathan’s mother liked her, but also that she wouldn’t like it if their relationship turned into something more romantic.
But why did Heidi think that Angela didn’t want her to be romantically involved with her son? Heidi didn’t want to ask herself the question - all possible answers were equally frightening.
Thoughts previously sedated had begun to stir within Heidi, and the dinner passed in a haze. Whenever Angela spoke, her voice seemed to be hidden behind a soft veil of music from the night before, and if Nathan spoke to her, his words made no sense at all.
***
Fandom: Heroes
Rating/Genre: PG/gen; small hints of het, slash and femslash
Characters/Pairing: Nathan, Heidi, Angela, Arthur, Peter/no pairings - yet!
Summary: How did it happen that Nathan Petrelli married a girl like Heidi? The night they met was a strange night; he wasn’t looking for love - and neither was she - but there was a connection between them, and he introduced her to the family…
Word count: 2 935
Spoilers/Warnings: No.
Notes: This story became longer than I thought it would, so I’m posting it in three parts.
The night Nathan Petrelli met Heidi was a strange night. He saw her across a crowded room full of people; mostly young and successful people in the very starting points of their careers. The air was loaded with ambition and hope for the future; they were all happy, celebrating - later on, he couldn’t remember exactly what they had been celebrating - and all of them were aiming to become kings and queens of the world.
Nathan was not looking for love, not particularly. He had broken up with his last girlfriend a couple of weeks ago, and he was in no rush to fill her place. If he were, he knew that plenty of girls would willingly become his. Both his parents and many of his friends were always ready to introduce him to this or that young lady who would be his perfect match. Their hints about settling down became less and less subtle; he was still young, but a family was important; almost as important for a career as the right schools and the right connections.
The problem with that was that Nathan was not ready to make any commitments. He just wanted to have fun. He liked fun. He liked girls. Actually, he liked boys, too - sometimes, he found himself to be irresistibly drawn to some beautiful, dark-eyed and sensitive young man - but that was kind of a secret that no one needed to know about. And even having fun with girls did not include introducing them to his mother and start talking about settling down.
In fact, he had stopped introducing his girlfriends to his mother a long time ago, because even though she was never unkind to any of them, it was clear to him that she didn’t approve of his choices. When he was younger, she made an effort to like them, until she said to him one day: “Nathan, what’s the use of getting to know your flavour of the month and learning their names and trying to care about them, when you have someone new a few weeks later? This last one - Sarah, was it? - I was actually starting to like her. I’ll tell you what - don’t bring any more girls home until you’re truly going to tell me that you have stopped spreading your wild oats and are ready for something serious. Before then, I don’t want to hear or know about it.”
Nathan didn’t think that he was ready for that any time soon.
That’s why it was so strange with Heidi. When he first laid eyes on her and saw her smile from across the room and saw how the lights were reflecting in her shiny dark hair - yes, and she was dark, too; not even his type - he thought: She’s the one; I’m going to bring her home.
He thought, then, that this was one of those “love at first sight”-moments that he until then had thought only existed in the crappy romantic movies some girls liked to watch.
He didn’t know what to say when he approached her - another weird detail to remember from this night, because usually he knew exactly what to say - but it turned out that he didn’t have to initiate the conversation.
‘Oh, hi, Nathan, how are you doing?’ the beautiful girl said.
‘Um’, he said, ‘fine, I guess, and you? And hey… Um, what’s your name?’
The girl laughed sweetly, but there was something sharp in her voice when she said:
‘Oh, I knew you wouldn’t recognize me. I’m Heidi; we went to high school together.’
‘We did?’ Nathan said dumbly. ‘Sorry, I don’t think I remember you. I don’t know why I don’t, though, because you certainly strike me as someone to remember…’
By the look on her face, he concluded that he had perhaps said something stupid, but somehow he had forgotten all about how to best handle an “I can’t remember your name”-situation.
‘Well, maybe because I wore braces and was too shy to flirt and dance… But anyway I was in your class and you invited me to your fourteenth birthday party. And your fifteenth. Along with the rest of the class, naturally.’
‘Oh yes’, he replied, ‘I remember those parties. Honestly, Heidi - some fifteen year old boys are too stupid and immature to know how to talk to shy girls. I hope it’s fair to say that I’m more grown up now.’
‘And I am less shy.’
Heidi seemed to have forgiven his forgetfulness, and that was the beginning of it.
They talked the whole night. They talked a little about “old times” but more about the present, and not much at all about the future. Nathan felt very present. He didn’t think: “Will she sleep with me tonight?” or even: “I wonder what she’s like in bed?”, but he did notice that he liked the glow in her eyes and the softness of her voice. And she was fun to be with. Once his initial and uncharacteristic shyness had left him, he found that Heidi was very easy to talk to.
Their conversation never halted, but there were natural pauses sometimes. When that happened, Nathan noticed that people were noticing them. Some people came up to them, too, wanting to join the conversation. People looked at them as if they were being admirable just by sitting there; he and Heidi, together. Nathan could understand that they looked very good, very attractive, on that white couch in that big room full of people and lights, with sparkling drinks in their hands. They were only just getting to know each other, they were not quite familiar yet, but Nathan imagined himself putting his arm around Heidi’s waist, pulling her a little closer, in the flashing lights of cameras, and his family smiling somewhere in the background. They would look so good.
Nathan didn’t walk her home that night, but she gave him her number and he knew that he was going to call her. He didn’t kiss her either. He just leaned in a little closer when they said good bye and placed a gentle peck on her cheek. Heidi seemed to be content with that.
***
To her surprise, Heidi liked Nathan much more than she thought she would. That party was full of self-important men, and she thought that he was just another high-and-mighty one.
She recognized him, of course; he hadn’t changed that much since their school days, except that he was now grown up. Already as a young boy had he been attractive and self-confident; tall, dark and handsome with a flashing, arrogant smile.
She wouldn’t have thought that they had anything in common, but apparently she was wrong. It didn’t take very long before she felt relaxed around him and she found it very easy to laugh and to say whatever she wanted, and he was actually talking to her - like, really talking, not just flirting.
They had been seeing each other for a few months - more parties, functions, theater plays, sometimes lunches and late night talks in her apartment with other friends, and he was always the last to leave - when he invited her to dinner one Sunday evening with his parents.
They didn’t really talk it through and she wasn’t sure that it meant something, but she noticed that he was a little tense, nervous even, and that made her a bit nervous, too.
‘Ma, dad, this is my very good friend, Heidi. I’ve been wanting you all to meet for a long time now.’
‘Welcome, Heidi’, Nathan’s mother said. ‘Don’t I know you from somewhere? I think I have seen you before.’
‘Yes, Mrs. Petrelli. Nathan and I went to high school together.’
‘Ah, yes. I thought your face looked so familiar.’
She must have a very good memory, Heidi thought, or maybe parents pay more attention than the kids think they do. After all, she remembered Angela Petrelli too. Nathan’s father never showed up in school, except for the graduation day, but the mother had been one of the active, influential parents. Heidi remembered the school play that year when Nathan was involved; not as an actor but assistant director. With his natural authority, he was soon enough running the whole thing. Heidi had been one the extras with no lines, and Nathan hadn’t looked at her twice. On the opening night, Mrs. Petrelli had been there, with Nathan’s baby brother in her arms, and from her place in the side-scenes had she admired her elegance and beauty. Maybe it wasn’t the first time she had seen Angela Petrelli, but that was the first time she remembered, because Mrs. Petrelli had been the prettiest mother in the audience, and that was very well worth noticing.
Now, years later, Mrs. Petrelli was no less beautiful, and both she and her husband greeted Heidi quite warmly and said that they were pleased to meet her, and the dinner promised to be agreeable.
There was a strong family resemblance to all of them, Heidi thought. A teenage boy was there too, and much smaller than Nathan and his father and with softer features, but with the same eyes and black hair.
‘Hello’, she said, ‘You must be Peter. Wow, you’re so grown up; the last time I saw you, you were so…’
Heidi’s voice fell and she started over.
‘Oh, I’m sorry; I normally don’t say things like that because I know how tiresome it is to hear - it’s just that it was a very long time ago… wow, I feel old for saying that.’
‘Yeah’, Peter said and smiled, ‘I know, it’s one of the things you have to accept as the younger brother. No matter how old you get, somehow you’re never allowed to forget that you were once very small and very cute.’
‘I didn’t know you’ve met Peter before’, Nathan said.
‘Yes, on those big birthday parties you used to have, remember? He was not supposed to show himself, of course, but I guess that as all small kids he liked spying on his older brother… to the delight of us girls.’
Heidi was not one of the popular girls; not a cheerleader, not cool, not remarkable in any way. She was not bullied or an outcast, but she never used to have much fun at parties; she was just hanging out with a few like-minded girls, observing and daydreaming. The fact that Nathan had a cute little brother to play with had been a nice bonus for the non-popular girls, because small boys don’t understand that kind of things, they are just happy about the attention. A small crowd of girls had been playing with Peter and his cuddly toys, until his mother came and relentlessly put him to bed.
‘I don’t remember that’, Nathan said.
That’s not surprising, Heidi though. Nathan’s birthday parties in high school had been like when in the old days, common people were invited to watch the royalties eat their dinner in luxury and splendour. Nathan had many friends growing up, but he invited even more people to his parties, cool kids or not, just because he could. If Heidi hadn’t been there, he wouldn’t have known - but she was there, just because she could.
‘Anyway’, Nathan went on, ‘I’m sure my brother made himself very popular. If I remember correctly, those were the days when he alternated between pretending to be a dinosaur, a talking truck and a squirrel. Now he’s pretending that he wants to become a nurse or something, isn’t that right, Pete? Not a doctor, but a nurse!’
‘I’m not pretending’, Peter protested, and his father sniffed at it.
‘Of course not’, Angela Petrelli said and ruffled his hair, ‘you will be a fine nurse or a fine anything you want to be.’
‘Mom, please..!’
‘All right, all right. Heidi, the table is ready laid; shall we sit down?’
At dinner, Mr. Petrelli asked her what she did, who her parents were and what they did; he nodded approvingly, and then he didn’t say much. Angela and her sons talked a lot, and Heidi enjoyed both the conversation and the meal. They poured her more wine when her glass was empty and they all seemed to want to maker her feel at home.
Later, Nathan commented on how well it went and how surprisingly charming his mother had been.
‘She never likes my girlfriends but you must have made a very good impression.’
‘Maybe’, Heidi answered, ‘because you didn’t introduce me as your girlfriend exactly.’
She had noticed that he put some emphasis on the last word when he called her “my very good friend”, and she figured that he didn’t want his parents to get the wrong idea. But what was the right idea? They weren’t sleeping together. They had kissed a few times, sometimes made out a little when they had been drinking, but they never talked about it. She wasn’t sure about what either of them really wanted; if this was only friendship or - like it felt sometimes - the beginning of something more; something life altering and big.
‘Maybe not’, Nathan said lightly, ‘but I’m sure they would have liked you just as much if I did.’
‘I liked your mother a lot, anyway.’
‘I’m glad’, Nathan said, ‘everyone is happy, then.’
And nothing seemed to change radically after that; it was more like a slow development into a new season; just like when the summer turns into fall, there are still lots of vibrant colors all over the parks, and just as beautiful ones, but different.
Heidi became a regular guest at the Petrelli mansion, because even though she still spent time with Nathan as before, she also enjoyed the company of his mother and brother, and Nathan, although starting to be a bit absent-minded, didn’t mind bringing her to Sunday dinners at his parents’ place. Eventually it seemed to her that she spent more time with his family than with him. She went shopping and lunching sometimes with Angela, and every now and then they went to concerts that the men in the family claimed to be “boring as hell.”
Once, Peter even told her that he was beginning to see her almost like a sister.
‘Of course’, he said, ‘that’s just a sentimental way of saying that I like you and that I’m glad that Nathan has found you. But maybe one day that will be a less sentimental statement and more real…’
Heidi knew what Peter meant, but didn’t know what to answer. She just mumbled something and looked away, trying to collect her thoughts. Of course she liked Peter too, almost like a brother - but Heidi didn’t have any brothers or sisters, so she wasn’t sure she knew exactly what that meant; to have that kind of feelings for someone.
She looked back at the teenager who swept the hair away from his face with one hand and smiled gently - his smile, although not as big and bright as Nathan’s, was always very warm - and asked her if she had seen that awesome film on TV last night. She was thankful for his extraordinary gift of knowing when to change the subject, and chatted to him about TV for a while, until Angela came in and ordered him to go and finish his homework.
When Angela turned to her and nodded lightly as if she was pleased and not at all surprised to see her there, Heidi thought: I hope that Nathan won’t ever ask me to marry him or even to sleep with him, because I think that Angela will like me less if he does, and I don’t…
Heidi took a deep breath and tried to stop the suddenly so fast-running train of thoughts that rushed through her.
Angela gave her a piercing look.
‘What’s the matter, dear? Are you not well?’
‘I’m fine.’ Heidi gulped. ‘It’s nothing, I… I wanted to thank you, Mrs. Petrelli, for taking me to that concert last night. I don’t think I really told you because I was too impressed to speak, but it was wonderful.’
‘I thought you’d like it’, Angela said. ‘Nathan and his father are foolish enough to prefer other diversions and Peter is still too young to appreciate that kind of music. I’m the one who should thank you for keeping me company.’
‘Any time, Mrs. Petrelli. Any time you want.’
Angela smiled and touched her cheek lightly with her fingertips.
‘You’re a sweet girl, Heidi. Now go and find Nathan and Arthur and tell them that dinner is ready any minute.’
I don’t want to loose her friendship, because I know that nothing in the world could ever replace that.
That was the thought that Heidi had tried to avoid; the thought that she had never articulated before, but that now jumped right at her. How was she supposed to react to that, she asked herself, what ever did she mean, thinking things like that? She realized that she did have a distinct feeling that Nathan’s mother liked her, but also that she wouldn’t like it if their relationship turned into something more romantic.
But why did Heidi think that Angela didn’t want her to be romantically involved with her son? Heidi didn’t want to ask herself the question - all possible answers were equally frightening.
Thoughts previously sedated had begun to stir within Heidi, and the dinner passed in a haze. Whenever Angela spoke, her voice seemed to be hidden behind a soft veil of music from the night before, and if Nathan spoke to her, his words made no sense at all.
***