26. Nora
26
NORA
E verything around her fell away as Nora’s heartbeat roared in her ears. The faraway sound broke through the noise.
“Nora, are you there?” the woman asked.
Not just any woman. It was Kelly St. James. Or at least, the woman who had once been Kelly St. James. She could have any last name in the world now.
How ridiculous was it that Nora didn’t even know her mom’s name?
“Nora?” Kelly asked again.
“Yeah.” What else was she supposed to say? Hey, Mom. Good to hear from you?
Not likely.
Nora blinked rapidly as water dripped from her eyelashes and nose. Cold rain soaked her hair and clothes, but her body was numb.
“I just… I want to talk to you,” Kelly said .
“About what?” The question came out harsh and jagged, like the knife this woman had twisted in Nora’s back when she left.
Just like that, Nora was twelve years old again. She was a scared little girl wondering why her mom had left and didn’t take her with her. The same anger that had ruled her then took the reins now as she fought to catch her breath.
“It’s been a long time. How are you?” Kelly asked, soft and sweet like an old friend.
But there was nothing soft or sweet about the gaping hole she’d left in Nora’s heart, not to mention the grief her own dad had endured when his wife left him without a second glance.
Clint was at her side, and the hand he wrapped around her arm was warmer than the night rain. His touch was a lifeline as she drifted out to sea, and she grabbed onto it, anchoring herself in reality.
She looked up at him, realizing they were actually standing in the rain because she couldn’t pull herself together long enough to walk the three feet to the porch.
Rain streaked down his face as his stare bored into her. There was a wrinkle of worry between his brows, and that wasn’t how things were supposed to be. Clint was kind, happy, and caring. He wasn’t the worrying type.
Yet, here he stood, soaked to the bone like they’d just played in a waterfall all because Nora was having an identity crisis.
“I’m fine,” Nora managed to squeak out.
“Listen, I was planning to be in the area, and I was wondering if you’d like to catch up.”
“Catch up?” Nora whispered.
“Yes. Maybe we could have coffee or something.”
Coffee? Nora hated coffee, and it took about twenty minutes to finish a cup.
Twenty minutes. Twenty minutes to cover half of Nora’s life.
Her mom wanted to catch up! Fury boiled within her like an uncontrollable flame.
“No. I don’t want to have coffee with you, and I don’t want to catch up. You’ve been gone too long. I don’t think we can come back from this.”
“Nora,” Kelly whispered. The hurt sounded as real as the ache in Nora’s chest, but she couldn’t care about a stranger when her own peace was breaking apart.
Without another word, Nora ended the call and stared at the dripping phone in her hands.
“Nora.”
It was Clint’s voice this time, calling her out of the fog–calling her home.
“It was… my mom.”
“I heard.” He wrapped his arms around her, and their wet clothes squished between them.
A tidal wave rose within her before crashing suddenly and violently against the walls of her chest. It was a breaking point, and the sobs shook her body as Clint held her tight.
Lightning flashed, and thunder rumbled in the sky above them. Clint leaned down until his cheek brushed against hers.
“I think we need to get inside.”
Of course. Since when was Clint the rational one?
Nora wrapped her arms around her middle as Clint followed her inside. She pushed off her boots at the door and stood dripping in the entryway.
“Bathroom,” Clint ordered, and she headed that way on autopilot.
Her entire body had tensed and was beginning to shake uncontrollably by the time she stepped into the small room. Clint went straight to the shower and turned the water on.
“You’re shivering. Get this off,” he said as he reached for the buttons on her flannel shirt.
He unbuttoned a few of the clasps before reaching for the bottom hem and tugging it over her head. Her black tank stayed glued to her wet body.
As soon as she was free, she wrapped herself up in him again. She needed the safety and comfort he’d always promised.
“Get in the shower. I’ll find you some clothes,” Clint said as he pulled away.
But instead of letting him go, she took his hand and pulled him behind her into the small shower. He wasn’t supposed to get his boot wet, but it was already soaked to the bone. He followed her under the hot spray that stung her cold skin like thousands of needles, and she clung to him like her life depended on it.
Clint didn’t say anything. He rested his back against the wall and held her tight against him as the warm shower melted the ice around her heart.
Soon, the shaking eased, and she wiped her face against his drenched shirt. “I’m sorry.”
“You don’t have anything to be sorry for. I know she hurt you, but don’t let it keep happening. You’re an amazing woman, and I don’t understand how anyone could leave you.”
Nora tightened her hold on Clint. She didn’t think he’d leave her, but then again, she hadn’t thought her mom would either until she was already gone.
Love felt a lot like heartache.
Clint kissed the top of her head. “I love you so much. No matter what happens, you’ll always have my whole heart. You’ll always have my family. You’ll always have our friends. Don’t forget about all the supportive people in your life because of one woman with her own problems.”
“You’re right.” Nora pressed her forehead against his chest. “I can’t remember what I actually said to her, but it probably wasn’t nice. ”
“She’d better be glad she didn’t have to talk to me. I would have told her where to go, and it wouldn’t be here.”
Nora chuckled. “You would not.”
“Okay, maybe I wouldn’t, but I would have told her she missed out on knowing the best woman I’ve ever met in my life.”
“She wanted to have coffee,” Nora whispered.
Clint huffed. “You hate coffee.”
“Right.”
“Your mom should know those things about you. That’s her fault. Not yours.” His big hand rubbed calming circles over her back. “You think you’re thawed out?”
“Yeah. I guess we should get out of the shower. This isn’t really appropriate for a first date.”
“I’m just glad you didn’t try to take advantage of me. I would hate to have to fight you off.”
Nora’s full laugh escaped into the steamy room. “What if my dad came home right now?”
“I’d have a lot of explaining to do. Though, I could just tell him you made me do it. We did leave the bathroom door open.”
Her lungs weren’t tight anymore, and her shoulders sank into the warm comfort. “Yeah, let’s get out of here. I need some hot chocolate.”
“It’s a good thing I left some clothes here,” Clint said .
Nora turned off the water and reached out of the shower for her robe. “I’ll be right back with clothes.”
“No rush. Your dad could come home any minute, and I’d hate to have to defend myself with one working leg.”
She tucked the sides of the robe around her and dried off her legs and feet with a towel. “I’ll hurry.”
The weight of her mom’s call wasn’t resting on her shoulders anymore, but she still had a lot to think about. Maybe with Clint by her side, she could forgive and start to truly heal.