Chapter 4 Nora #2
An hour later, baths were finished, teeth were brushed, pajamas were on, and Nora was finishing up reading Farmer Bear’s Christmas to two awake-but-sleepy kids.
River sat on the floor beside the bed, listening to the story with them.
“The end,” Nora read.
“What a great story,” River said, his deep voice expressing genuine appreciation. “I can see why you guys like it so much.”
“It’s our favorite,” Pixie said, her voice soft.
“I’m going to head downstairs,” River told them. “You guys just holler if you need anything, okay?”
“Okay.” John-John yawned as the sound of River’s footsteps disappeared down the hallway.
“I’m going to go downstairs for just a bit and make a plan with River about what to do tomorrow,” Nora told them. “But I’ll come up to bed soon, and I’ll open the door between our rooms when I do, so you’ll know if the door is open that I’m right there and you can come find me anytime.”
“Love you, Aunt Nora,” Pixie said, pressing a kiss to Nora’s cheek.
“I love you both,” Nora told them. “To the moon and back.”
She climbed out of bed and headed out, leaving the door to the hallway open so it would be easier to hear the kids if they needed her. She would close it when she came up to bed and leave the door to her room open, as she had promised.
When she got down to the kitchen, she found River putting the kettle on, and something was already warming in the toaster oven.
“I thought you might like some tea and a snack while we chat,” he said, glancing up at her.
He looked so handsome, even in the dim light of the kitchen. She was surprised at herself for noticing, and tore her eyes from his immediately.
“That sounds nice,” she said, pretending to admire the copper pans hanging from the ceiling.
“I don’t keep all that much in the house,” River admitted. “I’ve got stuff for breakfast though, so long as the kids aren’t picky eaters. We can do eggs, pancakes, that kind of thing.”
“They’re not picky at all,” Nora said proudly. “In fact, they surprise me by asking for things like sweet and sour soup and sushi all the time.”
“I guess that’s the advantage of growing up in the city,” River said thoughtfully. “They get to try lots of different things.”
“Well, they did with their mom,” Nora said. “Sushi isn’t really in the budget for me right now.”
She winced and immediately wished she hadn’t said that. She wasn’t really sure why her guard was down with River, but she made a mental note to be more careful.
He just nodded.
“When I was in the Army I economized a lot,” he told her. “I got teased about it plenty by the other guys.”
“You did?” she asked, moving back to the stove.
“Sure,” he told her. “But it was worth it. I always wanted a place like this. And the Army is one job where you can save most of your salary, if you’re lucky. I even got a little investment advice from a friend.”
“That’s wonderful,” she told him.
“All part of the plan,” he said with a smile, before turning to grab two mugs from the cupboard. “Now I just have to get the place in order before springtime.”
It was funny, the way Edward always talked about River, she kind of had the impression that he had joined the service on a whim. This seemed like the opposite of that.
“Peppermint, right?” he asked, holding up the box.
“Yes,” she said. “You remembered.”
He poured in the steaming water, and it hit the bottom of the mug with a hiss. When their tea was ready, she carried the mugs to the table while he grabbed a glass jar of something dark out of the fridge along with a knife, and then pulled two thick slabs of toast from the toaster oven.
“Like I said, I don’t have much in the house yet,” he said, setting down everything. “But tea is better with a snack.”
“Agreed,” Nora laughed.
He pushed the jar and knife her way, and she got a look at the label.
“Apple butter from Cassidy Farm,” she said, smiling at the thought of the beautiful tourist farm nearby. “It’s good to know they’re still around.”
“Busiest farm in Trinity Falls,” River said nodding.
She opened the jar and began spreading apple butter on her slice of toast, the cinnamon scent of the treat bringing back more good memories.
“So, how’s it going?” River asked. His voice was serious now, and she knew he wasn’t looking for a surface response.
“They’re really such amazing kids,” she said, looking up at him. “They’re very resilient.”
“That’s clear,” he said, nodding.
“Pixie isn’t making friends as fast as I’d hoped in her new school,” she heard herself admit as she turned her attention back to the toast. “And John-John is still working through everything. I think it’s harder for him to understand that his mother really isn’t coming back.
And of course, just the idea of it has left him unsteady. ”
She glanced up at River again. He was gazing at her intently and nodding thoughtfully. It was a relief to share her honest thoughts and be listened to without judgement.
It’s nice to talk to another adult…
“Overall, though,” she went on. “I’m really, really proud of them.”
“I can see why,” River said. “They’re wonderful. And you’re obviously doing a very good job helping them feel safe and loved.”
“Thank you,” she said, finding herself unexpectedly blinking back tears.
“And how’s work going?” he asked.
She sighed, wondering if she dared to be honest about that too.
“Not so good, huh?” he asked.
“I actually haven’t been back since I brought them home,” she told him. “The owners of the clinic are so sweet. They’ve been holding the position open for me all this time. But they need someone now, since the holidays are a busy time for them.”
“But John-John needs you, right?” River asked.
She nodded, pressing her lips together. She might be sharing with him, but she certainly wasn’t going to start crying. She had to be stronger than that.
“I think that’s admirable,” he told her. “When he’s ready for you to go back to work, I know you’ll find something.”
“Thanks,” she told him, trying to focus her attention back on the toast. “I know things will work out somehow. Oh—”
Looking down at the plate, she realized she had actually put apple butter on both slices of toast, not just her own. And then she had cut each slice into four pieces.
“I’m so sorry,” she told him. “I guess it’s been kind of a while since I sat down with another adult.”
River looked down at the tiny toast squares and back up at her, his eyes twinkling as he began to laugh. It was a deep, happy sound that warmed her up from the inside out, and Nora found herself laughing too.
“I prefer it this way,” River said. “I can pretend to be a giant.”
She watched as he demonstrated by putting a square of toast in his mouth whole and couldn’t help chuckling at his imitation of how he thought a giant would chew toast.
He might look big and fierce now, but deep inside he’s still that same lighthearted boy I met all those years ago.
She cut off that line of thought and took a bite of her own toast. It was delicious, the sweet apple spread the perfect counterpoint to the whole grain of the bread.
“So good,” she murmured.
“My mom made the bread,” River said.
“She’s got a gift,” Nora said, eating another piece.
“I’m really glad you’re here,” River said suddenly. “I know it wasn’t easy to just pack the kids up at sundown and come out to the country. But I promise they’re going to have the best weekend ever.”
“Thank you,” Nora said, meeting his dark eyes again.
Maybe it was only because he was touching her heart by offering a taste of happiness to the two most important people in her world, but a wave of something that felt almost like love crashed through her chest as he gazed at her from across the table.
“Well,” he said, standing and clearing his throat. “I guess I should head out.”
It took a second for his words to land, and by the time they did, he was already gathering up the dishes.
“Where are you going?” she asked him, in complete confusion.
“Oh, there’s a little cottage on the property,” he told her. “I thought it would be better for you and the kids to have this place to yourselves—more like what you’re used to.”
“Oh,” she said.
What he was saying was reasonable, but it also felt a bit like she and the kids were kicking him out of his own house by coming.
“Come on,” he told her. “I’ll show you.”
She followed him to the kitchen window.
“You can just see it,” he told her. “Right there.”
She could just make out the outline of a small cottage on the other side of the driveway.
“If you need anything, you can text me and I’ll be over in a heartbeat,” he told her.
“Thank you,” she said, wishing she had a better way to express the depth of her gratitude.
“It’s my pleasure, Nora,” he said, his deep voice husky as he gazed down at her.
The next thing she knew, he had torn his eyes from hers, grabbed a backpack from the hook on the wall, shoved his feet into his boots, and headed out the back door.
“See you in the morning,” he told her over his shoulder as he closed the door behind him.
Nora moved back to the window and watched his big form moving across the lawn and the driveway. She watched until he was inside and the windows of the cottage lit up, casting a comforting golden glow onto the snow outside.
Then she turned back to the cozy farmhouse he’d been nice enough to give up for them and wondered again why it felt so much like home.