27. Noah #3
It rings three times before the line connects.
“Hey, Em… I know you’re still upset with Noah for what happened at Maddie’s funeral…
but I really need you right now… he needs you.
All of you.” I let out a breath, praying she understands.
“But I understand if this is asking too much after what he did… I wouldn’t blame you for not wanting to help me.
But I promise, Em… once I tell you this, everything will make sense. ”
She’s quiet for a minute, and I wonder if she hung up on me. I pull the phone away, but no, the line is still on. I bring it back in time to hear her deep, long sigh. “What do you need my help with?”
NOAH
We stand in the middle of the cemetery, the heavy rain pouring down on us.
Umbrellas open as we wait for the ceremony to start, the dark sky crying along with us.
We’re only ten people in all, and that’s including the funeral conductor, Veronica and I, Everly and Jannice, Dr. Daltonsen, and four other staff members from the care facility.
I understood that not everyone could be present given the short notice and some having to work, but I’m grateful at least a few could make it. Although it’s still sad to see the outcome.
Some part of me feels guilty for not telling the people I consider my family about today, about Trinity. For keeping my sister’s memory only to myself. Maybe I’m just being selfish… but it’s too late now.
“Is everyone present?” the conductor asks, looking from Veronica to me.
I nod and say, “yes,” just as Veronica says, “no.” My head whips to her with a frown, confused at the word she spoke.
“We’re just waiting on a few more. They should be here any moment,” she tells the conductor, who nods with a soft smile.
When she looks up at me, I see it in her eyes before she even voices it. The guilt, the apology. “I’m sorry, Noah. I know I promised you I wouldn’t tell anyone, but none of this is right. None of this feels right, can’t you see it?”
Just then, ten or so black cars pull up along the road, bodies all dressed in black descending from the cabs and making their way toward us. My family. My friends. My team. They’re all here. My heart squeezes at the sight, my throat clogging as my eyes fog over.
“Hate me if you want, but please don’t hate them. We’re a family, Noah. We should all be together at this moment. Trinity would want that,” she says softly, tears tumbling from her eyes.
I pull her in, wrapping my arms around her shoulders and swallowing past the lump in my throat. “Thank you,” I whisper with a heavy breath, my voice cracking at the end.
And when I squeeze my eyes shut, burying my face into her hair, I feel it. The first tear in thirteen years slips past my lid and falls into her skittle hair.
This beautiful fucking woman. How did I ever get so lucky? She knew exactly what I needed, despite me saying otherwise. She did all of this for me. How could I not be in love with her?
Within a few minutes, they’ve all joined us, standing behind us and squeezing my shoulder on their way past. Emma comes to stand before me with an expression I can’t read as she stares at me.
I know I owe her an apology for the way I acted the other day, but I can’t get the words out, not right now.
Luckily, she does it for me, circling her arms around my neck and pulling me in. I hug her back instantly as I whisper the words in her ear. “I’m sorry…”
“I forgive you, Noah, but I wish you had told me. I feel guilty for being mad at you when you were going through the same thing I was.”
“You couldn’t have known. No one but Veronica knew, and that’s on me,” I admit with a sense of shame.
She pulls back, hands along my arms, and smiles warmly up at me. “No more secrets, okay?”
I know I can’t make that promise, given that both Veronica and Gabriel have their own. But I can still answer for myself, at least for this part. “Okay.”
She joins the rest of our friends behind us, just as Gabe takes her place in front of me. He looks mad, a deep frown on his face as he watches me for a moment. But then he takes me into a tight hug, squeezing me in.
“Don’t ever do that again, you hear me? You’re my best friend, Noh.
We’re supposed to have each other’s back.
You’ve had mine through all my bullshit; you should have let me be there for yours.
” I hear him sniff as he tries to be strong despite the hurt that he feels right now, and all it does is increase my guilt.
“I know… you’re right, I’m sorry…”
“Enough of that, let’s get through this ceremony. Then we’ll go home, and you’ll tell me all about her.” He releases me and pats my back. “I love you, man.”
“I love you too, brother.” I smile through my tears that keep coming.
He moves over to Veronica’s other side, taking her hand and kissing her temple.
I do the same to her, breathing in her cinnamon and apple scent as I close my eyes.
“Thank you, Kitten. You are the very best thing in my life, and I don’t know what I’d do without you.
I hope you know that,” I whisper against her hair.
She turns and gazes deep into my eyes. “I know,” she breathes, then presses her lips to mine.