Chapter 7 Did He Just Talk?
I had officially been working here for two days.
Two whole days.
And I had learned several very important things.
Number one. This house was way too big.
Number two. I was definitely going to get lost again at some point.
And number three. Noah Blackwood might actually be the quietest child on the planet.
Not shy quiet.
Not nervous quiet.
Just... quiet.
He talked to Dominic. I knew that because Mrs Miller told me he did. But with everyone else he mostly just watched and observed like a tiny mysterious scientist studying humans.
Which meant I had spent two days doing most of the talking.
Honestly that part did not bother me.
Talking was kind of my thing.
That morning I found Noah in the living room again with the train set.
I walked in with my most cheerful energy.
"Good morning Noah."
He looked up at me.
Still quiet.
Still watching.
But he did not look uncomfortable anymore.
That felt like progress.
I sat down on the floor near him.
"So I have a very serious question today."
No reaction.
I pointed at the trains.
"If those trains crash into each other right now would it be dramatic or slightly dramatic?"
Noah blinked slowly.
I nodded.
"Very important question."
He pushed one train forward.
Still silent.
I leaned closer to inspect the track.
"Oh wow this one is fast."
He connected another train to the back.
"This is becoming a very long train situation."
Still nothing.
But he stayed.
That was the key thing.
He always stayed.
After a few minutes I noticed something.
He kept glancing at the book next to me.
The colorful picture book Mrs Miller had given me yesterday.
"Oh," I said.
"You want the book?"
He did not answer but his eyes moved to the book again.
I picked it up.
"This one?"
He stared at it.
Okay.
Good enough for me.
I opened the book and started reading out loud.
Very dramatically.
Because if you are going to read a children's book you might as well commit to the performance.
"And then the dragon said," I said in my best dramatic voice, "I will eat ALL the cookies."
Noah blinked.
I made a very serious face.
"This dragon has serious cookie problems."
I kept reading.
Occasionally doing silly voices.
Occasionally commenting on the characters.
"This rabbit looks suspicious."
Silence.
"But I think he is just hungry."
More silence.
Then I turned the page.
And suddenly I heard it.
A tiny voice.
"...dragon."
I froze.
Completely froze.
Did that just happen.
I slowly looked up.
Noah was looking at the book.
Not at me.
Just the book.
But I definitely heard it.
My heart started doing weird excited jumping.
"Did you just say dragon?"
Noah immediately looked down at the floor.
Silent again.
Oh my god.
I sat there trying very hard not to explode with excitement.
He spoke.
He actually spoke.
Very quietly.
But still.
Progress.
I smiled softly and turned the page.
"Yes," I said casually.
"The dragon."
I kept reading like it was the most normal thing in the world.
Inside my brain I was screaming.
Later that afternoon I decided we should go outside.
Fresh air seemed like a good idea.
Also I had seen the garden yesterday and it was huge.
Like park level huge.
"Noah," I said.
"We are going on an adventure."
He looked at me.
I pointed toward the glass doors.
"The garden."
He stood up slowly.
Which I decided counted as agreement.
The garden was honestly ridiculous.
Huge green lawn.
Trees.
Stone paths.
A little pond.
I spun around once.
"This place is bigger than my entire university campus."
Noah quietly walked beside me.
Watching everything.
I crouched near a flower bush.
"Look at these."
He stepped a little closer.
Still quiet.
Still observing.
But definitely curious.
I smiled.
"This might be the fanciest garden I have ever seen."
Then something happened.
Something extremely embarrassing.
I turned around too quickly.
My foot caught the edge of the stone path.
And suddenly gravity betrayed me.
I tripped.
Not a graceful little stumble.
No.
A full dramatic loss of balance.
My arms flew forward.
And the only reason I did not face plant into the grass was because someone grabbed my arm.
A very strong grip.
I looked up.
Dominic.
Of course it was Dominic.
Of course the most embarrassing moment of the day had to happen in front of him.
His hand was still holding my arm.
His expression looked somewhere between annoyed and confused.
Like he could not believe this situation existed.
I straightened quickly.
"Oh."
Very smooth Amelia.
Very professional.
"I meant to do that."
He stared at me.
Clearly not convinced.
"You tripped."
"I was demonstrating gravity."
He said nothing.
Just looked at me with that same serious expression.
Behind me Noah was watching quietly.
Dominic slowly let go of my arm.
"You should be more careful."
"I usually am."
Pause.
Then I added cheerfully, "Mostly."
His jaw tightened slightly.
Like he was trying very hard not to react.
Then his eyes moved to Noah.
The boy was standing near me.
Calm.
Comfortable.
Not hiding.
Dominic noticed that immediately.
His gaze returned to me.
And for a moment his expression looked... thoughtful.
Almost like he was reconsidering something.
I smiled awkwardly.
"So... hi."
He gave a small nod.
Then he walked back toward the house.
I watched him leave.
Then I turned to Noah.
"Okay," I said.
"That was slightly embarrassing."
Noah looked at me.
And for a second.
Just a second.
I thought I saw the tiniest hint of amusement in his eyes.
Which honestly made the whole falling situation worth it.