Page 106 of The Hotel Room

Leah squeezed her shoulders, her voice soft but sure. “You’re going to be okay, Katie. No matter what. You’re stronger than you think.”

Kate nodded, but the ache in her chest lingered, raw and insistent. Tears welled up again, spilling down her cheeks before she could stop them.

Leah didn’t hesitate. She pulled Kate into another hug, tighter this time, her arms firm and steady, grounding her.

“It’s okay,” Leah murmured, her voice soft against Kate’s hair. “Let it out.”

Kate let herself sink into the embrace, her tears falling freely now as she clung to her sister.

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“Mom?” Noah’s voice startled her. She turned from the kitchen counter to find him standing in the doorway, his hands shoved into his hoodie pockets. He looked hesitant, like he was debating whether to stay or retreat.

“Hey, Noah,” Kate said softly, drying her hands with a dish towel. “What’s up?”

He hesitated, then stepped inside, leaning against the counter. His dark eyes—so much like James’s—avoided hers.

“It’s…nothing,” he muttered. But the way he lingered told her it wasn’t nothing.

Kate crossed her arms, leaning back against the counter to face him. “You can talk to me, you know,” she said gently. “Whatever it is.”

He shifted uncomfortably, his gaze dropping to the floor. “It’s just...about Dad.”

Her stomach tightened, but she kept her expression neutral. “Okay,” she said slowly. “What about him?”

Noah sighed, raking a hand through his hair. “I don’t get it,” he said, his voice low. “How you can still...be around him after what he did.”

Kate’s heart ached at the raw confusion in his tone. She had hoped to shield him from the worst of it, but that door had already been opened. There was no going back now.

“It’s complicated,” she said carefully, choosing her words. “Your dad and I...we’ve been through a lot together. And whathe did—” She paused, her voice catching. “It broke something between us. Something I don’t know if we can ever fully fix.”

Noah frowned, his jaw tightening. “So why even try? Why not just...be done with it?”

Kate sighed, stepping closer to him. “Because, Noah, there’s more to it than just what happened. Your dad and I built this life together. We’ve loved each other for a long time. And even though he hurt me...he’s been trying. He’s doing everything he can to make things right.”

Noah’s expression twisted, a mix of anger and uncertainty. “But does that really make up for it? For cheating on you? Doesn’t that...I don’t know...make him a bad person?”

Kate swallowed hard, her chest tightening. “It doesn’t excuse what he did,” she said softly. “But it doesn’t erase the good parts of him either. Your dad made a terrible mistake. A selfish, hurtful mistake. But he’s not a bad person, Noah. He’s a flawed person—just like all of us.”

Noah was quiet for a long moment, his brows furrowed. “I just...I thought you and Dad were...different. Like, unbreakable.”

Kate’s heart clenched, and she reached out, placing a hand on his arm. “We’re not perfect,” she said gently. “No one is. But what matters is that we’re trying. Trying to figure out what our future looks like, trying to be there for you and Lily. And I know this has been hard on you.”

Noah’s shoulders slumped slightly, his tough exterior cracking. “It just...sucks, you know?” he muttered. “You and Dadwere supposed to be, like, the example. The people who had it all together.”

Kate gave him a sad smile. “I know. And I’m sorry if we let you down. But Noah, love is messy. Relationships are messy. What your dad and I have been through—it’s not something I’d wish on anyone. But it doesn’t mean we don’t care about each other. Or about you and Lily.”

He glanced up at her, his eyes uncertain. “Do you still love him?”

The question hit harder than she expected. Kate hesitated, her thoughts spinning. “Yes,” she admitted finally, her voice soft. “I do. But love isn’t always enough. Trust, respect...those things matter too. And we’re still working on all of that.”

Noah nodded slowly, his gaze dropping to the floor again. “I guess I get it,” he said after a long pause. “Kinda.”

Kate smiled faintly, squeezing his arm. “That’s all I ask, Noah. Just give us time. And try to understand that no one’s perfect—not even your parents.”

He gave a small, reluctant smile. “You’re, like, slightly closer to perfect than Dad.”

Kate laughed softly, ruffling his hair. “Thanks, I think.”

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