Page 35 of When We Were Young
Aiden and Olivia picked up their forks and started to eat. Noah raised his eyebrows at his kids. “Hey, hey.” He shook his head. “We need to pray.”
First Aiden dropped his fork, then Olivia released hers. They stared at him. “Daddy?” Aiden’s voice sounded confused and a little worried. “We... don’t pray when we have breakfast with you.”
The sick feeling was back. Noah had no idea what that meant, but he didn’t press the issue. “We do now.” He smiled from Aiden to Olivia. “Bow your heads.”
Despite his headache and foggy brain, regardless of the details he couldn’t remember or the fact that he still didn’t know whose apartment they were in, Noah prayed. And for the first time that morning something made sense. He still knew how to talk to God. “Lord, bless today and this breakfast with Aiden and Olivia. Let us have a day where You are glorified and where love comes first. For all of us. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
The kids said their amens, too, but more like they were in a daze. Like they couldn’t believe what had just happened. When Noah opened his eyes the kids were staring at him. He laughed and nodded to their plates. “Eat up. Cold pancakes are never good.”
Breakfast gave Noah a chance to think, really focus on what was happening around him. He clearly needed a doctor, but that would have to come later. When Emily got home. While he ate his pancakes an idea hit him. He looked from Aiden to Olivia and back again. “So.” He waved his fork toward the living room. “What do you think of this place?”
Olivia shrugged her slim shoulders. “Same as always.”
But Aiden knew something was wrong. Noah could tell by the look in his eyes. “Daddy... we love it. You know that.” He took a bite of his eggs and chewed slowly, his eyes fixed on Noah the whole time. “We don’t care if it’s small.”
“Or that we share a room.” Olivia smiled at her brother. “It’s an adventure here.”
“Right.” Noah felt the room spinning again. Why had they downsized to an apartment? Excruciating headaches. Memory loss. Yes, that was it. His concussions had finally caught up to him. He must’ve taken a medical disability from work and the resulting pay cut would’ve sent them here.
Things were beginning to make sense. As they did, Noah felt a wave of peace and normalcy return to him—even while his headache continued to rage. Aiden and Olivia were the same as always. Just three years older.
Then the answers hit him. If his memory was broken, he could go to the right doctor and get it fixed. Then he’d have every beautiful moment he’d missed. All three years’ worth. He had read about that back when he was in college after the first blow to his head, how concussions could cause memory loss but that specialists were finding ways to restore what was missing.
So what about Emily? No doubt this had affected her. Toward the end of breakfast, Noah lowered his fork and looked straight into Aiden’s eyes. “How’s your mom? She’s okay? She’s doing good?”
“She’s great.” Aiden smiled big. “She likes having Saturday mornings for errands and shopping and stuff. That’s what she always says.”
Noah nodded and stared at the cold pancake pieces still on his plate. Emily was doing great. Those were his son’s words. Noah moved his fork through the syrup. Good. Good that Emily was happy and that she loved Saturdays for errands. She was always efficient that way. Everything was fine.
Maybe it was better than fine, because whatever memory issues he was having, right now he felt fully aware of himself and his surroundings.
They finished eating and were watching the Indiana game when Aiden had an idea. It was halftime—the score tied 7–7. “Let’s go throw the football!” His eyes lit up. “The kids in my class still can’t believe Noah Carter’s my dad. Best quarterback in Indiana history. That’s what everyone says.”
A sense of pride worked its way past Noah’s headache. He smiled. “Great idea. Let’s go play.” He looked at Olivia. “Sound good, honey?”
“I brought a coloring book.” She laughed a little. “I usually color, Daddy. That’s better.”
She usually colors.Noah blinked again as he cleared the dishes and put them in the sink. The place didn’t have a dishwasher, so he’d have to wash them by hand later. Olivia grabbed one of the small folding chairs from the table and some crayons from the kitchen cupboard, and Aiden found a football. All here at what was obviously their home.
They found a stretch of grass between the buildings. Olivia set up her chair and began to color, and Noah and Aiden played catch for an hour. Everything else might feel foggy and crazy and out of place. He might’ve lost three years, but he could still throw a ball. The leather against his fingers still felt like an extension of his arm.
When Aiden tired of playing, they all went back inside and watched the second half of the game until it was clear Indiana wasn’t going to win. Then they returned outside and tossed the ball a few more times. Now whenever Aiden caught the ball he pretended to dodge tacklers and break free and run untouched past an invisible goal line. Olivia had finished coloring and now she was acting the part of the cheerleader, shouting encouragement to her brother and celebrating every imaginary touchdown.
And that’s what they were still doing when Emily pulled up.
Noah saw her first. She looked gorgeous, her blond hair longer than the last time Noah could remember. He started to jog her way, but then she got out of the car and yelled over the roof, “Come on, kids! We have Sofia’s party at the park in fifteen minutes.”
Just like that Aiden threw the ball back to Noah and then the kids ran inside. Noah barely noticed. His eyes were on Emily alone. She sat back behind the wheel and pulled out her phone.
As if Noah wasn’t standing fifteen feet away, watching her. As if he didn’t need her to right whatever was wrong, to help him get to the doctor. He took a few steps closer. “Hey!” He smiled at her and waved. “How was your morning?”
Either she didn’t hear him or she was too distracted to answer, because she never looked up from her phone. Behind him, Noah heard the kids. They both had their things as they ran to him, and one at a time they hugged him. Olivia turned her soft blue eyes to his. “Pancakes next week, too?”
Noah smiled. “Of course.” Why was she talking about next week already?
Aiden waved at him, and he and Olivia hurried to the car and climbed inside. Olivia was still in a booster seat, but she buckled herself in with no trouble.
“Ready, Mommy,” Aiden called out.
