Page 5 of When We Were Young
“You got it, buddy.” Emily didn’t have to pretend with the kids. They made her happy even now. When her world was falling apart. “To the moon and stars!”
“Yes!” Aiden kicked his feet toward the sky.
“Me, too.” Olivia was in the baby swing beside her brother. She grinned at Emily. “Swing, Mama. Swing high.”
Emily stood between the two, pushing Aiden, then Olivia. They chattered with each other, Aiden asking Olivia if she ever wanted to fly like a bird and Olivia giggling. Like Aiden was the funniest person in the world.
The sky was darker now. Emily lifted her eyes to a break in the clouds.If only we could stay here. Lost in the innocence of a swing set and playground. If only time could freeze, here and now.
While she and Noah were still married.
“Higher, Mommy! Please.” Aiden grinned at her.
“Good manners, buddy.”
Emily kept pushing, kept answering like she was hanging on every word. But all she could feel was the past swirling around her, washing over her like a rogue wave, consuming her. One thing was sure. The storm about to move over the park was nothing like the one they’d been walking through for more than a year.
The crazy thing was even now, no one knew. Not until tonight.
So many people would be shocked.
The online world would be, of course. None of their followers would’ve seen this coming. But more than that, the people who actually cared about them. The ones they did life with. They would be stunned. Emily glanced at the adjacent jungle gym.
The playgroup moms hung out here twice a week. Just a dozen mothers from Clear Creek Community Church with kids the same age as Aiden and Olivia. Emily talked to a few of them on a regular basis. Every couple days at least. For the last four weeks she had ordered herself to tell them the truth. But the words simply wouldn’t come.
Their social media following meant that even those friends saw Emily as the other half of everyone’s favorite former football player, Noah Carter. No, her friends didn’t talk about her public persona at coffee dates or playtimes with the kids. Only one of them had ever even brought it up.
But they all knew.
Emily was Internet famous. A term she had never liked and now hated.
In the virtual world beneath the glass of every laptop, computer, iPad, and smartphone, people felt like they knew Noah and Emily. Masses had followed them from the day they got engaged. They loved them with heart emojis and commented that Noah and Emily were #goals for the rest of them. They retweeted and reposted and shared everything Noah ever uploaded on their various social media formats.
Because like other social media stars, up until now Emily made her living helping Noah create pictures and pretty words about their practically perfect family. Their enviable love.
So how was she supposed to tell her friends that the perfection was only in pictures? That Noah was no longer the guy he’d once been. Or maybe he’d never been that guy at all. He didn’t love her anymore. That much was for sure. All they ever did anymore was fight.
Yes, at home things had fallen apart and... well, now she and Noah were calling it quits. No more picture-perfect love. No more social media.
Aiden’s voice broke the moment. “The clouds are scary.” He stretched his legs, gathering speed on his way up to the sky.
“Yes.” Emily’s heart felt every word. “They are scary, baby. But we’ll be okay. We will.”
Emily checked her watch. Five-thirty. By now Noah would be home, packing his clothes. Since yesterday, his two large bags had been sitting against the wall in their bedroom. Right about now he’d be grabbing stacks of jeans and sweaters and dress shirts and tossing them into his suitcases. Like he was about to take a fall vacation.
Instead of undoing every bit of love they’d ever shared.
“I’m ready for the slides.” Aiden looked back at her from the swing.
Olivia nodded. “Slides, Mama!”
She helped them down and watched as they ran to the structure in the middle of the playground. Usually she stayed close to them on the slides and bridges and monkey bars. Not today. The equipment was safe.
Emily took a spot on the nearest bench. “I’m right here.” She waved at them.
Both kids waved back.
If only she could get a grip on her thoughts. What was happening and what was she doing here? When her whole life was falling apart? Kari Taylor was the only one who suspected trouble between them. Emily and Noah’s involvement in the Taylors’ weekly group started a year ago, when Kari had approached her one Sunday after church. Something about the woman reminded Emily of her mother.
