Page 70 of When We Were Young
“Exactly.” Ryan looked deep into her eyes again. “It’s easy for me to look at Noah and blame him for making social media more important than his wife and kids.” He hesitated. “But social media is his job. And that’s when it hit me, there in our room. Reading those ten secrets.” He took a long breath. “I was doing the same thing. Making my job more important than you and the kids and the life we’ve built here.”
For all the time Kari had spent thinking about the move and telling the kids they were leaving Bloomington, she had never dreamed the situation might end like this. “I... can’t believe it.”
“God had the final say.” He smiled, and for the first time in a few weeks he looked like himself. The Ryan who loved her more than his own life. “God and your mother. Can’t beat that.” He brushed his knuckles against her cheek. “I sure do miss her.”
“Me, too.” For a moment neither of them said anything. “I can’t believe the envelope was just sitting on the closet floor.”
His eyes softened. “Like I was supposed to find it.”
“Maybe so.” Kari could feel the muscles in her neck and shoulders relax. Everything she’d been dreading wasn’t going to happen after all. “You’ve always loved me, Ryan. With everything in you. But this...” Her throat was too tight to finish.
“I know.” He kissed her again, longer this time. “This is home. For all of us.” He whispered the words near her face. He took her hand. “Let’s go to bed. I have a feeling a certain young couple will need us tomorrow.”
Kari nodded. “Definitely.” She slid her fingers between his and followed him up to their room. She’d never seen tonight ending up like this. But God had done what only He could do. He had worked a miracle in their love and their lives.
Now she could only pray He would do the same for Noah and Emily.
22
Noah sat straight up, gasping for breath. This time his dream had scared him. He had never wanted their social media presence to get the best of him, never imagined it would come between Emily and him.
No way.
He was almost afraid to get out of bed and look out the window. It was summer yesterday, he and the kids had the best day at the park. Now his window was open again, and once more the wind was warm. The way it was yesterday.
Good. He exhaled. Maybe his memory was coming back. He’d lost so much, so many years. It was about time he started tracking with the passing days. So he could make good on his promises. Spend more time with the kids.
Then like he was just realizing the news for the first time, Noah remembered what Aiden and Olivia had told him. He had moved out when they were little. He pictured the strange man driving away with his wife and kids.
And the ring on her left hand.
It’s okay, Noah One step at a time. Lord, help me find my life again.
He had a lot to do, especially assuming this was Sunday. First he wanted a meeting with Emily. She wasn’t married yet; at least he didn’t think so. The kids hadn’t mentioned it. So that meant there was still time.
From the edge of his bed, he could see just a glimpse of the sky out the window.God, if I can just get her to talk to me.First, he’d call her and tell her he was sorry. If the social media was in the way, he’d be done with it. Whatever it took. If he had it to do over again, he never would’ve left. No way.
If only she’d sit down with him, he would go over all the pieces of their past, the beautiful ones he’d been dreaming about and the sad years he’d missed. He’d bring up their dinner dates in the Indiana cafeteria and the times he’d watched her dance. He’d tell her how much he loved Clara and missed her.
And he’d tell her that only she knew what he’d gone through during his concussions. He wouldn’t be here today if she hadn’t nursed him back to health. He wouldn’t have left football for anyone but her, and no one else had ever loved him like she did.
How was it possible? Could he really have walked away? When he still loved her with every breath? When he was dying to hold her?
His phone started to ring, and Noah looked around. As he did, a terrible feeling hit him. The carpet was the same ratty gray, but the walls were a different color. Dark gray paint. What did that mean for him? Had more time passed? He couldn’t stand the thought. The phone was still ringing, so he hurried out of bed and found it on the dresser.
“Hello?” Noah was breathing harder than before. He could see the mirror now, and once again he looked different. Older. More lines around his mouth and across his forehead. Gray tinged his sideburns. He closed his eyes and focused on the call.
“It’s me.” Emily’s voice sounded unhappy. “You need to be there at eleven o’clock, Noah. At Clear Creek. It’s important to her.”
Eleven o’clock. He shook his head, forcing himself to concentrate. “Today?”
“Yes, today.” Her tone grew frustrated. “Her graduation is today, Noah... don’t act like you don’t know.”
Whose graduation, he wanted to ask. Certainly not Olivia’s. She was just swinging beside him at the park, just calling him Daddy and asking him to catch her as she fell. “At Clear Creek High? Is that what you’re saying?”
“Where would you expect Olivia’s graduation to take place?” She released a pent-up breath. “Just be there, Noah. We’re losing her. You know that, right?”
Noah was afraid to say anything. “She’s on the phone too much. I know that.”
