Page 80 of When We Were Young
“That’s the other reason I’m here.” Aiden drew a deep breath. “Olivia... I’m not sure you want to see her.”
“I do.” Noah moved to the sofa and buried his face in his hands. Then he lowered them and stared at Aiden. “I need to talk to her. Do you know where she is?”
“Dad.” Aiden looked fearful now. “I don’t know. She’s really bad off.” He hesitated. “You wouldn’t recognize her.”
“That’s okay.” Noah saw his coat on the chair. He wasn’t sure what month it was, but there had to be a reason it was out. He slipped it on and spotted his phone on the counter. A quick check and he knew. It was autumn again. The time of year he used to love so much. Fall, when everything felt crisp and clean and beautiful.
What better time to find Olivia than now?
“Take me to her.” He turned to his son. “Please... I have to talk to her.”
The look on Aiden’s face said he didn’t think it would make a difference. But he had said it was one of the reasons he was here. So he grabbed his keys and stepped out of the apartment ahead of Noah. “Come on. I’ll drive.”
Aiden seemed to know exactly where to go. They parked a block down from the Fourth Street overpass and made their way carefully beneath it. The place stunk like body odor and human waste. Garbage and cardboard lean-tos dotted the ground.
They came across a bearded man, thin with most of his teeth missing. His eyes rolled back as he tried to look at them. “Wha’s up?” He said the words like they were a celebration. Then he laughed at himself and slapped his knee.
The guy was higher than the freeway overhead.
Aiden didn’t waste time. “I’m looking for my sister. Olivia Carter.”
A dizzy spell seemed to hit the man. He leaned one way and then the other, but finally he pointed higher up the hill. Near the cement belly of the bridge. “There.”
“Thanks.” Aiden put his hand on the man’s shoulder. “Remember me, Willy? Aiden Carter.”
The man squinted, but something changed in his expression. “Pastor Aiden?”
“Right.” Aiden looked straight into the man’s eyes. “I gave you a ride to the shelter last week.” He paused. “They want to help you, Willy. Jesus loves you. We talked about that.”
The man looked off at a heap of garbage, his eyes distant. “Jesus. Right.”
Noah watched, mesmerized. His son was not just a pastor. He was living out his faith. How amazing that after all Noah had done to harm his son, Aiden had become this kind of man.
“Okay, then.” Aiden took a step back. “I’ll come back later today. You need detox, man. Be ready.”
Willy nodded and turned around. A few steps and he crumpled into a pile of filthy blankets. Like he was overcome at the thought of the shelter, detox and Jesus. From his position on the ground he waved at Aiden. “I’ll be here.”
Suddenly panic pushed aside the pride in Noah’s heart over watching Aiden. What were they doing? He needed to find Olivia. There was no time for this. He started up the hill and Aiden stayed close on his heels. His headache was gone now, Noah wasn’t sure why. But his heart beat so fast he expected it to break free from his chest. Why were they looking for Olivia here, beneath an overpass in a homeless camp? There were people passed out under blankets and in makeshift tents. Drug needles lay scattered on the ground. Noah felt like he might pass out. Was his baby girl here somewhere?
He had to find her.
Aiden pushed a large cardboard box aside and then another. But the people beneath them were not Olivia. Then when they reached the third one, Aiden slid the box to the side and there she was, lying on the ground, passed out. Needles were strewn around her.
“Olivia.” Aiden took a step closer. “Livi, wake up.”
With everything in him Noah didn’t want this sad broken person to be his daughter. But it was her. Noah had no doubt. Not because he recognized her skinny, pockmarked face. But because of her matted pale blond hair. The same hair he used to brush after bathtime when she was two.
“Livi!” Noah dropped to his knees beside her. The reality was devastating. How long had she been like this? He stared at the drug paraphernalia lying around her. She was an addict. That was clear now. It was the reason Aiden hadn’t wanted him to come today. His poor Livi was here on the streets passed out. It was more than he could take. He put his hand on her shoulder. “Livi, baby, wake up!”
Aiden touched his arm. “Dad... she’s unconscious.”
Noah wasn’t going to let that stop him. He inched closer to her. “Olivia.” His hand was on her shoulder, shaking her just enough to get a response. “Livi, it’s me. Your dad. Wake up.”
For the most horrific moment, Noah wondered if she was dead. If the way he had abandoned his little girl had left her on this cold lonely hillside to die.
But then she moved. Not much, just the fingers on her right hand. A groan came from her lips.
“Livi, honey, wake up.” Noah lowered his face to hers. He kissed her gray cheek. “We gotta get you out of here. You need help, Livi.” He felt for her pulse and when he found it, panic suffocated him. Her heartbeat was slow and weak. “Livi!” He tried to open her eyelids, but she just stared straight ahead. Blank.
