Page 8 of When We Were Young
A genuine smile filled Emily’s soul. After tomorrow, these two were going to give her a reason to get up each morning. “We can definitely give her some time.”
Another clap of thunder shook the parking lot. Aiden caught her reflection again, eyes wide. “Good thing we’re safe in here. Because Jesus is keeping us safe, right?”
“Right.” Emily started the car and pulled out of the parking lot. With everything in her she wanted to believe that what Aiden said was true. That Jesus was keeping them safe. She chose her next words carefully. “We’re going to see the Taylors, okay? They invited us over.”
From the mirror, Emily watched Aiden give her a curious look. “Is Daddy going?”
“Dada?” Olivia raised both hands, palms up. The adorable way she had of asking any question.
Emily’s heart ached.No one told me it would hurt like this,she thought. And tonight is just the beginning.Deep breath. “No, honey.” She shot a happy smile over her shoulder at Aiden. “Just us this time.”
Aiden stared out the window for a moment. The rain pounded the car in earnest now, washing over the windshield and roof of their Subaru. Finally her little boy released an anxious sound. A whimper, almost. Then he looked at Emily again. “I want Daddy to come. I miss him.”
“Yeah, baby.” She needed to get past this moment. Another glance in the mirror. “I miss him, too.”
After that, Emily kept her eyes on the road. She did miss Noah, absolutely. With every heartbeat, some days. The way he used to be. Fall of 2006 and 2007... 2008 and 2009.
That was the Noah Carter she missed.
Emily gripped the steering wheel and held the vehicle steady against the storm. Kari Taylor had called last Thursday, after Noah and Emily had missed another Wednesday. “I can’t get past it,” Kari had said. “This feeling... like something isn’t right with you and Noah.”
“Us?” The room had started to spin, but Emily had only forced a laugh. “We’re good. Really.” The lie came easily. She was used to this. “It’s just that we’re—”
And that’s where her ridiculous explanation died.
In the silence that followed, Kari’s words came like a gentle breeze. “Come over, Emily. Please. I’ll listen, that’s all. Whatever it is.”
Since then Emily had been dreading the meeting, but now it was here. Ten minutes later she and the kids hurried from the car to the Taylors’ front porch. The storm raged all around them.
As soon as Kari opened the door, Emily could see the truth. Whether God had told her, or Noah had called, this much was obvious. Kari knew how bad things were.
The proof was in Kari’s eyes.
3
Emily and Aiden and Olivia walked inside and took off their wet shoes and jackets. Ryan Taylor met them in the entryway. “I hear I have a couple kids who like to play the dinosaur game!”
Ryan was the head football coach at nearby Clear Creek High School. “Dinosaur!” Aiden’s eyes lit up. “You know how to play that?” He jumped a few times in place.
“You bet.” Ryan roared and held his hands up like claws. His laughter kept things light. “I’m a goofy dinosaur. My kids could tell you that.”
“Yes! This is going to be the biggest fun!” Aiden clapped his hands. “My daddy taught me how to be a dinosaur.” He pumped his fist in the air. “I’m really good.”
Emily looked at Olivia. Her little girl didn’t seem to know exactly what was happening. But she jumped around a bit, too. “Dinoar!” When Aiden was excited, she was excited. Always.
Heartbreak was bound to work the same way.
The Taylors’ daughter Jessie joined them. “Come on, Olivia. We’ll be the girl dinosaurs.”
“Be good, Livi.” Emily kissed her daughter’s soft cheek. Then she looked from Jessie to Ryan and mouthed the only thing she could say. “Thank you.”
Whatever had happened to make them come together as a family tonight to help her, Emily didn’t know. But she desperately needed this. Time to sit with Kari at her kitchen table and talk.
Just the two of them.
Ryan and Jessie and the kids started up the stairs, roaring and laughing.
“Let’s go in here.” Kari led the way to the kitchen. She poured them each a cup of coffee and they sat, face-to-face. Emily looked down for the first minute, staring at the swirls of steam coming off her drink. What was she supposed to say? How could any of this be happening?
