“Do you mind if we wait until the others are in bed?”
He holds up his palms. “I just wanted to check on you and make sure you’re okay.”
I nod. “I will be. Today was just a bit much, you know?”
“He seems like a nice guy. I keep thinking about how Malcolm would have reacted to the same news.”
My throat tightens. Noah’s right. Given the difference between the two men, I’d rather have Caleb be angry at me than Malcolm.
“I look so much like him. Do you think he’ll want to get to know me?”
I cup his cheek and smile. “I think he’ll love to get to know you.”
“What about you? He … He was so good with you. It was nice to see.”
“You don’t have to tiptoe around it, Noah. I know he’s a much better man than Malcolm ever was. He was when we were teenagers, and his family is loving and supportive of him. It’s not really a surprise to find out he’s a good man after all these years.”
Noah studies me closely. “What’s it like? Seeing him after all this time?”
For a moment, the words catch in my throat.
“It’s been wonderful, and scary. When he turned up on the doorstep, I was sure he’d turn around and leave when he realised it was me, but it turned out he already knew.”
“So, he’s been the one doing all the repairs around here?”
I nod. “Turns out Caleb owns a handyman business. I had no idea it was him when I called them.”
“That’s some crazy coincidence.”
Laughing, I lean back against the bench. “I should have known. It’s a close-knit community here. If you don’t know someone, you know someone who knows someone.”
His eyes dart toward the living room and back. “We should tell the others.”
“When do you want to do that?”
“Tonight.” He fixes his gaze on mine. “Please, Mum? I want them to know what’s going on.”
I’m still not ready for any of this, but it’s too late to stop it now.
Noah deserves this, and the others deserve to know what’s going on.
“Okay. After dinner.”
He smiles. It’s small, but it’s an acknowledgement that I’ve done the right thing.
I think.
Dinner is light years away from what it used to be.
Chatter about the day fills the air in between bites of food. It’s animated and noisy, and everything I ever wanted.
Not the silence we used to live under.
Bailey waves her hands in the air as she tells a story about the new group of friends she’s made. This time, she’ll be allowed to spend time with them, not hover on the outside like she’s not really part of the group who isn’t able to go out and have fun.
“So, Mel is having a party next Saturday and she invited me.”
I nod slowly. “What kind of party?”
