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“I’ll keep an open mind.”
“It’s only a mile all together. If you hate it, we never have to do it again.”
The girls alternate racing ahead and dragging behind us when their legs grow tired. The light breeze is colder than I expected and I spend a majority of the trip up the trail pulling my jacket tighter around me. Noah seems unphased, but I reminded myself that she’s lived in Kentucky for quite a while. This is my and Maggie’s first fall in the Bluegrass. The weather went from the picture-perfect fall I’d always imagined when I thought of the South, to early winter in the course of a week.
“Here,” Noah says and tosses me her pair of fingerless gloves.
“It’s okay, you keep them.”
“I’m good. Put ’em on.”
At the turn-around point Rainey complains, no longer interested in our hike. “I’m boooorrreed,” she whines. “I want to go home.”
Maggie grabs her friend’s hand and pulls her ahead. I hear her say, “We’re almost done—let’s go.”
Noah insists on treating our entire clan to Stewie’s on our way home. I’ve been there a time or two with Paul and the food was great—worlds beyond anything I can make—but I haven’t nailed down a go-to order yet.
I flip the double-sided menu back and forth trying to decide on what to order. Noah doesn’t even look at the menu. “I’m assuming you know what you want?”
“I only get one thing here. The BLT. Ohmygod it’s good,” she says, rolling her eyes back in her head and reminding me of last night.
I turn my attention to the kids until the server makes his way over to our corner of the busy restaurant, and I let Noah order first before choosing the same thing she’s having. She orders a kid’s hamburger meal for Rainey.
“She’ll eatalmostanything that’s not nailed down—as long as it’s not green,” she laughs.
I live for the sound of Noah’s laugh. As it moves through my ears, I realize for the first time that the heavy darkness following me around feels lighter. It’s not gone, but its shackles have loosened and breathing feels easier. Somehow, I know Noah’s friendship played a part in that.
“Make that two hamburger kids meals.”
The girls color on the kids’ placemats, and I focus on making conversation with Noah that doesn’t involve the sounds I heard last night.
“Do you have any plans this evening? I was thinking about having a guys night at Sharkey’s and wanted to see if you would mind watching Maggie. But if you’re busy, I can do it on a different night.”
“Go ahead. I was thinking about having Izabeth over. I’ve not seen her much lately.”
Noah’s BLT recommendation was spot on. The bacon’s perfect—slightly crispy, but not crumbly and has the exact amount of necessary saltiness to compliment the creamy mayonnaise. I have half a mind to order a second, but I remember lunch is Noah’s treat and veto the idea.
I shoot a quick text to Paul as we wait for the check to arrive.
Logan: You free tonight?
Paul: Nah, got a hot date.
Logan: Too bad. Was going to see if you and the guys wanted to get together at Sharkey’s.
Paul: I’m kidding! You ever known me to be busy if I’m not at work?
I hadn’t thought about it, but he’s right. If he wasn’t protecting the good people of Alexandria, Paul seemed to spend his other time at home.
Paul: What time are you thinking? I’ll round everyone up.
“What’s the best time for me to be gone this evening?” I ask Noah.
She looks at me funny and replies, “Anytime’s fine. I’ll have Iz come over after I get the girls down.”
Logan: How about 7? Are you ready for me to kick your ass at pool?
Paul: 7‘s good. LOL. We’ll see about that ass kickin’
