The Question Noah Asked
Chapter 13 - The Question Noah Asked
Nathan nearly choked on his coffee.
Elena closed her eyes.
"Noah."
"What?"
"You cannot ask people things like that."
"Why?"
"Because..."
She stopped.
There was no good answer.
Noah looked at Nathan.
"Well?"
Nathan glanced at Elena.
She folded her arms.
"This should be interesting."
Nathan took the safest possible route.
"I care about your mother very much."
Noah frowned.
"That's not what I asked."
Elena covered her mouth to hide a laugh.
Nathan looked betrayed.
"You're enjoying this."
"A little."
Noah remained serious.
"Grandpa says grown-ups make everything complicated because they're scared of saying simple things."
Nathan blinked.
"Your grandfather says a lot."
"He's usually right."
Elena finally intervened.
"Finish your breakfast."
Noah left reluctantly.
Nathan waited until the boys were gone.
"That was terrifying."
"Welcome to parenting."
Nathan smiled.
Then his expression became serious.
"You know the answer."
Elena stopped moving.
"Don't."
"I'm not asking anything from you."
"Nathan."
"I do."
She looked at him.
"I never stopped."
The room seemed suddenly too small.
Elena shook her head.
"You were going to marry someone else."
"I thought you had moved on."
"You did move on."
"I tried."
She turned away.
Nathan didn't follow.
"I loved Madison," he said quietly.
"Not the way I loved you. But I did care about her."
Elena appreciated the honesty even though it hurt.
"And I don't know who we are now."
"Neither do I."
Nathan nodded.
"But I know who I want to become."
Before Elena could answer, a knock came at the door.
Caroline stood outside.
Her eyes were swollen.
"Mom is gone."
Nathan frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"She left the estate last night."
"Where?"
"I don't know."
Caroline handed him an envelope.
It had Nathan's name on it.
Inside was a single handwritten page.
For the first time in years, Evelyn had written something in her own handwriting.
Nathan,
You think I took your life from you.
Maybe I did.
But one day, when your children make choices that terrify you, you may finally understand what fear can make a parent do.
I cannot stay and watch all of you hate me.
Nathan lowered the letter.
Elena saw the conflict in his face.
Anger.
Grief.
Love.
Nathan had every reason to let his mother disappear.
Instead he grabbed his coat.
Elena stared.
"Where are you going?"
"To find her."
"Why?"
May you like
Nathan looked at his sons' grandmother's letter.
"Because I refuse to become the kind of person who teaches my children that love disappears the moment someone fails us."
