Chapter 12 - What Noah Remembered
Anna was discharged that evening.
The doctor ordered hydration, rest, and reduced stress.
Daniel almost laughed at the last instruction.
“Do they prescribe different families?”
Anna asked.
Daniel smiled.
“Not covered by insurance.”
The boys returned home after dinner.
Caleb ran to Anna.
Noah went to Daniel.
That surprised everyone.
He grabbed his father’s hand.
“Did you stay?”
Daniel crouched.
“Yes.”
“With Mom?”
“Yes.”
“The whole time?”
“The whole time.”
Noah nodded.
Then he hugged him.
Daniel closed his eyes.
Anna watched.
Later, after the boys slept, Daniel stood outside Noah’s room.
Anna joined him.
“He’s afraid you’ll disappear.”
“I know.”
“He wasn’t like that before.”
Daniel’s jaw tightened.
“When did it start?”
Anna thought.
“Last winter.”
“That early?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
Anna looked at him.
“Because I didn’t want you distracted.”
Daniel laughed softly.
It contained no humor.
“There it is.”
“What?”
“You protecting me.”
Anna looked down.
He was right.
Daniel leaned against the wall.
“We really did this to each other.”
“Yes.”
They went downstairs.
The suitcase still stood beside the door.
Anna looked at it.
Daniel did too.
“Tomorrow.”
She said.
“What?”
“I’ll unpack tomorrow.”
Daniel stared at her.
Anna immediately added, “That does not mean everything is fixed.”
“I know.”
“It means I’m not flying to Denver tomorrow.”
“I know.”
“Daniel.”
“Yes?”
“You’re smiling.”
“I can’t help that.”
Anna smiled too.
The next morning, Noah woke before sunrise.
Daniel found him sitting on the stairs.
“What are you doing up?”
Noah held the teddy bear.
“Checking.”
“Checking what?”
“That you’re here.”
Daniel sat beside him.
“I’m here.”
Noah looked at him.
“Mom said you went away because people needed you.”
Daniel nodded.
“That’s part of my job.”
“Did we need you?”
The question hit harder than any general’s criticism.
Daniel swallowed.
“Yes.”
“Then why did you go?”
Daniel had no easy answer.
He refused to give a false one.
“Because sometimes grown-ups have two important things at the same time.”
Noah frowned.
“So you picked the other one.”
Daniel looked at his son.
“Yes.”
Noah looked down.
Daniel continued.
“And sometimes I picked it too often.”
Noah considered that.
“Are you picking us now?”
Daniel’s eyes burned.
“I’m choosing to be better at both.”
Noah did not fully understand.
That was okay.
He leaned against Daniel.
“Can we make pancakes?”
Daniel smiled.
“Yes.”
They made terrible pancakes.
Anna woke to smoke alarm beeping.
She came downstairs laughing and irritated.
“What happened?”
“Equipment failure.”
Daniel said.
Anna pointed at the burnt pan.
“That equipment is you.”
Caleb laughed.
Noah laughed too.
The morning felt light.
Then Daniel’s phone rang.
Holloway.
Daniel looked at Anna.
She nodded.
He answered.
“Yes, sir.”
Holloway asked for his decision.
Daniel looked toward Anna.
She did not speak.
She did not want him choosing based on her face.
Daniel took a breath.
“I would like to accept Fort Carson.”
Anna’s heart skipped.
Daniel continued.
“Pending final family relocation planning.”
Holloway was silent.
Then he said something Daniel did not expect.
“That is acceptable.”
Daniel blinked.
“Thank you, sir.”
“One more thing.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Your mother called again.”
Daniel’s face hardened.
Anna saw it.
“What did she say?”
“She apologized.”
Daniel stared.
Holloway continued.
“To me.”
Daniel almost laughed.
“Of course.”
“She also said she wants to withdraw anything she said about your family.”
Daniel’s expression did not soften.
“Noted.”
Holloway ended the call.
Anna looked at him.
“What?”
“My mother apologized to the general.”
Anna raised an eyebrow.
“Not to us.”
“No.”
“Interesting priorities.”
Daniel sat.
Caleb looked up.
“Are we moving?”
Daniel froze.
Anna looked at him.
He had forgotten the boys were listening.
Daniel crouched.
“Maybe.”
“To where?”
“Colorado.”
Caleb’s eyes widened.
“Snow?”
“Lots.”
“Mountains?”
“Yes.”
Caleb grinned.
Noah looked worried.
“Does Dad live there?”
Daniel answered.
“Yes.”
Noah looked at Anna.
“Does Mom?”
Anna smiled.
“If we go, yes.”
Noah thought.
“Then okay.”
The simplicity of it nearly broke her heart.
Later that afternoon, Anna unpacked the suitcase.
Daniel did not watch.
He knew better.
She folded the blue dress.
Placed the boys’ clothes back in drawers.
Returned the teddy bear to Noah’s bed.
At the bottom of the suitcase, she found an envelope.
Her name was written on the front.
Not Daniel’s handwriting.
Not Evelyn’s.
Anna opened it.
Inside was a copy of a lease application.
For an apartment in Denver.
She stared.
She had never filled one out.
At the bottom was a contact name.
Evelyn Mercer.
Anna’s hands went cold.
Daniel walked in.
He saw her face.
“What?”
Anna handed him the paper.
He read it.
His expression changed completely.
“My mother applied for an apartment in your name.”
Anna nodded.
Daniel stared at the signature line.
Then at Anna.
“She didn’t just expect you to leave.”
May you like
Anna whispered.
“She was preparing a life for me.”
