If Only I Knew

CHAPTER VIII

Flashback:

"It's good to see that you actually came." I nodded my head and produced a smile through my lips.

"Seriously, I didn't expect you to actually show up! You can't imagine how escatic I am to see you here."

His charming wide grin was visible and I respomded immediately. "I guess I'm glad too that I chose to came."

Present:

I still think of that day and fail to understand why did I actually go to meet him there. It seemed such a menial decision at that time but that decision defined my future ahead. Had I not gone there to meet him, would my life be a better mess now? It would still be a mess though.

If I'm being honest with myself I'd agree that if I had not met him I wouldn't be ME. I wouldn't be the person that I am today. A person who loved and was loved.

I splashed the cold water onto my face and was surprised to see my face in the mirror. The makeup was all over my face. The black mascara running down my cheeks to my chin. The fine red veins in my eyes were testimony to the fact that I had been crying like a baby.

I tool out the pearl white handkerchief and wiped my face gently. The handerchief was ruined for sure. When I had fixed my face and finally retired to my room, I saw Noah leaning on a pillow on his side of the bed.

His reading glasses were resting on his nose and he looked at me through them. "Took you long enough to get Sam to sleep. Anyways, you're here now. Get changed and come to bed. You really need to sleep. I'm sure you must be pretty tired."

Noah was the perfect husband and the perfect father. I could search the whole world and still not think of a reason why would any woman want to leave such an angel! He understood me even when I didn't want people to understand me.

My eyes were tired and aching due to excessive crying so I obliged to Noah. I quickly changed into my night gown and found relief when I lied down on my side of the bed.

He switched off the lamps and I found myself doing something that I hadn't done in years. I rested my head on his arm and wrapped my arm around his torso.

"I will not resist if you wish to leave Sam and I now. You are free to go, only if you wish to." Even though it was dark in the room, I could make our his sharp features. His jawline, his budding beard and his slightly wrinkled nose.

I opened my parched throat to speak but failed to make a sound. At last I decided to give up trying and let sleep take over me and all of my problems.

The next morning I woke up to find that my head was still aching due to yesterday's incident and that maybe it was afternoon already! Noah was nowhere to be seen in the room.

I woke up unwillingly and drank a glass of water lying on the table beside our bed. When I went to the living room, I found Noah cooking the breakfast, or really the lunch.

"Good Morning! You're finally awake." He greeted me with his best smile. "I have prepared fried eggs for you and no, I haven't forgotten coffee. But before that here's your green tea." He handed me a mug and a stared at him in disbelief.

"Noah, actually about last night......" We were disturbed by Sam.

"Mom! Dad! I have this stupid project at school and the submission day is tomorrow. I don't know how could I be so careless!"

"Don't worry about it Sam! It's going to be alright. I will certainly help you with this project of yours. What is it about?"

"Sam! You should at least let your mother have breakfast. We both are going to help you after that." Noah sounded a bit harsh but I let it go. There were more pressing matters demanding my concern.

Sam hung his head low and walked back into his room.

"Noah! You didn't have to be so rude to him. He's not at fault." I pleaded.

"Well nobody is if we look at it closely." His gaze upon me was too hard to ignore.

"Noah, I'm not going anywhere if that's what you're worried about. You don't have to give me reasons to stay here. With you. I have more reasons than enough already."

His eyes softened and the atmosphere in the room turned too uncomfortable. I went on to pat Noah's shoulder to reassure him. "I'll freshen up before breakfast and maybe then we could help Sam out."

He handed me a plate and kissed my cheek before heading towards Sam's room. It suddenly reminded me of our very first meeting.

Flashback:

My palms were sweaty and you couldn't really blame me for that. He had been just staring at my face since the past 15 minutes like a maniac. Of course I'd be weirded out.

"I'm sorry. You must think that I'm a psycopath. It's just that you're so much like her. The similarity is uncanny. Your voice, it reminds me of her. I wonder how we met under such unbelievable circumstances."

He was surely charming but nowhere near Will. Of course no one would ever be.

WILL SANDERSON- The name I couldn't get out of my head, my mind, my body and my soul.

"Her. I guess you're referring to your wife?"

"Ex-Wife to be precise. She left me a while ago."

"I'm sorry. It's sad to hear."

"But you already knew that. Isn't that why you chose to come here?" His eyes narrowed, looking for a reason to not believe me.

"Yes. You see I too have reasons. I was in a pretty stable relationship until now but- I guess things didn't work out for us. He loved his career more than me. He made his choice and I made mine."

He looked at me with some sort of admiration, I guess. It wasn't the way Will had looked at me, full of passion and life. Will screamed adventure and unsafe while he seemed safe and stable. I think a little stability was what my life lacked.

"So, what do you do?" He tried to make conversation.

"I'm an actor- struggling actor to be precise. So, basically you could say that I'm unemployed at the moment! And what about you- uhm. I don't really know your name."

"Oh! Of course, how stupid of me! My name is Noah. Noah Cooper."

"That's a pretty cool name. I'm Brooke."

"I know." His response shouldn't have shocked me but it did. After all Agnes had told me he was quite interested in me. "Not that I'm a stalker or anything but it's just that.."

"There's no need to explain. It's quite all right." I reassured him.

The rest of the time I chatted with him about anything that I could. There was no awkwardness. It was as if I it was a sign that maybe he was the one who could give me what I had asked of my life.

When it was time to leave, he urged to walk me home like a gentlemen. Brfore parting he kissed me on my cheek that surely did make me blush. It was as if I had forgotten all about Will. It was like a new beginning to my life and I couldn't be more excited as I squealed like a teenager and ran back into my room.

Author's Note:

Hey! So thank you all for the support that you've given me so far. Comtinue to do so and I hope you all are liking the plot. If there's any confusion or whatsoever do let me know. I'll explain everything. It's going to get quite complex henceforth.
Lots of love. Take care