The Farmer's Son

Chapter 60 Aftermath

For a moment the only sounds were the buzzing lightbulb and the muffled roaring wind above them. Down below, three breaths caught at Noah's declaration.

"Noah," Judith whispered, breathing rapidly, eyes wide. "What are you saying...?"

"Just what I've said," Noah replied quietly. Then he turned to look up at Alan. "I know you're leaving for that job. I heard you on the phone with Buzz. No, I ain't mad," he said, at Alan's guilty look away. "I'm proud—of both of you," he added, including Ray in a glance. "You knew what you wanted to do and you went for it and grabbed it. And that's what you inspired me to do."

He paused, frowning as he gathered his thoughts. "My whole life has been this town, this farm, and my family, and that's been enough for me. But these past couple years have shown me that none of that is guaranteed. I've also come to know that something is missing—someone."

Looking back to Judith, his eyes softened as his grip tightened on her hand. "I've loved you a long time, Jude. And I know it ain't always been easy to love me back. I've said no to you many times, but if you say yes to me now, I'll never let you go."

"Say yes to what?" Judith asked breathlessly, even as expectation filled them all.

"To being my wife," Noah said simply, smiling.

Beside him, Ray heard Alan suck in an audible breath. Alan's eyes widened and nostrils flared, but then a conflicted expression twisted his face, and he clamped his teeth down and turned away.

On the couch, Judith's gaze slipped past Noah to Alan. She took a breath. "No," came her broken whisper, laced with regret. "As much as I want to, as long as I've waited to hear you say that, I can't. Not without Alan's blessing." She let out a ragged, teary breath. "And he can't even look at me."

As if expecting the answer Noah closed his eyes and lowered his head.

Now Alan allowed his anger to explode. But it wasn't what they expected.

"After everything you went through, you're going to say no to him now?" Alan yelled, whirling back towards them, his voice filling the space. "You didn't care about me the first time, or the second time. Not me, and not Ma. So don't suddenly put this on me. Don't make me responsible for the fact that you're not together, when no one else ever mattered."

Breathing hard, hands clenched at his side, he had one final thing to say. "So make this decision the same way," he said, his voice close to trembling. "And leave me out of it."

To anyone else it might have seemed like he was being cruel, holding a grudge. But Noah and Ray knew Alan, and they knew what he was really saying: Do what makes you happy, without thinking about me.

Looking up at his son, the expression on Noah's face was one Ray would always remember. Because he had never seen anyone look so proud and so full of love before, and wouldn't after.

Turning back to Judith, Noah's voice was low and deep, and straight from his heart. "I know it's never been just the two of us," he said. "I always had someone else on my heart, and I still do. But I also had you, and I still do. Now, we can't choose who to love, but we can choose when to love them. I made my choices, and you've always respected them. Now I'm making you my choice. I want you at my side, properly. I want to make you family."

Her green eyes blurring with tears, by the time Noah was finished Judith couldn't see him. Breathing shallow and gasping, every inhale and exhale sent stabbing pains through her chest and side, but she didn't care. Her first and only love was finally all hers. Reaching out she cupped Noah's unshaven jaw. He kissed her hand and leaned down towards her.