ALANA'S MISTAKE ✔

Chapter 36

Alana waited until Snow was safely tucked up in bed before she began to contemplate talking to Noah. She was already breaking out into a cold sweat just thinking about it. She stood in the bathroom, looking at herself in the mirror, hands clamped onto the sides of the sink. Her face was strained, her green eyes reflecting the worry that had become her most familiar companion. This cloud, this dark cloud that hung over her. Would it ever go away? She could not see a way out.

But with Riley missing the whole thing had become too dangerous to keep to herself. Even if Noah threw her out of the house this evening and never spoke to her again, at least she could make sure Snow was safe. He would never compromise that, not for anything, she knew that much. But if Noah didn't know then the danger was increased. He could let Snow go off somewhere without knowing not to and nothing could be worse than that. Telling him would have to be done.

She ran her hands through her hair but it felt like a pathetic thing to do - it wasn't going to matter what she looked like. She could look the most beautiful she had ever done and it wouldn't change a thing, it wouldn't change the fact that she was about to severely wound her best friend, her husband, the father of her child. She might lose him forever.

Her fingers shook as she pulled the sleeves of her woolly jumper over her hands. She crept past Snow's room, quietly so as not to wake her and headed downstairs, towards the living room. Noah was in there, watching Battlestar Galactica, for the hundredth time. He loved that show. She walked into the room, slowly and immediately he reached his arms out to her, beckoning her down to him as he lay on the sofa. She kept standing there.

'Noah, can we talk?' she said, raising the sleeves to her mouth.

He sat up, reached for the remote and turned off the TV, a serious expression on his face.

'What is it?'

She remained silent, her hands falling to her sides, her eyes full of sorrow.

'Alana, tell me. What is going on?'

There was an edge of panic in his voice. She dropped down to the sofa and sat down beside him, perching herself on the edge of the seat.

'I knew there was something. Tell me.'

She swallowed down the sob that threatened to rise in her throat then she turned to him.

'I've done something stupid, so stupid...'

He clenched his fists.

'Just tell me.'

His voice sounded much deeper than it usually did.

'I... I spent the night with someone...'

His eyes widened.

'You what?'

'I spent the night with someone.'

'You mean, you slept with someone?'

The look on his face was almost more than she could bear.

'Yes.'

He put his head in his hands and stayed silent.

'It's the biggest mistake of my whole life, it's just, it was one night. One stupid night.'

He said nothing.

'I'm sorry, Noah,' she said, tears brimming from her eyes. 'So sorry.'

He moved his hands in his hair then turned to look at her, his face deadened and pale.

'Who?'

She took a deep breath.

'Elias Smith,' she whispered. 'The lead singer of the band, Silence.'

He narrowed his eyes, with a look of disgust.

'That guy Riley was with?'

She nodded slowly.

'What the?'

'I don't know about him and Riley. But I do know that he won't go away.'

Noah got to his feet and started pacing his huge body across the room, his hands held to his head.

'What do you mean he won't go away, Alana?'

He growled his words.

'Explain yourself.'

She stayed sat down on the couch as he walked back and forth, in turns horrified, shocked and wounded as she told him what had happened with Elias, his behaviour, his suicide attempt, Riley, everything. When she had finished he didn't turn to look at her, he kept his eyes staring at the wall. Then without another word he walked right out of the room.

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