Wife for Hire

Chapter 2: I'm Kind of Illegal

Chapter 2: I'm Kind of Illegal

Shockingly, Noah asked me if I wanted to meet up over coffee and catch up on our lives.

I politely declined, saying I worked all day and couldn't get a day off. It was the truth. I couldn't afford a day off to drink coffee.

Later, he asked to meet after work which I responded with another refusal. He had to understand. I got off work at midnight, went down to the local beach, and then went home.

I needed the "me" time so I wouldn't go insane.

Which was exactly what I did the rest of the week. One of those days, I was sitting on the dry sand right where the water would only touch my feet and run back into the ocean. As I let the water absorb my stress, another figure took a seat next to me.

I was about to lash out when I realized it was a familiar figure.

"Noah?"

"Yes, that's my name." He nodded his head in agreement. "My parents agreed it was Christian enough."

"What are you doing here?" I asked disregarding his words.

He was dressed in a white button down and black pants. His socks and shoes were resting on the sand behind us.

"I was told by your brother I might find you here if I wanted to talk to you," he said casually.

"Where did you see my brother? Which brother?" I asked worried. Noah didn't go to my house, did he?

"Arman," replied Noah. "His school had a field trip at our company for the business students." That made sense. Business was Arman's Plan B if he couldn't become a Pilot. "He's as tall as me and less anger-driven since the last time we talked." I nodded. Arman used to be an aggressive child with serious anger issues, but he had grown better. "I'm sorry."

I looked at him bemused. "Sorry?"

"He told me about your mom. No wonder you couldn't take a day off to meet me," Noah said quietly.

"Is there anything else he told you about our family that I should know?" I asked him. Arman wasn't usually the one to reveal anything to anyone. Therefore, Noah knowing all of this pissed me off.

"Look I wasn't prying, just curious—"

"People's lives fall apart, and so did mine. Nothing more to it," I said in a disdainful tone.

"Hey, if there's any way I could help—"

Sure, you want to marry me and give me a green card?

"That's okay. Thanks for the offer," I said.

"Olivia loved the flowers, so I owe you," he said trying to lighten the mood.

"Noah," I said with a solemn look, "was there a reason you wanted to meet up?"

He shrugged. "I thought it'd be fun to catch up with life."

"Sorry, my life has no room for 'fun.'" I stood up and dusted all the sand off my clothes. "It was nice to see you after five years."

I didn't have the heart to look at him for a response. As much as I tried not to, I still felt resentment against people who were citizens, had nothing to worry about, and felt the need to sympathize with me. I was tired of my brothers and I being pitied.

I left Noah with a polite goodbye and prayed to God we wouldn't see each other again.

* * * * *

Why are there so many cars outside?

I quickly texted Catalina as I walked across the parking lot. It was as if Christmas had come early and the customers were shopping for family reunions.