It's a Long Story

Chapter 7

(10 years before) 

 "Maybe we should get a divorce? Clearly you don't want to be with me!" Noah yells at me.

"Fuck you, Noah! You are so fucking dense if you actually think I don't want to be with you." I shout back. His eyes are blazing.

"No. You really don't. I have been here since day one. I actually treat you like a human being, and you don't even acknowledge me." He looks hurt and angry.

"Fine. I'll just leave then. If you seem to think that I don't act like you exist. I am sorry that I don't fulfill your needs enough. I am sorry that we mourned differently. I will just pack a bag. Maybe I'll come back, but don't hold your breath." I snap. His eyes loose the dark anger, and he looks shocked that I am actually going to leave.

"Cate. I don't want you to go." His voice sounds ever so slightly frantic.

"No no no. You don't get to do that. Call me if you want me to sign divorce papers of go to counselling or whatever you want to do to fix us. I never cheated on you. I have shown you that I wanted to stay." I can hear my own voice and I sound so defeated. I never thought I would ever sound like that again. Noah stares at me and his eyes at screaming at me to stay. I look away from him and I walk to our bedroom. I grab my small duffle from under my bed and I stuff a few outfits in my bag, I walk over to my bathroom and grab all of my favorite toiletries. I throw on my slip on shoes and I march towards the door. Suddenly an arm is holding me back.

"Please, let me go..." I say, tears threatening to fall from my eyes.

"No." His voice cracks. I turn to look at him and I want to comfort him, but I can't.

"I love you, but I can't do this anymore." I cry and walk to the end of the street. I open my phone and order a cab. I pull up my airlines ap and I find the next flight out to Philly.

After the long awkwardly silent cab ride, sitting in Los Angeles traffic, we get to the airport after dark. The next flight isn't until midnight, so I go through security and walk towards my gate. I sit and play on my phone and wait patiently for the time to pass.

My boarding group eventually gets called and I carefully seat myself in my assigned seat. It is a crammed flight, but I am lucky to have gotten one so soon and on such short notice. I noticed only one text on my phone, from Noah.

Cate, I am not going to apologize for feeling the way I feel. But I love you and I want to work it out. I will give you space but I want you to come home. I want to work it out, and we can take as much time apart as you need, but I want to work things out with you.

I read the text over and over, but I don't respond. I turn my phone off and I tap a nap for the six hour flight.

The Philadelphia International Airport is exactly the same as the last time I was here. I quickly navigate towards the exit and find the first cab that is available. The cab smells like you would expect an old yellow taxi to smell like. The air is stale and the driver smells of terrible body odor. He drives me the half hour drive from Philadelphia to my home town of Cherry Hill, New Jersey. I watch the scenes change, from highway to residential to right in front of my childhood home. I slowly step out of the cab and walk to the front door. I knock three times and I can hear shuffling from inside. My dad opens the door and he looks surprised.

"Caity-belle?? What are you doing here? I wasn't expecting you!" He says. He is just as excited as he is shocked.

"I missed you and I wanted to come by to visit." I smile as I spoke.

"Where is Noah?" He asks, although I can feel my face fall as he asks the question.

"We had a little fight. I told him I wanted some space. So here I am." I explain quickly.