NOAH

Ch. 23

Chapter 23

Noah's car stutters despite my ease on the brake as we pull into a space beside Blake's jeep. His lips tilt upwards, a small whisper of a laugh filling the quiet space.

"Shut up. I know how to drive."

"I think you dislocated my shoulder."

"Ha ha, very funny."

Cherry wrangles with her auburn strands as they rush amidst the wind, the gust nearly flapping her skirt up as well. Blake's hands wrap around her hips, smoothing the fabric as we walk into the pizzeria.

A perfume of freshly baked dough wafts into my sinuses as we step across the threshold. Cherry takes a deep breath, spinning to face Blake.

"Get the usual." She pecks him before turning to me with a smile. "You like cheese, right?"

"Yeah, plain cheese is my thing."

"That's why you still hang out with Noah."

"No, it's because of my amazing personality."

"Sure, your amazing personality," Blake grins as they walk towards the registers.

Cherry rolls her eyes, waving me towards a red and white checkered table. Her lips lift into a smile, her eyes antsy across my features.

"Is there something wrong?"

"No, no, I'm sorry." Her eyes widen. "It's just the first time he's been at someone else's place other ours. I just-"

"Oh, yeah, I get it."

Her eyes steady, relaxing into me as if my lie had just calmed her down. I don't get it. When the kids have sleepovers at other people's homes, I don't feel anything but relaxed. The house is quiet, Danielle out and about because her kids are gone and I get to have a nice nap. But, then again, Noah's circumstance is completely different.

"How's he doing?"

"I can't tell. He hasn't really reacted much.."

She nods. "Yeah, he's like that."

My eyes slide over as Noah stands with Blake, his face morphed into a grin, a grin so tight I'm afraid the colors around his mouth will split open. And, maybe then, his true feelings would spill into existence, sparing us a little sample of relief. But, as his eyes lock on mine, the colors ease into a normal smile, giving the stains around his mouth a chance to relax and robbing me of a chance to breathe.

Cherry's light voice pulls my eyes back to her. "So what do you need help with for the game?"

"What game?"

"Noah texted us earlier to let us know about Dakota, but then he told us that you guys were playing something called catch the murderer."

My lips twitch slightly. "Catch the murderer? That's what he said?"

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure. Is it like monopoly or something?"

I shake my head, tucking curls behind my ear with twitchy fingers. "No, um, it's actually a real thing we're doing."

Her brows furrow for a second before she nods slowly. "Oh, catch the murderer...catch his dad."

"Yeah, we were helping me find my missing mother at first."

"Oh, yeah he mentioned that, too!"

"Of course he did."

"Well, I would be shocked, but this is something Noah has wanted forever. If we can help put that monster away, we will."

I smile, nodding my head. "Thanks. We really need someone to know our location at all times, just in case."

"No worries, we can do that. But, hey, what's find my missing mother? Is that real, too?"

Despite the racing of my heart, I nod, pulling my phone from my pocket. I pull up my mother's Facebook page, sliding the device across the table.

"I didn't even know what she looked like until yesterday, didn't even know her name. We were looking for her, but Noah needs to put his dad away."

Her eyes squint as she picks up my phone, staring into the screen, her lips parted. "I know her."

My heart jumps, accelerating in its race as she points to the screen. "What?"

"Like, I don't know her personally, but she's a customer of mine."

"Where?"

She sets the phone down, eyes wide. "I work at a pet store and last summer this exact lady came in whining about some organic dog food that her pet store didn't sell. I thought she was weird, she didn't look like she was from here, you know?"

"How so?"

"She was rushing me and kept looking around like someone was watching her. It was the warmest day of the summer, but she had on like three coats. She was one of the weirdest customers I've ever had, no offense. Usually, I can read them, you know? Shes cranky because of this reason or he's upset because of this, but she was just different."

My palms tremble against each other, shaking the bile in my stomach into something I can't explain. "How often does she come in?"

"I haven't seen her since, but she does have a magazine subscription with us. It ships out every month."

A magazine subscription means Cherry has the address I've been wanting for nearly my whole life, sitting inside that pet store. Images flood my mind, drowning every crevice with flashes of me finally meeting my mom. The size of her house couldn't deter me from finding her, nor the smile she wore, despite not having me. I"ll meet her. I'll escape Danielle. I'll be free.

"So, you have her address?"

"The store does, but I have access."

My fingers wobble at the prospect of Cherry shutting me down, tossing my biggest lead into the garbage. "This may be too much to ask, but can you get it for me? I just want to meet her."

She presses a finger in her cheek, eyes lingering on my phone before smiling at me. "I will try my best."

My legs began to jump up and down as I break out in a grin. "Thank you so much! You have no idea how much this means to me."

Noah slides next to me, pizza in hand as Blake sits next to Cherry. "What's going on?"

"You wont believe this."

"Try me."

A grin spreads across his face, his eyes wide as I tell him what Cherry just told me. "Hana Saito, are you telling the truth?"

"I am," She laughs, taking a bite of her pizza.

Noah's eyes beam as he grasps both my shoulders in his hands. "Holy shit, Raine!"

I rub my hands against one another, my heart swirling in my chest as surreal realizations overcome me. I'm going to meet her. I'm going to meet the woman who created me, who birthed me, who lost me. I'm going to get to ask her so many questions, ask her everything I could never ask Danielle. Finally, I'll meet the other half of me.

"I know! I want to puke!"

Noah wraps me in his arms, his breath fanning my forehead. "I'm so happy for you."