A Million Tears (Wish 2)

18 - See me

Noah's eyes reminded Brenna of a boy who lost his puppy. They looked like dark chocolate. When she touched his shoulder his tension pressed against her fingertips. "I know this isn't easy." His body relaxed as she rubbed his back.

"You understand me." His voice was strained.

She circled her arms around his neck. Lifting herself on her toes, she brushed her lips against his. "You carry your emotions in your shoulders." She pressed into his hard muscles.

"How is it she can move on?" He grasped her around the waist and pulled her flush into him.

She pulled back. "Come sit." Taking his hand, she pulled him, then she sat first. "Lie down." Brenna patted the blue pinstriped fabric on the seat cushion.

He studied her. "What are you my shrink?"

"I'd lose my license if I were. I was hoping for your head on my lap and not your big feet."

"What's wrong with my feet?" He stuck out his lower lip.

Brenna smiled and could see the boy in the photographs in his mother's living room. "Nothing. They don't stink like my brother's."

Noah stretched out, but before he lowered his head, she put a throw pillow on her lap. As his head reached the pillow, he sighed. She ran her fingers through his hair like she did with Pepper's fur. "Can I purr?"

"If you want."

"Pepper liked me right away. What'd your brother do to him?"

"I don't know. Your mother might be looking at her life and comparing the time she mourned to the time she has left."

His eyes shot open. "She's not that old!"

"No, but it's safe to say she's lived more than half her life barring any medical breakthrough. You've mourned for half your life." He shifted his body, but she put her hand on his chest. "I know you're living and saving lives, but not fully."

He opened his eyes and shut them tight. She noticed a bit of moisture slip through his lid and held her breath. Had she gone too far? Brenna felt on the brink but was afraid she might lose him. She raked her fingers through his short hairs. Her other hand laid possessive on his chest feeling the rise and fall with each of his breaths.

His voice cracked. "For so long, she needed me, but now she doesn't."

"She does."

He shook his head back and forth causing the pillow on her lap to shake. "I didn't call her tonight, and she hasn't called." He reached his hand behind him and pulled his phone out of his back pocket. He turned on the screen. "See no missed calls."

She took his phone and placed it on the table beside her.

He sighed. "We only had each other for so long. Just the two of us, but she doesn't need me. She has Bill and where does that leave me."

"She needs you. She cares about you, but maybe neither of you need to check in at the beginning and end of every day. Although I'm jealous."

"Why would you be jealous of me? I saw your family. The room was full."

"I know, but you didn't believe me that I could have been on my floor for days. My family doesn't worry about me. I'm the responsible one. I'm the oldest." She felt tears dripping down her cheek. She reached up and wiped them before they dripped on him. As she went to return her hand to his chest, he reached up and grabbed it.

"Your father came when you were sick."

"Only because he was in the building. I get it. Surgery is different, but he wouldn't have driven in for me. Do you know how good it felt to have you come find me tonight?"

He looked up at her and gently shook his head.

"I know I was with family, but it was emotional and everyone forgets I need support. I'm the strong one. Mia is the emotional one, so I'm not supposed to be. When you took my hand and told me you'd wait for me, I needed it. I needed you then because to you I'm me, your friend. To them, I'm the one who comforted them when they were afraid of the dark or had their hearts broken. I was the one that said no to stupid things, so they wouldn't get in trouble. To you I'm the girl who broke the rules and lied. Do you know if I told Mia or Aidan about that night and I don't mean all of it, they would laugh. They wouldn't believe me." Her tears fell too fast to stop. "And I know it's so damn selfish of me right now to be telling you these things, because I have my brother and father and sister. I love them and they love me. They just don't see me."

Noah sat up and pulled her to him. "I see you. I see a compassionate, strong woman. I honestly don't know how I would have dealt with all this Bill shit, if not for you. I also remember the young rule breaker. The minute you stepped on the beach, I wanted to meet you, because you were different from other girls. You looked reserved and sensitive and smart."

She smiled. "You got all that from a scared, guilty girl. I was so out of my comfort zone."

"We always work our way back to that night. It's actually kinda nice to remember the good parts."

She smiled. "The kissing." She wanted to kiss him, but they had opened some wounds she needed to bandage. "Are you okay?" He nodded. "I know you'll have some adjusting, but maybe this Bill thing will turn out all right. You know we're alike. We both took on more responsibility than we should have as kids. I had to let Aidan and Mia grow up and make their own mistakes. They turned out okay though. Your mother is ready to stand on her own two feet. You might find it freeing."

"You make it sound so easy."

She touched his cheek and left her hand to feel the warmth under his stubble. "No, but you don't have to do it alone. You have a friend who's responsible and serious and sensitive."

"And reserved. I get it. You are the best friend a guy could ask for."

She smiled and left a kiss on his lips. "Will you stay? I don't want to be alone."

He nodded. They were content to hold each other. For the first time, the experiment produced a negative result. Brenna didn't mind, because she felt closer to him than ever before.

At the party, she would take Noah to the fountain and make a new wish. Just as she decided, Noah tightened his hold around her and pulled her closer to him. "Goodnight." She didn't continue with the words she wanted to say. I love you.

"Nite."

Thanks for reading and voting ⭐️