other half

meeting Jim

Days turned into weeks and the pair had spent every waking moment together. from long walks down to the pier with Bobby and Allie, or late night milkshakes at her aunts cafe to falling asleep at the drive in.

Most nights were spent at the carnival unless Bobby and Alison wanted to spend some time alone, but they didn't mind. they would spend the days together and let the night just take its course. nothing was ever really planned they just took it as it came.

Noah would drop the girls home before Bobby and himself. Jim wouldn't mind him coming in so late as he would always ask stories about the day and allow himself to picture the pair as him and his wife. he couldn't quite wrap his head around how much he had grown to care for this boy. maybe Noah was his second chance, a gift from the beyond from his wife. 

three knocks sounded on the screen door. A young girl stood, shifting uncomfortably on the spot awaiting an answer. a small smile crept across her lips as she spotted the old man. giving a short wave she tried to look past him for Noah but couldn't find him.

"hello?"

"hi? i'm here for Noah"

"ah, you're Lydia" he smiled fondly, watching as the girls cheeks turned a bright pink. she let out a small laugh, following him inside the house. "take a seat" he motioned towards the table, and just as Noah had done she obeyed. sitting quietly, she looked around at the large kitchen, there was only a wall at the back, allowing you to see from her very seat into the entirety of the house. it was a beautiful house indeed. the yellow walls were warm and comforting, the wooden features made it more cozy, little brass knobs on each of the drawers and doors. the house wasn't big, and the kitchen practically dominated the whole downstairs but with the open floor plan it didn't really matter.

"Noah's in the garden he'll be in in a minute" she smiles at the man as he hands her a mug of sweet tea. taking a long, deep sip she spots a picture of the old man and his wife from the corner of her eye. 

without thinking she blurts out "is that your wife?" Noah had briefly mentioned something about the old man's wife and just as the words had left her lips she remembered. the woman looked sweet, a large smile comfortably rose her cheeks, a small sparkle in her bright blue eyes, her white hair hung over her shoulders. in her eyes you could tell that she was a very beautiful woman. the image of the pair made her heart swell, they looked as though they were dancing in the park.

"yes, Eva, i loved her very much"

"she's beautiful" Lydia uttered softly, the man nodded with pride. she was, even when she lay in the hospital bed with the colour drained from her cheeks, no one in his mind could compare to his wife.

"she was the kindest soul" his gruff voice, softened as it mixed with his southern drawl. From the look in his eyes, even after his wife being long gone, he still loved her more than anything in the world. she was his entire heart and soul, and that was all he needed.

"you know Noah talks a lot about you, has that funny look in his eyes whenever he does" the man teases hearing the back door open and shut behind them.

"does he now?" Lydia plays along watching as the old man's eye's light up. Noah stopped in his tracks hearing the girls giggles.

"yep, he's always got something to say, i can see why he talks about you so much, though he never did you any justice" he gave the girl a small wink as she left out a short chortle. he nodded before moving over to the side and picking up a book.

"do you read?"

"i do"

"here" he places the book down on the table. The cover was bound with a rope tied around it, the leather folder holding the pages together. "see if you like this" he chimed sliding the book down in front of her.

she ran her fingers over the smooth cover before going to remove the rope when Noah finally made his appearance in the kitchen. planting a small kiss on her cheek he looked up at the old man, cocking his eyebrow. 

"careful Jim don't want you stealing my girl" he teased the old man. a sly smile crept across his face as he gave the boy a slight shrug. over the weeks Jim had grown this father like bond with Noah, he looked and treated him as if he were his own. from the few short moments that Lydia had seen them together she could tell. She hadn't seen Noah this happy since... well since she had known him. she enjoyed spending time with the pair, or even hearing stories from Jim about how Noah and the boys would run around his gardens playing with sticks as swords and mimicking each other.

he told her all about the town and his wife, speaking of her as though she were still alive to that very day. 

He would often inform Noah of how much Lydia reminded him of his wife and that he should never lose her. 

'young love is powerful boy' he'd say 'and when it is returned, there is nothing in this world like it'. Noah knew he was right, and so he would do exactly that. keep her as close as he could until neither could hold on anymore.

"so are you ready to go?"

"i think we should stay here" Lydia responded with a smile, "Jim said something about there being a street party later?"

"on the green" Jim corrected ignoring the glare he received from the boy beside her. she turned to him with a smile, silently asking for them to go, or at least for him to take her. he knew deep down that he couldn't, they were in public, they were at risk of being caught out. not that his father ever turned up to the events but this time might be different. 

She tried relentlessly to win him over but he would not budge. his mind had been made up and that was that, besides what good would mason keeping their secret do if they paraded around together in front of his father and brothers, who he had somehow convinced were going to show up. instead he would take her up to the house tonight for dinner, like they had done a few times in the past weeks. she only had a few more weeks in longebrooke and so he wanted to make the most of the time they had together.

"go on you two enjoy the rest of your day, i'll see you tomorrow for dinner" Jim smiled before ushering the pair out of the door. he had grown fond of Noah and Lydia, however he missed his time alone, how he would sit out in the garden and just watch the world go by, talking to Eva. He watched them leave before retiring to the bench at the far end of the garden.