Fools Fall

24- Noah

Noah

My heart stopped when I opened the door. A woman I knew all too well standing in front of me with her wavy dark hair pulled back and her big brown eyes that matched mine, staring back at me. I'm pretty sure my lungs collapsed, it was hard to breathe. "Mom?" I questioned, though it came out rough due to my suddenly dry throat.

"Happy birthday, baby."

I slammed the door shut. When I looked back at Sam, he was wearing a shocked expression: mouth agape and with wide look in our eyes. I probably mirrored his expression.

"What do I do?" I asked raking my hand through my hair. "Why is she here? How'd she know where to find me? She vanishes out of my life, never to be heard from again, and then shows up at my doorstep unannounced to wish me a happy birthday?" I asked, my voice growing louder with my breathing quickening.

"Noah, breath," Sam instructs as he takes a cautious step towards me. "Maybe, see what she has to say?"

"No, I don't care what she has to say," I said, but I knew the anxious part of me wanted to know. "Fuck," I muttered because I also knew if I didn't open the door, I'd regret it later. I took a deep breath to calm myself down as I turned around and hesitantly opened the door. "Can I help you?" I asked her rudely.

"Noah," my mother reached out to touch my face but I flinched my head back and she dropped her hand. "I thought maybe we could talk. Ya' know, catch up?"

"Catch up?" I scoffed. "You had eight years to 'catch up' and now you feel like it?" My heart was racing, I didn't know what to think or how to feel other than angry.

"Honey, I-"

"Don't call me honey," I demanded with a threatening tone.

"Noah-"

I cut her off again, "How'd you even know where I live?" I couldn't help but ask. She looked over my shoulder causing my eyebrows to come together in confusion as I looked back and followed her gaze. She was looking at Sam. Why the fuck was she looking at my boyfriend? He had nothing to do with this, right?

He would have told me.

Not wanting to know the answer to my question, I say, "Please just leave." She opened her mouth to speak, but I spoke first. "I don't know how, but if you cared about me at all, you'd respect my wishes and go."

Tears built up in her eyes, but she nodded nonetheless and I watched her turn around and head down the hallway towards the elevator. I shut the door and turned to a guilty looking Sam. "Please tell me you had nothing to do with this."

Sam held up his hands in defense "Let me explain," he said already looking guilty.

Immediately, I lashed out as I balled my hands into fists. "I can't believe you! You knew she was coming?" I haven't gotten this angry in a while, but this had me furious beyond help.

"No!" Sam said hastily, "Well, I mean I knew she was thinking about it, but-"

"How did you get in contact with her at all?!" I couldn't comprehend what the fuck he was saying to me, it didn't make any sense.

"It was a complete coincidence! It was the beginning of October, I was driving by your house and I saw a car parked there and a woman at the front door. I pulled into the driveway and told her no one lives there anymore. She asked me if I knew the owner and knew where the kids were that lived there. I ignored her questions then asked her who she was. She said she was your mother. And we started talking."

Sam was talking faster than I ever heard as he continued to explain, "I didn't mention anything about you at first, but then she started crying, saying how she had so much explaining to do. Then I told her I knew you. And then-"