Shy Love [#wattys2016]

Chapter Fourteen

Noah's POV

As I turn to face the kitchen I see my father, crying on the floor, head sunk low into his hands.

Jamie gasps. I stiffen.

I can't tell if he is sober or not, his sobs sound muffled and sloppy but laced with emotion.

Real emotion, not dazed emotion.

"Dad..." I call out lightly to him

He looks up, and his eyes go large, like he is seeing me for the first time.

His eyes aren't clouded over and distant, they're here, focused, in the moment. And full of tears.

"N-noah." His voice breaks.

"Dad." I say, softly, but with confidence.

"I-I'm so s-so s-sorry." He cries out, in between sobs.

I want to say 'its okay' but I would be lying, I can't tell him that it's okay, for yesterday, for the childhood he has given me, for anything.

It's not okay.

Not yet.

I walk over to him, steadily, slowly, and crouch in front of him.

"I-I thought y-you left, and y-you w-were g-g-gone." He stutters.

"It's okay," I tell him, taking his hands in mine, "I'm here now."

This makes him sob harder, and he lunges forward, enveloping me in a hug.

It takes me aback.

It is unexpected, I haven't hugged my father in years.

But slowly, my arms go around him, and we stay there, hugging.

A real hug, one that is long overdue.

He tries to steady his breathing before talking again, "Noah, I-I'm so sorry, I have been an a-awful p-paren--"

"Dad, listen, you need to calm down, go have a shower and settle a bit, okay? I'll put on some tea, then we'll talk." I tell him firmly.

I don't want to be bossy, but I need to help him, and this is the only way it will get through.

He intakes a deep breath, and exhales slowly, still shaky, "Okay." He says, and then heads upstairs.

I turn around, and jump a little when I see Jamie. In all honesty, I forgot she was there.

"Should I go and give you guys some space? Or do you want me here?" She asks.

"Could you stay?" I respond.

As much as this should be one-on-one with my dad, I need her here. I can't do this on my own, she makes me better, stronger.

"Of course." She tells me.

I smile gratefully at her.

I dig through the cupboard and find a pot, "Can you fill this with water please?" I ask Jamie, handing it to her.

"Sure thing." She replies, before taking it.

I go to the top cupboard and reach for a box of tea, and find two; lemon and green.

"Lemon or green tea?" I ask Jamie.

"Mmm definitely green." She responds, as she rubs her stomach and stares at the ceiling, as if in a good memory about green tea.

I chuckle, she can be so cute.

I grab three mugs and put a tea bag in each, while Jamie takes the now boiled pot of water off of the stove and pours it evenly into each mug.