Snowflakes In Autumn (A Novella)

Fourteen

Faith hung on Noah's arm as if the earth would crumble beneath her if she dared let go. She wasn't used to going to fancy places, which she could tell this was before ever stepping into the building. She would also have dinner with a godfather she'd only just met forty-five minutes ago, along with his wife, whom she'd never met.

The second reason for feeling so nervous wasn't entirely accurate, as she apparently had met them both.

"You'll be all right, little snowflake," Noah whispered next to her ear so her godfather couldn't hear him. "If they mention anything you aren't ready to hear about or don't like the topic of conversation, just give my hand a squeeze underneath the table and I'll change the subject.

"And if I just feel uncomfortable in general?" Faith asked.

It was the most likely scenario. Dennis had been staring at her in the rear-view mirror the entire drive, forcing his eyes on the road whenever she caught him, only for them to return once again. She'd felt like a celebrity found in the wild where a fan wasn't certain if they should approach or leave them be.

"Then you can hold my hand," Noah told her as he did just that. "Or get sloppy drunk. Whichever you prefer."

Although the nerves within her were already overflowing, Faith couldn't help but laugh at that.

A woman who appeared to be in her early fifties stood by the doorway in the chilly evening air and stepped away from the wall when she saw them walk across the street.

"I take it that's his wife?"

"Carole," Noah confirmed. "She's a lovely woman. She's the one who forced me into rehab when I was twenty-four."

Faith couldn't remember him telling her he'd gone to rehab, just that he did a lot of drugs. "Aren't you not supposed to drink then?"

"I wasn't an addict which I'm sure is a very common line but no less true. I was just self-destructing. Rebab was just the environment I needed to get away from it all and figure out what my next step was. I agreed to go after she told me how much you'd hate the man I'd become, and if I ever had a chance of seeing you again, I couldn't keep trying to kill myself."

Faith looked up at him, unsure of how to respond to something like that. By the look in his eyes, he didn't expect her to.

"You'll be okay, little snowflake. I've got you." His hand went to hers once again, somehow being able to sense she was already uncomfortable as they finished their approach toward the woman.

"Faith, this is my wife, Carole," Dennis introduced.

The woman wore a wide grin on her face, but made no approach to hug her despite the lack of space between them.

A thought popped in her head that she felt silly for not thinking of before. "Does that make you my godmother then?"

Carole laughed. "Don't worry, sweetheart. I didn't meet Dennis until you were five and we didn't get married until about a year after you left. I'd only met you a few times."

Dennis let out a cough. "Your godmother was my first wife, Nancy, who died about six months after you were born in a car accident."

"I'm sorry," Faith muttered almost anatomically.

"She was a lovely woman," Dennis told her.

This conversation wasn't uncomfortable in the usual way, but one she wished to move on from. Faith gave his hand squeeze.

"Shall we go inside? It's cold out here." Noah gave her a knowing smile, then reached out to open the door to the restaurant. "After you."

Faith stepped in, noticing it really was posh, so much more extravagant than she was used to. It was a wonder how they could get a table with no reservation.

As if reading her mind, Dennis explained. "One of my former TA's owns the place. I had Carole give him a call and see if he could fit us in."

Noah's hand rested on the small of her back and when her body tensed only for a moment at the gesture, his hand fell. Except, it hadn't tensed in the way he must have suspected, but rather at the fact that it nearly took her breath away.

Then she remembered the kiss. That sweet, timid kiss she'd placed on his lips less than an hour before, and how he'd held her in place when she tried to step back. Faith knew of her own growing feelings for him. Just five days ago, when he'd admitted to have been dating her sister at the time all their lives changed forever, she'd felt dirty for even finding him attractive.

With each passing day, she'd become more acutely away of her feelings growing rather than subsiding in the way she wished.

Faith picked up his hand and placed it where it had been before, this time with her body better prepared for the sensation it gave. Noah didn't drop it, instead leading her toward the table the host walked them toward. As always, he moved the chair away from the table for her and scooted it in once she sat.

"I have to say," Carole began as she took the seat across from her, "I only met you a handful of times when you were young, but it really is like nothing has changed between the two of you. It feels like no time has passed."

Except something had changed; within her, at least. Or maybe not. By the sound of it and how it appeared in the videos, she'd always been hopelessly enamored by Noah Scott. And time had passed. She wasn't that little girl anymore, but a woman whose feelings had only intensified with that passing time.

"I assumed after you forgot all about him, the two of you would have to start from scratch," Carole added when Faith hadn't replied to the first comment.

Faith's eyes fell to the white linen-covered table in front of her. Maybe it would be therapeutic to admit the truth. Either way, it couldn't hurt. "I've had dreams of that day for the last fourteen years, at least, up until I came here. I always remembered Noah existed. It was my brother who told him I'd forgotten all about him, but I hadn't."

She'd forgotten most of it, but could never forget the love and fear in his eyes, or that determination to keep her safe, even if it meant him losing his own life. She may have forgotten who exactly he was, but never him.

"Ryan always was your mother's little pet," Dennis admitted gruffly. "Still, I never thought he had it in him to do something like that. How he could lie to Noah for all those years, I can't even fathom. It's despicable."

Faith looked over and saw the cloudy look in Noah's eyes, noticing how they were quickly turning into a storm as he kept his anger in check. She couldn't blame him. Ryan had lied to them both. He'd never told Noah the truth, that she'd never fully let go of her memory of him, and never told Faith they'd kept in contact.

The only redeeming thing Ryan did was finally admitted the truth.

"It is," Faith finally replied, "but he did the right thing in the end, which I'm thankful for. I'm finally where I belong, and I have Ryan and Noah to thank for that."

The clouds parted as Noah took in her words, understanding that while Ryan had done something terrible, he'd also done something remarkable. He'd given Faith back her missing pieces.