Come Back, Noelle

03 | The Holy Gesture

   Dearest Noelle,

    Today marks two months of your disappearance. I'm so worried about you. We heard about Mr. Marshall's disappearance from the center, and now you're gone too. Although, the authorities state that you were perfectly fine, when you left the center, I couldn't help but wonder—I can't even say it aloud.

   Your anguished eyes appear in the worst of my nightmares, you know? I remember standing at the far end of aisle during my wife's funeral. Everyone was looking at me with contempt. And then you came beside me, brushed your fingers softly against mine, to offer me comfort. You always cared about me so much. Never left me alone. And what did I do? I jerked your hand away; the next morning, when you came to check up on me, I asked you, "Did you kill her? Tell me, Noelle, did you kill Juliet?"

    I wish, I could take it back. Take everything back—the marriage, the heartbreak, and most importantly, your pain. Because when you looked at me that day-like a bullet sliced your chest-with so much anguish in your eyes. That was the last time we saw each other. During your time in juvie, you never did see me once. All the damn time, I was tormented by the anguish in your eyes, Noelle.

    But now, I would do anything, anything, to even see those sad eyes. Angry eyes. Just a glimpse would quench my thirst. Your arms would be heaven.

    Do come back, Noelle.

    Ever yours,

    Aiden

― Aiden Summers to Noelle Montcliff after eight weeks of her disappearance.

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    "Nobody is bulletproof, Noel. Are you sure you want to go through this?" Cecily—the ever cautious Cecily—exhorted over the phone. Cecily Martin was the first friend she made during her time in juvie. Their story of friendship was quite the scene out of a movie: from enemies to well—friends. Cecily knew Noelle's every secret, everything from her childhood to the last, horrid night in the juvie.

    Had it not been Cecily, Noelle would've been rotting somewhere. They had made a blood oath to help each other, whatever the circumstances. Men were not to be trusted, especially not in matters of revenge. That's why they had decided to become each other's men: Cecily was Cecil to Noelle, and Noelle was Noel to Cecily. They often saved each other from men's advances, well, by emergency phone calls—from possessive boyfriends to brothers who would kill for their sisters.

    "Cecil, I need this. You know, how I have been after that night. This gives me purpose. I know, it is not an ideal situation, but I lost everything to that family, and I can't let them stand so tall, when they have destroyed my entire universe."

    "I understand," Cecily conceded with a sigh. "Just be careful. This is a very dangerous game you're playing. No one knows it better than me."

    "I know. I just want to finish this up, so I can come back home. I miss everyone so much!" Cecily and Noelle had vowed to help the ones who were less fortunate. Cecily, having lived in foster care after a fire destroyed her home and her entire family, was no stranger to pain, just like Noelle.

    Noelle, after expanding her small inheritance from her mother's trust fund, made it sure to spend it on matters that were important. She knew how charities were so shallow in the social whirl of Cherry Hills, so she made sure, she was personally involved everywhere. Be it the orphanages they were associated with, or lodging of young girls who were exposed to hostility like rape, prostitution or domestic violence, Cecily and Noelle took care of people like they were family.