Page 47 of April Flowers

Noah shook his head and hugged her harder. His heart was in a thousand pieces.

“You know I did, Noah,” Lillian wailed, her hand in a fist on his shoulder. “You remember. And you know that nobody canlove me after that. You know that even you can’t love me after that.”

Noah felt suddenly electric with anger. With his hands on her shoulders, he pushed her away from him, still holding her tightly, and glared down at her beautiful face. His heart throbbed with love and pain. “What did you just say to me?”

Margot closed her eyes tightly. “Nobody could love me after what I did. Nobody.”

“That’s insane, Margot,” Noah snapped. “You know it, and I know it.”

But Margot was inconsolable. She couldn’t stop sobbing.

Noah knew there was no reasoning with her right then. He needed to get her home. But he also didn’t want to put her in the truck with her mother. Who knows what else her mother would say?

Suddenly, Vic appeared next to the truck. He wore an expensive-looking button-down peacoat, and his dark hair was glossy in the February light. To Noah, he looked like a movie star.

“Excuse me. My name is Vic Rondell. I’m a friend of Lillian’s. Can I be of help?”

Noah sniffed at him. What did this man want with Lillian? It didn’t add up. But he couldn’t put all the pieces of the puzzle together right then. So he grabbed his truck keys and moved to drop them into Vic Rondell’s hand. “Drive her back home and sit with her till we get back?”

Vic raised his eyebrows and gestured toward a fancy-looking sports car across the street—clearly his. “I always ride in style.” Noah’s truck wasn’t good enough for him.

Noah pocketed his own keys. “Get her back however you want.”

Noah was already leading Margot back to her car, eager to get her someplace warm, make her a mug of tea, and hug her close.When he glanced back, he saw Vic coaxing Lillian over to his sports car. Lillian walked delicately, like a spider that had lost a leg.

Margot sobbed all the way back to Noah’s place. Noah was out of his mind with worry and shock.

Occasionally, Margot said something like, “I never should have come back here,” or, “I can’t believe it; I can’t believe it.” But mostly, she cried. Noah fiddled with the radio station, hoping to find a song to brighten her spirits and drag her back from the darkness of her memories.

When they pulled into the driveway, Noah was surprised to find Avery watching them from the front window. Immediately after her school had gotten out for the day, he’d called her and explained he had plans for the evening, and she’d said, “Good, I’m worried about your lack of social life.”

Somehow, he’d let himself forget that Avery would be here. It was too late to do anything about it now.

When Noah opened the passenger door and helped Margot out, she held his hand tightly as though she were a child lost in the woods. Her eyes were rimmed with red. When they entered the house, the kettle was already on the stovetop. Avery bustled around, trying to put together a snack plate. Her eyes were focused and frightened. She’d seen Margot crying through the front window of the truck.

Margot sat dully at the kitchen table and stared down at a steaming mug of tea.

Noah tried to read her mind. He imagined her thinkingI knew coming back would be hard, but this is so much worse.

Avery fluttered above her, asking if she needed anything else. Noah had never seen Avery taking care of someone before. It touched something inside him; it reminded him that Avery had a great deal of love to give. It made him think that despite everything, she would be all right someday. She would findhappiness because she would know how to build it for herself and those around her.

“Thank you, Avery,” Margot managed finally. “I’m sorry you have to see me like this.”

Avery sat across from her and folded her hands. Noah poured more tea and considered the snack tray Avery had made: crackers, chips, pieces of cheese, radishes, and blueberries. It felt random and strange and utterly perfect.

There was no way Margot was going to touch it. Not yet, anyway.

“And I’m sorry I broke into your house,” Avery said. “I won’t do it again. I was going through a weird time. I mean, I am going through a weird time. That won’t be over any time soon.”

Margot’s lips curved into the slightest of smiles. “Don’t worry about it. I’m going through a weird time, too.”

“I get that. I was curious about you,” Avery said.

Margot reached for a tissue from the box on the table and mopped up her face. Her eyes were illuminated. Noah was glad she’d stopped sobbing, but he hoped Avery wasn’t bothering her.

“I guess you know that I loved your uncle very much when I was your age,” Margot said.

Noah rubbed his chest. He didn’t want to cry but felt it coming like a storm.

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