Page 138 of Other Side Of Never
“Wipe your face, my sweet girl,” Christine urged, her own tears streaming.“It’s cold.Dry your pretty face.”
Noelle pulled the end of her scarf out of her jacket and wiped her face.
We walked with her as she retraced her steps down to the beach, and when we reached her old neighborhood where her dad still lived, Christine stood staring at the house for long moments before catching up with us.
I reached out my hand for hers and held it while it trembled in mine until we reached the river.
“She needs me,” Christine explained as she released my hand and led Noelle to sit on a bench.
Sitting shoulder-to-shoulder on the bench next to her daughter, Christine remembered, “I read to you on this bench.We picnicked right here.”She huffed out a soft laugh.“I told you about the birds and the bees on this bench.”Eyeing her daughter’s swelling belly, she laughed.“Looks like that lesson stuck.”
Noelle stared out at the river and cried.
“My sweet girl, you’re not alone.Love is all around you.Don’t you know, you, yourself are made of love?You are love!”
I couldn’t count the number of times I heard Christine say that to all of us.My throat tightened, but I kept my distance, giving her time with her daughter.
“I loved you and Max and your dad with all my heart, and I love you still.”
Noelle sank into herself.“I can’t do it, Mom.I can’t take another loss.”
The silver sheen of tears striped Christine’s cheeks.“Open your heart, my sweet girl.Open your heart or you’ll miss the magic.”She laughed softly, touching her daughter’s face.“You are magic.”
“My dreams didn’t take me too far, Mom,” Noelle murmured.
Christine answered softly, “The story isn’t over yet.”
I remembered her saying that, too, whenever something went wrong.Everything was coming back to me.
Noelle pulled an old, frayed ribbon from her pocket and weaved it through her trembling fingers for several moments.
When she opened her cell phone, I peered over her shoulder.“What the actual fuck is that?”
Christine laughed.“There’s a little creature on her screen that looks like it’s on the ground.”
I pointed at the phone incredulously.“This is how she spends her time?”
“She was always a little quirky in the best ways,” she murmured with a smile though her eyes were sad.“It’s almost time to go.”
Leaning forward, face intent, she whispered to Noelle, “You are infinite.Your ability to give and receive love is infinite.”
Noelle’s face calmed as she stood and sucked in a deep, steadying breath.
And then she walked toward the river.
“Oh no,” I breathed.“What is she doing?”
“Calm down, Hunter,” my aunt reprimanded.“She’ll be fine.”
My hands slipped into my hair as I ran over to where Noelle was edging closer.“Get back, Noelle!You’ve got precious cargo on board!”
“Hunter,” Christine snorted my name, then began to giggle as I ran back and forth in front of Noelle, my feet making no splash in the fucking frigid water.
“Fuck, that’s cold!”
Christine doubled over, wheezing.
When Noelle knelt down, I fell to my knees in front of her, trying my damnedest to splash her, hoping the frigid water would make her retreat.
