Chapter 31 Divided Heart
Noah noticed the change in her almost immediately.
“You’ve been distant,” he said one evening as they sat on their couch. “Is everything okay?”
“I’m fine,” Nora said automatically. “Just tired from work.”
“You’ve been tired a lot lately. And distracted. Is something going on at the bank?”
“No. Everything’s fine there.”
Noah studied her face. “Nora, talk to me. What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong. I’m just adjusting. This normal life thing is harder than I thought it would be.”
It wasn’t a lie, exactly. But it wasn’t the whole truth either.
Noah seemed to accept the explanation, but Nora could see the concern in his eyes. Could see him watching her more carefully, noticing when she stepped into the bedroom to take phone calls, noticing when she seemed preoccupied.
A few days later, Nora’s phone rang while she and Noah were making dinner together. She glanced at the screen and saw Ben’s name.
“I need to take this,” she said, stepping away from the stove.
“Who is it?”
“Just work stuff. I’ll be quick.”
Nora went into the bedroom and closed the door. “Hello?”
“Hey,” Ben’s voice was warm. “Is this a bad time?”
“Kind of. I’m making dinner.”
“I won’t keep you long. I just wanted to let you know I talked to my mother today. About you. About bringing the kids to see you.”
Nora’s heart jumped. “And?”
“And she’s cautiously optimistic. She wants to talk to you first, though. Make sure you’re really ready. Make sure this won’t traumatize them.”
“Of course I’m ready. They’re my children.”
“I know. But she’s protective. You understand.”
“When can I talk to her?”
“This weekend maybe? I’ll give you her number. You can call her directly.”
They talked for a few more minutes about logistics, about timing, about how to best prepare the kids. When Nora finally hung up and came back to the kitchen, Noah was standing by the stove, stirring the pasta with a wooden spoon. His back was to her.
“Everything okay with work?” he asked without turning around.
“Yeah. Fine. Just some scheduling stuff.”
Noah nodded but didn’t say anything else. The silence between them felt heavy, loaded with unspoken questions and unshared truths.
That night, as they lay in bed, Noah wrapped his arms around Nora from behind. “I love you,” he whispered into her hair.
“I love you too,” Nora said.
And she meant it. She did love Noah. But as she lay there in the darkness, she couldn’t stop thinking about Ben’s voice on the phone. About her children. About the possibility of getting back the life she’d lost.
Noah’s arms tightened around her, and Nora felt tears slip silently down her cheeks.
She was torn between two men, two lives, two versions of herself.
And she had no idea which one to choose.