Chapter 46 Nora
Chapter 46 Nora
Liana's POV
“Mommy, Adrian, look!” he shrieked, pointing to a group of kids.
“Nora!”
My heart gave a lurch as I scanned the playground. Liam was with a cluster of giggling children building something elaborate with oversized Lego blocks. He dove right in, his bright laugh carrying on the breeze. A little girl with dark, shiny hair and a pink bow turned, startled by Liam’s boisterous arrival. As she faced us, my breath caught.
It was her. Clara’s daughter.
The world seemed to tilt. That explained everything. The familiar voices I’d heard, the odd feeling of déjà vu. I swallowed hard, a cold knot forming in my stomach. What were the odds?
Adrian, oblivious, was already walking towards the fence, his usual calm demeanor a stark contrast to the storm brewing inside me. I watched the children, my mind racing. How was I supposed to react? Ignore it? Confront it? Neither felt right, or even possible, in this mundane, public setting.
Liam, meanwhile, was oblivious to my internal turmoil. He ran towards us, dragging the little girl by the hand.
“Mommy, Adrian, this is Nora!” he announced proudly, his face flushed with excitement.
“We made a castle!”
Nora, still holding Liam’s hand, looked up at me with wide, innocent eyes. “Hi,” she said softly.
“Hi, Nora,” I managed, forcing a smile. My gaze flickered to her, then back to Liam, who was practically vibrating with energy.
“Can Nora come to our house to play?” Liam asked, his voice filled with hopeful anticipation.
The question caught me off guard. How could I say no to him, knowing whose daughter she was? But how could I say yes, knowing whose daughter she was?
“Not today, sweetie,” I said, trying to keep my voice even.
“Nora needs to ask her mommy first. It’s important to get permission.” Part of me was relieved to have an easy out.
Nora looked slightly crestfallen but nodded.
“Okay,” she mumbled. Then her eyes fixed on my hair. “I like your pin,” she said, pointing to the small, jeweled butterfly clipped to my hair.
“It’s pretty.”
A tiny, unexpected warmth bloomed in my chest. “Thank you, sweetie,” I said, before Liam, with the speed of a tiny predator, snatched the pin right out of my hair.
“Please, Mommy!” he whined, holding it out to Nora.
“Nora likes it! Can she have it?”
My mouth fell open. He’d ripped it right from my hair! A fleeting annoyance quickly gave way to a familiar surge of helpless love. How could I say no to that face? Especially in front of Nora, who was looking from Liam to me with wide, curious eyes. I sighed.
“Alright, Liam,” I conceded, reaching for the pin.
“But you have to be more gentle next time.” I handed the delicate butterfly to Nora.
“Here you go, sweetie.”
Nora’s face lit up. “Thank you!” she squealed, clutching it tightly.
While I was navigating this unexpected exchange, Adrian had engaged Liam’s teacher in conversation. I could hear snippets of their talk.
“He’s doing exceptionally well, Mr. Adrian,” the teacher was saying, her voice brimming with professional enthusiasm.
“Liam is a truly bright child. In fact, we’ve found he’s quite advanced for his age. He grasps concepts very quickly.”
Adrian smiled, a proud glint in his eyes.
“That’s wonderful to hear. Is there anything we could do to help him further?”
“Honestly, sometimes I worry he’s almost too advanced for this group,” she admitted, a slight frown creasing her brow.
“He finishes tasks far ahead of the others and then sometimes gets a little… restless.”
I walked over, slipping an arm around Liam’s shoulders.
“He’s always been a quick learner,” I interjected, giving the teacher a polite smile. The thought of him being bored at school, or worse, being moved away from his friends, worried me. Especially Nora.
Adrian glanced at me, his brow furrowing slightly, as if sensing the unspoken tension.
“Perhaps moving him to an older class would be beneficial?” he suggested, ever the pragmatist.
“Oh, I don’t think so,” I said quickly, perhaps too quickly.
“Liam thrives on social interaction. He needs his friends.” My eyes flickered to Nora, who was now showing off her new hair clip to Liam.
“He gets very attached. If you separate him from someone he’s grown fond of, he’ll cry for days.”
My voice was firm, leaving little room for argument.
“It’s important for him to make friends. It’s best he stays with his mates for now.”
The teacher seemed to understand, nodding thoughtfully. Adrian, with a silent sigh, didn’t push it.
A few minutes later, it was time to leave.
“Bye, Miss Jenny!” Liam called out, giving his teacher a quick hug. Then he turned to Nora, who was admiring her reflection in a small, handheld mirror an aide had given her.
“Bye, Nora! See you tomorrow!”
“Bye, Liam!” she chirped back, waving the butterfly clip.
As we walked back to the car, a black SUV, sleek and expensive, pulled into the nearly empty parking lot. My blood ran cold. I recognized it instantly. Clara’s car. My stomach twisted into a tighter knot.
“Come on, Liam, let’s get you buckled in,” I urged, practically shoving him into his booster seat.
I fumbled with the buckle, my hands suddenly clumsy. As Adrian started the engine, I pretended to be adjusting my sandal, bending low, letting my hair fall forward, obscuring my face. I could feel her presence as she walked past, her familiar scent of expensive perfume wafting through the open window. I held my breath, wishing the ground would swallow me whole.
When I finally dared to raise my head, and was sure she was safely inside the building, Adrian was watching me, a knowing look on his face. He didn’t say anything until we had pulled out of the parking lot and were heading down the street.
“How long are you going to keep this up, Liana?” he asked, his voice gentle but laced with an underlying frustration.
I didn’t even have to think about it. “My entire life, if I have to,” I stated, my resolve hardening with each word.
“As long as I can avoid Clara, I will.” The thought of facing her, of the past, was a crushing weight. This wasn’t just about Clara; it was about everything she represented. And I wasn’t ready for that fight. Not yet.