Because I didn’t know how long this blissful moment could last.
But sitting there with her, surrounded by people who were blissfully unaware of my past—people who still believed in my goodness—I wished I could hold on to this moment just a little longer.
Just a little. Even if it wasn’t meant to last forever. Even if she was saying yes now.
Even if every part of me whispered that one day, she might change her mind.
Elizabeth
The gentle clinking of dishes mingled with the soft, nostalgic hum of an old 80s tune playing softly in the background as I stood at the sink, rinsing off plates. Noah’s mom, her smile radiant and genuine, hummed along while drying and stacking the dishes beside me. It was clear she cherished this little ritual of the evening.
I found comfort in helping out. In fact, it felt… grounding. Human. After everything I had experienced, everything I had done—this felt like a glimpse into a life I had only ever viewed through a distant lens.
“I’m sorry if we got a bit loud,” Sherry said, offering me another plate with a twinkle in her eye. “We can get a little rowdy sometimes.”
“I actually enjoyed it,” I replied sincerely. “It was nice.”
She shot me a knowing glance but didn’t press the matter. Instead, she simply nodded and handed me another bowl. As I scrubbed the dishes, my gaze drifted to the window above the sink, and I caught my breath.
In the reflection, just beyond the kitchen doorway, I spotted them.
Noah’s dad had his arm wrapped around Sherry’s shoulders, swaying her gently to the rhythm of the music. They weren’t exactly dancing—just moving together as if they had been doing it for years. It was a dance without words. She laughed softly as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head, leaning into him with a trust that spoke volumes.
And then it struck me.
That quiet, steady love… the kind that didn’t require grand gestures or perfect timing. The kind that was woven into everyday routines. Into washing dishes. Into moments like this.
I wanted that. Not just someday. Not in theory.
But... truly. Deeply. Someday—with someone I wouldn’t have to shield myself from.
I blinked, momentarily taken aback by the thought that had surfaced. My hands slowed on the plate I was holding. Then I turned, and there was Noah.
He was crouched on the living room floor, his niece climbing all over him, giggling as if he were the best jungle gym in the universe. He was beaming—really beaming, not the reserved, guarded smile he usually wore around me. His hair was tousled, his jacket carelessly tossed aside, sleeves rolled up past his elbows. He let her tug on his arm, effortlessly lifting her onto his shoulders like it was the most natural thing in the world.
And something within me cracked open.
He didn’t notice me watching. He was too engrossed in her laughter, too busy making her squeal with delight as he pretended to stumble dramatically onto the couch. The room lit up with her joy, and so did he.
And I...
I felt something shift inside me.
It was gentle. Gradual. But so certain it left me breathless.
I was falling in love with him.
Right there, in his mother’s kitchen, with my hands still damp and a sponge forgotten in the sink.
It wasn’t a grand revelation. He hadn’t done anything extraordinary. He just existed in this moment, in this warmth, revealing a side of himself I rarely got to witness—and it shattered every wall I had tried to build between us.
I had seen him at his lowest. I had witnessed him cold, bloodied, burdened with guilt.
But this—this was the part he kept hidden from the world, and I found myself falling for him because of it. Not in spite of it. I turned back to the sink before he could catch my eye. My heart was pounding fiercely in my chest, and my hands trembled.
But for the first time in a long while…
I didn’t feel afraid of what lay ahead.
