“I find that hard to believe,” Jolene says, which earns her a heated glare from Becky.
Standing tall, Becky walks a few steps forward and comes to a stop in front of me. Sticking out her chest and standing her ground she presses the issue. “Like it or not, you’re the father, Noah. Don’t you even care about your son?”
My stomach instantly sours. Not because of the child, but because if this is true, then that would make Becky the mother. It would tie me to her forever, and that is one tie I thought I set fire to a long time ago.
“I don’t believe you,” I say. “How could it be? You know as well as I do that…”
“Think whatever you want, Noah,” she cuts me off. “But he is yours. And I have every intention of making sure my son has a happy normal family life.” She glances at Eva for the first time since she walked into the room. “Bless your heart, darlin’. Did you really think you were going to have a future with him? Looks like you can’t compete with his past.”
Gwen lunges for Becky and Rex grabs her back quickly. “That’s enough,” I yell. “Becky, get out.”
“But we have so much to talk about,” she says, making me cringe. “You’ve been gone so long, and there is so much to catch up on if you’re going to be in his life.”
“In his life? Maybe. If this isn’t all some sort of sick joke,” I take an angry step towards her. “In yours, Becky? I think that ship sailed a long time ago.”
“If you think I’m going to let some showy West Coast tramp come and go from our son’s life, you’ve got another thing coming,” she exclaims, coming a few steps closer to me and Eva.
I’ve never hit a woman, but in this moment I wouldn’t stop Jolene or Gwen from tearing her apart. I welcome the thought actually, and silently wish one of them would make good on the threat.
“That’s enough,” my mother shouts. Turning, she stands furious in the doorway while Anna May hides behind her skirt. “Becky, dear. I think it is time you leave.”
Becky turns to my mother. “Yes, Mrs. Stewart. You know I won’t be disrespecting you.” Walking past me, she stops briefly, “This isn’t over, Noah.”
She glares at Eva as she walks out the door and it slams behind her.
With it, my world crashes to the floor, taking with it everything that felt so secure in my future just a few short minutes ago. One by one, the people who were just there to witness my life come crashing to a end exit the room.
Soon, it’s only Eva who stands silently by my side. Dropping my gaze to the floor, I turn. Slowly, I let my eyes lift to meet hers. When I do, worry fills the beautiful blue eyes that I love so much.
“Who is she, Noah? And why did she say ‘our baby?’”
Chapter Fifty-One
Eva
Noah swallows hard a few times before glancing away. When he looks back, he sadly says, “Why don’t you sit down, and I’ll explain.”
“No, I think I will keep standing, thanks.”
Worry takes hold as Noah stares into my eyes for a few moments before glancing at the floor and beginning to pace the room. With his head held low, he shoves his hands in his pockets. He doesn’t speak as he walks back and forth in front of me. Finally, he stops and faces the back wall of the room. He rubs his hand over the stubble gracing his lower chin and takes a deep breath before speaking.
“I met Becky in high school,” he begins. My stomach instantly grows sick. “We didn’t go to the same school. I went to the county and she came from money. Her parents had her placed in an all-girls, upper-class school in Louisville. I met her one night at a party one of my friends was having. I fell for her first thing. She didn’t like me much at first, always tried dodging me, but led me on just enough to keep me coming back for more. I was 17, she was 16.”
He turns and looks at me. Concern fills his eyes.
“After a few months, she agreed to go out with me. Lost in her, I didn’t even catch on to how she kept me hidden from the rest of her life. I never met her parents, and hardly ever hung out with her friends.”
Shaking his head as the memories flood back, I will myself to become numb. To become desensitized to all that I am being told.
“After a year or so, I started wondering why she never let me into her world, and started pushing the issue. One summer afternoon, I met her parents. Her parents were not very happy that Becky chose me. All the time we had spent together, Becky had made up lies about where she was going, and who she was spending time with. Becky’s father comes from a long line of old southern money. To say he was hell-bent on Becky marrying someone like him is an understatement.”
The nine-to-five world. Suddenly the pieces that I have been trying to put together for the last few months make a little more sense. He takes a deep breath, glances sorrowfully my way, and I nod for him to continue.
Noah shrugs defeated. “Momma pushed me to keep my scholarship at Ol’Miss, and I did for a few years, until the distance was too hard and I almost lost Becky. So, I changed my whole world, and tried to become the man her father wanted her to marry.”
“Ole Miss,” I ask. “That is when you met Rex?”
It’s more of a statement than a question.
