“Hey, angel, it’s Daddy. I’ve got to go away for a little while, but I need you to be good for mommy. Can you do that for me? I don’t know when I’ll be back, but I’m going to try my hardest to be there before you make your appearance in the world, okay?”
His voice trembles on the last word, and it’s almost my undoing.
“I love you, angel. Daddy will see you soon.” On the last word, something flutters in my belly, and my stomach jolts. Noah glances up in surprise, and I smile, the first genuine smile I have had in days.
“Oh my god, was that…” Noah asks, and I nod.
“Yes, I think that was her kicking.” And just so we are certain, my stomach jolts once again, and I choose to take that as her telling us everything will be okay.
He presses one final kiss to my stomach, and then he stands, and I let out a long exhale, knowing it’s now my turn.
“I’m coming back to you, Tor, both of you, I promise.” I chew on the inside of my cheek, letting the tears fall now because there’s no use in trying to hold them back.
“You can’t promise me that, Noah. You know that.”
“Then just have faith that I’ll come back to you. Wherever I go, I will always find my way back to you. Can you do that, just have faith?’
I nod, throwing my arms around him and clinging to him for dear life.
Just have faith.
“I love you,” I whisper into his ear.
“I love you more.”
“I’m going to let you go now, okay,” I choke out.
I try to move, but his grip tightens. Maybe he needs this for a little longer. I need to be the strong one here.
“We are going to be okay. You just need to go. Go do what you need to do. Save the world, Noah Jones, and then come back home to us.”
“I don’t want to leave you. I’m worried—” he says.
I cut off his words. “I don’t need you to keep saving me anymore, Noah.”
“I know you don’t, but I think you might be the one who’s saving me.”
His admission steals my breath, and before I can say another word, he kisses me like we have all the time in the world when it couldn’t be further from the truth. His kiss reaches the tips of my toes and sends warmth through my body, making me feel alive, but the moment is cut short when the engine of the airplane waiting to take him away from me roars to life; confirmation that our time is up.
“I don’t want to leave you.”
“Me either.”
“We walk away on one,” he says, and I reluctantly agree with a nod.
“Three,” he says.
“Two,” I speak.
“One,” we say in unison, and then he’s gone. I do the same, not giving him another glance because if I do, I know I’ll run to him and never let him go.
I take quick steps on shaky legs toward the car where Harry and Ali have been waiting, my heart thumping in my ears as I place a hand over my chest, my lungs suddenly feeling too tight to take in a full breath.
Harry runs toward me, panic washing over his face. “Tori.”
“Is he gone?” I ask, trying to take in a gasp of air.
“Yeah, Tor, he’s gone.” My blood runs cold, the space around me turns blurry, and before my knees can hit the ground, my big brother catches me and holds me tight, letting me crumble in his arms.
