"It wasn't easy," she replied, clasping my hands in my lap. She turned my face away from me, then suddenly looked back. "But, of course, you know that. You know everything from your private investigator's report. You probably even know Noah's birthday, where he was born and how much he weighed. Why even bother to ask me?"
"I deserved that," I replied after a moment. The private investigator I hired told me only basic fact, now am here, I know thighs aren't the way I thought it was, I feel like am missing something, I would like to know what was that. I stroking her shoulder. And said "I do know the basic facts. But I want to hear you tell me about it. According to the report, you left home at... what was it...seventeen years old? I nodded. "Why was that?"
"My father threw me out of the house when he found out I was pregnant." She said flatly
"Threw you out of the house?" I asked in disbelief.
She drew in a breath. "He was a very rigid-thinking man. Very concerned with appearances and propriety. Always very worried about what other people thought about our family. He was a lawyer in town, you see, and thought our family had to behave above reproach. When my mother died, he didn't even want us to cry in public at the funeral."
I was shocked, and wondered what she might pass through . "How old were you when you lost your mother?"
"I was ten and Faith was only eight," she replied. "Anyway, after he lost my mother, he was angry at the world. He still had Faith and me, but he withdrew from us, perhaps from grief, or just because we reminded him of her so much... I really don't know, I added thoughtfully. "Anyway, when I found out I was going to have a baby, I was terrified to tell him.
But of course I had to...and I got the reaction I had been expecting."
"He was angry at you?" I asked.
"Yes, terribly...l'm not even sure anger is the right word for his reaction." She shook my head and continue "He wouldn't listen to any explanations, no tears or apologies. That just didn't work on my father."
"Didn't he want to know who the father was?" Didn't he want to speak the boy and his parents? Figure things out between the two families?"
"Oh, I don't know who the father was." She said
"What do mean by that. You really don't know who the father of your child?" My mind skip at her outburst. "Did someone raped you? Or assault you, I mean someone taking advantage of you and treated you not say something." I asked her again
"I don't want to talk about it, Brian. I just left with five hundred dollars I saved from the money my father give us for up keep.
"That's not much of an answer, I prodded her. "Where did you go? How did you manage to survive all those months of pregnancy on five hundred dollars."
"I hitchhiked to New Orleans. My mother had a sister named Ellen. There had been an argument between my father and Ellen when my mother died, and my father hadn't allowed us to stay in touch with her. Or anyone on my mother's side of the family, for that matter," I added. "But I looked her up and she was happy to hear from me. She' d never married and lived alone. She had a good job and was generous enough to take me in until I could support myself. I took a breath. There was more I could have told him. A lot more. But
I thought I'd already said enough. "If it wasn't for Aunt Ellen, I don't think either Noah or I would be here today," I added thoughtfully.
" God Bless her, wherever she may be," I said sincerely
"She's retired and living in North Carolina, I explained. But she comes to visit at least once a year. And she and Noah are pen pals, isn't that sweet?"
"She sounds great. I'd love to meet her some-day." "Maybe you will, she replied. l'm sure Noah will tell her all about you in his next letter.
Noah had so much in common with Will, I have the feelings that Noah must have something to do with Will, since she didn't tell who his father was, maybe, she didn't want to rule her precious sisters happiness or something else, what am I even thinking Will is not violate person, he will never force himself on a woman. Then what happened? I looked at her she seems to loss in her own thought. "Olivia? Are you all right? I moved closer and gently hugging her shoulders " l'm sorry. I didn't realize that talking about the past might make you feel unhappy."
"No.it's not that. She glanced up at me. "Well, maybe a little. It all seems so long ago now. I never think of that time in my life much anymore."
"From what you've told me, you don't know who's the father is or don't really care to know?" Anyway don't talk if you don't want to say anything. And what about your father, did he ever come around?" I asked
She shook her head."Not really. We were on speaking terms eventually, and I went to see him once, when Noah was about two. He never really did forgive me, though. I took a breath. A few months ater my father died from a heart attack. I guess it was some comfort that we'd at least started to make amends. I looked over at him, forcing muself to snap out of my nostalgic languor. "So, tell me, is my personal version much different from your report?"
"Yes, very," I replied quietly
"Oh, so you think I'm different now, do you? I'm not that low-down Single mom with an illegitimate kid. with no education-and even less money? You know, that fortune hunter who wasn't nearly good enough to marry your brother?"
I stared at her and took a deep breath. "I think you're a very strong, courageous person and a wonderful mother," I replied finally. I'm sure there have been plenty of men who wanted to marry you...though I'm not sure that any of them could have been good enough. I had turned my head to avoid his gaze, but he leaned over and twisted around, trying to catch my eye. "Does that answer your question?"
"I guess......"That's nice of you to say. Very nice," she replied quietly.
"It's the truth. But you're very welcome, anyway." I study her for sometime "So...have there been many proposals? I asked finally. The look on her face shows that she must have find my question funny, but I still can't keep myself from knowing more about her relationship with men, If there any serious one, though non had shown up since I am here.
"Oh, dear, it's just endless. Don't get me wrong. I'm usually very flattered. But it does get to be a nuisance sometimes. Men are stopping me all the time to propose marriage, at the grocery story, the post office, in the library, for heaven's sake." I shook my head in amazement. "And then there're all the boxes of candy. And all those roses," I added, sounding bored with it all.
"Oh, yes. The candy and roses. How predictable." I felt relief, at least no serious relationship for now. "Some guys can be so boring." I commiserated. Now, I'd never send candy or roses to a woman like you," I told her.
"I'm not interested in looking for a relationship now, she said on a more serious note. "And I probably won't be until Noah is much older."
I never want to be in any relationship after my ugly experience with my ex. but I want to be part of this single mother and her son. I want to give them protection and provide for them, maybe I will have to win her heart since she don't have any one yet, I had the feeling that she had already fall for my charms I smiled looked at her again and said, "Aside from being a great kid, I'm starting to think your son is a genius. But you must already know that."
"teachers say he's gifted." She replied "They're trying to do what they can for him. He gets extra projects and has already skipped a grade, But...." she stopped ".....well, you can see that it's a rather small town. The resources here are limited."
I wanted to tell her not worried about the the expenses, I will take care of it but she's not the to expect help easily from people. Instead I said "Yes, I can see it must be...challenging for you......" I push then say "Well, a boy like that, with all he's got going for him, I'm sure he'll go to a good college. He could easily get a scholarship."
"I think so, she nodded in agreement "That's what I'm hoping, at least.
"You know, Noah reminds me a lot of Will at that age. Even the eyeglasses. Always had his head in a book and had all these strange pets in his bedroom. We didn't have Brain Quest growing up, but I'm sure Will would have be a master at it, just like Noah is."
"Yes, I can see the resemblance," she laughed. "I guess I'm more curious about what you were like as a boy, Brian. Did you get into fights on the playground a lot?"
Ilooked at her and laughed, seeming surpriscd at how well she could read me already. "Yes, I had my share of scuffles, I gues. More than my share. About half the time I was defending Will from get thing picked on by some bully," I recalled.
"I'm not surprised, she admitted. "Seems you're still trying to protect him."
"Well, we have more in common than you might think, Olivia, I explained. ""Will and I lost our mother, too, when we were just boys, and my father wasn't a very loving man. Or a good father, I might add. He traveled quite a bit on business. Or maybe that was just an excuse for avoiding us I've never been sure. Anyway, I'm almost ten years older than Will, and it was basically left to me to raise him. I guess my protective feelings as an older brother will never really fade away."
"Yes, I guess that's true... Still, you seem so sure that my sister, Faith-or any woman for that matter-could only be interested in Will because of his money. Certainly you realize that can't be true? It's not only illogical, it's just not fair."