Noah paid at the counter, his hands trembling slightly though he tried to hide it. He placed the change back into his wallet, took the paper bag of food quickly, and hurriedly reached for Alexander’s little hand. His son looked up at him with those innocent bright eyes, confused but trusting.
“Come on, darling,” Noah whispered softly, forcing a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Let’s go,” he added.
Cindy followed close behind, concern already clear in her gaze. She didn’t ask anything while inside the diner, but the way her eyes darted from Noah to the crowd told him she already sensed what was wrong.
They walked out carefully, not rushing too much so it wouldn’t draw attention, yet every step felt like heavy weight in Noah’s chest. His heart beat faster with each turn they made
