Expect the unexpected

6

The days following Noah's visit seemed to slip by unnoticed. Christmas was quickly approaching, and I found myself settling into a quiet rhythm in the small village I’d once called home. The house, although filled with memories of the past, felt more like a temporary shelter than a place I could settle into for good. My mind kept wandering, drifting between the present and the past. It was hard not to think of Lyle when I was here, in the place where we’d started our life together. But now, it was just me and Zoe.

The days were cold, and the snow fell lightly on the ground, covering everything in a soft white blanket. I spent most of my mornings walking into town with Zoe, just the two of us. We’d stop by the local coffee shop, the same one I used to visit with my friends in high school. The barista—now a woman in her late thirties—greeted us like it was only yesterday that I’d last stepped foot inside.

“Adeline,” she said with a smile, her eyes bright with recognition. “It’s been ages. How’s Zoe doing?”

“She’s growing too fast,” I replied, my voice carrying the familiar ache of motherhood. “But she’s doing great. How are you?”

We exchanged pleasantries for a few more minutes, but I could feel my mind wandering. It was hard to be back in a place that felt so full of memories, so full of what once was, when everything had changed so drastically.

It wasn’t just Lyle’s memory that clung to me in these quiet moments. It was the way I had left this town all those years ago, running toward something—anything—other than staying in the place that had felt so small, so confining. I had always wanted something more.

And yet, here I was, back again.

Zoe, oblivious to my internal musings, was happy and excited. She ran from store to store, pointing out the holiday decorations, telling me about the things she wanted for Christmas. I smiled and indulged her, but every time she would ask me if I was going to get a Christmas tree for the house, I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of sadness.

I hadn’t even thought about it yet. I wasn’t sure I was ready to celebrate a holiday that once held so much meaning with Lyle and me. But Zoe deserved to have a good Christmas. She deserved to have some semblance of normalcy, even if it was hard for me to find it again.

The evenings passed in a similar fashion. I would cook dinner for us both, our small routine filling the house with warmth and comfort. But I couldn’t deny that there was something missing. A piece of me that hadn’t been put back together yet, something that I hadn’t even known was broken until now.

It was strange how I could feel the absence of Noah, even when I hadn’t seen him in days.

He hadn’t come by since that night in the kitchen, and I found myself wondering if I would see him again.

I didn’t know what to expect, what would happen next. Was this just a temporary return to the past? Or was it something more?

As the days grew shorter and the holiday lights grew brighter, Noah’s presence lingered in the back of my mind. I’d catch myself looking toward the front door when I heard a car pull into the driveway, hoping it was him. But it never was.

Until the morning of Christmas Eve.

---

The day was overcast, the kind of gray, cold sky that hinted at snow. Zoe and I were finishing up our preparations for the Christmas Eve dinner when I heard a knock on the door. I was halfway through setting the table when I paused, my heart skipping a beat.

The door was closed and the warmth of the kitchen surrounded me. Zoe was upstairs, playing with the toys she had gotten for Christmas. I took a deep breath before crossing the room, but as I reached for the handle, I was already hoping, praying, that it wasn’t another unwanted interruption.

I opened the door.

And there he stood.

Noah.

“Hi,” he said, his smile soft and genuine, the same way it had been when I’d seen him days ago. “I thought I’d stop by. I brought Zoe something.”

I blinked, surprised. He was standing there, dressed in a thick coat, his hands tucked into his pockets. He looked... different than I remembered. More mature. But there was something still familiar about him. The way he stood. The way his shoulders squared, as if trying to make himself seem less vulnerable than he truly was.

“I didn’t think you’d—” I started, unsure of what to say.

He stepped forward slightly, holding out a small gift bag. “I thought Zoe would like it. It’s nothing special, just some treats. But I know she loves that kind of thing.”

I felt my heart flutter. How had he remembered that?

“Oh, she’ll love it,” I replied softly, reaching for the bag. “Thank you.”

Noah glanced past me into the house, his eyes scanning the familiar interior, the place I had once shared with Lyle. I could feel the weight of his gaze, and for a moment, I wondered if he was thinking the same thing I was. That everything had changed. That this wasn’t how it was supposed to be.

But he didn’t mention it. Instead, he looked down at the bag in my hands.

“I just wanted to drop this off. I didn’t know if you’d be busy tonight, but if you’re not, I was wondering if you wanted to go out for a walk or something,” he said, his voice hesitant but hopeful.

I was taken aback for a moment, the simplicity of his request catching me off guard. A walk. A quiet moment outside with Noah. It was almost too easy. Too normal. Too safe.

It was a dangerous thought, one I wasn’t sure I was ready for.

I glanced over my shoulder, briefly considering whether I should say yes. Zoe was upstairs. The house was quiet. I had nowhere else to be.

“Sure,” I said, before I even had a chance to think it through. “That sounds nice.”

---

Noah led the way outside, and as we stepped into the cold air, I felt a shiver run down my spine. The snow had started to fall lightly, dusting the ground with its gentle touch. The walk was slow, peaceful, and in the quiet of the night, I could almost forget everything else.

Noah and I didn’t talk much at first. We walked side by side, our footsteps crunching in the snow. There was something oddly intimate about the silence between us.

Finally, after several minutes, he broke the quiet. “I’ve missed this place,” he said softly. “I used to come here all the time, when we were younger. Just to clear my head. I didn’t think I’d be back, but it feels good, in a way.”

I nodded, the familiar path beneath our feet feeling almost like a forgotten memory.

“I didn’t think I’d be back either,” I said quietly, turning to look at him. “But it’s been... nice. Strange, but nice.”

For a moment, Noah looked at me, his gaze soft, but there was something more in his eyes. Something deeper. Something I couldn’t name.

“I’m glad you’re here,” he said, his voice just above a whisper.

I swallowed hard, my heart pounding in my chest. The distance between us had closed in a way that made everything feel too real. Too sudden.

Before I could reply, Noah stopped walking, his gaze focused on me. “I don’t want to make you uncomfortable, Adeline,” he said, his voice low, sincere. “But I’ve been thinking about you a lot. About everything, really.”

I felt a rush of emotion hit me, and for a moment, I couldn’t breathe.

I had always known this moment would come.

The question was, would I be ready for it?