Fallen Angel

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Change any of your past and no telling where you'd be
right now. Let the bad go, Noah, let it go." He mentally
thanked the unseen cleaning crew who'd left a fresh box
of tissues on the end table while handing Noah a few
sheets.
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Gradually the body-wracks gentled to shudders
before stopping altogether. Hoping Noah was now of a
mind to listen, Doc said, "I don't believe any of your
problems were truly about Billy. He makes a handy
scapegoat. This is about you learning that the world
spins fine without you, but you still have a role to play."
Noah started to protest, Doc cut him off. "You worry
something will happen to Jeremy or, heaven forbid, one
day he won't need you anymore and move on. You can't
live in fear, or you'll miss out on living altogether."
"That's what Jeremy says," Noah replied, voice a
harsh rasp.
"And he's right. What if one day you grow apart and
you leave him? Huh? Don't you think he has the same
fears? You've never had anyone to truly call your own.
Most children learn about love and the give and take of
working relationships from their families. You're
learning those lessons now. Will you make mistakes?
Yes. Will you learn from them? Yes. It's life, Noah. Will
you make mistakes out on the streets? Yes, but that's
life, too. Stop worrying yourself to death, accept that
you aren't alone, and stop trying to carry the burden all
by yourself.
"I'm asking a lot of you, but only because I know,
deep down inside, there's no better man for the job."
Noah croaked, "Can I think about things a bit? About
taking over, I mean."
"You needn't give an answer now. Take a few days,
but I need to know soon in order to set things in motion
while I'm still considered of sound mind." Doc only half
joked. "Today's merely the beginning. But if you make
up your mind to look forward and not back, that's a step
in the right direction."
"Question."
"Yes?"
"Have you already discussed this with Jeremy?"
"About taking over? Yes. About my condition? I
didn't have to. Astute young man you've got there."
Noah nodded, head bobbing. "Say I agree, what
happens?"
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"Right now things stay pretty much the same.
Gradually I'll involve the two of you more and more
with the business end of things. I trust you to hold true
to the original concept, not let wheelers and dealers
come in and corrupt it."
Again Noah nodded.
"Now, I need to ask you something else." Doc well
imagined Noah's terror at those ominous words now. "I
no longer trust myself behind the wheel of my car. The
center provides transportation to my doctor, outings,
etcetera, but I'd like you to keep my Caddy, in case I
need you to take me somewhere."
"Sure, not a problem."
Doc took a deep breath, fearing what kind of reaction
he'd get. "It's high time Jeremy got his license, don't you
agree?"
Noah released Doc, eyes wide. "Something you're not
telling me?"
"Well, I don't know if he's discussed the matter with
you or not, but Jeremy declined his scholarship." Doc
held up a hand to stave off protests. "He's been offered
another locally, where he'll take classes that prepare him
for the role I've got in mind."
The last thing Doc expected was Noah's laughter.
"You figured everything out before I even got here
didn't you?"
"I've always thought it best to plan ahead," he
answered, noncommittally.
Noah clasped Doc's cool hand in his warm one. "I
love you, old man."
"I love you too, son."
Noah relaxed back onto the couch, clutching Doc's
fingers and seeming more like his old self again. With
any luck, acceptance of fate would arrive for them both
shortly.
***
Washed up, wrung out, hung to dry. Noah felt
kinship to the lone, worn out socks Jeremy constantly
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discarded from the Tub of Suds. Damn, just damn.
Never in a million years would he have imagined the
day turning out like this. His hero, brought low.
He parked the Caddy at the bar, deciding to take a
walk to work things out. "Noah?"
"What are you doing here on your day off?" Noah
asked, surprised to find Lark on the steps of the
apartment over the Tub.
"I need to talk to you." He wouldn't meet Noah's
gaze, and his fingers toyed with the frayed edges of a
pair of cut-off blue jean shorts.
Noah cocked a brow, but bit off saying "no" to a man
who'd saved his life, though he still had a hard time
believing someone who sang to a broom handle capable
of performing rescue breathing.
"Er& mind if we take a walk?" Lark asked.
Noah eyed him up and down, marveling at the
changes a few short months had made. The once vivid
lesions had paled, scars lingering here and there as
reminders of Lark's side trip to hell. His hair appeared
thicker, traces of curls showing in a dark gold mass now
instead of a few flyaway strands. A pale complexion and
nervous demeanor remained. In time, maybe they'd
improve, too. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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