Chapter 26 - THE CONVERSATION
Noah was sixteen when he finally asked for the whole truth.
We were sitting on the back patio, watching the sunset.
He was taller than me now.
A teenager with his driver's permit and a part-time job.
"Mom," he said, looking down at his soda.
"Yeah, honey?"
"I researched Ethan on the internet today."
I froze.
I always knew this day would come.
I had prepared for it.
But hearing it still made my heart skip a beat.
"Okay," I said calmly.
"What did you find?"
"Everything," Noah said, looking at me.
"The fraud. The shell companies."
"The other women."
He paused, his jaw tightening.
"The fake passports."
I took a deep breath.
"I'm sorry you had to read it like that," I said.
"I wanted to tell you when you were older."
Noah shook his head.
"I'm not mad at you, Mom."
"I'm just..."
He searched for the word.
"Disgusted."
"He was going to take me away from you."
"He was going to change my name."
I reached out and took his hand.
"He tried," I said firmly.
"But he failed."
"Because I would never, ever let anyone take you from me."
Noah squeezed my hand.
"I know."
"I read the court transcripts."
"You destroyed him."
There was a hint of awe in his voice.
I smiled slightly.
"I did what I had to do to protect us."
"Do you miss him?" I asked gently.
Noah thought about it for a moment.
"No."
"I don't really remember him."
"And the person I read about isn't a father."
"He's a criminal."
I exhaled a long breath I felt like I had been holding for years.
My son was safe.
His mind was clear.
He wasn't traumatized or broken by the sins of his father.
"You're a good mom," Noah said out of nowhere.
"The best."
Tears pricked my eyes.
"Thank you, Noah."
"That means the world to me."
We sat on the patio as the stars came out.
May you like
The shadows in the yard weren't scary anymore.
They were just shadows.
