I giggle at his stupidity.
“Just grab a damn bottle, Noah.” I demand through my laughter.
“I don’t see the brand ‘a damn’,” he says. His face does not move from his deadpan expression for one second.
“For fucks sake, Noah.” I facepalm.
“That is Mr. Evanston to you, Ms. Henderson.”
“I’m going to whoop your ass if you don’t grab a fucking bottle, Mr. EvanSTON.”
"Yes, please," he says. He sticks his tongue out at me and grabs a bottle off of the shelf.
"If the whole trip is going to take this long then I am scared about actually making it back in time," I jest.
"Don't worry about it."
I shake my head and follow him as he walks down more aisles until getting noodles and placing them in the cart.
Then, unannounced, he walks to the cash register. I walk behind him and attempt to place the items on the belt for him. He rejects my help with a stupid grin on his face and begins to place them down as slowly as possible. He knows I don't want to take up a ton of time so he intends to do just that.
The cashier begins to ring up our items. As she does this, Noah looks at me. He is eyeing to the payment counter with the register fresh and ready for my money. He is going to try to pay. I will not let this happen. It is my father coming over therefore it is my responsibility.
“RACE YOU TO THE COUNTER!” He yells. The entire store hears his battle cry and looks in awe as two grown adults sprint forward. The small check out aisle does not fit both of us. He takes the lead by getting in the middle. I attempt to pass him but I hit the gum display on the side of the aisle. Gum spills all over the floor. At least 100 packs of gum and 50 candy bars plummet to the floor. I made the entire candy rack fall. I stop once I hear the crash. My adrenaline comes down quickly and I look around the store, mortified.
Every person's eyes are on me and the giant mess in front of my feet. If Noah hadn't banshee screamed before I wouldn't have this amount of attention me. Noah is already at the register paying. I lost that battle but now I have lost as the incognito battle as well. The cashier looks at me disappointed, I bend down and try to pick up some of the gum but the entire rack has fallen. There is no place for me to put the loose packs. As I am focusing, suddenly, my hand is grabbed and I am pulled to my feet. Noah has the recipe and bags. He pulls me away from the mess and starts to speed walking out. I feel bad for leaving that big of a mess but Noah refuses to slow down so I fall him out of the grocery store doors as quickly as possible.
When we walk onto the curb, Noah bursts into laughter. His once glued on seriousness fades away and I am left with a giddish mess. I can't but laugh along to his infectious laughter. He puts his arm over me as we walk, laughing.
"Goddamnit Noah." I laugh.
"You were the one who knocked over the ENTIRE gum shelf." When he says this, his laugh grows louder and more intense. He has reminded himself why he was laughing.
"Let's get a cab this time," I mock him.
"Yes, lets."
CHAPTER FOURTEEN: THE HARBOR
"Get that pan!" Noah insist.
"This one?" I am digging through his disorganized drawers, attempting to find his desired pan. "Can't you just make it with one?"
I hold up a sturdy pot. The shiny metal glows back a reflection of my face.
"No." He is adamant. He has the zucchini placed on a cutting board and he is slaving over it. The slices he makes are so precise. He is stressing too much over this.
"It's just my father, Noah," I remind him, "he will like you no matter what."
He stops cutting the zucchini and looks at me.
"This is super important to me," he says as he looks into my eyes, "I am about to tell him that I got his daughter pregnant."
He doesn't know that he might not be the father. Just thinking about that makes my brain so much more fogged. I push the thought away and focus on Noah. I can understand his worries but I can't relate. I will never be in the same position as him. I wish I could understand but I know even if I tried, it wouldn't come close to an actual understanding.
"Ok," I say, "do what you need to do to bring your anxiety down."
"Thank you," he says, "now, I need that pan."
He once again points at the drawer. I grab yet another pan and I am immediately shot down. I reach for another one when Noah turns around.
"Oops," he says under his breath.
I am worried. Fear is written all over his face. My mind automatically skips to the worst case scenario. Is my father already here? Is something on fire? My brain races. I turn around quickly and mentally prepare myself.
"I left the pan on the stove," he says.
Lo and behold, a stainless steel pot sits on the stove. It looks identical to the three others I attempted to give him earlier. He takes it off of the stove and walks over to the sink.
"I'm sorry." He says this like I will be upset. If anything I find it comical.
I laugh and shake my head. He really needs to get his nerves under control.
He turns on the water and fills the pan half full. He places it back on the stove then immediately occupies himself with the zucchini yet again. I walk over to him and wrap my arms around his waist. I press my face to his back and hold him tightly. His grey t-shirt feels soft against my skin. Although, I can't see his face, I can feel his smile radiate onto the table in front of him. He carefully cuts a chunk of zucchini off and blindly attempts to put it in my mouth even though I am still standing behind him.
I bite into it and let the sweet water fill my mouth. The frail inside breaks with even the slightest pressure from my teeth. I chew it quickly.
"Thank you." I smile into his back. He turns around and puts his arms around my waist. He hugs me tightly and temporarily I am pulled off of my feet.
"No problem," he says, "now go put the noodles in the water"
He slaps my butt as I walk away. Immediately after the smack hits me, I slap his butt in return. He laughs and continues to cut the zucchini.
The water is boiling. Large bubbles are being forced up by the heat and popping on the surface. I open the package of noodles next to the stove and put the noodles into the disturbed water. They calm down the angry water and bring it to a soft current.
I turn back to Noah who has now put the sauce into a pot and is carefully stirring the zucchini bites into it.
"Now we wait," he says.
"Now we wait."
I hold Noah's watch in my hands. I am growing impatient. The clock reads 7pm. I have been watching each second tick away until my father knocks on the door. I begin to wonder if he will come at all. Noah waits in the kitchen with the completed pasta sitting in the oven.
"Is he coming?" Noah asks. I can tell he is growing as impatient as me.
"I don't know," I say, "I'm sorry."
I don't even know how defend my father actions. He has never actually cared so I don't know why I expected him to actually give an asserted effort now.
A part of me is happy that he didn't show up. Now Noah might understand my family's impact on my life. They know literally nothing about me and I know that now of them truly care to find out.
They cared when you were with Kane.
Maybe they would if you went back.
Deep breaths. Ignore them. I was in sophomore year of high school when I started to date Kane. My mother and Grandparents were still alive. People cared about me because they cared about me. Now, they are gone and I have to fend for myself.
Noah sits down at the table we pulled out. We got everything ready for the most undeserving of our affection. Just as he lays his head on the table in defeat, a knock is heard through the apartment.
I walk to the door slowly. Deep breaths. I have to let this happen. Noah needs to understand how little my family cares.