This is to why Sydney didn't tell Noah about all their past in one go. Just imaging Noah knowing all the things about Sydney's past and Maria's slanders about Sydney's temper. He would have thought that she had problems and in no case should be allowed around his kids. He would have pitied her but not grant access to his kids. So, for Sydney, the best shot is to let him remember or recall things on his own or win his trust to the extent that nothing can shake it,
*******************
Sydney patiently waited for Noah's return. It had been two weeks since the incident with Maria. Kids were gone to bed and asked for Noah. It was the first time when Noah wasn't there with her to wish them goodnight. But Sydney told them it can happen sometimes.
She was happy that Noah agreed to look for the treatments and knowing it will help in dealing with his fears or mend the bond with his family got them more serious about the whole procedure that consisted of hypnosis, acupuncture, and sound healing. So, today was important. It was his first session. Though Sydney offered him company he wanted to get into this alone on the first day.
Sydney walked to the door listening to his car pulling in the driveway. Her shoulders felt light when she saw him coming with the roses and cake. It wasn't the first day when Noah arrived with flowers but if he got flowers today too it means the therapy wasn't too burdensome.
Noah leaned in to give a peck on her lips. "Thank you," Sydney said pulling away and receiving the gifts.
"You can ask me if you want to," Noah smiled and this really got Sydney excited, was there something he recalled? She thought.
"Tell me all about it," Sydney smiled as they both walked to the dining area.
"You won't believe what I saw," Noah cleared his throat,
"What did you see?" Sydney could feel her heart quickened,
"As for one, the procedure really got me relaxed after such a hectic day." Noah came to sit on the dining table while Sydney got her arms around his neck, "Second...the only thing I saw was two of us...on our bed."
"You are kidding," Noah could hear her disappointment.
"If you ask me, I am happy...and think about it. You wanted me to recall how we made our kids, right?"
"When did I say that?" Sydney's brows shot up.
"Remember you yelling at me how I don't even remember wanting them. Well, now I saw making them," Noah smiled as if he had won some battlefield. While only Sydney knew how difficult it could be for him to cope with his past.
"Noah! I,...I am sure you didn't see that moment. It must be some other time of us." Sydney said but her cheeks were getting hot.
"Why are you sure?" Noah asked,
"Let it go. Tell me how it was like,...anything else that you recalled prior or about our action," Sydney too didn't know what she was talking about but the last thing she wanted was to recall how they made their kids.
"No,...they say it can be events coming to me. It is normal if I can't connect those events to other series of incidents...they say it was huge progress." Noah added the last part doubting if she was happy about it. So, he looked at his back to say,
"You can tell me if there is something you really want me to know." Noah held Sydney's hand and took her hand to his mouth before adding, "You know I will believe you, right?"
"I am sorry. I carried away. You really did a great job today. Let's celebrate cutting the cake you brought." Sydney smiled and Noah recalled his therapist's advice to look at the pictures and talk to his wife about his old life more. But he felt tired and all he wanted to do was cut this cake, kiss his kids good night and have this amazing woman in his arms.
It was after two days when Sydney received a call from Maria again. Sydney let her cellphone vibrated until her screen went black. Sydney had received her call once to know it was her. She didn't block her number knowing it was good she can't reach her kids at least. And, Maria wasn't alone. From the day she had blocked Carol's and Noah's granny's number, Miss Miller was calling her every day. Miss Miller got to know from Noah that it will be Sydney's decision but Sydney wanted some time before confronting Noah's granny. Otherwise, she knew she will lose all of her brain cells talking to that old hag.
Noah had his second session tomorrow. And, though Sydney knew she shouldn't she was letting her hopes high. "Hey, what are you doing?" Noah came to hug her back and she let her body relax in his hold.
His freshly showered body smelled divine. "I was thinking how lucky are you to have me?" Sydney turned around to pass him a smile.
Their heated gaze meets before they shared a kiss. "Was Nick happy with his room?" Noah asked pulling away and Sydney nodded in yes.
Noah took her to bed before coming to kiss her and knead her waist with his impatient hands. They looked into each other again before Sydney mentioned, "They are so excited about their school. I really want them to be as smart as you,"
"They are very smart. Don't worry." Noah whispered and came to kiss her mouth again.
Sydney inhaled sharply when Noah came to shower kisses on her neck before saying, "You should talk to them about their screen time."
"Oh, I think it is natural for them to play. They will be busy once school starts." Noah replied in between his kisses.
"Have you noticed Nick being different?..." Sydney moaned with his bite on her neck.
"For him, it is better to have Miller's traits. He should know he is better than others," Noah answered pulling her over him as he lay on his back.
"Do you think I approve the ways Gideon and Amber had been spoiled with luxuries? They sound like clowns when they think they are superior to anyone else," This made Noah came to a halt and look at Sydney in her eyes.
"This is the way of life they are meant to have. They are kids and will eventually get used to it and...stop showing off. Believe me, I did too,"
"So, I have your words?" Sydney asked,
"You can have everything right now." Sydney laughed before coming to kiss him hard.
The next day she waited for him even more impatient. "Did you see something today?" Sydney asked while Noah looked tired.
"Nothing more than me and you in our room," Noah let out a sarcastic laugh.
"What your therapist said?" Sydney asked taking his suit jacket off.
"Nothing, they say I am doing great." Noah got to his room as he didn't feel like eating.
"Sydney? Can you tell me when we first met?" Noah asked when Sydney was about to sleep with her face on his chest. Her hand roaming over his chest came to a halt before she asked,
"What...does it has to do with your therapy?" She felt Noah's body getting tense when she added,
"No,...I mean,...what do you want to know?"
"Anything about our first meeting or what we talk about?" Noah whispered looking at the ceiling.
"It wasn't special." Noah noticed her body getting tense and held her closer.
"Tell me about the day when we first met?" Noah asked again,
Silence prevailed before Sydney started, "I...I was sitting in a window and you were visiting my town...you,...honk the horn and I hit my head in the window sill. It was the first time when we two saw each other."
"Wow,...it sounds like a cute love story," Noah said and Sydney gulped.
"No, tell me,...tell me when we first talk," Noah asked all of a sudden.
"Umm... I came to serve you breakfast. It was the first time we interacted," Sydney said the words lost in the void.
"What did we talk about?" She heard Noah say,
"I remember you asking something but I left without talking to you," This made Noah let a laugh out before commenting,
"Was I too obvious about courting you?"
"What?" Sydney asked,
"You told me that I was smitten by your beauty. Remember?" Noah mentioned and Sydney felt bad for telling him a lie.
"No,...you knew I was kidding, right?" She admitted,
"No, I actually thought you were right," Noah answered and wondered about their past even more.
"Tell me when we really talk? What it was about?" Noah asked and Sydney inhaled sharply before revealing,
"Well, we never had any first talk worth sharing. The first time we spoke to each other without any inconveniences was when we took our promises at our wedding,..."
"What?" Noah groaned getting up a little and looked at her face.
"You are not serious," For a second, Sydney was puzzled what to say but then she managed,
"It was a beautiful wedding though."
"How?" Noah was surprised,
"Sometimes we know what is good for us in seconds and the same thing happened to you, Noah. Maybe you knew I was the one..."
"So, I proposed you and you said yes..." Noah cuts her off,
"Nothing of this sort happened, Noah," Sydney replied with calm,
"Then what?" Noah's eyes got narrowed,
"You,...you were a different man when I met you. And, now you are a whole new you." Sydney said in her defense.
"And, you love the old me?... This is the reason that you want me to recall everything...Why don't you tell me all about it yourself?" Noah asked with quite a serious tone.
Sydney held his hand before starting, "No, Noah. I love you. For me, there is no new you and old you. For me, you are the only person in this world I can trust and love...But for you, I am your wife, not a lover. And, you need to recall what we had. To know better so you can protect our kids if I am not around,..."
"I know it is necessary. But I wish I could avoid this." He said and Sydney took his hand to her mouth to kiss.
"Everything is fine. We two are lying here and our kids are beautiful..." She stopped to let out a small laugh before adding, "What else do we want...you take all your time. I am in no hurry." Sydney smiled and Noah leaned in to kiss the corner of her mouth before uttering.
"Thank you,"
"Nick! Get off this phone," Sydney called for Nick for the zillionth time and spared Noah a look for help.
"It's just a phone,..." Noah said but trailed off before looking at his kids.
"No phone on the dining table or I will forget it is a weekend and there will be no long drives" Noah warned and Gideon groaned.
"Dad, we are talking in our school group," Gideon shouted and looked disappointed. This made Sydney looked at Noah with her mouth drop.
"Yea, we were trying to know other kids at our school," Nick replied looking at his mother.
"Mom, give me their cupcakes too," Amber chirped aloud and Noah added,
"You three are yet to have your first day at school. Let things roll out naturally," Noah said but saw no approval.
"Do we have anything else to do?" Gideon asked with a pout but one look at his parent's gawking eyes at him made him leave his phone on the table before elbowing Nick to notice their parents and do the same.
"We can play princess guards?" Amber who never noticed her parent's eyes replied to Gideon's questions.
"What is it?" Sydney asked while Gideon and Nick finally started to have breakfast with sour faces.
"It is a stupid game," Gideon replied,
"One of us will be a princess and one will be a thief while the rest of the people will be guards." Amber talked with excitement.
"Do you want to play it?" Gideon asked Nick who showed a lack of interest. "No,"
This made Amber pout but she heard her mom say, "How many people you want for this game?" Sydney asked Amber who said, "I want everyone to play this game."
"Tell me the rules," Noah came,
"Are you playing too? Nick asked his dad who nodded and hears Amber say,
"The thief is supposed to steal kisses or fruits or candies from princess while guards need to touch him with their swords. If thief got to accomplish seven times in a row he won. Or the guards won. Next, time anyone else gets the chance to be a thief."
"And, what if the thief keeps on winning?" Noah asked,
"He can be anything he wants for the next round," Amber replied and was happy looking at his dad's enthusiasm.
"There are too many rules," Sydney commented but saw Noah's eyes shining.
"16!" Noah yelled before running away from Sydney who was sitting on a stump and had a tiara on her head.
She shook her head in disbelief before looking at Noah who was not even giving a little chance to let them win. Gideon joined the game with Nick and Amber after Noah's eighth winning. Sydney knew Noah will come in a few minutes so she started recording them again. The cheers and loud shrieks from kids filled the house.
She saw Noah coming to her again and repeated, "Have some mercy on them,"
"They are little devils,..." Noah kissed her before shouting and running away, "17!"
She smiled looking at Noah going away when her phone rang. This time it was Grace and she picked the phone without any second thought.
"Hello Grace," Sydney smiled looking at Nick who was too sweaty by now.
"Sydney..." Her voice came distant and it removes the little smile off from Sydney.
"What happened?" Sydney asked with a worried face now,
"I,...I never thought you would do this with us," A little worry settled in her body before she asked,
"What happened, Grace? I can't get you."
"How could you take Noah for the therapies? You know he will suffer knowing the truth. I never thought you could be this selfish...Do you really hate seeing Noah happy?" Grace's voice for the last words came really high.
Sydney held the phone tighter as Noah came to kiss her again. Sydney tried her best to plaster a wide smile on her face and held the phone down. But the moment he got away she took the phone to her ear again.
"Grace,...don't talk about the things you don't know. Wedging you and Noah away has never been my intention." Sydney tried to keep her calm considering they were Noah's friends and helped her out too.
"Or you could stop being selfish. He has accepted you Sydney!!! What else do you want?" She heard Grace say and wondered for a moment before saying, "You are right. He has accepted me. And, it should be everything for me. But I can't be content over this..." When Sydney heard nothing from the other side she continued, "I didn't fell for his money or manly features. I fell for his guilt-ridden eyes and lonesome heart, Grace..." Sydney stopped to gulp the lump in her throat that formed with Grace's judgmental thoughts. "...He doesn't look at me as his precious treasure or lover anymore. He looked at me as his perfect decision. And, that pierces my heart every time he holds me." Sydney's voice came hoarse at the end but she smiled looking at her kids and Noah playing and tried hardest not to show her emotions to Gideon coming to her breathless.
The other line was still silent when she kissed Gideon and saw him running away. "And Grace, it is really not about me or Noah anymore. It is about the safety of our kids too. And, I can't compromise over this...I hope you understand," Sydney heard the line cut after a few seconds. She knew she had lost a friend today. But it was not something new for her. She was used to of friends leaving her.
"Mom," Sydney saw Amber coming to sit beside her.
"He won't let us win." Amber was breathless. Sydney leaned to her ear and whispered something.
This time when Noah came to kiss her she kissed him back holding his t-shirt. Amber who was also noticed by her dad hurriedly came out to catch her dad with her sword.
"I am deceived," Noah spared a look to Sydney who tried to look clueless. But the moment she noticed Noah coming at her she ran away fast. Looking at her back she noticed Noah coming at her faster.
"Noah! Stop it. I didn't," Sydney laughed harder. But before she could look at her front she fell into the pool.
Noah laughed at his success in tricking her to the pool. She tried to tell him that she doesn't know how to swim but only managed a muffled, "Help," meanwhile Nick shouted.
"Dad! Mom doesn't know swimming." Hearing to this Noah wasted not a minute to jump into the pool.
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