Day 24 / 02:43
Sometimes, when he’s had a good day and everything’s balanced and boxed as it should be, Noah’s dreams escape the counting and measuring. Instead, he might dream about Spit and Spot and racing with them, round and round the lawn, his mother watching, Maddie laughing at the top of her voice. Even his father looks up from his pruning and watches as they tear up and down. Noah ends with a mighty leap into the pool. Spit the fearless sails in after him, while Spot stands and barks at the edge.
So some nights it’s Spit and Spot, and other nights, like this one, it’s about sitting down to eat an ordinary meal with his family, not worrying about what’s on the menu and what’s landed up on his plate and whether anything’s touching and what order he should eat in and how many mouthfuls (approx.) it should take to eat the meal and how many it actually takes. Conversation’s flowing freely and he’s joining in and the jokes he cracks are quick and funny and his father’s grinning and saying, ‘Good one, Noah.’ He’s asking Noah about his studies and will he have enough time for sports, because he’s such a good sportsman and so lucky to have such natural talent.
His mother wants to know if he wants another helping but he’s wiping his mouth hurriedly and saying, ‘No thanks, Mom. That was great.’
His sister starts giggling. ‘Don’t you see, Mom? Noah’s got to hurry. Noah’s got a date!’
He flicks her cheek gently, and smiles at his parents and rushes to shower and change because yes, he does have a date and it’s with a special girl.
His mother yells at him not to waste the hot water, and then he’s standing in front of the mirror, combing his hair and his clothes look just right. He’s cool and easy-going and he likes to joke, but he’d never be mean about girls, especially this one. She’s special. Then he’s at the front door, lifting Mom’s keys from the rack at the door, calling, ‘You sure I can take the car?’
‘Of course. Drive carefully, Noah.’
He’s driving into the dark. There’s no moon, but that’s not a problem. The headlights cut the darkness and he travels the quiet road, happy to be out there on his own. Happy to know she’s waiting for him.
It doesn’t matter that he never gets to her, never stands waiting for her door to open and show who’s behind it.
It’s enough that he’s on his way and the road is wide and the night is quiet. He knows where he’s going and his heart is happy.
But awake, Noah knows that, however much he’d like it, there’ll never be a girl like that waiting, a special girl, a girl just for him, Noah Groome. Awake, the wide road disappears and takes his happiness with it.