Noah Finally Tells Us the Truth
We watched the recording all the way to the moment we walked through the door.
Then we went upstairs.
Noah was sitting fully dressed on the edge of his bed, his hands clasped between his knees.
He looked as though he were waiting for a judge to announce his sentence.
The instant he saw us, he stood.
“Chloe didn’t do anything wrong.”
“I know.”
His expression changed.
“What?”
“We watched the camera.”
He slowly sat back down.
“Oh.”
Silence.
Then:
“I’m sorry.”
Mark leaned against the doorframe.
“You threw a party.”
“It wasn’t supposed to be a party.”
“There were forty people.”
“Thirty-four.”
Mark closed his eyes.
“Much better.”
Noah looked at me.
“I know I broke the rules.”
“You did.”
“I know Chloe shouldn’t have allowed it.”
“Yes.”
“I promised her I’d clean everything.”
“We saw.”
Then his voice grew quieter.
“Eli leaves Monday.”
“I know.”
“His mom is still sick. They’re going to stay with his aunt overseas. He’s probably not coming back.”
His eyes filled.
“He’s been here since we were eight.”
I sat down beside him.
Noah quickly wiped his face.
“Nobody at school was planning anything. Everyone kept saying they wanted to see him before he left, but nobody actually organized something.”
“So you did.”
He nodded.
“Are you mad?”
“Yes.”
His eyes lowered.
“But I’m trying very hard not to be only mad.”
He looked back at me.
“What time does Eli fly?”
Noah blinked.
“Eleven-forty Monday morning.”
I glanced at Mark.
He sighed.
“We can drive them.”
Noah stared at us.
“You don’t have to.”
“We know.”
I added:
“You are still cleaning every inch of that backyard.”
He immediately nodded.
“Absolutely.”
“And we’re going to have a very long conversation about inviting thirty-four teenagers into our home without permission.”
“That’s fair.”
Then he hesitated.
“Please don’t blame Chloe.”
“I don’t.”
I went downstairs.
But I wasn’t finished with Chloe.
I walked next door.
She opened the door wearing sweatpants.
Her eyes were red.
“We watched the camera.”
Her face fell.
“I’m sorry.”
“Why did you lie?”
She looked at me.
“I knew you’d eventually figure out I was lying.”
“Then why do it?”
She swallowed.
“I thought if you were angry at me first, Noah would have time to explain everything himself.”
I stared at her.
“That was a terrible plan.”
“It really was.”
