Teaching Noah | √

002

"A LITTLE PART of me wonders if dad will be home for Thanksgiving this year," I said carefully as I looked at Mom.

"No," she answered simply and I nodded.

"Really, though, the man hasn't been home in almost five years. What would make him come home now?" I heard my older brother mutter from the living room.

"River," Mom called sternly.

"I'm sorry," he sighed and soon, I felt his arms wrap around me. "I just figured that the faster you accept that he's probably not coming back, the easier it might be to lower your expectations," he kissed my cheek, "but you have nothing to worry about. You've got me and Mom, plus, Mason and Marley, even though they can be pains in the ass."

I chuckled and looked over to where Mom stood, looking at me and River quietly, and I bit my lip.

Mom had become our only parent since I was 13. Everything used to be so good, but dad worked in the UAE as a construction director. He came home three times a year until he just stopped coming home. It had put a strain on the family. Marley and Mason had to find jobs so they didn't have to rely on Mom to pay their university tuition fees. This caused Marley's grades to drop significantly as she found it hard to balance studying and working. Mason had also turned to experimenting with drugs. Mom had felt pressure from being the only parent and it weighed on her. Her parenting duties were no different than when she had dad's support, except she was completely, completely on her own. She singlehandedly did all she could to call Mason to order, and would stay up all night on call with Marley, trying to calm her down when she would call crying hysterically. River had gotten out of high school when he discovered his love for art at 17, and at 19, Mom ensured that he got into a local art school where he could perfect his skills. And for me, she put up a fight at my school when I was almost suspended for "distracting" a teacher because I was ticking in class and she later made sure I left the school when I found it hard learn with the others.

She was our hero.

I glanced up to see that River was engulfing her in a hug and I grinned at the smile on her face. It was then I felt my small friend jump and crawl into my lap.

"Hey there, Coco," I rubbed her head, cooing softly.

Coco was my dark golden retriever, a puppy at heart. Her mom, Waffles, was long gone after she ate some cheese. Subsequently, she was found vomiting with diarrhea, and she ended up being hospitalized and died a few days later.

Coco leaned into me, her body relaxed as I stroked her head. She was perfect.

"Hey, Coco, catch!" River called, throwing a blueberry at her.

She soon became alert, her mouth open, jaw wide and tongue out as she jumped in my lap and caught the blueberry in her mouth.

"Whoo!" River cheered. "Come on, another one," he threw another blueberry at her, but she missed it soon got off my lap to get it.

"Is it me, or Riley hasn't ticked today?" River asked as he shoved a blueberry into his mouth.

Mom beamed and playfully rolled her eyes, "We were hoping you'd notice."

"What's going on?" River asked, a small smile on his face.

"So, we were at Simon's office yesterday and apparently, my tics are only milder now," I told him.

"Stop," River looked at me. "Are you kidding?"

"No," I shook my head and chuckled.

"That's the best news I've heard all day!" River's eyes sparkled in excitement and he moved to plant kisses all over my face.