Teaching Noah | √

026

MOM DIDN'T HAVE to do any work Wednesday, so we lay cuddled up in the living room and watched the fourth and currently last season of Money Heist.

“But, I still don’t understand why they’re all named after cities of the world. What are their actual names?” She asked in clear confusion and I chuckled at the look on her face, “It’s part of the plan to keep their identity.”

I loved doing this with Mom. I felt like it had been a while since we just lay down to watch movies. I understood that she didn’t really have the time, especially since she worked two jobs— because she tried to provide as much as she could for the family, although my older ones believed she didn’t need to be working so hard on two jobs. They believed it was now their turn to take care of everything, and that was why three of them had their own jobs.

It was nice to have three of them agree that they were a team, and support the family in all the ways they could. Sometimes, I wished I could do something too.

“Is what they’re doing even legal? Why does this man keep speaking? Is he maybe secretly a part of them or something?” I heard Mom ask again, and this time, I sighed.

One problem I had watching movies with Mom was the questions she asked non-stop. “No, mom. I don’t know. Arturo’s just annoying.”

The cliffhanger in which the season ended in almost brought tears to my eyes. “Why did it have to end like that? I can’t believe we have to wait for the next season,” I groaned.

Mom laughed, “I still don’t understand the show. I have so many questions.”

“You might have to watch it from the start, mom.”

I lay in her arms, humming to myself as she played with my fingers, “So… you and Camden?”

I felt pink rise to my cheeks at mom’s question, but I chuckled and turned to her, “What? Don’t do this, Mom.”

“Contrary to whatever you might be thinking, Riley, I don’t just want to know what’s going on with you. I’m actually interested.”

“We like each other, okay?” I playfully rolled my eyes.

“Okay,” she nodded, pressing her lips together. My mouth curved into a small smile as I looked at her, “You look like you have more to say.”

“No, not really— It’s just, I thought— Noah. . .”

I chuckled, “Yeah, Noah is charming and all, but he wouldn’t date. And let’s just say that he happens to feel something for anyone, he would never acknowledge it. That’s just. . . Noah.”

Mom was quiet as she ran her fingers through my hair. “You know, I used to have a crush on him.”

Mom nodded, a smile on her face, “I know.”

“That’s impossible. There’s no way you could have known.”

“Honey, you would go fix your hair and put on a little make up when he came around,” she bopped my nose, “I could see right through those acts.”

“Well, I’m embarrassed now,” I was quiet for a while, “Do you think he knew?”

Mom shook her head, “No, I don’t think so. He would come in every time with a smile on his face. Sometimes they were genuine, sometimes they were forced, and I could just tell that the boy had other things on his mind.”

“Yeah, it’s hard to tell what he’s thinking sometimes.”

“I figured,” she chuckled.

“What do you think about Camden?”

“I think he’s quite respectful and adorable. I can’t get over the fact that he baked the cake we ate the day before yesterday. It was really good.”