Chapter 7 - The Life They Chose
Eight months later, Nora still lived in Boston.
But she didn’t live behind gates.
She rented a townhouse near a park.
No secret exits.
No false names.
No packed emergency suitcase by the door.
Noah started kindergarten.
Roman attended his first school event wearing jeans and a navy sweater instead of a suit.
He looked uncomfortable.
Nora noticed immediately.
“Are you nervous?”
“No.”
“You’re lying.”
“I negotiated with international criminals.”
“And now?”
Roman looked toward a group of kindergarten parents.
“This is worse.”
Nora laughed.
Noah ran toward them holding a paper airplane.
“Dad!”
Roman froze every time Noah called him that.
Even after eight months.
Nora saw it.
Noah shoved the airplane into his hand.
“I made Captain Red Two.”
Roman examined it.
“Excellent engineering.”
“It flies farther.”
“Prove it.”
Noah threw it.
The plane immediately hit a tree.
Roman nodded.
“Promising prototype.”
Noah laughed.
Nora shook her head.
Later, they sat on a bench watching Noah play.
Roman looked at her.
“My sentencing hearing is next month.”
“I know.”
“Lawyers think I’ll get probation and restrictions because of the cooperation.”
“You deserve consequences.”
“I know.”
“But you also did the right thing.”
Roman nodded.
“I’m trying.”
Nora looked at him.
He was different.
Not magically.
Not completely.
But genuinely.
He asked instead of ordered.
He listened instead of threatened.
He had sold nearly every business connected to the old DeLuca network and kept only legitimate companies.
Most importantly, he had never once tried to take Noah from her.
“You’ve been patient,” Nora said.
Roman smiled.
“Painfully.”
“I noticed.”
“I assume this compliment is leading somewhere.”
“It isn’t.”
“Unfortunate.”
She smiled.
Noah called from the playground.
“Mom! Dad! Look!”
They both turned.
Noah stood at the top of the slide holding Captain Red Two.
“Don’t throw it from there!” Nora shouted.
Roman stood.
“I’ll get him.”
Nora watched him jog toward the playground.
A year earlier, she would have panicked seeing Roman take Noah’s hand.
Now she simply watched.
Roman caught Noah at the bottom of the slide.
Noah laughed and climbed onto his back.
Roman carried him toward her.
“You look ridiculous,” Nora said.
Roman raised an eyebrow.
Noah raised the same eyebrow over his shoulder.
Nora laughed.
Roman stopped in front of her.
Noah whispered loudly, “Ask her.”
Roman stiffened.
Nora frowned.
“Ask me what?”
“Noah.”
“Ask her!”
Roman sighed.
Then looked at Nora.
“Dinner.”
She blinked.
“What?”
“Dinner. With me.”
“We have dinner together all the time.”
“No.”
Roman shook his head.
“A date.”
Noah covered his mouth dramatically.
Roman looked embarrassed.
Nora enjoyed that far too much.
“You’re asking me on a date?”
“Yes.”
“After all this time?”
“I was advised to move slowly.”
“By who?”
Roman pointed at Noah.
“He’s relentless.”
Noah nodded.
“You have to make better choices.”
Nora laughed.
Roman held out his hand.
Not demanding.
Offering.
Nora looked at it.
Three years ago, she had run because she believed Roman DeLuca could never become anything except the man his father raised.
She had been wrong.
Not because he stopped being dangerous.
Not because the past disappeared.
But because he finally chose what kind of man he wanted his son to see.
Nora placed her hand in his.
“One dinner.”
Roman smiled.
“One dinner.”
“No promises.”
“I know.”
Noah cheered.
“Family dinner!”
Nora looked at Roman.
Roman looked at her.
Neither corrected him.
Captain Red Two fell from Noah’s hand and landed in the grass.
Roman picked it up.
Noah pointed toward the sky.
“Make him fly.”
Roman handed the plane to Nora.
“You do it.”
She looked at him.
“Why me?”
Roman smiled.
“You’re the one who taught us both how to leave.”
Nora looked at the little red plane.
Then at Noah.
Then at Roman.
She threw it.
Captain Red Two sailed across the park.
Noah ran after it laughing.
Roman started after him.
Then stopped.
He looked back at Nora.
“You coming?”
This time, Nora didn’t run away.
May you like
She ran with them.
THE END
