My mother quickly stood up as I laughed. “Really, Dad? The first thing that comes to your mind when I say I couldn’t come to you is that I’m pregnant. Well, I’m sorry to disappoint you, but no, I’m not pregnant. I’m a little bit more responsible than that. But hey, thanks for the vote of confidence there, Dad.”
“Grace Hope, don’t use that tone with your father. We have every right to question you after my father just put down over four hundred thousand dollars on a house that belonged to Noah’s parents. Then we find out you’re getting married. What else do you think we’re going to deduce out of that?”
Chewing on my lower lip, I knew my mother was right. “I certainly didn’t think y’all would drive all the way here and treat me like a child,” I said as I glared back over to my father.
Throwing his head back, he laughed before looking back at me. “If you don’t want to be treated like a child, don’t act like one, Grace.”
My heart felt as if someone had stabbed a knife through it. Feeling tears slowly build up, I turned away from my father.
“Noah’s mother is dying of cancer. Her husband walked out on her when she found out the cancer was back. He also decided to sell the house that Noah and his sister, Emily, grew up in. Their mother wanted nothing more than to be in her own home as she . . . as she . . . as she died. I didn’t know any other way. They were getting ready to put her in a hospice facility. I did what I thought was the right thing to do at the time.”
Slowly turning around, I looked at my mother, who quickly wiped a tear away. Looking at the ground I said, “I know you don’t want to hear this, Daddy, but I love Noah and I’ll do whatever I can for him and his mother.” I caught my father’s stare as I glanced up. “I knew you didn’t like him. I also knew if I came to you and asked you for the money, you would tell me it wasn’t my concern. Granddad was my only hope. I told him everything, and I also told him Noah had asked me to marry him.” Shaking my head, I wiped a tear away.
I shrugged my shoulders as I looked away. “I guess I thought if Granddad thought I was marrying Noah, he might be more willing to help. He told me once that he and Gram had set money aside for both Luke and I. When I presented him with the offer, I asked if they would change things up and just use the money they set aside for me to buy the house. They could consider it a wedding gift. Noah hasn’t asked me to marry him, and I keep putting off talking to him about this. He was upset I had asked Granddad, and at first he said he wouldn’t take it. Then his sister came to him crying because their mother was going to get to go home. Noah didn’t have the heart to tell her the truth. He’s already begun selling off some things, like jewelry, that has been in their family for some time. His mother had stocks that he has also begun selling off. He plans on paying Granddad back every penny.”
My mother put her hand over her mouth as she slowly sat. My father looked over at her and then turned away from both of us.
Dropping her hands to her lap, my mother asked, “Noah’s father was selling the house out from under his family? Why couldn’t he let his wife have her dying wish?”
Pressing my lips together, I said, “No one knows. Noah said his dad is a selfish son-of-a-bitch who only cares about himself.”
“Are Noah and his sister both living in the house right now?” my mother asked.
Clearing my throat, I sat across from my mother. “No. Emily recently got married and her husband took a job in Virginia. She moved a few weeks ago and it about killed her. She’s trying to come back down, but they aren’t sure how long their mother will . . . um . . . well they don’t know when it will happen. It could be tomorrow, or in two months.”
Turning back to us, my father finally spoke. “Who is taking care of their mother?”
Not bothering to look at him, I said, “Noah. Hospice comes in once a day. One of the hospice nurses has stayed a few nights so Noah can get a good night’s sleep. It’s hard for him, though. He hasn’t been sleeping well and he’s all alone and—”
Looking away, I choked back my tears.
Shaking her head, my mother gasped. “That poor family.”
Sitting next to my mother, my father took in a deep breath and slowly blew it out. “You still shouldn’t have gone to your grandfather, Grace. I don’t want to see you getting lost in this Noah guy. Focus on finishing up your degree, moving back to Mason and getting your business started with Alex.”
I couldn’t believe my ears. Who was this man sitting in front of me?