Chapter 273 - Invite Thy Neighbors

[This chapter is dedicated to MysticAmy. Thank you for the golden ticket and for always pushing me to write.]

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As Noah recalled what happened the night they first met, Jess chewed the soft skin inside her cheek. She wanted to cry but she got a hold of herself. She simply confirmed that Noah did not remember everything that happened. 

With all the crazy things that have happened just because she got associated with Noah, she has a feeling that there's a valid reason why Noah had forgotten the most important thing that happened between them that night. 

And even if she asked him right now, he won't have an answer for her. Hence, she bit the inside of her cheeks and kept her tears at bay. She made a mental note to have things investigated once she's back in the states. She would just let things go for now. 

"We had come a long way, baby," he caressed his cheek. 

Jess flinched when she felt Noah's knuckles on her skin. She gave him a tight smile. "Yes." 

Noah furrowed his brows and asked, "Are you still feeling sick? I think you should go back to your room and take a rest." He lifted his arm and glanced at his watch. The time on his vintage Rolex shows it's now quarter to eleven. They have been in the library for more than two hours. 

Jess agreed to return to her room but not because she was sick. At least, not physically. 

Noah stood up and extended his hand for her. She quietly took the hand he was offering and got up from her chair. 

They walked back to her room in silence.  Noah insisted on getting inside her room, to make sure that she would really take a rest and not do some reading. 

He also made sure that she lay down on her bed. 

"Noah, stop being so --" She sighed as she couldn't find a word to express her thought. She was emotionally drained. 

"Let me do this much, Jess. Please." He ruffled her hair and kissed the crown of her head. "Uhm, are you fine staying here?" 

"Yes, I am," she said, rolling her eyes. 

"I mean, here in Mumbai. I'll be back to the states tomorrow since Lucille is now at home…" 

"I'm here to do my internship. And that's what I am going to do. I already agreed to additional security. There's nothing for you and Ellise to worry about." 

Noah opened his mouth then closed it again. Whatever he was going to say, he chose not to say it. And Jess didn't probe. She's tired. 

She slid lower under her blanket. Since it was almost noon. She asked Noah to draw the curtain and turned on the air conditioner. 

The reason why she likes hanging out in the cafe is that the humidity and the heat during the day sometimes can be so unforgiving. Even though she grew up in a tropical country, there is something about the temperature here that can be challenging. 

When Noah started humming a familiar song, she closed her eyes. He wasn't even half in the song when his phone rang and the ringtone was the same song he was humming. Jess's eyes flew open. 

"Hello, Schatz." 

Hearing the endearment Noah used when he answered the phone call, she knew the caller was Lucille. 

She closed her eyes once again. Noah didn't get up on the chair next to her bed. She wanted to give them privacy but it seemed like Noah didn't care. Hence, she just closed her eyes. But she could still hear the usual bubbly babbling of Lucille on the other side of the line. She couldn't help but smile inwardly. 

"Jess," Noah called her softly. 

She slowly opened her eyes and gave him a questioning gaze. 

"Lucille wishes to have a video call with you. Is it okay?" 

When she nodded, Noah brought his phone near her and she saw the familiar face of Lucille. She's in the living room of Noah's house. She's wearing pajamas and sporting a pigtail. 

"Are you still sick, Little Miss Jessie? Daddy said you're already well." She pursed her small mouth and scrunched up her nose. 

"Hello, Nugget. I'm fine. Just taking a rest." 

"Is daddy bullying you to take a nap in the middle of the day?" 

"How about you? Why aren't Soraya bullying you to sleep when it's almost midnight?" She replied by asking her more questions. 

Lucille laughed. "My body was still adjusting with the time difference and also because I had a call with my mom before I called daddy." 

With how Lucille was acting with their family set up of her parents being separated and still, has a happy disposition, Jess thought that Noah did it right in not letting Lucille know that the separation of her parents was because of her father being an alcohol mess and her mother cheating. 

She felt a new kind of admiration for Noah's love for his daughter. She already knew that Noah is a good father. But knowing that during the time that his marriage was crumbling—him being too dependent on alcohol but still chose to do what was best for his child was admirable. 

Especially for her since she was also a result of a broken relationship. The difference was, despite her own parents swearing their love for her, they still couldn't help but choose to be selfish and let their emotions control them and use her as a pawn for their own gain. 

But not Noah. Lucille was lucky to have Noah as a father. 

"Now, you call your daddy. You should be in bed even when you're not sleepy yet. You need to help your body adjust quickly. Right now, it's time for you to be in bed." 

She stuck her tongue on her. "You should also help your body to get better and come home soon. I want to visit your house." 

"What makes you think I'll invite you to my house?" She laughed when she saw the stunned expression of Lucille like she couldn't believe that she wouldn't invite her to her house. 

"We are neighbors!" She said, protesting. 

She laughed harder when she saw her eyes darted to the other side of the screen as if trying to ask for help from her father.

"So what if we are neighbors? I have so many neighbors but I didn't invite them to my house." 

"Even my daddy?" Her eyes were wide as she asked.