Page 77 of Pages of Amber
Noah was more withdrawn, especially from his father. His mom left him to mix up a bowl of salad and he went about the preparation in his own way, his movements slow but sure. His dad was less patient with Noah’s process. He indicated the lettuce amount was too little and the eggs weren’t evenly sliced. Noah adhered to his father’s correction but with each one, the furrow above his brow dug in deeper. He didn’t say anything. Instead, he focused on the bowl before him, pulling away from the family preparation.
Amber had watched from her perch at the breakfast counter, where Mrs. Rhodes had insisted she sit and not lift a finger. Now seated beside Noah, she slipped her fingers between his, her thumb sweeping the back of his hand. The prayer concluded and they raised their heads, but he didn’t let her hand go. She glanced at him, a swell rising in her chest at the furrows that were long gone.
Mr. Rhodes dug in first, piling his plate high. The food bowls passed around, the only sound in the room that of cutlery clinking against ceramic, water filling cups and silverware scraping.
“Nice to meet you again, Amber. You said you’re Noah’s classmate.” Mr. Rhodes broke the silence.
She swallowed her bite. “Yes, sir. We’ve known each other a long time. Since the first term I started at Redmington. But we got on the wrong foot then.”
“Oh really?” Mr. Rhodes raised a brow, an expression she’d seen so many times on a different face.
“This should be good.” Ronan sniggered. “We’ve never heard this story.”
Amber glanced at Noah who remained laser-focused on his plate, a flush staining his cheeks. Her lips tugged up. “We used to sit next to each other in AP English and Composition. Our teacher was handing back our pop quiz and when he got to Noah and I, he gave us our papers and said Noah had to watch out ‘cause he had competition.”
“Noah didn’t take that well?” Mrs. Rhodes asked, unable to hide her smile.
“Nope.” Amber laughed. “I was sweating through the whole class thinking the teacher had bought me an enemy when all I wanted to do was make friends with everyone. After class, I quickly approached Noah to tell him not to take what our teacher had said seriously.”
“Was he rude to you? Did he smack your books and stomp away or tell you that a girl couldn’t be his competition?” Ronan cut in again.
“He had better not.” Mrs. Rhodes glared at her son, reproach in her eyes now.
“I would never,” Noah defended himself. “But I did something much worse.”
“I don’t think it was worse, just harsh,” she said. “Noah looked me right in the eyes and said nothing.”
“Nothing?” Mr. Rhodes looked between her and Noah.
“Nothing,” she affirmed.
“Noah.” Mrs. Rhodes gasped. Ronan nearly fell out of his chair in laughter.
“He ignored me for five minutes straight as I rambled out my apology. I got so embarrassed that I walked away thinking he was ignoring me. The next time I tried to talk to him, it was the same thing. So, I got angry and told him he was acting like a meathead.” Her smile was wide as she remembered clenching her fists as she threw her first ever insult at Noah. Basic, but efficient since it finally got him to respond. “He told me it wasn’t his fault I was boring him with things that didn’t make sense. I was so outraged and demanded he apologize, but Noah being stubborn, he walked away instead. And thus, our rivalry began.”
“No wonder he never told us this story.” Ronan clutched his side, wiping at the tear that had escaped.
Noah glared at his brother. He’d paused eating, a pout on his face as she recanted the story.
“I’d always thought it was over something sillier, like stepping on his foot or spilling each other’s lunch.” Mrs. Rhodes shook her head, mirth shining in her eyes. “On behalf of my son, I’d like to apologize, Amber.”
Amber immediately waved her off. “There’s no need for that, Mrs. Rhodes. Noah and I have gotten past our misunderstanding. Working together on my project was a huge help.”
“But it took years.” Mr. Rhodes sliced into his meal. “Noah can be stubborn. I always wonder where he gets it from. It’s that stubbornness that won’t let him see reason to study medicine like his brother and I.”
The joyous mood drained from the dining room in the blink of an eye. Ronan stared down at his food and Mrs. Rhodes tried to shoot her husband a warning while Noah tensed up beside her. Amber reached for a glass of water to relieve her parched throat, feeling like it was somehow her fault for bringing the conversation.
“There are so many benefits to being a doctor, and this is coming from someone enjoying all the benefits of the profession,” Mr. Rhodes continued.
“Richard, this isn’t the appropriate time.” Mrs. Rhodes tried to cut in.
“The boy could use more convincing. I’m sure his friend can agree with me about–”
“Don’t bring Amber into this.” Noah’s spoon clattered loudly against his plate. His jaw was locked tight as he glared at his father. “We’ve been over this a million times, Dad. The benefit of guaranteed insurance and never being out of a job aren’t good enough reasons why I’d waste my life working somewhere I don’t want to.”
Mr. Rhodes glared back. “That isn’t the only guarantee in a field as broad as medicine. You are determined to fight me for the sake of pointless rebellion.”
“It’s not pointless. Why can’t you understand that I don’t want to study medicine like you? I don’t have a passion for it. I never will.”
