Noah's Adventure - 28. The unexpected meeting

“The elders?” Grandma gasped. “What do they want?”

Little B jolted awake, eyes locking onto her.

“They know,” he whispered.

“And what exactly do they know?” Grandma shot back, a hint of defiance in her voice.

T2 and Little B exchanged a look.

It was barely audible—but I heard it.

“Noah.”

My stomach dropped.

“What about me?” I asked, scanning their faces. “Someone better start talking.”

Shiloh’s hand found mine, squeezing gently, trying to ground me.

“Not you,” Little B said softly. “My Uncle Noah.”

The room went dead silent.

“What?” The word barely made it out of my throat.

Grandma had told me she hadn’t seen my dad since he died.

So either—

She lied.

Or everything I thought I knew was wrong.

“Noah—” Grandma started.

“You said you hadn’t seen him!” I shouted, my voice cracking. “Eighteen years—was that all just a lie?”

“Noah—” Shiloh tried again.

I ripped my hand away.

“I hate you,” I said, locking eyes with Grandma.

The hurt on her face hit—but not enough to stop me.

I turned and ran.

I didn’t stop until I hit the parking garage.

My vision blurred as I scanned the rows of cars, chest heaving, adrenaline drowning out everything else.

Then I saw it.

Uncle Brody’s pride and joy.

A blue 1968 Dodge Super Bee.

Perfect.

I sprinted to it—unlocked.

Of course it was.

Keys behind the visor.

Of course they were.

I slid in, fired it up, and the engine roared to life beneath me.

The stairwell door slammed open behind me.

Too late.

I peeled out, tires screaming, leaving black streaks across the concrete.

As I shot past the exit, I caught a glimpse of Shiloh standing there—frozen.

I couldn’t stop.

Not now.

If he got to me, he’d make me think.

And I didn’t want to think.

The road blurred.

Tears streamed down my face as anger and betrayal twisted in my chest.

Where was I even going?

Didn’t matter.

Anywhere but there.

Anywhere but—

Impact.

Pain exploded through my chest.

White light swallowed everything.

“Fuck—”

When I blinked, someone was standing over me.

A face I knew.

A face I shouldn’t know.

“Dad?”

He smirked. “Noah Edward Jacobs Jr.”

My breath caught.

“Dad,” I said again.

“Son,” he replied—and pulled me into a hug.

It felt real.

Too real.

“Am I…” I started.

“Dead?” he finished. “No. You’re not that lucky.”

I huffed a broken laugh.

“Though,” he added, “when Brody sees his car, you might wish you were.”

“Where am I?” I asked, looking around.

The space felt… familiar. Not a place, exactly—more like a memory.

“Right now?” he said. “You’re at Inova Fairfax Hospital. Your grandmother and Matt are currently terrifying a group of doctors.”

That tracked.

“They’re a lot alike,” he added.

“Grandma and Uncle Matt?” I asked.

He nodded. “Very.”

Two chairs appeared beside us.

We sat.

I studied him.

Same face. Same eyes.

Like looking in a mirror… just older. Steadier.

“So,” he said casually, “you can’t just steal a car.”

“I borrowed it,” I muttered.

“I doubt Brody will see it that way.”

“He will,” I said, though we both knew that wasn’t true. “I’ll… fix it.”

He shook his head. “Doesn’t work like that. Only certain members of the family can undo things like this.”

I exhaled. “Then I don’t know what to do.”

A pause.

Then—

“You need to forgive your grandmother.”

I stiffened. “Why?”

He leaned back, that same smirk tugging at his mouth.

“I’ve always wanted to say this,” he said.

“Because I said so.”