Ch. 25: Mr. Edwards' Unraveled Life chapter 25
Chapter 25Thinking about all the wrongs she'd suffered, Norah cried even harder, attracting the attention of passersby.
"Hey, did you make your girlfriend mad? She’s really upset!" a passerby commented, seeing her in tears.
Kevin, uncomfortable with the public scene, tried to play it down. "She’s just throwing a tantrum. She’ll be fine in a bit."
He tried to pick Norah up, but she resisted, squirming away from him and crying even louder.
"You need to be patient when calming down your girlfriend," the passerby advised. "She’s upset for a reason—no girl gets mad for nothing."
Kevin had no idea what had upset her. He was the one who wasn’t angry, so why was she? But seeing her cry so hard, he felt lost for words.
Kevin was at his wit's end. He’d never had to calm a woman like this before. It felt harder than negotiating a business deal. He asked, "Norah, what do I need to do to make you stop being angry?"
Norah looked up and saw Kevin bending down. She opened her arms. "Carry me on your back, and I’ll tell you."
"Told you she was upset," the passerby said with a smile.
Kevin didn’t quite understand, but he did as she asked. He squatted down and carried her on his back.
Norah leaned against his shoulder, tears still streaming down her face, dripping onto Kevin’s neck. "Stop crying," he said. "You’re too old for this."
"I wouldn’t cry if you didn’t make me upset," Norah grumbled from his shoulder.
Kevin didn’t respond.
Norah, seeming half-drunk and half-awake, tightened her arms around his neck. "Kevin, this is the first time you’ve carried me on your back."
Kevin: "Yeah."
Norah: "Aren’t you supposed to be with Bianca? Why did you come to find me?"
Kevin: "I didn’t want you to get hurt."
Norah smiled bitterly. "Well, it’s worth it to get a piggyback ride from you for once."
"Do you like it?" Kevin asked.
"I do," Norah replied. "It feels like we’re finally close."
They had been married for so long but had never had a normal couple’s relationship, so even a small gesture like this felt sweet. But Norah knew it wouldn’t last. "This might be our last moment like this. When we divorce, you’ll carry someone else."
Hearing this, Kevin frowned and held her tighter. "Norah, if you don’t want to get divorced—"
Before he could finish, Norah suddenly vomited all over him.
Kevin’s frown deepened, just as their car pulled up.
The driver, Kian, who had been called in last minute, was shocked when he saw Norah vomiting all over Kevin. "Mr. Edwards, your clothes are dirty. Norah’s drunk; she didn’t mean it. I’ll get you a change of clothes."
Kian couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Kevin wasn’t angry—he gently placed Norah in the passenger seat, looked back at Kian, and said, "I’ll drive. You can head back."
Kian glanced at Norah. "Don’t you need me to take her home?"
"No," Kevin replied. He sat in the driver’s seat, took off his dirty clothes, tossed them in the back, and used a wet tissue to wipe Norah’s mouth.
Kian was stunned. Was this the usually cold and distant Mr. Edwards? Was this the typically composed Norah? He couldn’t believe what he was seeing.
As Kevin drove away with Norah, Kian stood there, still in shock, wondering if he’d imagined the whole thing.
Kevin brought the drunk Norah home.
Siena was still awake and immediately complained when she saw them. "Kevin, where has Norah been? She hasn’t even come home yet. What does she think of the Edwards family?"
But when she saw Kevin with Norah, reeking of alcohol, she was shocked. "Norah’s drunk? How can she be the daughter-in-law of the Edwards family!"
Kevin shot Siena a cold look. "Shouldn’t you be in bed? What are you doing here?"
"Kevin, I’m not gossiping. But how can a girl get drunk like this outside?" Siena replied, disgusted.
Kevin carried Norah upstairs, saying, "Mom, if you don’t like it, you can move out."
Siena watched him go, feeling upset. "How can you talk to your mom like that, all for Norah?"
In the bedroom, Kevin gently laid Norah on the bed.
"It’s itchy… so itchy…" Norah mumbled, scratching her arm.