Page 37 of Enter if you Dare: Part Three

Noa looks between us, then at Cindy, and back to me. “I have so many questions, I don’t even know where to start. I think I need a moment.”

His moment lasts about four seconds. “Okay, fine, you know sign language. Now I’m adding it to the list of things I need to learn. You are the most interesting man I have ever met, Cave.”

Cipher tells me that this conversation is not over and we will talk about it privately later, which makes Noa throw out a comment about it being our first lovers’ quarrel.

We all get breakfast from the buffet before things get too awkward. Rue has prepared a feast; every breakfast food you could ever want, he has cooked.

After we all finish eating, Noa declares that it’s time for gifts. Every year we put all of our gifts under a tree inside the tent. It makes it feel more like we are a big family, or so they tell me. They all get up and go retrieve their presents, and once everyone is seated again, Cipher presents his gift to Noa. It’s a shovel, and it’s not wrapped, but it has a bow neatly tied around it.

Noa picks it up and reads what has been engraved on it. “For all the things that need burying and all the things that need to grow.” Noa puts the shovel down. “Cipher, this is the best gift a man could ever get, besides Cave being here.”

“It’s from all of us.”

Noa looks at Valli and then at me. “I love it. I love all of you, and I need you all to know that.”

“We love you too,” Cipher says, and Noa looks at Valli. “I love you too,” she says.

“Say it again.”

“I love you, Noa Milton.”

“She LOVES me!” he announces to anyone who’s listening. “Did everyone hear that?! She loves me!”

Kelly smiles, Lach lets out a whoop, and others cheer, giving Noa the reaction he wanted.

“I love you,” he says. “I have loved you since the second week I knew you, but Cipher said I should wait to say the words so I don’t scare you away. Valli, I love you so much I would dig a hole on every continent for you, which is really an unreasonable amount, but I don’t care.”

Valli laughs, and he leans over and kisses her forehead.

This is what family looks like to me. It’s not a blood connection, but rather people who care about each other.

Once all the other presents have been exchanged, Cipher holds out a gift box to Valli. “Open it. This is from all of us,” he says.

She removes the lid and pulls out the music box. As she lifts its lid, the carousel moves up and spins as music plays. Looped around the mechanical horse is a string with a key attached. Valli pulls the string and removes the key.

“What does it open?” she asks.

“Come and see,” Noa tells her.

We excuse ourselves and take her to the residential part of the island. This house is older and set further back, standing more on its own, away from the other houses. Originally Nixie was going to demolish it since Noa is now staying in the shed with us, but Cipher asked if we could renovate it, and she agreed.

Once we’re gathered out the front of the house, Valli looks up at it.

“This is ours, if you want it to be,” Cipher tells her softly.

Valli cries, saying the house is too much, but Noa grabs her hand and they run up the stairs together as Cipher follows. I watch as they unlock the door.

I never imagined a life for myself outside of the cornfield, but right now there is nowhere else I would rather be than here, with my family.

Valli

Now that the Christmas Day festivities are over, Nixie has called us all to her office, and honestly, I was wondering when this conversation would happen. Cave takes a seat closest to the wall, pulling me onto his lap. Cipher stands, and Noa sits across from Nixie’s desk.

“I owe you all an explanation. The timeline of your release was not what anyone expected, even though I’m happy you were here for Christmas.”

We all wait for her to continue, as none of us really have anything to say. Cave is here, and that’s all that matters.

“Seth Fairchild is a good psychiatrist, possibly one of the best. His clinical notes were so positive and thorough that they left very little room for the facility to argue that Cave was a continued risk. Vincent used those notes as the foundation for his argument, and they held up in court. That is the first part.”