Made To Be Broken

Can't Be Where You Are

“Stay here tonight, stay here tonight

'Cause when you're around me

Everything's right, don't go

Oh, don't leave me alone

I need you, I need you.”

- Stay Here Tonight, ENRIQUE IGLESIAS

* * * *

“Wish I could love you out loud

But I'll just keep it to myself

Wish I could hear how it sounds

To be with you and no one else

Don't make a sound

Don't tell a soul

Don't tell them anything

And I won't let you go.”

- Love You Out Loud, MEAT LOAF

_____________________________

Keep it together. Don't panic. She doesn't really know anything.

Fury burned in Rebecca's eyes and Jonah had to wonder if it was all really about his voice mail message...or something more. What had Noble told her? She obviously would have confronted him first. But he wouldn't have told her the truth, not about this. The man could barely admit it to himself.

And Jonah sure as hell wasn't going to confess and out Noble. He was dealing with enough stress.

What is she talking about, son? His dad's question hung heavy in the air and Jonah was wishing now the older man wasn't here. His ability to look beyond the surface was unnerving, and he was already watching Jonah like a hawk – for whatever reason – and Jonah strongly suspected the man had already been putting the pieces together – slowly, and perhaps disjointedly at times, but still fitting them in. And Jonah was certain his dad had figured out that Noble was involved, somehow. Though surely he didn't suspect the truth of the matter. No one had cause to think Noble was gay.

Jonah looked at his dad and could feel his own anxiety and fear resonating forth. He had to come up with a viable explanation, and fast. He wasn't prepared for this, hadn't expected Rebecca to listen to Noble's voice messages. I love you...please come home. God, the words had almost slipped forth into the message. He had almost called Noble baby. He'd never been so thankful for having not said something. For Noble's sake.

“I don't...” Jonah started the lie but it stuck in his throat.

“Tell me, Jonah!” Rebecca raged. “What did you do to Noble!”

“Nothing!” The word exploded out of him before he even knew his patience was gone. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

“The message!”

“We had a disagreement.” Jonah forced himself to calm. That wasn't exactly a lie. “That's all. It was just a misunderstanding. I just called to let him know...I wasn't mad.”

Rebecca stared at him, disbelief in her eyes. “That wasn't what you said in your message.”

“I knew he would understand what I meant.” Again, not really a lie. “And what the hell business is it of yours anyway? Why were you even listening to his messages? Isn't that an invasion of his privacy?”