NOAH

CHAPTER 8: IT DON'T ADD UP

Noah scrubbed vigorously at his hair as he washed. His thoughts and attention not on the task at hand but on Ruth and that almighty bruise. It puzzled him and it did not seem to add up. Yes, he knows about the condition Hemophilia but, why would the bruise come out yet the cut hardly bled at all? It was a deep cut. There was the usual amount of blood for a cut like that but that's the point! It was the usual amount of blood. Surely if you have Hemophilia then there would have been double the amount of blood? The cut stopped bleeding quickly but considering her condition it should have blead for a lot longer. It did not add up!

There was also that look of fear in Ruth's eyes when he first mentioned the bruise. It was that look you do when you get caught red handed or your secret was exposed. She tried to pull her arm away from him? Why when he was trying to help her. She also went all quiet and sad looking after the discovery of the bruise.  He struggled with the whole situation.  He struggled to make heads or tails of it. Maybe he was reading into it all too much. Besides, why would Patrick and Ruth lie? Yeah, he is doing it again and reading too much into things. Why did he keep doing that?

He washed out the last of the shampoo bubbles in his hair. He tried to draw his thoughts away from the whole bruise and cut instident, by focusing on work and other mundane things. After the treck the friends returned to the holiday resort.  They planned to meet in the main complex that evening at 7pm for dinner and a night of entertainment. The holiday resort offered a wide range of evening events and entertainment for the guests.

Noah tried to rack his brain to recall what was on that night. Bingo at 8.30pm he knew that much. Oh yes, that golden oldies band were playing all the old classics. What were they called again? His mind was struggling to find a name. Any ways, the live band will run from 10pm until 2am when they shut for the night. That should be good entertainment for his friends.  It will be good for him too. Usually he spends his evenings working. Making sure that all the guests are happy and the staff behaving. It will be good to let his hair down and enjoy the entertainment that's on offer.

It was then that he realised that he had been in that shower a good 45 minutes or so. No wonder his skin was shrivelled like a prune. He turned off the water then stepped out of the shower to get himself dried and dressed. After sorting him self out he plopped onto his bed and shut his eyes for 5 minutes. He suddenly came across very sleepy. He remembered that he hadn't got much sleep the night before. Thoughts of beautiful Ruth had kept him up all night. Oh no! Here they come again! He tried shutting out his intruding thoughts but they flooded in with a vengeance. 

He loved the woman's laugh. Each time she laughted that day it really pulled at his heart strings. It was a beautiful laugh just like the beautiful woman that was laughing.  He giggled to himself as he remembered how excited she had got when she had caught that fish. She was adorable and so excited. He had wished it was him kissing and hugging her, congratulating her on her big catch. Instead, he watched with pain in his heart as Patrick was the one to hold and kiss her.

What the fuck was he even thinking! Of course Patrick would have been the one. He was her husband after all. Who was he to Ruth? Just her husband's Best Friend that she had only met for the first time the previous day. Husband's Best Friend. .. fuck! He was Patrick's best friend so what the hell was wrong with him pining over his best friends wife!  Noah groaned miserably. He held his hands to his head as though to squeeze out these upsetting thoughts. Get a grip Noah!