In the kitchen, Maggie begins preparing dinner for the evening. She's decided to go all out in honor of Noah's 12th birthday, which she believes is a special milestone. Unbeknownst to Noah, she's managed to involve the whole town in the celebration, planning a surprise party that would leave him beaming with joy. It's been 12 years since Noah was placed at her doorstep, and she still feels a profound gratitude toward whoever left him there. She had lost her husband just months before and had been drowning in grief, despite having Caleb to care for. But then, that night, when she found Noah alone and cold on her doorstep, it was as though fate had given her a second chance, a purpose to fill the void in her heart.
She has never been able to fully explain it, but from the moment she took Noah in, she could sense that he was a special child. There was something about him, a quiet strength, a sense of destiny that surrounded him like an aura. She believes with all her heart that Noah is destined for greatness and raising him has been her greatest privilege. The thought fills her with a deep sense of fulfillment, knowing that she has nurtured such an extraordinary boy into the young man he's becoming.
Just as she's lost in thought, there's a knock at the door. Before she can respond, Noah jumps up, eager to answer it. He opens the door to find Mr. Stinson, the sheriff of Hackett Town, standing on the porch. The man's face is lined with years of service, but his eyes are kind as they meet Noah's.
"Hello there, Noah," Mr. Stinson greets him in his brash but friendly voice. "Is your mom home?"
"Yes, sir, she is. Would you like me to get her for you?" Noah asks, his tone polite and respectful.
"If you wouldn't mind, yes, please."
"No problem!" Noah replies enthusiastically, dashing back into the kitchen. "Mom, Mr. Stinson is here!"
Maggie, wiping her hands on a dish towel, walks out to greet their visitor. "Rodney, hello! How are you today?"
"Oh, not too bad. It seems you're doing pretty well, Maggie. I hope your boys aren't wearing you out too much," Mr. Stinson says with a chuckle, his rough voice carrying a warmth that puts her at ease.
"No, not at all. They've been darlings," she replies, glancing affectionately at her boys, who are now back to their usual antics. "How's your Dina and little Rachel doing?"
"They're just fine, thanks for asking. Though Dina's getting into that rebellious phase—drives Margaret crazy."
Maggie laughs softly. "I can imagine. Well, that's teenagers for you. I've had my share of that already with that one over there." She points at Caleb, who is too engrossed in his game to notice. "See, he doesn't even notice me mocking him. Noah's a doll though."
"Well, it's usually like that," Mr. Stinson agrees, smiling. "You always get one who's more rambunctious than the other. It's just life."
"That's for sure," Maggie says with a sigh. "So, what can I help you with, Rodney?"
"Actually, it's something I'd like to discuss privately. Would you mind stepping out for a moment?"
Maggie nods, her curiosity piqued. "No, not at all." She turns to Noah, who is still hovering nearby. "Watch that pot for me, okay? If it starts to boil over, have Caleb turn it off."
"Okay, Mom, I will," Noah promises, puffing out his chest with a sense of responsibility. Maggie pats his head and then follows Mr. Stinson outside.
Once the door closes behind them, Noah rushes back to Caleb, his curiosity getting the better of him. "Hey, is Mr. Stinson dating Mom?"
Caleb, absorbed in his game, doesn't immediately respond, causing Noah to tug at his sleeve impatiently. "Hey, Caleb, hey!"
With an exaggerated groan, Caleb finally looks up, annoyance flashing in his eyes. "Dammit, Noah, you made me lose."
"Sorry, I didn't mean to," Noah says quickly, looking contrite. "But hey, you said a curse! That's not good. I won't tell Mom, but you shouldn't say stuff like that."
"'Dammit' isn't a curse, you goody two-shoes," Caleb retorts, rolling his eyes. "What did you want anyway? I bet it was something stupid."
Noah fidgets, his curiosity bubbling over. "I asked if Mom and Mr. Stinson are dating. I mean, I know he and Mrs. Stinson were together, but Rachel said her dad moved out to live with Mr. Carter because he was cheating. You don't think Mom is the one, right?"
"Oh, come on, Noah, do you really think Mom would do that?" Caleb scoffs, his tone dismissive. "She hasn't been with anyone since my dad died, so I'm sure she needs to get laid, but I'm positive she's not dating Rat-Face Stinson. He's a loser."
"Hey, that's not a nice thing to say about someone, and you said another curse word!" Noah protests, but Caleb just rolls his eyes again, returning his attention to his game.
The younger boy falls silent, feeling a mix of confusion and concern. But as he looks back toward the kitchen, where their mother is preparing dinner, he pushes the thoughts aside, focusing instead on the simple comfort of being together, even if things aren't as perfect as he'd like to believe.
After some time, Noah heads to the kitchen and attempts to stir the pot that is now boiling. He can just barely see over the tall pot, but he doesn't want to ask Caleb for help since he's so absorbed in his game. He thinks he's doing quite well, but suddenly his arm touches the hot pot, making his hand flick back in reflex, knocking the pot over towards him.
He falls to the ground and almost as though in slow motion, he sees the hot contents of the pot falling over his face. He screams as he puts up his hands, prepared for the boiling liquid to fall on him, but somehow it doesn't happen. He opens his eyes, and he sees both the pot and its liquid suspended in midair, like it's frozen in time. He looks up, stunned at what's happening. Am I doing this somehow? He wonders quietly, as he suddenly feels a sense of unease wash over him.