Against All Odds

Three days had passed and Riley's heat had ended as quickly as it had begun. Neither Riley nor Noah said anything about the abrupt end but both were thinking the same thing. It was still too early to know anything for sure, no test would confirm their suspicions yet so they did their best to put it out of their minds for the time being. Besides, they had other matters to attend to at the moment, things that couldn't be put off any longer.

Noah was ready for his and Riley's relationship to be made official. He wanted everyone to know that Riley wasn't just a guest in the house but Noah's mate and soon to be spouse. He hadn't actually proposed to Riley yet, but that would come in time, once Riley was settled into his new life at Reaney Hall.

The bright morning light filled the room with a soft, warm, glow, chasing away the chill of winter that clung to the air. Noah looked at Riley, his face illuminated by the gentle sunshine, and smiled as he watched Riley fold the last of his few belongings then gently place them in his duffel bag. Noah's face held a tender expression as he regarded Riley, his mate, and his eyes lit up with love and excitement.

"You're sure about this?" Riley asked as he slung the strap of the bag over his shoulder.

"Absolutely." Noah said without hesitation. "If we're going to be an official couple then it makes sense we'd share the same room."

"Yeah, but are you sure about me? I know what your mom thinks of me. Are you sure this is what you want?"

Noah slipped a finger beneath Riley's chin and lifted his head so that he was looking directly into Riley's eyes. "Riley, I have never been more sure of anything in my life. I love you and I honestly couldn't give two shits about what my mother thinks."

Before Riley could respond, Noah leaned forward and captured his lips in a passionate kiss. The kiss was slow, tender, and made Riley's knees quiver, nearly causing him to lose his balance.

"What I'm not sure about though are these clothes." Noah mused, pointing at Riley's duffel bag. Riley's clothes, threadbare and old, spoke of a life filled with hardship. Noah's heart ached at the sight and he knew he had to do something about it.

"Riley," Noah said softly, his voice full of affection, "I want you to feel comfortable and happy here. I want you to feel like this is your home and that you belong here, because you do. So, I think it's time we retire your old wardrobe. Let me buy you some new clothes."

Riley blinked, a look of gratitude as well as reluctance crossed his young face. He appreciated the thought but at the same time he didn't feel right about allowing Noah to spend more money on him. Noah had done so much for him already and Riley wasn't with Noah because of his wealth. He was with him because he loved him. It was important to Riley that Noah understood that.

"You really don't have to do that, Noah." Riley told him. "I don't want you to spend a bunch of money on me."

Noah stepped closer, his hand gently cupping Riley's cheek. "It's not about the money, love. I want you to have the best because you deserve the best. Please, let me do this for you."

Riley hesitated a moment, his eyes searching Noah's for any sign of insincerity. Finding none, he finally nodded. "Alright, but nothing too extravagant. I'm a simple man."

A smile spread across Noah's face and he pulled Riley into a tight hug. "I promise, but when I'm done with you, you're going to look and feel amazing."

Riley chuckled and rolled his eyes. Noah was enjoying this way too much but, if it made him happy to spoil Riley a bit, then Riley would allow it. Just as long as Noah didn't go overboard with the spending.

***

They spent the next hour browsing an online catalogue from a high-end men's clothing store that Riley had never even heard of before. Noah, despite Riley's protests, was more than happy to dote on Riley and spend lavishly on him. Riley watched in awe as Noah selected a variety of outfits, both casual and dressy, ensuring that every piece was of the finest quality.

All of Riley's reservations soon flew out the window, especially when he saw how happy Noah was. If truth be told, Riley was having the time of his life too. Most of his clothing had been hand me downs or bought at second hand stores. It was rare that he bought anything brand new. Shopping with Noah was a rare treat and Riley felt a sense of freedom and excitement. He didn't need to worry about the cost or wonder if he'd have money left for rent or food.

For the first time in his life he had a sense of what it was like for people who didn't have to worry about things like where they were going to sleep that night, if they'd even have a home at the end of the week, or wonder when they're next meal would be. He felt almost...normal.

He was like the girl in "Pretty Woman," who had the store employees sucking up to her. It was truly liberating.

Noah had placed the final order and Riley felt a rush of excitement go through him. He'd expected a few outfits but Noah had insisted on more. Anything that Riley liked, Noah bought, along with quite a few items that Noah thought would look great on Riley. By the time they were done, Noah had ordered Riley an entirely new wardrobe of clothing.

"It won't take long for the clothes to be delivered." Noah told him. "They'll probably be here sometime tomorrow."

"I can't thank you enough for this." Riley said. "No one has ever been this kind to me before. Noah, it really means a lot to me. More than you can possibly know."

Noah smiled, then gently kissed Riley's forehead. "I'd do anything for you, Riley. You deserve some kindness in your life, and you deserve to be spoiled a bit. More than anything, I just want to make you happy."

"Just being here, with you, has made me the happiest man alive."

Noah chuckled a bit. "I'm glad to hear that. I'd love to stay with you all day but unfortunately, I have a meeting with my software development team that I can't miss."

Riley nodded, understanding completely. Noah still had a business to run and as much as Riley would have loved to keep Noah all to himself, he couldn't be selfish. "I'll be fine." Riley said with a smile. "Go, do what you need to do. I'll be here when you're done."

"Thank you for being so understanding." Noah gave Riley one last affectionate kiss before heading off to his office.

***

Riley sat on the edge of the bed he'd soon be sharing with Noah and looked around. The room was huge, larger even than the Rose room. The adjoining bathroom was even bigger than the room Riley had stayed in at the motel.

It was a bit unnerving being alone in such a massive space and with absolutely nothing to do. It seemed kind of pointless to unpack his clothes now, not with the new clothes they had ordered coming the next day. His other, personal, belongings he was able to find space for in a dresser that that Noah had cleared out for Riley's use. With that done, Riley was left with an open schedule and nothing to fill it with.

Sitting around in Noah's room (now their room) wasn't an option either. Riley had spent the last three days basically in isolation, wondering if his heat truly was over or if it would flair up again.

Riley had felt no symptoms after that first day but Noah wasn't taking any chances. It amused Riley just how protective Noah had become, and how attentive. Noah barely left Riley's side the entire time.

With nothing else really coming to mind, Riley decided to explore the mansion some more. He didn't want to risk the chance of running into Lilian and he knew the one place she would not dare to go, the third floor. Since Riley's encounter with the weeping woman, he had been unable to get her or the mysterious nursery out of his mind. He still hadn't told Noah about his encounter but the events of that night were still fresh in his mind.

Riley had nearly convinced himself that the entire thing had been a bad dream, but there was still a part of him that was sure it was real. The only way to really know was to retrace his steps, return to the third floor and see if the nursery did in fact exist, or if he'd simply imagined the whole encounter.

He hadn't dared to return before because he was too scared to know the truth. However, curiosity tugged at him, demanding he find out more.

Climbing the creaky staircase, Riley felt a chill in the air as he reached the third floor corridor. Dust motes danced in the beams of light filtering through the dirty windows. He walked down the dimly lit hallway, his footsteps echoing off the walls, until he found the door that lead to the abandoned nursery. Pushing the door slowly open, Riley was greeted by a familiar sight. As before, the room appeared frozen in time. It was just as he'd remembered it, confirming what he already knew. It wasn't a dream. He'd been there before. The nursery was real and that meant, so was the ghostly woman.

Nothing had changed since the last time that Riley had seen the room. Toys lay scattered on the floor, a rocking horse stood eerily still, and a crib, draped in cobwebs, rested against the far wall. Riley's heart ached with a sense of loss as he carefully stepped further into the forgotten room. He moved slowly, gently, through the room, taking in details that he'd missed before. The room was thick with dust and the air smelled of age and neglect. Without the fear of the ghostly woman looming over his every step, Riley was able spend more time exploring, carefully examining every artifact left in the room.

As he ventured farther in, he found a door, hidden behind a tapestry. Slowly and with caution, Riley pushed the door open. Entering this second room, he looked around and at first could only make out shapes of things hidden within the shadows. He tried a light switch he'd found on the wall but it didn't work. The bulbs were old and unused, forgotten, as was everything in the room. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and turned on the flashlight feature. At once a bright beam of light cut through the darkness and illuminated a path through the room.

Looking around, Riley could clearly see now that he was in a woman's bedroom. Like the nursery, this room too was like a picture from the past. The bed was covered in a faded, once-luxurious quilt, and the furniture, though elegant, was shrouded in dust. It was obvious to Riley that no one had set foot in the room in at least a decade, maybe longer. He imagined the room had belonged to the mother of the child who had once occupied the adjoining nursery. Maybe the ghostly, weeping, woman herself had once called the room her own.

If that were the case though, it left Riley with even more unanswered questions. Who was the weeping ghost? Why were she and her child made to live on the third floor? Was she a servant perhaps? Or, maybe she was a dirty secret that the Reaney family had hidden away out of shame or guilt. Whatever the reason, it was obvious that the woman had suffered in her life and continued to suffer in death. Why else would she not be at rest now?

Now, more than ever, Riley wanted to know the truth about her. He wanted to help her if he could. That would require some work on his part though. Before he could do anything to help her, he first needed to know who she was. Looking around, Riley's eyes were drawn to a dresser across the room from where he stood, peeking out from within the shadows. Using the light from his phone to guide him, Riley walked to the dresser and stopped in front of it. He looked down, admiring the craftsman ship of the piece as his fingers tenderly brushed against the delicate woodwork.

Carefully, he pulled open the top drawer. It slid out with a creaking of unused hinges and the scraping of aged wood. Leaning over, he peered inside, allowing his phone's light to cast some illumination on the contents. It was empty, with the exception of a single book. A black, leather bound, diary with the name "El," inscribed on the cover.

Sitting on the edge of the dust-covered bed, Riley gently opened the diary. The pages were yellowed with age, but the handwriting, an elegant script penned with deliberate care, was still legible. Riley took a deep breath, his heart pounding with anticipation, and began to read.

October 1st, 1998

Today, everything's changed. I'm pregnant. Never in a million years had I ever expected to write those words. It still doesn't seem real, but here I am and God help me, I have no idea what I'm going to do. Billy, my useless boyfriend, took off the minute he found out about the baby. Typical, right? Honestly, I don't know what I expected. I mean, he's a loser, I've always known that, but it still hurts. I thought he loved me. Pathetic, I know. All he's ever done was use me and treat me like crap and for some stupid reason, I stayed with him.

He wasn't always that bad. Not in the beginning. He was sweet, caring, and he always made me feel special. I guess that's what blinded me to everything else. I was just so thrilled to have someone actually pay attention to me. I've lived so long in Stephen's shadow that I forgot what it was actually like to be in the light. Stephen was always the golden child. As far as Mother and Father were concerned, he could do no wrong. Me, on the other hand, have always been the screw up.

I never got the grades that Stephen did, was never as popular as Stephen was, and I'm sure no one thought I'd ever amount to anything. Well, I suppose they were right about that. All I managed to do was make one mistake after another and look where it got me. Jobless, homeless, boyfriend-less, and pregnant. Maybe it's a good thing that Mother and Father are dead. They'd be so disappointed if they saw me now. Not that they haven't always been disappointed in me. I've been nothing but one big disappointment.

Can anyone blame me though really? It's kind of hard to rise up to anything worthwhile when you're entire life everyone has treated you like you're worthless. A little encouragement would have gone a long way.

October 3rd, 1998

I tried calling Billy today. As soon as he heard my voice, he hung up on me. I don't know what I was hoping for. Did I really think he'd change his mind? No, not really. He made it perfectly clear that he doesn't want anything to do with me, or our baby. That's his choice. I'm not getting an abortion. I couldn't. I would never be able to live with myself if I did so, I guess there's no hope that Billy and I will ever be together again. I'm probably better off anyway.

I've made a lot of stupid choices in my life but I know that keeping my baby isn't one of them. I know in my heart that I'm doing the right thing. I just wish that I wasn't doing it alone. I never thought that I'd end up as a single mother and I'm scared. What if I screw up this kid's life as badly as I've screwed up my own? This baby deserves so much better than that, than me. I need help. I can't do this alone. I just can't. As I sit here staring at the words in this diary I'm trying to make sense of it all.

Just a few weeks ago I was having fun, partying with my friends, drinking, dancing, and just being young. I didn't have responsibilities. I guess that's all changed now. My friends, if you can even call them that, have all abandoned me now too. Once the money stopped, the booze and drugs stopped too and suddenly I wasn't worth hanging around anymore. All they ever really cared about was my money. Well, my families money. Stephen controls it all and he's officially cut me off.

That pissed Billy off the most of all. He relied on my monthly allowance to get us by but when Stephen found out I was using a good chunk of it to get high, he flipped his shit. After that he refused to further fund my addiction. His words, not mine. I understand his reasons but at the same time, it's not fair. Half of that money is mine too. Unfortunately, he's in control of my trust fund until I'm twenty-five. Billy wanted me to talk to Stephen about releasing the funds early but I don't think he can legally. It was written into our parent's will.

I guess they never really trusted me. It would be nice to get my hands on that money though. And no, not so I can go out and get drunk or high, like Stephen thinks. Though, I'll admit the withdraws are nearly unbearable. There are days when I feel like I can't cope without a drink or even just something to take the edge off. I've nearly slipped up but then I think of my baby. I have to be strong for him or her. I have to keep them safe, no matter what. What I want no longer matters. All that matters now is my child. It's strange how you can love someone so much when you've never even met them. I suppose that's what motherhood is. You want whats best for your children, even if they're not born yet.

@{---

Riley looked up, El's diary laying open in his hands. The air was thick with the weight of El's words, each one now etched into his heart. As he read about El learning of her pregnancy, a pang of empathy gripped him tightly. He understood the fear she felt and the uncertainty that clouded her future. His own anxieties over the possibility of being pregnant himself mirrored El's worries.

The sense of responsibility, the overwhelming need to protect the life growing inside, and the terror of not being enough--it was all there, raw and painfully apparent in her handwriting. El wrote about her addictions with heartbreaking honesty, each sentence a cry for help that had gone unanswered. Riley could almost see her, a woman caught in constant battle were her personal demons, fighting for the sake of her unborn child. He imagined the weight of her struggles, the constant push and pull between wanting to break free and feeling trapped by her circumstances.

How alone she must have felt. Riley felt a flicker of anger when he read about El's boyfriend leaving her after finding out she was carrying his child. Riley didn't understand how a man could do that, how he could just abandon his girlfriend and child like that, caring nothing for them at all. How could any man do that? Riley knew the pain of abandonment, of being vulnerable and frightened. Left to navigate an impossible storm without a lifeline to hold onto.

That pain, the pain of loss, of being left behind, Riley knew that pain all too well. It was how he had felt everyday since his parent's death. It was a terrible feeling and it hurt his heart to think of El having to endure that kind of pain alone.

After reading over the first two entries in El's diary, Riley was more determined now than ever to help the spirit of the young girl. Somehow, he would help her move on and find peace. He was invested now and, in a way, he almost felt like she had reached out to him specifically and asked for his help. She understood that if anyone at Reaney Hall understood her pain, it was Riley. Perhaps she had been guiding him the entire time, he just hadn't realized it until now.

Riley closed the diary and stood up. He looked around the room one last time, almost as if he expected El's spirit to suddenly appear. He wanted to finish reading the diary, but staying in El's forgotten bedroom seemed wrong somehow. Still, he wasn't sure how she would respond to him taking the book with him. After some careful thought, Riley finally came to a decision. He hugged the book to his chest, took a deep breath, and then addressed the possibly empty room.

"El, if you're here, I want you to know that I want to help you in any way that I can, but I need to know more about what happened to you. So, I'm going to take your diary with me, if that's okay with you. I promise I'll take good care of it. If you don't want me to take it, then please give me a sign, and I won't take it out of your room."

Riley waited a moment, not sure what to expect, if anything, to happen. When there was nothing, no clear sign that he should leave the book, Riley took that as permission.