Chapter 1: Hanging by a Moment


It seemed that you weren't a Lawson unless you happened to have a life crisis which caused you to change everything about your life and start over. Naomi Lawson was no exception. Here she was headed on the train from NYC to the Hamptons to join her brothers Hank and Evan. They had moved to the Hamptons several years prior and to be honest, Naomi had made fun of them for it. She couldn't understand how one could give up everything and start over. But now she did.

While she was the youngest Lawson sibling, she had been the first one to settle down. The summer after she graduated college, she had married her high school sweetheart Zach. The wedding seemed like a fairy tale, even despite the fact that her father never showed up to walk her down the aisle. Hank was the one to do that. She knew better than to expect Eddie R. Lawson to be there for the biggest day of her life. The only person she needed there was Zach and she was always able to count on him.

Naomi and Zach then got an apartment in NYC. One of those crummy first apartments that's too small and way overpriced, but they were together and they were happy. Naomi started teaching 4th grade and loved every minute of it. She had the man she loved and a job she loved. Life seemed perfect. For the first time in her life, everything seemed to be in place. And then in the blink of an eye, everything changed.

She had been waiting outside their favorite Chinese restaurant waiting for Zach to show up. It was their typical Tuesday night thing. After she was done at school, they would meet up for dinner and then walk home together. But he never showed up. She sat down and ordered their usual dishes before she called him. His phone went to voicemail. Looking back on things, she should have known that something was wrong. But she didn't. She had just gone on eating her dish of beef and broccoli.

Eventually, her phone buzzed, but it wasn't Zach. She recognized the number. It belonged the hospital Hank used to work at and for a split second, she thought it was Hank calling her. But Hank hadn't worked there in years. It was then that her heart sank. She silently prayed that they were calling her by accident before she answered the phone. But it wasn't a mistake. They told her that Zach had died. He had been hit by an impatient driver that ran a red light while Zach was crossing the street. Everything else about that night was a blur.

That had been a month ago. Since then she had quit her job, sold almost all her belongings, and bought a train ticket headed for the Hamptons. Thankfully, Hank had told after the funeral that he more than willing to take her in. Not that he actually expected her to take him up on the offer, but she had no idea what she was doing with her life anymore.

When the train pulled up to her stop, Naomi wiped away the stray tears from her cheeks before she departed with two backpacks, a purse, and a rolling suitcase. Everything she had wanted to keep from her old life was in those bags. As she stood on the platform, she caught sight of her reflection in the windows. Her outside appearance certainly matched the mess she felt on the inside. Naomi pulled a wisp of her unruly hair behind her ear and left the platform, headed for Shadow Pond.

She knew that it was going to be quite a trek, but she hadn't exactly told Hank she was coming. The last time she had been here was around Thanksgiving. She had traveled here with Zach to celebrate the holiday with her brothers. She just hoped she remembered how to get there. She didn't want to burden her brother by having to drop everything he was doing to come pick her up. Naomi knew that her brother was well sought after in concierge medicine for the Hamptons. Of course, she could ask Evan, but she quickly thought better. No, a good walk might do her good.

People stared at her as they zoomed by in their expensive cars. It was obvious that she didn't belong there. She probably looked like a homeless person. And then it struck her. She was a homeless person. Naomi sniffled a bit, trying not to let it get to her, but everything seemed to get to her these days. Soon the sniffling turned into all-out ugly crying. She could taste the salty tears running down her cheeks. Why couldn't life just be fair?

Eventually, after much walking and several stops, Naomi finally made it to the outskirts of the Shadow Pond estate. Hank and Evan lived on some rich dude's estate. While their place wasn't that large and doubled as an office, it was still way bigger than the little apartment she had shared with Zach in the city.

With a long sigh, Naomi began the trek down the driveway, lugging her possessions with her. She was about halfway down when her flip-flop finally gave way. She swore under her breath before she picked up the broken footwear. With an angry scream, she flung it into the nearby trees. After a bit of a cathartic release, she peeled off the other flip-flop and flung it into the trees.

Standing there barefoot, breathing heavily, Naomi saw a vehicle coming toward her. She tried to look normal, but she looked even more like a hobo. The vehicle came to a stop beside her. The passenger side window slowly rolled down to reveal a dark-haired woman with rather large sunglasses. The woman pushed her sunglasses down her nose and glanced over them at Naomi.

"Can I help you? You look a bit lost," the woman in the vehicle said.

"I-uh-I'm looking for my brothers," Naomi said shielding her face from the sunlight reflecting off the vehicle. The woman arched an eyebrow and Naomi continued. "Last time I checked, they lived here. Uh-Hank and Evan Lawson?"

The woman's expression changed. Her solemn expression turned into a dazzling smile. "You wouldn't be Naomi, would you?"

"As far as I know."

The woman chuckled. "I always forget they have a sister. So sorry, where are my manners? I'm Divya Katdare, I work with your brothers."

Naomi's mouth formed an o as she recognized Divya from conversations with her brothers. This was her first time meeting the famous Divya. "So you're Divya. You weren't around during Thanksgiving so I thought they were making you up, I didn't think such a person like they described could exist and put up with those two."

"It certainly isn't easy. Especially with all their fighting as of late."

"Fighting?"

Divya cringed. "Shoot. I forgot they were trying to keep you out of it after all you've been through."

Naomi tried to ignore that comment. "How bad is it?" she asked with her hands on her hips.

"Let's just say that things aren't exactly simpatico at the moment. They kind of broke up and they're both driving me crazy."

Naomi frowned. She hadn't noticed anything a few weeks ago when they had shown up for Zach's funeral. Then again, she probably wouldn't have noticed because she was so wrapped up in herself and her own grief to notice anything about her brothers. Maybe she shouldn't have come. Naomi bit her bottom lip and began to cry. It seemed like all she ever did was cry.

Divya's eyes widened in horror. "Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to make you cry. I-I…" Divya then hopped out of the vehicle and scurried over to Naomi.

"It's not your fault," Naomi sobbed, turning her back to Divya. "I-I-I just...everything is a mess. I'm not even thirty yet and I'm a widow. I don't have a place to live. And I broke my flip flops!"

If the situation hadn't been so serious, Divya might have laughed at the last bad thing Naomi but special emphasis on. But now wasn't the time. Perhaps someday. But for now, Divya gently placed her hand on Naomi's shoulder. "How about I drive you to the guest house. Hank is there. I'm sure he'll be glad to see you. Evan too, when he gets back. Maybe you're just the thing that will rally them back together."

After a few seconds of trying to control her sobs, Naomi finally agreed. She shoved her bags in the back of Divya's vehicle before she climbed into the front seat. Divya smiled at her before did an eleven point turn and turned the car back toward Shadow Pond.

They pulled up outside the guest house and Divya got out to help Naomi with her things. Naomi pulled her hair behind her ears. "I-uh-can you by chance not tell my brothers about this? About all the crying and the flip-flops? Can we just keep that between us girls?" she asked.

"Why?" Divya asked.

"Because I don't want them worrying about me. They both have spent their entire lives worrying about me. Hank more so than Evan, but I think you get the point. I-I have nowhere else to go, but I don't want to be a burden on them."

Divya folded her arms across her chest. "If there's one thing I know about your brothers, they're going to find out eventually."

"They both always were nosy," Naomi said with a sigh. She then glanced at Divya. "I know we've just met, but please do this for me?"

"Honestly, I don't think it's anything to be ashamed of. You've just lost your husband so it's to be expected. Hank knows it and I'm sure Evan does too. If you really feel the need to put on an act, don't do it for their benefit. They may be rather thick at times but they're not complete idiots... at least not all the time."

"Was that a yes?"

Divya chuckled and shook her head. "You're exactly like them. I don't know why I expected differently," she muttered to herself. She then made eye contact with Naomi and nodded her head. "Now, let's get you and your belongings inside. I do have an appointment I need to make."

Naomi gave a slight smile, one of the first she had given in weeks. She then followed Divya inside. "Hank? Hank?" Divya called as they walked through the sliding glass door. "Hank where are you?"

"I'm upstairs," Hank called back, his voice echoing down the stairs. "Divya is something wrong? You just left." His footsteps could be heard from downstairs. He was headed toward the stairs.

"Everything is fine, Hank. I just have a special delivery for you." Divya winked at Naomi.

"Special delivery? I thought that ointment wasn't coming in until next week? I mean, I'm glad that it's coming earlier than expected. We don't want to have a shortage especially with the upcoming season…" Hank walked down the stairs.

Feeling somewhat nervous, Naomi turned her back to the stairs and glanced at the kitchen. She didn't know why she was nervous. She just was. Naomi then glanced over her shoulder as Hank stood on the landing. His eyes widened in surprise. "Nomes? Is that you?" She gave a slight nod of her head before her big brother closed the distance between them, enveloping her in a hug. "It's good to see you, little sister. But why didn't you tell me you were coming?"

Naomi just shrugged her shoulders, trying to fight back the tears. Divya pointed toward the door before she walked toward it and left as Hank continued to hold his baby sister. Hank had always been more of a father to her than her own father, that was just the nature of their relationship. Although, sometimes, she did feel bad that he got landed with that role.

She released her brother and forced a fake smile on her face. Hank could probably see right through it, but he said nothing. Instead, he asked, "So, how long do you plan on staying?"

"I was hoping forever." There was a clear look of surprise on Hank's face, but once again, he said nothing. Instead, he just nodded his head and grabbed her things and took them upstairs. He told her to take a shower and then a nap, doctor's orders...and then they would discuss things in greater detail later when Evan got home.


Author's Note: I was getting kind of blocked and needed a plot bunny to get those creative juices flowing and thus, we now have Naomi's story! Not entirely sure when it will be updated again, but thank you to those of you who gave this a chance! It means a lot! :)