35. EDDIE

Chapter thirty-five

EDDIE

U ncle Frank and Jared drove me to the airport. Our conversation about my upcoming trip to New York quickly extended into Jared's excitement about moving to the big city.

Uncle Frank pulled up to the parking area, and Jared and I gathered my belongings from the trunk. He and I made our way to Departures alone while Frank waited outside for him.

Standing in the bustling terminal, surrounded by the hustle and bustle of travelers, I couldn't shake a feeling of sadness to be leaving him, if only for a few days. Only then did I see quite how much we had bonded, as the surviving members of our family – or rather, as a family.

"Be good for Uncle Frank," I said.

He nodded, and then I pulled him into a loose hug.

"Can you send me a picture of my new bedroom?" he asked.

I laughed.

"Don't be so mercenary!"

"What does that mean?"

"Looking out for yourself."

He grunted.

"Who else am I supposed to look out for?"

"You and I look out for each other now."

A little smile danced over his face.

"Cool."

***

The flight was completely straightforward, and I got a cab from JFK to the city, but the Van Wyck Expressway was so congested it would've been quicker – and a lot cheaper – to get the subway.

It was great to get back to Manhattan, though. I was surprised – no, relieved – how immediately and completely it felt like home.

As I dropped my things back into my apartment in Chelsea, the idea of having Jared join me there was exciting. With two bedrooms and plenty of space, it felt like a place where we could both be happy.

I took a few photos of the place and sent them to him. He was online and typing at once.

Jeez your place is FANCY

Then he paused and typed again.

Can I get all my stuff in that room

How much stuff do you have?

A LOT lmao

I smiled.

We'll work it out.

I headed into work and messaged my boss to say I was there. On my laptop, I didn't work but instead began searching for information on enrolling a fifteen-year-old in a Manhattan school.

After a Google search, I found myself on the website of the New York City Department of Education. Navigating to the enrollment section, I discovered a detailed outline of the steps.

First, Jared had to meet the eligibility requirements for enrollment. Then I had to gather all the necessary documents, including proof of his age and identity, our address, and his immunization records. So I'd need to get all that down.

Next, I would have to fill out the enrollment form provided by the department about Jared and our family history, including his mother's death. It all seemed doable before the start of the next academic year in the early autumn.

Eventually, my boss replied to my message, saying he was glad I was back and could I go meet him.

I stepped into his office. His desk was cluttered with papers, a sign of the workload that gave him such a bad mood most of the time.

"Hey, Eddie. Glad to have you back," he said.

"It's good to be back," I replied, taking a seat across from him.

"So, have you made any decisions about your next steps?"

I exhaled slowly.

"I've decided to relocate my nephew to New York," I said.

He nodded.

"Family comes first, Eddie," he said, even though he had spent the last days giving the exact opposite opinion.

Nonetheless, I saw how my life might proceed from there, so that I could just forget about Max, so that I could protect myself from being drawn back into my old obsessions about him, and what might have been.

I mean, you have to hope that, in moments like these.