41. EDDIE

Chapter forty-one

EDDIE

I paced back and forth in the bustling terminal of JFK Airport, eyes glued to the arrival board. It had been twenty minutes since the plane carrying Max and Jared to New York had landed, but there was still no sign of them.

I checked my phone repeatedly in case I had missed a message or call to say they had been delayed, but there was none.

Groups of people appeared from the exit, but none of them were Max and Jared. I glanced at the arrivals board once more, but it kept saying ARRIVED .

Max hadn't texted me to say that they had boarded or were about to take off. Maybe something had happened.

And then, finally, a new group of people started emerging, and I didn't know why – it was hard to spell out why – but I knew they were from my city. They had that look…

Then, two familiar figures appeared at the back of the stream of arrivals. Relief flooded through me. Max and Jared were making their way toward me, all smiles and waving to me.

I moved forward to greet them. Jared and I loosely hugged, and then Max embraced me harder, and I felt and hear him give a happy sigh because I was in his arms.

I had been in New York on my own all week. The Saturday we had spent together back home, Max, Jared and me, and Max stayed over. There seemed no point in pretending otherwise anymore. We were all about to being living together as a family in my apartment.

On the Sunday, Max and I had tackled the daunting task of packing up Megan's house, and Jared collected up the things he wanted to take to New York before going over to Frank's, where he would stay for his last week in school.

Max had offered to take him, but Frank and Rita said they wanted to have some time with Jared before he moved away, and I was happy to allow that. Max and Jared would have a whole future with me here in New York. Jared could spend a little bit of time with his family.

With each box filled and labeled, there was a lot of emotion. We were finally saying goodbye to my sister. The journey that had begun with her death was not ending, but it was moving on to a new phase.

Three people's lives had changed unrecognizably. All we could do now was live well because that is what you learn when someone dies suddenly too young. Raising Megan's son well was what I would do in tribute to my sister. All you can do is try to live as happily as possible.

The following week brought unexpected and exciting news for Max. A real estate agent said that the house could be leased out quickly due to high demand in the newly fashionable area. She also gave a price that was much better than even my estimate.

Max said he wanted to sell it, but I told him to hang on for a while. There seemed no point in rushing it.

Meanwhile, I encouraged Max to call the admissions department of the New York Film Academy. I didn't know it at first, but he had a reel showcasing his talent, and he called, hoping to secure a spot in one of their summer programs just to get back into filmmaking a little.

To his astonishment, after he sent them the reel, the academy contacted him and suggested that they would fast-track his application under their mature student degree program.

The professor to whom he eventually spoke told him he was one of the most impressive mature applicants that they had had in some time, so he would even enter him for a scholarship.

Now, we all stood together in the airport, and our future was here. Max continued to hold me, his big arm around my back, his hand gently tracing patterns on my back.

"Here's to our new life!" Jared exclaimed.

I looked into Max's eyes, and he looked so happy.

"It's gonna be great," Max said. "It's gonna be a whole new adventure."

Jared sighed.

"How are we getting into Manhattan?" he asked. Then, he turned round. "Can you two stop canoodling? It's gross."

I laughed. He sounded just like a teenager with his parents. Jared spotted the sign for the yellow cabs and asked if we could get one in. Off he marched, even though it would still be quicker by subway.

Max's arm was still on my back.

"No kid wants to see his parents being lovey-dovey," he said.

"I guess that's what we are now," I replied. "A family."

He looked down at me, grinning.

"Feels great, doesn't it?" he asked.

I smiled.

"Yeah, it feels amazing."