Page 63 of Echoes of Us

“It’s the same time it takes you to go to school,” he pointed out.

“Yeah, and I get those tickets months in advance. How did you even manage it? We talked last night until like midnight.”

“Yeah, but it was nine for me, so…” he said as if that were a good explanation. “Aren’t you happy to see me?” He looked apprehensive.

“Of course, I’m happy to see you. I’m just shocked, I guess, that you would come out here for me.”

“I’d go anywhere for you, Atty,” he said softly.

I smiled, shaking my head and keeping my eyes on the road. I thought of calling Ezra and asking if Noah could stay, but Noah refused. We drove to the mall and strolled around for a while, the holiday decorations still twinkling, casting a festive glow on everything. We agreed I’d come and pick him up here later. When I finally did, he had made five new friends in the food court and had beers with them.

When we got to my house, he was visibly nervous again, and honestly, so was I. My dad had come over, too, and I’d told him about Noah.

He had blinked at me and said, “Alright,” after five minutes of tense silence.

I walked in, placing my keys at the door and carrying Noah’s bag for him. “We’re here,” I called.

“In the living room,” my mom said.

I turned towards Noah’s panicked face. “It’s going to be fine,” I told him, keeping my voice down and smiling as I kissed his cheek.

My dad sat on the armchair and stood up as I came in. “Your mom’s in the kitchen. She’ll be right back.”

I could tell he was uncomfortable too. I widened my eyes at him and tapped my cheek. I took after him, and that had always been our sign to soften our faces so they didn’t look scary. His eyebrows relaxed instantly, and he tried to smile. I bit back a laugh.

“Okay. Dad, this is Noah.”

He walked past me, extending his hand to my dad. “Nice to meet you.”

My dad grabbed his hand.

“Atty told me he took after you, but you look a lot alike. I wasn’t expecting it to be so uncanny. It’s like, I figured you’d be tall like him, but it’s the whole thing,” he said quickly.

I smiled, watching my dad shake his hand and try to understand what had just happened.

“Thank you,” he managed.

Noah snorted, looking back at me. “Even that’s the same,” he said, pointing at me.

I covered up my laugh as a cough.

“I brought out something to eat in case you didn’t get anything on the plane,” my mom said, carrying a tray.

I was about to walk over, but Noah beat me to it, helping her and setting it down at the table.

“Thank you, Noah. It’s nice to meet you. Atty’s told me so much about you.”

He turned to beam at me. “Hi, sorry, it’s nice to meet you too.”

I knew he was also trying not to crack up at my mom calling me Atty.

“Thank you for taking me in. I’m sorry for inconveniencing you like this during the holidays. I wasn’t having the best time with my family. This is the first Christmas without my dad, you know, now that the shock wore off, and it’s hard with my mom’s new boyfriend around too,” he said quickly and then looked like he regretted it. “I’m sorry, I overshare when I’m nervous.”

We sat and chatted with my parents. By that, I mean my mom and Noah talked while my dad observed him with a mixture of curiosity and alarm, and I tried not to laugh. I’d picked up Noah at nine. It was already pretty late, and my dad had only stayed to meet him.

About ten minutes later, we said goodbye to my dad, andmy mom walked Noah upstairs to show him his room. He turned to glance at me, and I shrugged in response. She said goodnight, and I leaned on the door frame as he sat on the bed, the room softly illuminated by the glow of the bedside lamp.

“That was weird.”

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