Page 109 of The End of Summer

“So, I spoke to Big Mike about it. He lives in Bourne with Gina, and they have a spare room.” He takes a sip of water. “They’re going to rent it out to me for the next year, which will buy me some time to figure out a more permanent solution. It also gives me time at my new job to prove myself.”

“Okay.”

“So, hang on, because I’ve got it all written down.” He takes out his phone, opens his notes app and sets it on the table. “Bourne is a half hour away from Kingston in normal traffic. Now, I only have to be in the office on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, so I just had to figure out a way to get in once a week and a way to get out once a week.”

“And a place to stay,” I add.

“I’m getting to that,” he says. His face is all flushed.Hear him out,I tell myself.He looks excited.“So, the first train out of Kingston is at 5:30 a.m. If I take that to South Station in Boston, I’ll get in at 6:30. I’ll have enough time to grab some food and then get on the Acela train to Penn Station, and it’ll get me in at 10:50. I can be at my desk by 11:00.”

“Isn’t that late?” I ask. “Aren’t they a 9 to 5 operation?”

“I asked when I called them today. They said they could make accommodations for that. And since I won’t be using my relocation package for actual moving, they said I could use it to supplement my transportation.”

“Wow,” I say. “That’s pretty cool.”

“Yeah, so on Tuesdays, I’ll time shift and work from 11:00 to 7:00. Then Wednesdays I’ll do extra hours from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and Thursdays I’ll do 8:30 to 2:30, get on the Acela at 3:00, and that’ll get me into Boston at 6:45. I can pick up dinner in Boston and take the 8:45 back to Kingston, which will get me home at 9:45. I’ll be in the house by 10:15.”

“That’s so much travel,” I say.

“But it’s only once a week. The way I figure, I have to do it for a year so that I can prove myself. After that, I’ll either be used to it, or they’ll get more flexible with me, or I’ll start looking for a job closer to Boston. And with a year of experience working at a high-end New York City firm, I’m sure I’ll have a way easier time of it as far as the job search is concerned.”

“I mean, probably. Where are you going to sleep when you’re in New York, though, Bray?”

He grins at me. “My mom has a connection at the West Side YMCA. They’re one of the pre-eminent YMCAs in the country when it comes to arts stuff, so she knows people there. Evidently, they have guest rooms. Kind of like a cross between a hotel and a hostel type of situation. For two nights, it’s only $232 if you book it in advance. It’s right in midtown on Central Park West.”

“And what is all the train fare going to cost you?”

He looks at his phone. “I’ve got that, too. It comes out to $662 for 10 trips on the Acela train and $110 for 10 trips on the T. That means each week, I’ll be spending $154 on travel. So, if you add up the travel and the lodging, it comes to $386 a week. Over the course of the entire year, it’s a little over $20,000 – and considering the fact that I have a $10,000 untaxed relocation stipend, this is, like, a huge benefit.”

“I am just now understanding what a nerd for numbers you are,” I say.

“Gretch, do you understand what this means, though?”

“It means you’re happy?”

“It means I’m not leaving!”

My mom smiles at him. My father nods, and I can tell there’s more to this than meets the eye.

“That’s great, Brady. I’m happy for you.”

“I know Bourne feels kind of far, but it’s not New York.”

“Oh my gosh, definitely not.”

“And it’s also going to save me from having to pay for New York real estate. But that’s a whole different economic picture that I won’t go into right now.” He’sbeaming,and I can’t help but smile.

“You can save more money. I get it,” I say.

“As a nest egg,” he clarifies.

“Sure.”

“You’re not understanding me,” he says. “I spent some time with your parents today, Gretch.”

“I can see that, given that you’ve all conspired to bring me dinner.”

“I wanted them to get to know me. To know how serious I am about you. About us. And also, to know that I’m not just some random stripper. I have a plan – and now, agood job– and I love you.”

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