She’s crying now, and so am I.
“I mean it.”
She nods. “I love you, Tyler. I’ll always love you.”
I brush my lips to hers, closing my eyes. I whisper “I love you” against her mouth.
Nothing else needs to be said.
? ? ?
When we get back to the house, Henry and Kelly aren’t there. There’s a note on the fridge and a wrapped box on the counter.
Jordyn hands me the note without a word.
It’s addressed to me in an elegant, loopy scrawl.
Dearest Tyler,
It’s been such a pleasure having you in our lives this year. We’re sorry about the circumstances that brought you to us, but we are beyond words about how you’ve changed us for the better. And the way our beautiful Jordyn lights up when you enter the room, well, there just aren’t words for how that makes us feel. You’ve truly been like a son to us. And we are very, very serious when we tell you that you are always welcome here. No matter what. We love you, Tyler. Which is why we’re unable to be here to see you off. As much as we’d love to spend your last night here with you, we know that you and Jordyn probably want to have your good-byes in private. We know you’ll be tempted to graciously decline our gift, but please don’t. It’s the least we could do. Henry and I love you and we know you’ll do well in everything that you set out to accomplish. Please keep in touch.
Love,
Kelly and Henry
My hands shake as I attempt to open the gift. Jordyn has to steady me once I’ve managed to unwrap it.
“It’s too much,” I choke out.
Sitting on the counter in front of me is a seriously expensive Mac laptop. And I don’t even have to turn it on to know that it’s filled to the brim with software.
“For school,” Jordyn says, and she smiles.
I’m shaking my head and swallowing hard as Jordyn rubs circles against my back. My breathing hitches.
I simply can’t fathom someone doing something like this for someone who isn’t their family. Even though I pretty much feel like they are my family. They’re more my family than my dad ever was.
Jordyn pulls away slightly so she’s able to look me in the eyes. I kiss her gently on the forehead and then I hug her tightly.
How can I leave this? How can I survive without this? Maybe we could try the long-distance thing. Maybe we could make it work. Maybe.
She takes my hand in hers and leads me to the basement. “I have something for you too.”
“Jordyn—” I begin to protest.
“I don’t want to hear it. I got you a present and you will accept it and you will love it and that’s all there is to it.”
I actually manage to laugh.
When we reach my room, she sits me on the bed and orders me to close my eyes. “And don’t even think about opening them.”
“Yes, sir.”
She kisses me quickly and then I hear her run out of the room.
Her footsteps are slower when she returns and it takes every ounce of self-control not to peek.
After shuffling around for a minute, she sits next to me on the bed and takes my hand in both of hers. “Okay. Open them.”
If the laptop is the most generous gift I’ve ever received, this is the most thoughtful—probably the most thoughtful, most meaningful gift I’ll ever receive in my life.
A large framed piece of art that Jordyn had somehow managed to keep hidden from me leans against the dresser.
All five pictures of my mom have been blown up and converted into black-and-white and placed throughout the canvas, with beautiful watercolors of mountains overlapping them and a remarkable pencil-drawn resemblance of Captain. It’s absolutely perfect.
I’m completely and utterly speechless.
Jordyn climbs onto my lap and I hold on to her, burying myself in her jasmine hair. She adjusts herself so her lips can reach mine. We kiss gently and then more deeply until I feel like not kissing her would be like dying, like I would flatline without her kisses to shock me back to life.
There is absolutely no doubt that this is it. This is good-bye.
THIRTY-NINE
She doesn’t stay with me that night. I heard her crying as she left the room early this morning. I could’ve stopped her, I know it, but it was too much for me too. My heart is heavy when I wake up to the realization that that was the last time I will ever be with her, will ever touch her, will ever make love to her.
When I head toward the kitchen, I see that her bedroom door is still closed. I wonder if she plans to avoid a good-bye like Kelly and Henry have. God, I hope not. But by the time I’ve finished eating breakfast, and washing the dishes, and loading the remaining items into my car, and she hasn’t emerged, I understand that that’s exactly what she plans to do.
My heart breaks. I don’t have any right to be angry with her. I’m the one leaving after all, but I thought I’d get to say good-bye. One last kiss. Some parting words. I don’t know. Something.