Chapter 26
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
JORDAN
Wyles Bros
Me
We really need to change the name of this chat.
Noah
Do my eyes deceive me? Is Jordan firing the opening salvo of a text conversation?
Me
Fuck off. I text you all the time.
Cooper
You do, but only when one of us texts you first.
Me
That can’t possibly be true.
Elliot
It is.
me
Okay, well, don’t read anything into it.
Elliot
That train has already left the station.
Noah
Seriously. You’re texting us first, and it’s almost like you’re cheerful.
Cooper
How can you tell he’s cheerful if he’s barely said anything?
Noah
I have a finely tuned emotional meter. I just know these things.
Me
Well, my finely tuned bullshit meter is flashing red.
Noah
Well, now I know for sure you’re in a good mood.
Elliot
Seriously, dude. To what do we owe the pleasure?
Cooper
Is this about mom’s birthday in a couple weeks?
Noah
Yeah, Elliot told us you didn’t say a hard no when he brought it up last week.
Elliot
It was more than “not a hard no.”
I would call it a soft yes.
Cooper
So are you coming? You know mom would freak the fuck out.
Me
I’m thinking about it.
Noah
Fuck. Yes. Wyles brothers reunited.
Me
You know you guys were just here, right? It’s not like I haven’t seen you in two years.
Cooper
Yeah, but you haven’t been to Boston in two years. It’s different when we’re all together at home. I don’t know why it is. It just is.
Elliot
He’s right. It’s the rule. Please say you’re coming.
Me
Fuck, fine. I want to come. But there’s a thing.
Elliot
You want to bring Jo with you.
Me
How did you know?
Elliot
I can sense these things.
Noah
Wait, what? Is there a Jo thing happening? How did I miss this?
Cooper
I think the better question is, how did I miss it? I’m way more intuitive than the rest of these assholes. Elliot is all preoccupied with his dog and his plants and all that computer shit he has going on, and Noah is too busy, like, looking at himself in the mirror and giving himself finger guns like the aged frat guy he is.
Noah
Fuck off! I’m busy because I’m a surgeon.
Me
Oral surgeon.
Also, none of you missed it. It just happened.
Elliot
If by just happened you mean that it’s been happening all summer, but you just made it official?
Me
It’s not official. It’s…well, I don’t know what it is, but it’s something.
Noah
How does that make you feel?
Me
Fucking terrified all the time unless she’s right next to me. When she’s there, I forget to be scared.
Cooper
Oh, my god. That’s romance novel shit, Jord.
Noah
How would you know? You don’t read romance novels.
Cooper
And you do?
Noah
Nah, I just know shit.
Elliot
It’s okay to be scared. I’m proud of you for taking this step. I know you’ve liked her for a while.
Me
I more than like her. But there’s stuff. We live in two different places, and I don’t know what happens at the end of the summer.
Elliot
Listen Jord, those are just details. You know better than anyone that life is short, and we only get this one. Don’t let that kind of thing hold you back. If this is really something, you guys can figure it out.
Me
This might be premature. It just happened, and we haven’t even talked about it yet. But I really do want to ask her to come with me to Boston.
Noah
So ask her. If you want her to be a part of your life, make her a part of your life.
Me
Fuck. I don’t remember how to do any of this.
Cooper
You’re already doing it. Now do the next thing and ask her to come with you.
Me
If I do, can you all promise me you’ll be normal?
Noah
No.
Elliot
Nope.
Cooper
Definitely not.
Me
Fuck. Fine. I’ll ask her.
* * *
Pittsburgh Boys
Me
What the fuck is it with all the people in my life and stupid names for group chats?
Asher
You’re right, it really is a stupid name.
Asher changed the name of the chat to Besties Forever
Jeremy
I think that’s even worse.
Asher
So rude.
Gabe
I don’t know, I kind of like it.
Ben
You don’t think it makes us sound like 13-year-old girls?
Asher changed the name of the chat to Best Bros Forever
Asher
Julie said you were right about the 13-year-old girl thing, so I fixed it.
Gabe
You consulted with your wife on the name of our group chat?
Asher
I consult with my wife on every damn thing. She’s like a zillion times smarter than I am.
Gabe
They’re all a zillion times smarter than all of us.
Jeremy
Got that right.
Ben
You can call her Julie, you know. We all know who your wife is.
Asher
I like it. She does too [winky face emoji].
Ben
Jesus Christ. I love you like a brother, dude, but she’s still my sister.
Me
I miss you guys.
Ben
We really miss you too.
Jeremy
What he said. It was good to see you a few weeks ago. Maybe we can see you again soon?
Me
I’m going to try and come back more.
Asher
Fuck. Yes. Best Bros Forever reunited.
Gabe
I’m really glad to hear that, Jordan. We’ve missed having you around.
* * *
Ben
Does this sudden desire to come back more have anything to do with a certain sister-in-law of mine?
Me
You know?
Ben
You bet. Apparently when you guys were here a few weeks ago, Jo opened up to Hallie and Hannah. Hal wouldn’t tell me what she said because, sister code or something.
But then this morning Hallie got a whole bunch of texts from Jo that looked like they were all caps and an overuse of emojis.
Me
Yep, that sounds about right.
Ben
Then Jo called on her way to work, and Hal had the phone on speaker while she fed the babies. I’m really happy for you, Jordan.
Me
Thanks. I don’t know exactly what it is yet.
Ben
But you know what you want it to be?
Me
I want her. I don’t know any of the details, and everything about it is low key terrifying, but I do know that.
Ben
That’s enough for now.
Me
You think?
Ben
I know. Obviously what you have is special.
Me
How do you know?
Ben
Because you opened yourself up for the first time since Allie. That’s a big step, and I know you wouldn’t take it for anything except something very, very real.
Me
You’re right about that. And thank you.
Ben
For what?
Me
For saying Allie’s name.
Ben
Is that something you need?
Me
I like when people say her name. It makes me feel like she won’t be forgotten.
Ben
Then we’ll say it more. I’m sorry if we haven’t said it enough. We loved her too, Jordan, and we all think about her. Every single day.
Me
Thank you. I needed to hear that.
Ben
And with Jo? Just enjoy the ride. I really am happy for you, brother (maybe even real brother soon because, Hallie’s sister).
Me
Fuck off. We are nowhere near there.
Ben
Sorry, I was channeling Asher for a second. I’m over it.
Me
I was serious when I said I miss you guys.
Ben
And we were serious when we said we miss you too. Hope we can see you soon.
Me
Me too.
* * *
Mom
JORDAN ALEXANDER WYLES, YOU DO NOT DECIDE TO brING A GIRL HOME WITHOUT TELLING YOUR MOTHER.
Me
Jesus Christ, Mom, I haven’t even asked her yet.
Mom
Well, what’s taking you so long?
Me
This is new. Like, brand new.
Mom
I know you, baby. You wouldn’t be taking this step if she wasn’t special. And girls who are special to you really should meet your mother.
Me
Fine. Fuck. She’s special, okay?
Mom
Definitely okay. Now, bring her to me. She’s what I want for my birthday.
Me
I’ll ask her, but can you be a little less, like, you if we come?
Mom
Jordan, I have been me for almost fifty-six years, and I will be exactly who I am until the day you put me in the ground. I make myself less for no one.
Me
Why does it always have to be about death with you?
Mom
I think I may have been a witch in a previous life.