Chapter 4
On Sunday afternoon, I find Alex and Jake playing a video game when I arrive at Jake’s condo, and Ray is already gone to stock up on groceries and essentials.
Leaning against the doorjamb, I smile at Will, watching them together.
They have headsets on, both using voice commands to fight a group of zombies.
Alex didn’t mention he was coming over here yesterday, but it’s not uncommon to find one of my guys here nowadays.
Alex notices me first with a smile as his character dies on screen. “No, no, no. Alex, man, we were almost at the end of the level. What happened?” Jake whines.
Alex nods my way as Jake turns. “Hello boys.” I step into the room, placing a kiss on Jake’s cheek as Alex steps around the bed for a quick hug.
“Sum, have you been here long? Why didn’t you interrupt?” Jake asks.
“Didn’t want to break your concentration, but Alex died anyway,” I smirk.
“Next time say something, woman, and I’ll pause the game.” Jake rolls his eyes at me.
“Noted.” I take a seat on the edge of his bed. “So, what are the plans for today?”
“Distraction.” Jake restarts the game, so I get comfortable and watch. Jake eventually turns on a comedy, and Alex excuses himself to go home.
“Wanna talk, handsome?”
“Nope. Talked to Cameron already. Come snuggle, please.”
Will slides Jake over so I can get in bed beside him and watch the rest of the movie, and Jake is asleep by the time Ray returns.
Ray has dark circles under his eyes and the fine lines are more pronounced across his face, but he gives me a smile as I leave.
I hope the two of them can get past this tension quickly.
Tuesday morning, I’m up early for school. Ray texted me last night that he contacted Erin and she insisted on flying down here. I’ll find out more details when I visit.
School is uneventful and quiet today. After completing my statistics homework with Bay and Alex, I drive myself over to visit Jake.
I’ve stuck to the schedule the guys created for me when Jake and Ray moved in.
Running Mondays and Wednesdays after school and on Saturdays.
Tuesdays and Thursdays after school for school projects, studying, or homework.
Most days I visit Jake after those activities.
Ray is in his office on the phone when I enter the condo, so I wave to him and enter Jake’s room. “Hey handsome, Will,” I greet.
“Sum, how was school today? Will and I played tennis. He sucks at it.” Jake seems in a better mood today, a noticeable change in his demeanor.
Will is smiling, shaking his head at Jake. “School was school,” I smile. “Statistics is much easier than precalculus. I got a 95% on my quiz. How was physio?”
“Best time of my life,” he replies, a tiny smile playing on his otherwise neutral face.
Chuckling at him, I kiss his cheek and then pull the rolling chair over to his bedside, plopping down. “Glad you had so much fun.”
He gives me a genuine smile. “This smoothie is fantastic, though. My favorite yet.”
I’ve been giving Ray herbs and supplements to help Jake recover since they moved in. Between Alex and me, we came up with several promising ingredients. Ray blends them into a smoothie once a day for Jake to drink. “Good. How are you and Ray doing?”
A scowl etches itself onto his features, his lips pressed into a thin, unpleasant line. “I’m still mad.”
“Understandable. He did the best he could at the time.”
“I know Sum. Let me be mad, okay? I need to, for a little while.”
Holding my hands up in surrender, I smile. “You do you, Jake. You’ve been doing amazing with all this, honestly. Take all the time you need. Now, switching topics, I hear your mom is coming.”
“That’s what Dad said. She’s living in New York State, and she’s married and has a baby. A baby Sum. I have a little brother, a stepbrother, and a stepsister,” he blurts, his voice tight with shock and a hint of disbelief.
“Wow, I wasn’t expecting that.” I guess when Erin moved on, she really moved on. “How are you doing with the news?”
“I called Cameron after physio this morning, but I don’t know how to feel.
” He rests his head against the cotton of the pillow, staring up at the blank ceiling above.
Although not obvious, I can detect the tautness in his facial muscles and the rigid set of his neck.
“It’s her life, so she can do whatever she wants, but I didn’t expect her to abandon me and replace us with a new family.
I’m still upset with Dad, but at least he took custody and checked on me and set everything up, you know?
It wasn’t enough, but not as bad as mom.
Cameron suggested I hear her out, but it was my choice. ”
Erin was a wonderful mom. Never warm and fuzzy like mine, but pleasant.
She always had snacks for us after school, and the house was inviting and clean.
She attended his hockey games when she could and always asked about his day.
Erin was a bit formal compared to mine. Think businesswoman versus a free-spirited hippie.
Not mean or harsh, just distant? Jake and I were both closer to Ray.
He was the one who took us on trips and played with us. I know she loved Ray and Jake, though.
It’s always fascinating, and sometimes unsettling, to witness the wide range of reactions people have to grief: some quiet and introspective, some outwardly volatile, and others marked by an almost surreal numbness.
You can see individuality emerge so starkly, each person a distinct melody in the symphony of life. “Are you going to see her?”
“I can’t exactly run away,” he deadpans, “but I guess so. I’ll let her speak and then decide what I want.”
“That’s reasonable. When does she get here?”
“Saturday.”
Bad timing, or good, depending on how you look at it. If she still blames me, it would probably be best if I wasn’t around. “Will you be okay with me going to Virginia with her coming?” I ask.
Jake nods quickly. “You have to go, Sum. It’s the anniversary of the accident. I asked Dad to order flowers for me if you can pick them up when you get yours?”
“I’d love to. I’ll give Ray the florist’s info before I leave today.” A chime sounds from the intercom, so I get up to answer it. Alex is here. I buzz him in and wait for his arrival. “Hi there,” I smile, opening the door when he knocks.
“Hello. I have some information for Ray and Jake about his schooling. May I come in?”
I step aside to let him enter, getting a hug before following him back to Jake’s room.
“Hello Will, Jake,” Alex smiles, going to stand beside his picture. “I am Alex. We spoke a few days ago about schooling, and I said I would enquire about your options for school graduation.”
Jake looks at Alex and his picture for a minute. “I remember the conversation, but sorry, man, you’re familiar, but I don’t know you yet.”
“Not an issue, Jake. That is why you have the pictures. I have news for you and Ray, if he can join us?”
“I’ll check,” I offer, stepping out. Ray is typing on his computer, so I knock on the doorframe. “Hey Ray, Alex has school news.”
“Hi Summer,” he smiles. “Sorry I didn’t greet you. I had a difficult client on the line. Just let me send this email and I'll be in.”
“Okay,” I nod. Walking back into Jake’s room, Alex is standing on the far side of Jake’s bed, showing him something on his phone. “Ray will be here in a minute,” I tell them. “What are you two looking at?”
“I was showing him pictures from the birthday party last weekend,” Alex replies.
“You looked beautiful, Sum,” Jake grins at me. “Hubba hubba.”
I laugh as Ray enters the room, apologizing for the delay.
“After speaking with the school board and our school principal, we have options,” Alex begins.
“First option is an online school where Jake would set his own schedule as long as he finishes by the end date.
This is designed so that he can loosely follow the in-school schedule and finish concurrently with in-school students.
“Second is your typical GED program that is self-paced. You study, then write an exam with a pass/fail result. Finally, I have created a third option. You would have a dedicated tutor at your disposal but could set your own schedule, doing as much or as little as you wanted. This person would help you when and if needed; otherwise, you could follow along with a program that is designed for you. The result would be that you could graduate as if you were attending in person, which is favorable if you choose to pursue a higher education.”
“That’s a lot,” Jake says.
“Thank you for getting the information, Alex,” Ray says. “I appreciate it. How would we go about finding a tutor if we chose option three?”
“I have already found a wonderful retired teacher both my father and I know. She has agreed to build a curriculum for Jake and oversee his progress, enabling him to complete his education. We agreed on a salary that I am happy to take care of, and she would be at your disposal as long as required.”
“Why would you offer to pay someone’s salary for a stranger?” Jake asks, brows furrowed and genuinely perplexed at his offer.
“That’s just Alex. If he can help you, he will, without you having to ask,” I smile at Alex.
“You are Summer’s best friend; therefore, I consider you as such too,” Alex tells Jake.
“We'll cover the teacher's salary,” Ray comments. “But thank you. Can we have time to discuss the options?”
“Certainly,” Alex replies. “I will leave you to your visit,” he waves before leaving, and I follow him out.
“You’re the best, thank you, Alex.” He’s so thoughtful, always providing and anticipating needs; he makes life easier with considerate gestures and proactive solutions.
“My pleasure. Please inform me when they decide. There is no rush. See you at school tomorrow, Summer.”
“Bye,” I respond, locking the door after he steps out. That guy. A small smile plays along my mouth as I walk back to Jake’s room.
Ray comes out of the room and invites me to stay for dinner, along with Zander.
I text Dad, and he agrees, so Ray makes lasagna and garlic bread for everyone.
Dad arrives just after 5pm, and we eat with Jake in his room.
Ray added a slim, rectangular table along the wall with the tv, towards the patio doors.
It’s enough room for him and Will to eat.
Zander and I take seats on the opposite side of Jake.
He can eat part of his meal before tiring, so I help him finish.
He’s still slower to eat than he used to be, but we’ve adapted to eating slower with him.
There’s an NBA game on tv tonight that we end up staying to watch before heading home.