“Hey, buddy,” I crouch to get to his level, “it’s just for one night. You look like you’re ready to go on tour.”
His eyes nearly bug out of his head. “Oooh! I can go with you now. When you have to be far away again, I can go too!”
Well shit.
I rub the back of my neck awkwardly. I look over to Heaven who seems to be just as speechless.
“Well, you see, I just got back from all of that, so we’re planning on staying put for a while.” I hope that will nip this conversation in the bud because I really don’t know how all of this will work yet.
“Let’s not worry about that right now, Tyler. Just enjoy now, okay?”
He seems to get more excited with each passing second, ideas flying through his head that I can practically see, running faster than he can grab. Or faster than he should be able to grab.
“Oh, that means we can come live with you!”
“What the hell?” I choke out feeling every bit of color drain from my face. My stomach feels like it just took a fifty-foot freefall. Then I see the crestfallen look on his face, and it makes me regret my lack of filter for the second time in a few days. “I— uh —I didn’t mean it the way it sounded. It’s just that I don’t live here, buddy. I live in the city. I’m just around for a bit for the quiet, so we can work and take a break.”
“But we could come with you,” he mumbles sadly.
I look to his mother for help and find none. She looks completely mortified at the turn this has taken. I notice her eyes dart to her brother, and I understand why.
Even if we were at that point, she wouldn’t go with me. She’s not taking her brother away from his home. Nova said as much when she mentioned Heaven's promise to him. Even if she can’t keep the house, this place is still his home. He’s a teenager in his last few years of high school. She would never uproot him. I can see that without her saying the words.
I can also see Matt's sad eyes. I recognize that look. It’s anger and grief and sadness. I’ve worn it for a long time, but on this kid, it shouldn’t be there. He’s lost a lot in a very short period of time. He shouldn’t lose more.
And it gives me an idea. “How about we not worry about any of that today? Why don’t we just have fun together? Maybe Matt would like to come too,” I offer, praying under my breath that he will just go with it.
Matt’s eyes grow wide as Heavens begin to fill with tears. They all nod, but the brightness in Tyler’s eyes has dimmed. It makes me feel like shit. Nothing about this was ever going to be easy, but fuck, I didn’t think it would be this hard this fast.
“Go grab a few things,” I tell Matt before turning to grab Tyler’s bags and start for the door as he follows. “Wait!” he yells out.
He takes off running up the stairs again, returning less than a minute later with a miniature guitar case. I look at it with a strange feeling in my stomach and then to Heaven. “He loves music.” Her shoulders tip up casually, but she’s grinning widely.
“Yeah, but Mom wouldn’t let me listen to you.”
I chuckle with a shake of my head. “Probably a good idea.” Most of our music isn’t kid friendly, but there are a few songs we could play for him. One in particular that we’ve never recorded. I’ve always refused. “Now come on. We got things to do and people to meet.”
He bounces all the way to the car, climbing into the back seat like it’s his. Matt is behind us climbing into the passenger side with a genuine smile on his face.
Before I climb in, I turn to the pixie following behind me. “Not too late to change your mind and come too,” I offer.
“No. This is your time. Thank you for including Matt, but I have to work.”
“What about after work?”
“Rest. I’m exhausted.” I notice, not for the first time, how tired she looks. How sad her eyes are, and how she keeps clenching her fists to stop them from shaking.
I know it’s part of her disease. I know stress isn’t good for her at any stage, and I added to that without knowing the effect it would have. I also know she’s worried about things she hasn’t told me about.
“Get rest, pixie. I’ve got him tonight.” I move to kiss her, but she backs away with eyes darting to my car.
“After all those questions in there, I don’t think he should see that. It will give him more ideas and false hope.”
“I didn’t mean to react the way I did. I wasn’t expecting that.” I scrub my face with embarrassment.
“Ryder Jamison, are you embarrassed?” she teases, easing the tension.
“A little,” I admit. “It’s not that it’s something I never want, but—”
