The Neighbor Favor(87)

The thought of going to M&M’s party made Nick’s body seize with nerves. All the required extroverting. All the people. But he remembered how he’d felt during Elena Masterson’s reading. Despite his fears, he wanted to take ownership of his books in every way. He thought of how Lily had encouraged him.

“I think I’ll go,” he said.

Marcus froze, blinking in surprise. “Really?”

“Really?” Zara said, beaming.

“Are you sure?” Marcus asked. “You know you don’t have to go.”

“I’m sure,” Nick said. “I want to.”

“Great,” Marcus said, smiling again. But this time it wasn’t his pleased or proud smile. It was the encouraging, patient smile he’d reserved for Nick back in college whenever Nick had decided to join Marcus and the rest of their floor mates to chill, or any time that he was able to successfully get Nick to come out of his shell. “That’s really great.”

After lunch, Nick took the train with Marcus to his apartment in Brooklyn. Caleb was home, and as soon as Nick sat on the living room couch, Caleb plopped down beside him and eagerly asked about how things were going with Lily.

“Good,” Nick said, unable to keep the grin off his face.

He couldn’t believe that he’d tried to stay away from Lily for so long. The peace and contentment he felt at having her in his life this way was indescribable. She softened his rough edges with her carefree laughter and patience. Their moments of stillness were ones he wanted to hold on to forever. Like last night while they sat on his bed, he held her feet in his lap, massaging them, and she read aloud from a manuscript that she was editing about the evolution of shoelaces. Under any other circumstance, it would have been some of the most uninteresting shit he’d ever heard, but he listened attentively, captivated by Lily and the soothing sound of her voice. He already couldn’t wait to be with her again. He was counting down the hours until he could see her after her workday ended.

“I want you to bring her over for dinner soon,” Caleb said. “Marcus, what do you think?”

Marcus stood across the room at the kitchen table, sorting through their mail. “Sure. But can we have real food, and not just appetizers like that time we invited over one of your Brooklyn mom clients?”

“I’m sorry, do you mean my hors d’oeuvres?”

“Yeah, I was so hungry that night.”

Nick laughed and sat up, pulling his phone out of his back pocket as it vibrated. Another Unknown caller.

“I keep getting scam calls,” he said, pressing ignore.

“Well, you know what they say,” Caleb said. “Scammers never sleep.”

Nick gave him a dubious look. “I’ve never heard anyone say that before.”

“Not true, because you heard me say it just now.”

Nick snorted and shook his head. Then his phone vibrated again. Unknown.

“Fuck it,” he said. “I’m just gonna answer and see what kind of scheme they’ve got going.”

“Whatever you do, don’t give them your social security number,” Marcus warned.

Nick gave Marcus a look that said, What do you take me for? When he answered, he heard only static, followed by a rustling noise. Someone mumbling.

“Hello?” Nick repeated.

“Nick?”

Nick stilled. He almost dropped the phone as his hand went slack.

“Nick? Can you hear me?”

“. . . Mom?”

Caleb and Marcus both froze, turning to look at Nick.

“Mom?” Nick repeated. His pulse quickened. He stood and walked outside. The fresh air hit him. He paused at the top of the stoop. “Mom, is that you?”

“Yeah, sweetheart. Hi.”

Sweetheart.

The last time Nick saw Teresa, she’d been laid up in a hospital bed with a broken shoulder, yelling at him to leave because he’d been arguing with his father. Now she was calling him sweetheart. And with that one word, he was a boy again. Vulnerable and unsure. Seeking her acknowledgment.

“I’ve been calling you off this cheap prepaid phone I bought at the gas station. Barely works,” she said over the static. “We’ve been back in Warren for a few weeks now. Are you still over there?”

Over there. That was the way she’d referred to Nick’s travels. During their sporadic calls, he’d always been someplace new. He wanted to lie and keep his distance. He should tell her that he was in Asia or Australia. Far away and unreachable.

“No,” he said. “I’m in the States now.”

“You are? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t know how to reach you.” He was taken aback by the hurt in her voice. “I’m sorry.”

“Where are you?”

“Is everything okay?” he asked, avoiding her question. “Do you need anything?”

“You think I’m only calling because I need something from you?”

“No, that’s not what I’m saying. I just want to make sure you’re all right.”

Teresa sighed. “I’m calling about your father.”

Nick’s stomach clenched. “What happened?”

“He was in a car accident a few days ago, down there racing with those fools at the pool hall. He broke his leg. He hit his head pretty badly too. The doctors say he’ll be okay, but it’s going to take some time . . .” She paused. “He’s been asking for you, Nick. He wants you to come see him.”