Second Chances in New Port Stephen - Chapter 101

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Second Chances in New Port Stephen - Chapter 101

He turned to the left to put his shoes on the rack and nearly had a heart attack. His mom and
dad were sitting primly on the sofa with their hands folded in their laps, wide awake and clearly
waiting for him to make an appearance.
“Well, well, well,” his dad drawled, “if it isn’t our only child, home at last.”
“It’s late,” his mom said pointedly.
“Didn’t know I still had a curfew.” Eli scrunched his eyes closed. He hadn’t meant to snap at
them. “Sorry. It’s been a day.”
“We want to talk to you,” Cora said.
“About that discussion we started over presents,” Wendall added, like it could have been
anything else.

-- 208 of 228 --

“I want to talk to you, too, actually.” Eli finished slotting his shoes in the rack and padded over to
an armchair, then thought twice about sitting on the upholstery. “Uh, I’m very sweaty. I biked,
like, ten miles today. Okay if I stand?”
His dad got to his feet. “We’ll all stand.”
“Dad, that’s silly, you don’t have to—”
“Hold on, I’m getting there.” His mom struggled to leave the couch’s cushy embrace. “Christ
alive, I’ve been sitting so long my legs are asleep.”
“Here, honey, let me.” Wendall took her by the hands.
“No, I’ve got it!”
Eli tilted his head back to look at the ceiling. “We really don’t all need to stand.”
Cora got upright with a huff of triumph. She smoothed her gray-streaked hair from her face.
“Nonsense. We’re a family, and families stick together.”
“What your mother is trying to say,” his dad said, “is that we understand if you don’t want to
move back in with us. We support you, no matter what your decision is.”
“Even if your decision is not financially sound,” Cora put in.
“Even then,” Wendall confirmed.
Eli could feel a headache forming, a real doozy too.
“We wouldn’t ask you to pay any rent, at least for the first year.”
“And if, after a year, you’re still not back on your feet, we’d work something out.”
“But again, if you’d rather not—”
“We totally support you.”
“Thanks. I know I said some pretty shitty things about this place,” Eli said, “and it hurt your
feelings. I’m sorry. I love you guys, I do. I just hate this town sometimes.”
His dad nodded absently. “Well, the whole state is kind of a write-off.”
“Lord, I hope our governor doesn’t run for president,” Cora muttered. “What a disaster that
would be.”
“Don’t worry,” Eli said. “No one’s going to vote for a short guy. People don’t take us seriously.” It
was a joke, though he prayed it was true.

-- 209 of 228 --

“If we could be closer to you in New York or wherever you end up, we would,” Cora said. “How
could we afford to move, though? Have you seen housing prices lately?”
“You get on that Zillow—on the web—and you’ll see how right your mother is.”
“It’s madness.”
“Completely untenable. When we moved into this house, do you know how much we paid?”
“Dad.” Eli held up both hands. “As much as I’m loving the acknowledgment of your Boomer
privilege, can I finish? Please?”