The Boy Who Stayed
Chapter 17 - The Boy Who Stayed
Ethan took the job.
He rented a small room near Marisol's neighborhood, despite her insisting he could stay indefinitely.
“You need your own life,” he told her.
Marisol pretended not to cry.
At the airport, Ethan worked early shifts.
He repaired baggage equipment, replaced broken panels, and learned the complicated machinery that kept thousands of travelers moving.
Thomas kept his promise.
No special treatment.
Sometimes too little treatment, in Ethan's opinion.
“You could at least pretend to like me at work,” Ethan complained once.
Thomas looked at the broken conveyor belt.
“Fix that and I'll consider it.”
Ethan laughed.
Their relationship grew slowly.
Not through dramatic speeches.
Through coffee at six in the morning.
Through oil-stained work gloves.
Through Thomas teaching Ethan how to change the brakes on his first used car.
Through Ethan teaching Thomas how to admit when he was wrong without giving a fifteen-minute explanation.
Rachel began calling every Sunday.
Sofia called more often than Ethan preferred.
Marisol cooked too much food.
For the first time, Ethan had people who noticed when he disappeared for three days.
Six months later, he reapplied to college.
Mechanical engineering.
Part-time.
When the acceptance email arrived, Ethan stared at it for ten minutes.
Then he called the person he still wanted most.
His mother.
The number had been disconnected.
That grief returned unexpectedly.
He sat in his car outside the airport and cried.
Thomas found him.
He did not ask Ethan to stop.
He simply sat in the passenger seat.
After a while, Ethan handed him the phone.
“I got in.”
Thomas smiled.
“Your mother would be proud.”
Ethan wiped his face.
“I know.”
Then he looked at Thomas.
“You proud?”
Thomas's voice broke.
“More than I have the right to be.”
Ethan shook his head.
“Stop doing that.”
“Doing what?”
“Punishing yourself every time something good happens.”
Thomas stared at him.
It was exactly what Lily might have said.
Then Ethan reached into his jacket.
May you like
He had finally decided what to do with the plane-ticket money Lily left him.
And he wanted Thomas to come.
