I don’t need to tell you that my parentsfucking love Asher.Mom and Dad both grew up in sketchy Brooklyn neighborhoods, Bensonhurst and Bay Ridge, respectively, before gentrification drove up housing prices. They loved Asher because he was working class, just like they were, and nothing was ever handed to him.
Asher’s cheeks turned pink, his freckles momentarily blending in with the reddish hue. “I really appreciate that, Mr. and Mrs. Moretti.”
“You know you can call us Anthony and Maria. Oh!” Mom reached into her purse and pulled out a box with a red bow attached to the top. I had a pretty good idea what it was because they’d given me the same box that morning.
Asher took the box with wide eyes. “What is this?”
“Just a little something. It’s a big day for you boys.” Dad gave Asher a pat on the back that nearly knocked the wind out of him; the man was a fucking bruiser.
Mom’s hands found Asher’s cheeks, and she gave him a big, wet kiss on the forehead. “We’re just so proud of both of you,”she said, trying desperately to hold back the tears.
Asher opened the box, and the look on his face nearly broke my heart. He pulled out a compass, clasped to a gold chain, and examined it. Red’s green eyes turned glassy, and I knew he was doing everything he could not to cry. “I don’t know what to say. This is the nicest thing anyone’s ever given me.”
I looked at my folks and gave them each a wink, silently thanking them for being so thoughtful to my best friend. Asher was heading to college with a full ride, and his mom didn’t even come out to say goodbye. She didn’t even offer to drive him to school, but it didn’t matter because Mom and Dad knew that would happen and offered before Asher even had to ask. They were aces like that.
Dad pulled Asher and me in one of his trademark bear hugs, nearly crushing our ribs in the process. “You’re both men now, and you’ll need to navigate this crazy world for yourselves.”
“But you can always come back home whenever you need to,” Mom added. “That goes for you, too, Asher.”
Asher’s throat bobbed as he swallowed down his emotions and nodded. I pulled the compass my folks gave me from under my shirt, drew closer to him, and positioned it next to his. “We match, Pretty Boy.”
Asher looked up at me with a look I couldn’t read, then nudged my shoulder. “I guess we do, Big Boy.”
“Oh, that’s adorable! Let me get a picture!” Mom reached for her phone and snapped a few pics. “Oh, my goodness. This is the best picture! I’m gonna cry!”
“Ma…don’t cry.”
“I’m sorry! I told myself I wouldn’t do this in front of you.” Mom reached into her purse for a tissue and blew her nose, the sounds similar to an elephant’s trumpet.
Dad clapped his hands, officially pulling us out of the moment. “It’s a four-hour drive to your big fancy school. Let’s get this show on the road before I need to pull over and eat something.”
Mom shook her head, throwing her hands up in exasperation. “I make a breakfast that could feed an army, and he’s already thinking about his next meal.”
“Four hours is a long time, Maria.”
* * *
Much to my dismay, Asher and I weren’t assigned to the main freshman dormitory at Callahan. We were placed in the athletes’ dorm, which was on the opposite side of campus.
We’d passed Smithston, the freshman dorm, when we drove in, and the place looked like a fucking party. Blue and white streamers, Callahan’s colors, hung above the courtyard, and balloons of the same hue billowed in the wind like it was the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Upperclassmen wearing shirts with slogans saying “How can I help?” ran around clapping for the incoming freshman like a cheerleading squad.
Dad finally found a parking spot. We grabbed a big cart for our stuff and made our way to Shimkin Hall, the athletes’ dorm.
The vibe was bleak.
No balloons. No streamers. No fucking girls, either! It was a giant sausage fest, and the entire place smelled like a ball sack. Nobody was there to help us move in either. Where was my fucking parade for showing up?
As I silently cursed myself for choosing to be an athlete in college, three scowling dudes introduced themselves to us as our soon-to-be hockey teammates. They each wore a navy blue shirt, similar to the ones we saw in the courtyard, and helped us unload our belongings.
Once we’d unloaded the car and hauled the stuff into our dorm, Asher chit-chatted with the guys while I saw Mom and Dad out.
“Thanks again for making the day so special for Asher,” I said as we boarded the elevator. “He doesn’t say much, but I know it meant a lot to him.”
Mom patted me on the shoulder and smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “I’m glad to hear that. It’s a shame his mother can’t get it together to see what a wonderful son she has.”
My dad hummed his agreement just as the elevator doors opened up on the ground floor.
Mom and Dad each gave me a hug and a kiss. “I love you guys.”
