She didn’t say anything at first. I could hear breathing on the other end. Shallow. Uneven. Then a sharp inhale that broke into a sound I felt in my sternum.
“Noah,” Em choked.
My chest cracked open. “I’m here.”
“They were there,” she said, words tumbling out between breaths. “My parents—obviously. They were sitting at the table like it was… like it was Sunday dinner or something. And I walked in, and I thought—oh my god, I thought I was going to throw up.”
I closed my eyes, fingers curling against the car. “Okay. Slow down. What happened?”
She laughed through tears, a sound that hurt and healed all at once. “My mom stood up first. She didn’t even say anything. She hugged me. Like—really hugged me, Noah. She said she was proud of me. Of us. She said she’d never seen me this happy.”
My throat burned.
“And my dad,” she continued, voice shaking again. “He wascrying. Like actually crying. He said—he said he’s so proud of us. He said Miles is lucky. And then he looked at me and said… he’s so excited to be Miles’s official grandpa now.”
I had to sit down on the hood of the car. My knees wouldn’t hold me.
“They gave me the envelope,” Em whispered. “My mom’s hands were shaking. Noah, I couldn’t stop crying. I didn’t even read it at first. I stood there crying as they both hugged me.”
I scrubbed a hand over my face, breath uneven. “What did the note say?”
She sniffed. “It said:Every family needs a foundation. Go find yours.”
I laughed once, broken and stunned. “You’re almost done, Em. You’re doing great.”
“How are you holding it together right now?”
“Because I’m earning you in the end,” I said, softly.
There was a pause. Then, softer, she said, “I’m getting back in the car. Theo’s driving like a lunatic.”
My heart kicked. “Good, next place I get to see you, Em.”
“I can’t believe you did this,” she said, and this time there was awe in her voice. “I can’t believe you planned all of this.”
“I’ve been dreaming about this for years, planning it for afew months. But it took everyone, baby. Everyone in our lives who love us.”
She laughed again, wetter this time. “I love you so much.”
“I love you too. I’ll see you soon.”
I hung up and stayed still for a second, letting the moment hit me.
Then the school doors burst open. Miles came barreling toward me with his backpack bouncing and Sassy straining at the leash beside me ready to see her favorite person. Em had been replaced at this point.
“Uncle Noah!” he yelled. “You’re early!”
I dropped down as he hit me, catching him around the middle. “Big day, buddy,” I said, pressing my face into his hair. “Are you ready?”
“For what?” he asked, eyes bright.
I glanced down at Sassy, who sat immediately, tail wagging so hard it thumped against the pavement.
“For helping me,” I said. “With something important.”
He straightened, solemn. “I’m really good at helping.”
“I know you are,” I said. “That’s why I need you today.”
