Later that evening, standing outside the Red Maple Apartments, Lynn cries into her son’s neck. “We have to schedule more times like these.”
“I agree. We do.”
“Don’t be a stranger,” she tells him, stepping back and eyeing him.
His eyes tear up at the sound of his mother’s farewell speech. “I won’t. I promise.”
“And as for you,” she says, crooking a finger at Eddie standing next to Josh with his hands shoved into his corduroys. Lynn envelops both guys in one of her drawn-out goodbyes. She whispers to them, “Take care of each other.”
Even more softly, Eddie mutters, “We will.” Then, so Josh won’t overhear, “Thanks for the chat.”
Lynn squeezes the two guys tighter. “I’ll miss you both.”
Stephen has to pry Lynn off Josh and Eddie. Over a half-dozen ‘I love yous’ and an overbearing number
