Other Half
August 29, 2012
Trevor still lives at home. His twenty-first birthday is spent with his parents in the afternoon, celebrating his birthday and his brother’s first day of eleventh grade which is in just a few days. His mother invites all their relatives that live in the state, only half of which actually show up for the barbecue, and all of his friends.
Lydia arrives with her long dark hair in two braids, with a box in hand. She hands if off to Tyler and walks across the yard to where Trevor’s standing, uncomfortably talking to his grandfather.
“Hello,” Lydia says, smiling at the old man. Lydia had been gone for almost a year after her graduation in 2008, but she had shown up at Trevor’s graduation. He hasn’t seen her since.
“Grandpa, this is my friend Lydia Dante. Lydia, this is my grandfather,” he introduces them. Lydia shakes the man’s hand and compliments his red and blue tie.
“John!” Trevor’s grandmother calls.
“That’s my cue,” he says and hobbles over towards his wife.
“Lydia,” Trevor says. Lydia grins and pulls him into a hug. She holds him tight, crushing him against her chest. Trevor realizes in that moment how much he missed her.
“Happy birthday,” she says. She lets him go and her eyes are damp. “I missed you, kid.”
Trevor rolls his eyes. She’s only a year older than him, and for another seventeen days they’re the same age.
“I met him, Trevor.”
“Jason?” She nods. “Where?”
“In California.”
“You went to California?” Trevor asks.
“Yes. But that’s not the point. I met him, Trevor! I met him and it was fantastic. I don’t know why I went to California or why I walked into that library, but it felt right. Like I had to go in there, no matter what,” Lydia explains.
Trevor bites the inside of his cheek and says, “I haven’t met Charlie Ray yet. But I think I know how you feel.”
“What do you mean?” She questions.
“I think Charlie Ray’s close.”
Lydia arrives with her long dark hair in two braids, with a box in hand. She hands if off to Tyler and walks across the yard to where Trevor’s standing, uncomfortably talking to his grandfather.
“Hello,” Lydia says, smiling at the old man. Lydia had been gone for almost a year after her graduation in 2008, but she had shown up at Trevor’s graduation. He hasn’t seen her since.
“Grandpa, this is my friend Lydia Dante. Lydia, this is my grandfather,” he introduces them. Lydia shakes the man’s hand and compliments his red and blue tie.
“John!” Trevor’s grandmother calls.
“That’s my cue,” he says and hobbles over towards his wife.
“Lydia,” Trevor says. Lydia grins and pulls him into a hug. She holds him tight, crushing him against her chest. Trevor realizes in that moment how much he missed her.
“Happy birthday,” she says. She lets him go and her eyes are damp. “I missed you, kid.”
Trevor rolls his eyes. She’s only a year older than him, and for another seventeen days they’re the same age.
“I met him, Trevor.”
“Jason?” She nods. “Where?”
“In California.”
“You went to California?” Trevor asks.
“Yes. But that’s not the point. I met him, Trevor! I met him and it was fantastic. I don’t know why I went to California or why I walked into that library, but it felt right. Like I had to go in there, no matter what,” Lydia explains.
Trevor bites the inside of his cheek and says, “I haven’t met Charlie Ray yet. But I think I know how you feel.”
“What do you mean?” She questions.
“I think Charlie Ray’s close.”