Page 67 of Uproot

Beckett

The firstfew weeks of summer drift by in a blur of work and spending time with the new makeshift family that I have made in Upwood.

I spend a lot of time working during the day while Edison attends summer camp at the local youth center. I make sure I leave my evenings open for us to have quality time together, and I also make sure that I don’t ever work on the weekends, something that is very different for me, but nice.

I let Helen bring her wife Erin down for a few weeks to visit since she works from home and can work from anywhere. Her hostility towards me wanes once she gets to reunite with Helen, staying in the other cabin with her, and getting to catch up on the time they’ve missed since I made her temporarily move here.

We throw a nice party for Edison’s 6th birthday, inviting a few kids from his class, and a few of our friends, to the park in town. We rent out one of the pavilions, and Dragana makes a nice spread of Serbian appetizers. I ask Oakland to help me grill, since I have zero skills in that department.

A man can’t be great at everything, right?

Selah insists on making the birthday cake herself, a chocolate cake with “Ninja Turtle” green icing on top. Edison plays with his friends, and eats sweets until he’s running around on a sugar high, happier than I’ve ever seen him before.

He opens gifts from his friends, and also a few from Selah, Helen, and Erin. I may have gone a little overboard with gifts for him, but I can’t think of a kid who deserves more of a big birthday celebration than him.

Rockwell, Lane, and I help Oakland serve burgers and hot dogs out to ravenous kids while our ladies chat with the other moms gathered around.

I’ve quickly learned over the past few weeks that this group of friends always shows up for each other, and will have your back no matter what you need.

Once Selah told everyone about Edison’s party, they all took it upon themselves to step up and take on assignments without even being asked.

Mary and Lane volunteered to bring tablecloths, cutlery, and balloons, Oakland and Piper gave us items from Reece’s to help fill goodie bags for the families that came, and Evy insisted on helping do face painting for the kids with their other friend, Libby.

This was all put together so quickly that by the time they were done snatching up tasks, I barely had anything to contribute but food and charcoal for the grill.

Edison was excited to meet them all, and especially happy to see Rockwell again, who I’m sure is a bit of a hero in his eyes.

The days after his birthday fly by, and I find it harder and harder to imagine packing up and going back to life in Manhattan once the summer ends.

Upwood has had a strange effect on me that I’m not sure I want to let go of, but I know I need to start figuring out our next steps soon.

???

“Are you going to be sweet today?” Selah asks me as I pull off of the main road onto a long driveway.

A large, white, colonial house comes into view and I scowl at it through the windshield.

“I’ll be as sweet as they are to you,” I respond tersely.

We’ve come to her mother and stepfather’s home for a dinner we scheduled a few days ago. Selah has been on edge anticipating me meeting them, knowing how little positive things there seems to be about her interactions with them. But nevertheless, I’m not going anywhere in Selah’s life, and at some point I need to meet them face-to-face.

Selah sighs, putting her head back on the headrest as I turn off the car. “I just don’t want this to be awkward, Beck. I know I haven’t told you the best things about my mother, and Carey’s family, but I want this to just be a quick, civil dinner,” she explains.

I turn to her, lifting her hand to my lips to kiss it. “If they don’t start any bullshit, then everything will be fine,” I respond calmly. “That’s the best that I can do, sweetheart.”

I reach over and unbuckle her seatbelt and lean over to kiss her lips, lingering there for a few moments while I savor the taste of her.

I pull away, gently stroking her hair, “You look beautiful, and you are perfect just the way you are,” I whisper over her mouth, kissing her one more time.

The tension on her face eases and she smiles at me. “Thank you Beck. I love you so much,” she says.

“I love you more, angel. Stay there, I’ll grab the wine, and come get your door,” I say, opening my car door.

I grab the wine we brought with us and take Selah’s hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze as we make our way up the steps to the front door.

We hear the high-pitched yapping of some dogs on the other side, and a few moments later, the door opens wide, revealing a woman who is a shorter, older version of mine.

Bianca smiles widely at the two of us clapping her hands together, “Hello you two! Come on in!” she chirps.

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