Page 84 of The Other Guy

“You always gave me gifts.”

“This was on top of that.”

My eyes meet his and I lean forward on the table, speaking softly. “Kyle, there’s way more here than you putting in a ‘little extra’. This is over two hundred thousand dollars.”

Kyle nods. “It’s not all from me. When your grandpa and grandma died, your dad and I each received an inheritance. I used what I needed to pay off my house and the building the bar’s in. Put the rest of it in this account.”

With shaky hands, I lift my straw to my lips and take a long fortifying drink of tea, looking at the papers in front of me like they’re going to jump out and bite me. My brain is having a really hard time comprehending. “I don’t understand.”

Kyle smiles at that. “The fact that you don’t is exactly why I wanted to do this for you.”

“What do you mean?”

“You have never once asked for anything. Even when you bought your first car, you didn’t have your parents help pay for it. Not even the insurance or the gas. Your parents could afford it, and you know that, but you’ve never acted entitled to anything you didn’t earn yourself.”

This is true. When I lived with Jeff, I refused his offer of me not paying rent or utilities. I paid my way through community college and took all my classes at night so I could work during the day. I’d planned to go on to get my Bachelor’s degree but I could never decide what I wanted to study and didn’t want to pay for it if I wasn’t sure.

Then I started working and still didn’t know. I’ve waited tables, was a receptionist at a dentist office, worked in retail, volunteered at the animal shelter and at one of the grade schools during lunch recess. My interests have always been so wild and scattered that even though my parents offered to pay my way through college, I never wanted to take them up on the offer. It would have been a waste of their money.

“But… Kyle, this is… I have no words.”

“Holy crap, I rendered you speechless.”

“You did. I am seriously in awe right now.”

He leans back, happy with his news. Honestly, I can’t decide if I’m happy, though. This amount of money means a lot of responsibility.

“Listen. The money is in this account for you when you need it. It’s yours. I would love to see you open a little store, maybe buy a place, go on a vacation if that’s what you want. The point is, this money was never mine to begin with. It’s always been yours. See? The savings account has always been in your name with me as the secondary. I just had to remove my name. I’m pretty sure you need to go back in to sign some stuff.” He laughs and messes up his hair. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so happy and carefree before.

“This is wow, Uncle Kyle. Seriously a big wow.”

“Here you go. Chicken pot pie and Reuben. Can I get you anything else?” Harper places our plates in front of us.

“I think we’re good,” Kyle answers for me since I’m still struck silent.

“More tea and Coke?”

“That’d be great. Thanks.”

As soon as Harper leaves, Kyle dives into his pot pie. I pick up one half of my sandwich and take a bite. It’s beyond delicious, probably the best Reuben I’ve ever had. It tastes like homemade corned beef and sour kraut. Neither of us talk for a few minutes as we devour our meals. Aside from the murmurs of how amazing everything tastes, neither of us talk. I take a bite of his and he does the same with mine.

Halfway through my meal, I look up when I see someone approach then startle when I see Jack’s dad, James. With a mouthful of food, I cover my mouth with my hand and try not to choke on the giant bite of meat and bread I just shoved in my mouth.

“James! What are you doing here?”

He looks at me then splays his hands out wide. “The chef wanted to make sure your lunch was to your liking.”

“Oh my gosh, it’s delicious. Do you work here?”

Kyle snorts and I look at him. “Get there a little quicker, sweetheart.”

“Huh?”

“Didn’t you have lunch with James just last week?”

“Yeah? Oh! Oh, duh! This is your restaurant, isn’t it? That’s why it sounded familiar. Gah, I feel like an idiot. Kyle! Why didn’t you say something?”

“Figured it would be a helluva lot more fun this way,” he says with a wink and takes another bite.

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