Джей Эшер - The Future of Us

“Good to know,” I say.

I drop a frozen Eggo waffle in the toaster and look out the window at Josh’s driveway. His parents’ car is still there. I wish they would leave so I can yank him back here to check Facebook.

Martin slides into the breakfast nook. “Have you ever seen the statistics on life expectancy in Switzerland?”

I hover over the toaster, willing my waffle to pop up, willing Martin to shut up, and willing Josh’s parents to get a move on.

My mom strolls in. “Ready to leave? I thought we could swing by the paint store on the way to work.”

“I just have to finish my muesli,” Martin says.

My mom sets her coffee mug in the sink. “Emma, did you call your father and thank him for the computer yet?”

I hate the way she calls him “your father.” Up until last year he was “Dad.” “Not yet,” I say, dousing my waffle with syrup. “I started an email to him, but I haven’t sent it yet.”

“He left a message on Monday to see if it arrived,” my mom says. “When you call, you should also ask him about their new baby. Rachel must be five weeks old already.”

I’m not in the mood to call my dad and talk about the computer. The whole issue is too weird right now. Thankfully, I hear Josh’s front door shut. I hurry to the window and watch his parents back their car down the driveway. Then I grab my plate and fork and slip out the door.

I PRESS JOSH’S DOORBELL for the third time and peer through the window. His backpack is on the side table, which means he hasn’t left for school yet. I look behind a potted plant, relieved to see they haven’t moved the emergency key. Balancing my waffle plate in one hand, I let myself in.

There’s loud music coming from Josh’s room.

“Josh?” I call from the bottom of the stairs.

No answer.

I haven’t been in this house since December. It was a few weeks after Josh tried to kiss me, and we were barely talking. When my mom said she and Martin were going next door for dinner and television, I invited myself along in the hopes of getting a few minutes to speak with Josh. But he inhaled his food in three minutes, and then disappeared up to his room.

The entire wall next to the staircase is filled with pictures of Josh and David at every stage of development, every class picture, every bad haircut. They even have clay impressions of their handprints next to framed locks of their baby curls.

I take a bite of my waffle and then knock on Josh’s door. Inside, he’s blasting the song “Walking on Sunshine.”

Through the door, I can hear Josh sing, “And don’t it feel GOOD! ”

I turn the knob, open the door, and—

He’s doing sit-ups in his tighty-whities! His chest looks toned, but… tighty-whities ?

“Emma!”

I laugh as Josh rips the sheet off his bed and wraps it around his waist.

His face is instantly red. “Haven’t you heard of knocking?”

“I did knock,” I say, bobbing my head to the beat. “But the bigger question is, haven’t you heard of boxers?”

Josh reaches for a pair of pants and pulls them on under the sheet.

I take another bite of waffle and look around his room. It looks the same as before, with clothes on the floor, a Tony Hawk poster above his dresser, and Cindy Crawford above his bed. There’s a can of markers for his art, and some old skateboard wheels on the floor. The only thing different are Josh’s free weights. They were hand-me-downs from his brother, but ever since David left, they’ve been stashed in Josh’s closet. Now they’re in the middle of his floor.

“What are you doing here?” he asks, slipping his arms into a T-shirt.

“I need you to come over so we can go on Facebook,” I say. “I can’t stop thinking about Kevin Storm. And I saw a baby picture of myself last night that looks so much like—”

“Sure,” Josh says. “Go ahead.”

“Without you? You’re not worried I’ll ruin your future?”

“Just don’t call Jordan Jones again, and don’t try to find Kevin Storm’s number. I’ll come over when I finish up here.”

I notice the phone on his floor, surrounded by the only patch of carpet without clothes or magazines. I wonder if Sydney’s called him yet.

Married toKevin Storm

When I click on his name, nothing happens. I try again. Nothing! Kevin’s name isn’t highlighted blue, so I’m guessing he doesn’t have a Facebook page of his own.

I look down on the screen to see what I’ve written in this future.

Emma Nelson Storm

I can’t get enough of Glee.

9 hours ago · Like · Comment

Kathleen PodellNetflix all the way, babe.

9 hours ago · Like

Emma Nelson StormNetflix+Glee = my life

8 hours ago · Like

I have no idea what I’m talking about, but if Netflix plus Glee equals my life, I’m hoping those are good things. I keep scrolling down.

Emma Nelson Storm

Packing the boys’ lunches. They’re slowly settling into

the new school, but I still feel guilty about moving

them in the middle of the year.

Yesterday at 7:01am · Like · Comment

Boys ? I told Josh we shouldn’t get too attached to our future children, but it’s hard to believe I’ll never see Olivia’s plump cheeks again.

Emma Nelson Storm

Luke just lost his first tooth! How much does the

Tooth Fairy leave these days?

May 20 at 4:25pm · Like · Comment

Six people have commented, everything from “Congrats, Luke!” to “I dunno… maybe a dollar?” But it’s the last comment that stands out.

Kellan SteinerLindsay is fourteen now, so I’m

out-of-date on the Tooth Fairy. Sorry!

May 20 at 7:12pm · Like

I’m tempted to click on Kellan’s name, but I promised Josh I would only look up Kevin Storm, so I force myself to stay on my own page. Mostly, I talk about my boys and Netflix, which seems to be a new way to watch movies.

Emma Nelson Storm

Kevin saved a life today. I will never browse online

while driving again. Don’t worry… I’m writing this

at a stoplight.

May 17 at 7:18pm · Like · Comment

I have a computer in my car ? Josh is going to freak out when he hears this. And if Kevin saved a life, maybe he’s a doctor. Or a paramedic. Or a fireman! That’d be cool because firemen have great bodies.

I read through the comments of various people congratulating Kevin. The man in the eighth photo has graying hair and… it’s my dad!

Dale NelsonPut your phone in your purse,

honey! All my love to the family.

May 17 at 8:03pm · Like

My eyes sting with tears. Seeing my dad’s name makes me miss him so much more right now.

Josh TempletonThanks for the text yesterday,

Em. You BETTER not have written it while

driving. Hey there, Mr. Nelson!

May 17 at 8:18pm · Like

Dale NelsonNice to see you, Mr. Templeton!

Emma tells me that you and the family are doing

well.

May 17 at 8:31pm · Like

Emma Nelson StormWhat is this, a reunion?

Josh, say hi to Sydney and the twins for me.

May 17 at 8:52pm · Like

I have no idea what a text is, but I can’t help smiling. The other times we looked at Facebook, Josh’s name was always in my Friends category, but we weren’t talking back and forth like this.

Then my mind catches something I missed earlier. I scroll up to the comment Kellan left about the Tooth Fairy, and lean in to get a closer look at her picture. She has the same long black hair and the same devilish smile. She’s wearing a black shirt and dangly silver earrings. Josh isn’t here, but this is too big to ignore. I need to look at Kellan’s webpage.