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Back The Family Next Door Save as PDF
Chapters (117)
  1. Also by
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright Page
  4. Epigraph
  5. PROLOGUE
  6. 1
  7. 2
  8. 3
  9. 4
  10. 5
  11. 6
  12. 7
  13. 8
  14. 9
  15. 10
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  33. 28
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  114. 109
  115. 110
  116. Teaser chapter
  117. ABOUT THE AUTHOR

“This was my son Joby’s room.” Cooper’s smile was sad. He made a sweeping gesture. “Please, have a look around. But be careful. His things are very precious to us.”

Evan hesitantly made his way into the room. He felt uncomfortable, like he shouldn’t be there. It was stuffy and sort of sad. Cooper opened a window and waved to his wife. He was wearing a pullover, despite the heat, and reminded Evan of his own grandpa.

Evan picked up the AT-AT walker and put it down again. Pressed a finger against a cyclist on a stainless steel bicycle sculpture. It began to move rhythmically, insistently, the rider swinging back and forth.

“Perpetual motion,” murmured Cooper. “A little bit like life, eh?”

Evan had no idea what he meant so he opened the bedside drawer to find pens, pencils and a Tupperware box full of erasers. Evan opened the tub and a faint fruity smell filled the room.

A Rubik’s cube. A small maze filled with liquid mercury. An ancient box of candy cigarettes.

And a set of headphones plugged into a yellow box emblazoned with seven letters. WALKMAN.

“What’s this?” He held it up for Cooper to see.

“It’s a cassette player. Plays music and stories. You know, tapes.” He pointed to the drawer under the bed. “There’s a heap of them in there.”

The doorbell rang.

“Back in a tick,” said Cooper, and hurried from the room.

Evan turned over the Walkman in his hand. He should put it back. It didn’t belong to him. But he didn’t move. Instead he chewed on his thumbnail. Borrowing wasn’t stealing, was it? Before he could change his mind, he undid the hoodie that was tied around his waist and wrapped it around the Walkman.

A voice he recognized drifted up. Evan heard his name being mentioned.

“I’m Aster from next door. We’ve just moved in. I don’t suppose you’ve seen my younger brother. I saw the fence had been—”

He tucked his prize into the crook of one arm and barreled down the stairs. “I’m here,” he said. “I’m here.”

He wasn’t often pleased to see his sister but the sight of her warmed him. Evan didn’t wait for Cooper to speak, but grabbed hold of his sister’s hand and tugged her down the path, calling out a good-bye.

* * *

Even the soft tread of Audrina’s footsteps on the carpet was not enough to drag Cooper’s gaze from the window, and he felt rather than saw his wife’s presence.

The old couple stood side by side at the window, not touching, looking down on the garden next door, watching the boy who vibrated with life and youth and reminded them of the son they had lost.