Page 109 of Something Like Forever

“Just a few times. To meetthe parents. Stuff like that. I take it you went to schoolthere?”

“Becauseof this?” Nathaniel held up the towel, then draped it over oneshoulder. “A present from my grandma. She had her heart set on megoing there. Doesn’t matter that I got my degree years ago. Now shewants me to get my doctorate, but not from justanywhere.”

Ben smiled. “Were you bornin Warrensburg?”

“Closeby,” Nathaniel answered. “I lived there when I was really little,until we moved. I don’t suppose you know my mom? Star Courtney?Back then she was Star Denton.”

Ben shook his head.“Doesn’t ring a bell. Sorry.”

“Oh. Maybe my dad then.Victor Hemmingway?”

Ben was already shakinghis head because he could count the people he knew in Warrensburgon one hand. Then he paused. Victor wasn’t an uncommon name, so itseemed unlikely, but just in case… “Punky guy?”

“That’s right!” Nathanielsaid, sounding excited. “You knew him?”

Ben shook his head again.“Sorry. I don’t think it’s the same one. He didn’t have a kid. Ithink my husband would have mentioned that.”

Nathaniel’s brow knottedup. “Jace?”

Ben was surprised until heremembered that Nathaniel and Tim knew each other. “That’s right.Jace used to date a guy named Victor, but I really don’t think it’sthe same one.” He knew an easy way of disqualifying this otherperson. “Is your father still alive?”

“No,” Nathanielsaid.

That wasn’t the answer hewas expecting, but it still wasn’t definitive proof. “Did he havemismatched eyes?”

“One brown, the othergreen,” Nathaniel said.

Ben didn’t know whichcolors Victor’s eyes had been exactly, but it was a small town, andno way were they still dealing in coincidences. “Holy shit,” hebreathed.

“Youknew him?” Nathaniel asked, clearly eager forconfirmation.

“I thinkit’s probably the same person,” Ben said, “but he died before Iknew Jace. I never had a chance to meet him.”

“Thatmakes two of us,” Nathaniel said, sounding deflated. He leanedagainst the house, head resting on it as he watched Zero explorethe yard. “Technically I met him when I was really little, but Idon’t have any memories. Just a couple of photos. That’s it. Makesyou wonder why we start out that way. Entire years are lost to us.You would think our brains would hold on to more of our pasts. Allthat stuff at the beginning has to be useful, right? It’s when welearn to be little people, so why can’t weremember?”

“I don’tknow,” Ben said, “but I can imagine how frustrating that would befor you. He must have died when you were young.”

Nathaniel didn’t answer,choosing to switch topics. “It was a beautiful wedding. Almost asgood as the one four years ago.”

“Thanks,” Ben said with asmile. “You were here with Marcello’s crew, right? You were incharge of the waiters?”

“Only way to get inwithout an invite,” Nathaniel confirmed. “This time I’m a plusone.”

“You’rewith Kelly,” Ben said. “I can’t tell you how happy I am that hefound someone.”

“He toldme that you feel guilty,” Nathaniel said. “Theshut-in?”

Ben hid his face in hishands briefly. “Exactly.”

“No complaints from myside. Whatever got us to meet.”

“I didthat on purpose,” Ben said. “I’m highly psychic. Did I fail tomention that? I saw all of this coming.”

“Yourpowers failed you,” Nathaniel said. “Otherwise you would haverealized that you’re— Let me make sure I’ve got this right. Okay.You would have realized sooner that I’m the son of your firsthusband’s ex-boyfriend.”

“I canbeat that!” Ben said after thinking it over. “My second husbandwent on a date with my first husband’s ex-boyfriend’s son.Right?”

Nathaniel digested thesewords. Then he laughed, the sound a deep rumble. “Yeah. That’sright!”