“I think you’re full of surprises,” I smiled. Then, seeing the lit up joy on Emmy’s face, I added, “I’m in!”
“Good,” Caleb reached into the cupboard and pulled out two more packets of Ramen.
“Noodles for three, coming right up!”
5
CALEB
“What do you think, Emmy?” I asked, watching as the little girl slurped up the last bit of noodle broth from her bowl. “Who makes better Ramen, me, or Miss Wright?”
Emmy dropped her bowl down onto the glass coffee table, and her eyes wandered between me and Daisy.
“You,” she decided finally, smacking her lips and pointing at me.
“Emmy!” Daisy exclaimed, clutching her heart dramatically. “I thought you loved my Ramen noodles!”
“They’re ok,” Emmy shrugged, “But Uncle Caleb’s are better.”
My heart swelled when I heard her say that, and the sudden burst of pride had nothing to do with the Ramen noodle victory. Rather, it had everything to do with the look of wonder in Emmy’s eyes as she glanced up at me. In the span of a few hours I had gone from being a scary stranger, to being the cool uncle with an exciting apartment and an endless supply of Ramen noodles. In Emmy’s eyes, that made me the coolest guy in New York City.
I was Uncle Caleb.
I sat back on the leather couch, taking in the scene, the three of us huddled around the glass coffee table in my living room, eating Ramen noodles while some Disney movie about a talking fish played on the big screen TV in the background.
I didn’t often entertain guests at my apartment, but when I did this was far from the typical scene. Maybe that was what made tonight feel even more endearing. The hearty smell of soupy noodles filled the air, instead of cheap perfume and booze; the sound of Emmy laughing gleefully at the movie, instead of the whiney squeals of women snapping selfies that they would later use as proof that they had fucked someone famous.
I was not sure what it was but something about tonight just felt… right. I could see it on Emmy’s face. The kind of contented belonging that I always craved myself as a child, but could never find. Even now, as I looked back on my entire childhood, I couldn’t remember one instance that had felt as intimate or personal as tonight.
“It’s past your bedtime, missy,” Daisy said suddenly, glancing at the digital clock display under the TV.
“Nooooo,” Emmy whined, not wanting the night to end.
“You’ve gotta get some sleep,” I said, taking Daisy’s side. “Besides, the sooner you do, the sooner we can all hang out again.”
Daisy shot me a glare, but I was already ushering Emmy down the hallway towards one of the apartment’s guest bedrooms.
“It’s not pink or princessy,” I said, “But if you do have to stay for a while, maybe you can help me decorate it!”
I pushed open the dark wooden door to the guest bedroom and flicked on the light. Like the rest of the apartment, it had been completely fitted with modern and sleek pieces, custom ordered by the interior designer I hired when I first moved in. The interior designer had worked with nearly all of The Camden’s tenants, decorating each apartment differently to suit the personality and lifestyle of its inhabitant.
For me, that custom decor ended up being dark woods and lots of glass; sleek, modern lines, and clean finishes. I’ve always loved the decor in my apartment, and I’ve always thought that it suited me perfectly, but now, seeing Emmy look around the room glumly, I realized that it might not be so well suited for children.
“Maybe Caleb can take you shopping after school tomorrow,” Daisy suggested quickly, her eyes flashing desperately back to me.
“Of course we can!” I agreed, smiling down at Emmy. “I’ve meaning to decorate this room anyway, and now you can help me out!”
Emmy smiled, but she didn’t look entirely enthusiastic. Probably about as enthusiastic as I felt about the prospect of replacing my sleek and modern decor with bright, plasticky kid’s furniture.
Oh well, I thought. It’s a small price to pay if it would make her feel a little bit more at home while she’s staying here, and the kid’s had a rough ride so far.
“Come on,” Daisy said, nodding at the bed. “It’s way too late for you to still be awake, missy.”
I sat on the bed, while Daisy took Emmy into the attached bathroom. I knew there were spare toothbrushes, but I made a note to grab Emmy some toiletries too.
A few minutes later, Emmy walked out with a huge grin on her face, her hair brushed out and she was drowning in one of my spare white t-shirts.
“Looking good, kiddo,” I laughed as I stood and she bounded over to the bed.