The High Notes: A Novel(57)

“When is he arriving?” Clay’s tone was even. He didn’t sound angry or upset. He was just asking questions and he sounded serious. He knew more about children than she did, and what it took.

He laughed then, which she didn’t expect. “You’re not moving out and leaving me so soon. You just got here. Three weeks ago, I was a lonely bachelor. Now I’ve met the love of my life, and I have a dog and an eleven-year-old son. Instant family. Come on home, Iris Cooper. I’m ready for you. You don’t mess around, do you? I have a guest room I use as a storeroom. I’ll get it ready for him.” He was still laughing when he hung up. Iris was smiling. She was as shocked as he was at what she’d done. He had taken the news better than she’d expected. Not many men would have.

When she got to the house, she told Mrs. Maybeck. She looked stunned too, and then Iris sat down and explained it to Jimmy. He was coming to New York for a visit, and if everything went okay, he could stay. And he was going to meet her friend called Clay, and they would stay at his apartment.

Jimmy sat silent, and nodded, thinking about what she’d said. “Can we go to the top of the Empire State Building?” he asked her quietly. “A boy in my class went to visit his grandma in New York, and that’s what he did.” He was still in shock over losing his mother, but going to New York was a good distraction. He was a sweet boy, and reminded her so much of Pattie.

“Definitely.”

“Can I bring some of my videogames?” he asked. They went to Pattie’s house a little while later to get them. She could see tears in his eyes when they walked into his house. He had a carrying case for his games and PlayStation, and put a battered teddy bear on top. Iris took some photographs of Pattie to take with her. And they packed a suitcase of his favorite things, and Iris packed his clothes in another suitcase. They could take everything he needed on Clay’s plane. They were ready by six, and she had to be at the airport at seven. They said goodbye to Mrs. Maybeck. She hugged Iris and thanked her for what she was doing. They had discussed the house quietly. Pattie hadn’t left a will. Iris told Mrs. Maybeck to sell the contents of the house, to keep some token for herself, and sell the rest, and put it in an account for Jimmy and then relinquish the rental. And to save all the sentimental items for Jimmy. He had been very somber and serious since it happened. And he and Iris had a long talk about what it would be like for him in New York. She didn’t want to push him, but he was relieved to leave with her. Foster care had been a daunting prospect, although he was trying to be brave, but he was only eleven. They didn’t go to see his grandmother, it would have been too upsetting to see her as she was, and not recognize him.

Clay’s flight attendants helped her with Jimmy’s belongings, and she returned the rented car at the airport. Jimmy was stunned when he saw the plane and boarded. They took off on time for New York, with Jimmy’s eyes wide. He’d never been on a plane before. They had a car and driver waiting for her at Teterboro. When she got home, Clay had spaghetti and meatballs prepared for them, and he had set up the room as promised, and had bought some magazines, and more videogames for Jimmy. Rosebud was intrigued by him and she followed him around. Jimmy liked her and she made him smile.

It was late when Iris put him to bed in his new room. She left the light on and he called her Aunt Iris when he said good night. Clay put his arms around her when she came out of Jimmy’s room.

“Welcome home,” he said to her and kissed her.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to get my own place?” she asked him, as she helped him clean up the kitchen.

“Not a chance. I had no idea how dull my life was before you got here. This is going to be fun.” They both knew it might be hard too, but they also knew what it was like to be robbed of your childhood, and they didn’t want it to happen to Jimmy. Clay felt the same way about it that she did, as he kissed her, pulled her into his arms, and held her tight.

Fate had dealt them a very full hand, and they were going to play it as best they could.





Chapter 15





Plans for the memorial concert were going ahead full steam. Iris was in rehearsal for her next album, and Boy was working on another single.

Iris had hired a full-time babysitter to take care of Jimmy, but she spent as much time with him as she could. His grandmother had passed away two days after they left Biloxi, and Iris told him as gently as she could. He cried, but Pattie had prepared him for it. It wasn’t the shock that losing his mother had been. That still didn’t seem real.

Iris took him to the top of the Empire State Building, as promised, and he had loved flying on Clay’s plane and thought it was cool. Clay was still startled to come home to a child, when he returned from work, but he was a sweet boy and good company, and Iris discovered that Pattie had taught him to play the piano and he liked to sing. She was teaching him to play the guitar.

Iris arranged for a home visit by the social work office, in case he stayed. She hadn’t explored schools for him since she didn’t know if he would stay, and the social work office told her that any of the public schools in the district would be acceptable until she could make other arrangements if she wished.

The memorial concert was set for one month after the tragic concert at Madison Square Garden. The management offered half the fee as a donation, and Clay paid the rest. The death toll was forty-eight by then, and Boy recovered very quickly. He took Jimmy to the studio with him and Jimmy loved it. He liked all of his new friends. He thought Boy’s name was funny. And he called Clay “Uncle,” which touched him.