by N. R. Walker
“Hey,” Max said, by way of greeting. His longish black hair hung over half his face.
“Hey,” I said, as casually as I could. “We were expecting you tomorrow. Cooper never said you were coming a day early.”
“Oh, he doesn’t know I’m here,” Max said, as though it was no big deal.
“Max,” I said, using my talking-to-teenagers voice. “Do your parents know you’re here?”
“Yeah,” he said. “I told them Coop knew I was coming, but I just forgot to call him. I was gonna call him from the airport, but then I forgot.” He looked me up and down, seeing I was wearing a suit. “Oh, man. Did you leave work?”
I smiled at him, considering it was just after ten in the morning on a workday. “Ah, yes.”
I looked at Lionel then, and it prompted him to speak. “Max here was just telling me about his flight here.” The crinkles around his eyes deepened when he smiled. “They don’t look much alike, but they’re definitely brothers.”
I smiled a little more genuinely then. He wasn’t just some seventeen-year-old kid. He was Cooper’s brother. I looked down at a backpack near his feet. “Come on, we’ll take your things upstairs.”
Max picked up his bag and as we headed towards the elevator, I turned back and gave a nod of thanks to Lionel. He gave a knowing smile in return. As we took the elevator to my apartment, I wondered what the fucking hell I was supposed to do with a seventeen-year-old kid.
“Hey, sorry to be a pain in the ass,” Max said.
I wasn’t even sure if I should be correcting his language. I decided no, it wasn’t my place. “It’s okay,” I said, as I let us into the apartment. “You can put your bag in the spare room. First door on your left down the hall, bathroom is the second door. I’ll just try calling Cooper.”
Max disappeared and I pulled out my cell. Of course he didn’t answer. Twice. So I called his office, something I really didn’t like doing. A bright and cheerful female voice answered, only to tell me Cooper was out on the job site and would be back in another hour or two.
Shit. Shit, shit, shit.
Since I couldn’t very well leave him in the apartment by himself, the next number I dialled was my office. Jennifer answered promptly. I told her I wouldn’t be back in today. I had two appointments this afternoon, and told Jennifer one of my team could sit in on my behalf and fill me in later.
Then it occurred to me that Cooper would be even busier tomorrow, trying to get everything finalized on the Baurhenn job, so I told Jennifer to clear my schedule for tomorrow as well, just in case.
As I clicked off the call to Jennifer, Max walked back out and was looking around the living room. He inspected the photos, the antique drafting board then the Lego Sydney Opera House, but before he could touch it, I said, “Max, Cooper won’t be back for a few hours.”
He stared at me from behind his half-wall of hair. “Oh.”
“So you’re stuck with me.”
“You don’t need to babysit me.”
I rolled my eyes at the very Cooper remark. “I’m hardly babysitting. Been to New York before?”
“Not since I was a kid.”
“Well then,” I said. “Where did you want to go first?”
Max smiled. “Really?”
“Just let me get changed,” I said, but then stopped halfway to my room. “As long as it’s not some death-metal concert crap. It’s bad enough I have to listen to Cooper’s taste in music, and I won’t be responsible for tattoos. You do that with Cooper, not me.”
Max grinned at me. “Deal and deal.”
I quickly dressed in jeans and a light jacket, and suggested we go get some lunch. As we sat and ate, we made small talk and I learned a few things about him—he had a girlfriend called Ashley, she had pink hair and liked a list of bands I’d never heard of. At first appearances, Max didn’t look like Cooper, at all. But underneath the dyed black hair and silver ring through his face, they were a lot alike.
They both had curious, keen eyes, a sense of self and strong opinions. I smiled when Max said he wanted to go to the University of Illinois and study computer science.
“There’s a science of computers?” I asked.
He looked at me like I’d sprouted a second head. “It’s programming and software design.”
“So, you’re exceptionally smart?”
He smiled at that. “I’m a four-point-oh.”
He looked like a goth-wannabe kid with attitude, but he wasn’t that way at all. “So the clothes, the hair, the nose ring?”
“Just part of my awesomeness.”
I burst out laughing. “Oh, my God. You are so much like your brother.”
Max chuckled quietly, but shrugged one shoulder. “Never really thought about it.”
“You and Cooper both have to know how things work, yes?”
Max half shrugged. “I guess.” Then he added, “When we were younger, he’d build stuff and I’d watch. I wasn’t allowed to play with his Lego,” he said with a roll of his eyes. “But he was older than me, so he’d build houses and buildings and castles…”
“And what did you do?”
“I watched him. Sometimes I’d play with his stuff when he wasn’t there, so he wouldn’t know,” Max said with a grin. “When he got older, all he wanted to do was draw. He did graphic arts and shit like that. Went from building houses, to drawing ’em.”
“And you like computers?”
He nodded and sipped his Coke. “Yep. It’s just what I know. Natural progression from playing games to designing them,” he said simply.
“You design computer games?” I couldn’t hide my surprise.
One corner of his lip curled up into the same smug smile Cooper had. “Only basic ones, but yep. Working on more complicated programming, but it takes time.”
I smiled knowingly. They were so alike. Not in looks, but personality-wise they were. And more obviously, they were both very smart, and both designers, creators. It was kind of remarkable. “Maybe one day you can create a design programme for architects to make our jobs a bit easier.”
“Nah, not really my scene.” Max pushed the rest of his uneaten lunch away. “I’m thinking more along the lines of the next Google or Windows.”
I laughed. “Nothing like aiming high.”
“Go hard, or go home, right?”
“You’re so much like Cooper,” I said, shaking my head. “Come on, let’s go see if he’s back in his office.”
We started walking the three blocks to Cooper’s office and I pointed out a few buildings of interest. Max wasn’t particularly interested, but nodded just to be polite, I’m sure.
He and Cooper definitely didn’t share a love of architecture.
I’d only been to Cooper’s office a couple of times, and only ever on a weekend when it was all but empty, but I knew which floor he was on. Getting out of the elevator and facing Arlington reception, we were greeted by a woman I’d not seen before.
“Can I help you?”
“I’d like to see Cooper Jones, please,” I said giving her my most pleasant smile.
She tapped on her keyboard. “Is he expecting you?”
“Well, no actually, he’s not,” I explained. “But if you tell him Tom is here”—I looked at Max—“and a surprise.”
Max spoke then. “He’s Tom, I’m the surprise,” he said with a disarming grin. God, he was so like Cooper.
“I’m afraid you’ll need to make an appointment…” she started to tell me.
I put my hand up. “Never mind, thank you.” I pulled my cellphone out, and pressed redial. Cooper answered on the second ring.
“Hey.”
“Hey,” I replied. “I’m in reception.”
“Where?”
“At your office,” I explained. “In reception. I have…something for you.” I looked at Max and smiled.
“Is it a matching Prada leather jacket?” he asked, but I could hear he was walking as he talked. “Because they have these black jackets with these t
ags and buckles. They’re incredible.”
“No, it’s not a matching Prada jacket,” I said, rolling my eyes. Max smiled.
“Is it two tickets to Muse?”
“No, it’s certainly not,” I answered, wondering how long it would take, and how long the list was of possible gifts he was giving me hints for.
“Tickets to Paris?”
“Are you even in the building? Because this list is getting more expensive the longer I wait.”
He laughed, but I heard him down the hallway, rather than through the phone. Cooper appeared at the door, and his smile died, his eyes widened.
“Max?”
“Surprise,” Max said flatly, almost sarcastically.
Cooper crossed the floor and hugged his brother. “What are you doing here? Are Mom and Dad here?” he asked. Then he looked at me, then back to Max. “Why are you with Tom?”
“I came a day early. Mom and Dad aren’t here. I flew in this morning.”
Cooper blinked. “You came to New York City? By yourself? Are you insane? You’re seventeen! What the hell were Mom and Dad thinking?”
“Well…well, they thought you organised it…”
That was news to me as well. Cooper’s face paled. “Max, do they even know you’re here?”
Max looked at me, then back to Cooper. “Yeah…they…well…”
Cooper grabbed Max’s arm and led him down the hallway he’d just walked out of. I smiled at the receptionist, who was watching in wide-eyed wonder. I gave her a smile. “Brothers.”
I followed Cooper and Max down the hall to Cooper’s working station. The Arlington offices were an open-floor area, with communal tables and spaces which apparently encouraged teamwork and brainstorming. They were all about pushing boundaries on modernization and contemporary planning and design. It was…exciting.
It was so different from Brackett and Golding.
In all honesty, I preferred my private office. I did like working alone. But the concept, the enterprise of Arlington, was definitely modern and would see it lead the direction of where architecture was going. It reminded me that I’d made the right decision in calling Louisa Arlington to get Cooper an interview here.
Cooper led Max into a conference room, and I followed them in. “Sit your ass in a chair,” Cooper barked at his brother. At the same time he had his cellphone out and to his ear, waiting for whoever he was calling to answer. “I can’t believe you just turned up here. I can’t believe you came here on your own!” Then he spoke into the phone. “Hi, Mom, yeah, it’s Cooper. Give me a call.”
Cooper clicked off the call and exhaled loudly, and finally looked at me. Seeing I was dressed casually, he said, “I’m not even sure how you’re with him, but I’m grateful. And I’m sorry. Jesus, Max. A little warning next time.”
“I was going to call,” Max said. “But then I got busy, then I forgot, and then I was going to call from the airport but I forgot.”
“It’s okay, Cooper,” I said. “Lionel said he tried calling you a few times this morning, but you didn’t answer, so he called me instead. I don’t mind, really.”
Cooper shook his head. “But you’re so busy, and I was out all morning. I’m trying to get this Baurhenn job finished by tomorrow… Oh my God, tomorrow…” He looked at his brother. “Crap. I can’t take tomorrow off, I’m totally swamped.”
“I can look after myself,” Max said. “I don’t need a babysitter.”
Cooper raised one eyebrow and pursed his lips. “You are not walking around New York City by yourself.”
“Jeez, Coop,” Max said, rolling his eyes. “Gettin’ your Dad voice on.”
I chuckled at that. His biting, sarcastic comments were so much like his brother’s. “Cooper, it’s fine. I’ve already told Jennifer I won’t be in tomorrow.”
“You can’t have two days off!”
I scoffed. “I’ve had a total four weeks off in about ten years. I’m sure I’m entitled to two days’ family time. Anyway,” I added, “I’m kind of glad not to be there right now.”
Cooper frowned. “Oh, Tom. I’m sorry. I know you’re having a shitty time at work right now, and I wish I wasn’t so damn busy. I’m not being much help right now, am I?”
“Max and I are fine,” I reassured him. “I’m sure we’ll find something he wants to do.”
Max spun himself around in the swivel chair. “As long as it doesn’t involve thrash metal or getting tattoos. Those are the rules.”
Cooper looked at me. “Rules?”
I shrugged one shoulder. “Thought they were fair.”
Cooper stared at me for a long moment, as though trying to think of the right thing to say, then he sighed. “Thank you.”
I smiled back at him. “You’re very welcome.”
“Ugh,” Max groaned. “You two finished with the heart-eyes? Because no one should see their brother getting it on.”
“Hey,” Cooper said, pointing his finger at his brother. But before he could start ranting, his cellphone rang. He growled as he answered the call. “Hello…oh, hi, Mom.” Cooper pulled a face at his brother. “Yeah, he’s here, safe and sound.”
Max pulled a face back at Cooper. Cooper tried to swipe Max’s face. Max ducked and softly jabbed at Cooper’s ribs. “Yeah, of course he asked me. We had it all lined up… Okay, we’ll call you later.”
Cooper disconnected the call and stared at Max. “I just lied to our mother to cover your ass.” He shook his head and exhaled through puffed-out cheeks. Then he and Max stared at each other until they started to smile. “Come on, I’ll show you my desk.”
Cooper held the door open for us. Max walked out first and when I got to the door, Cooper quickly ran his hand over my back and pecked my cheek. “Love you.”
I smiled and told him what he always tells me. “I know you do. It’s because I’m awesome.”
Cooper laughed, and for the next ten minutes or so, Cooper showed Max his work station. Max was more interested in the computer system of course, and spoke in some foreign binary language I couldn’t follow. I just stood back, leaning against the wall to let them have some time, albeit brief time, together.
I didn’t even notice a group of people approaching until they walked past. Then they stopped. And stared at me.
There were three of them—two men and one woman, all about the same age as Cooper or a bit older.
“Oh my God. You’re Thomas Elkin?” one of the men said. The other guy was wide-eyed, and the woman slack-jawed.
I leaned off the wall, and extended my hand. “Yes, I am. How are you?”
By the time I’d introduced myself to the three of them, Cooper and Max, and some others at the other end of the large office space, were watching us.
“What are you doing here?” the first guy asked. “Are you overseeing something?” Then his eyes brightened. “A collaboration with Arlington?”
The three of them waited eagerly, and a silence fell across the room waiting for my reply. Luckily it was lunchtime and half the room was empty. “Uh, no. I’m just here with Cooper,” I said, giving a pointed nod to him.
All eyes went to Cooper, who opened his mouth to say something, but it was Max who laughed. “Is Tom like some kind of celebrity or something?”
I laughed at that, and Cooper blushed and mumbled, “No, he’s just Tom.”
One of the three people, I think it was the woman, whispered, “Just Tom?”
I nodded, and told them, “It’s true. I am just Tom.” By this time, Cooper had pulled Max away from his desk, leading him towards the door. But then he stopped and faced his co-workers who were all now watching us.
“Everyone, this is my brother, Max,” he said, waving his hand in introduction. “And my partner, Tom Elkin.”
I waved my hand. “Hi.”
I got a collective shocked, mumbled response, and Cooper turned on his heel and Max and I followed him out. I felt bad, because I knew only a select few of Cooper’s co-workers had known about me. “I’m sorry,” I
said. “I did try to call.”
Cooper shook his head. “No, don’t apologise. They were all bound to find out sooner or later.” He looked back to the way we’d come. “I’m about to get a gazillion questions.” Then he looked at Max. “You behave yourself. And here, take my credit card,” he said, taking out his wallet. “Don’t let Tom buy you anything.”
Then Cooper looked at me. “I’m so sorry. I promise I’ll make it up to you.”
We said goodbye, and when we walked back out onto the New York City sidewalk, Max burst out laughing. “Oh my God, that was funny,” he said. “You’re like someone famous or something?”
“Only to those who know architecture.”
Max grinned. “Okay then, Mr Ce-leb-rity, what are we doing now?”
“Something awesome.”
“If you say ‘because that’s how you roll’ I’m boarding the next plane back to Chicago.”
I barked out a laugh. “You’re so much like your freakin’ brother.”
Chapter Eight
When Cooper got home, I was in the kitchen cleaning up after dinner. He dropped his satchel at the door and without a word to his brother, he walked up to me and slid his arms around me. I threw the dishcloth into the sink and hugged him back. His face was buried in my neck and he mumbled, “Thank you, Tom. For everything.”
“You’re very welcome,” I whispered back to him. “Have you eaten?”
Without pulling away, he shook his head. “No.”
“We ordered pizza. Max said Chicago pizzas were the best, so I thought we’d have proper New York pizza just to prove him wrong,” I said. “I got your favourite.”
Cooper gave me a squeeze. “You’re so good to me.”
“Coop?” Max said. He was now standing in the kitchen beside us, not seeming to care that Cooper was still wrapped around me. Max was still excited. He’d been waiting for his brother to get home. “You’ll never believe where Tom took me this afternoon.”
Cooper pulled away then, to look at me, then to Max. “Where?”
I took out a plate and put some pizza in the microwave for Cooper, as Max said, “First stop was Academy Records. Best vinyl album shop, they have all this vintage stuff. It was really cool. Then we went to Café Wha?.”
