Nick Next Door

CHAPTER 11: The World's Biggest Jerk Award [Spoiler Alert: It's Me.]

I think I'm wearing the same shirt I wore yesterday.

It's hard to tell nowadays. "End of the Road" by Boyz II Men is playing in my room now as I'm folding my laundry. I instinctively think, I should add this song to our 90's playlist, only to remember that Roo and I haven't talked in two weeks.

Still no word.

I continue folding my clothes like a zombie in motion. Aimless. And sad to say, but laundry has been the highlight of my day.

Finally, when my last shirt is folded, I collapse on my bed. There's a loud knock at my door.

"Come in," I yell over the music.

It's my parents. I sit up.

"Everything ok?" I ask.

They enter my room and sit on my bed. I turn the music off.

"I think the question is, Are you ok, Emma?" my dad asks.

Define ok," I try to weakly joke.

We're worried about you, honey," my mom adds.

"Yeah, we're all worried about you," Matthew says as he also enters my room, followed by Errol who is carrying his laptop. They stand near my closet.

"What? What is this? An intervention?" I ask, shocked.

"A little," my dad explains. "More like, we just wanted to cheer you up."

"Take as long as you need to feel better, Emma. But we're here if you need us," my mom reassures me.

"I've got Brian and Benjamin ready, too," Errol says and opens his laptop on my dresser.

So this really is a family intervention?" I ask again.

Within seconds, my oldest brothers are livestreaming from college into my room via Errol's laptop. It's the whole family in my room now: me, my mom, my dad, Errol, Matthew, Brian, and Benjamin.

"Emma!" Benjamin says. "We heard what happened. You ok?"

"Yeah, what a bummer," Brian adds. "But at least you didn't go viral or anything."

"Brian!" my mom chides.

"Well, seriously, Mom, he's right. People took pics and video that day. She could have easily ended up online," Matthew reasons.

"Let's focus on what Emma needs now," my dad redirects us. "Emma, do you want to talk about anything? Between the five of us, we might be able to provide some pretty good advice."

"It's time to move forward, Emma," Brian adds.

"Brian, please!" my mom chides again. "Give her time. We can't force anyone to just move forward."

"Thanks, Mom. Dad. Everyone," I look around the room. "I appreciate you, and what you're trying to do. I'm just really embarrassed. And I don't know how to fix things with Roo."

"Mom is right about time. Think about time and space," Benjamin says. "In five years, how relevant will this be? In 10 years? And distance. Think of how big the galaxy is. We're teeny compared to it. And the bigger you picture everything, the smaller your problems get. It's all about perspective."

"Yeah, and Emma, don't worry about Roo. She will come around," Errol assures me. "And the same for Roo and I. When we're ready, and it's the right time, it will happen. No rush."