Aftershocks ➳ Philkas/Eyewitness

18

Episode 18: The Finale

"C'mon, Lukas, it's just three flights of stairs," Philip encourages, dragging their couch up the apartment staircase.

The two boys recently signed a lease on a new apartment in Albany, New York. A lot has changed since they graduated high school. Philip was accepted at an art school for photography studies, and Lukas got an apprenticeship at a local mechanic shop, specializing in motorcycles. He hopes to open his own shop someday.

During the last few months of high school, Philip became close with Lukas's friend group, and vice versa. Despite their differences, everyone quickly learned to get along. They finished high school proudly out of the closet, and Lukas's friends made sure that nobody messed with them.

Helen and Gabe finalized the adoption papers, just five months shy of Philip's eighteenth birthday. They've never been happier. They always wanted to start a family, and now they had the most amazing son they could ever ask for. There were a lot of tears that day in the courtroom as the Judge signed the papers— mostly from Gabe. He was a very emotional man, but that's why Philip loved him so much.

"I'm dying," Lukas says dramatically when they finally reach the landing.

They drag the couch inside their new apartment. It's a one bedroom, and it smells a bit like cigarette smoke. The carpet is brown and faded, and the walls could probably use a fresh coat of paint. The cabinets in the kitchen look like they're straight out of the 1970's, and the linoleum tiles are peeling up at the corners. It's nothing special, but it's theirs.

"Hey, where do you boys want to keep your silverware?" Helen asks from the kitchen.

Her and Gabe are busy unpacking boxes. There's dozens of them spread across the apartment, labeled in Sharpie marker in Lukas's messy handwriting. It's a bit of a mess right now. There's bubble-wrap and scraps of duct tape sprawled along the floors. They're both emotional about Philip moving out, but it's only an hour drive from Tivoli. Plus, they agreed to have dinner together every Saturday.

"Drawer left of the sink!" Philip calls out, dragging the couch inside.

Lukas is on one end, and Philip is on the other. It's an old, velvet couch they bought from a thrift store. It's an ugly shade of green, and Lukas says it reminds him of split pea soup. They've bought several pieces of furniture from second-hand stores; after all, they're on a teenager budget. Lukas had saved up quite a bit of money from working on the farm for his Dad, and Philip inherited the small amount that Anne had in her bank account after she passed away. It wasn't a lot, but it was enough to put down the deposit on the new apartment.

They set down the couch along the wall in the living room. It falls to the floor with a thud.

"Oh my god," Lukas exhales. "I need a break."

He plops down on the couch, and Philip follows suit. Lukas stares out the nearby window. They have a nice view of the Albany skyline, and they can see the top of the state capital building from here. It's quite beautiful. Lukas has never been a fan of cities, but he could get used to this.

"Hey, slackers," Bo yells out from their bedroom. "Come help me with this damn shelf."

Bo is busy in their bedroom, putting together a new wooden wall shelf that Philip bought online. Lukas and Philip both exchange a tired look before reluctantly standing up. They walk over to meet Bo in the bedroom. He has a hammer in one hand, and a pile of nails to his left.