"Wait!" he yelled, drawing the attention to him. "As the father of that young man, I refuse to let him be sent to an orphanage!"
Everyone stopped, stunned and confused. The man pushed his way past the people in front of him to the judge. He pulled out a badge and showed it to the judge.
"My name is Frank Kaspbrack. I'm a private investigator and I've been working on tracking down my son for sixteen years. When he was born my wife took him because she was mentally unstable and I told her she wouldn't be allowed around him unless she went to get help," the man, Frank, explained, looking at Sonia.
"Can you prove this?" the judge asked, looking at Frank's badge.
"Yes, I can."
At that moment, two other officials walked into the the room, one of them holding a file. He handed it to Frank who opened it and showed it to the judge. He had blood tests, Eddie's birth certificate, and Sonia's tests proving her mental instability.
Everyone took their seats again and the judge looked out into the room. "As proof of a DNA test and birth certificate, the court grants full custody of Edward Kaspbrack to his father, Frank Kaspbrack," she said, slamming her gavel onto the table.
Eddie didn't know how to react. He stayed seated, letting Brent and Lacy talk to his father, a man he had never met but was now supposedly living with.
"Eds?"
Richie's voice came from beside Eddie, and he turned to see Richie's gaze on him, looking worried.
"Hey, Rich," Eddie said with a faint smiled, standing up and allowing Richie to embrace him in a hug. Eddie took in his familiar scent, shaking from the unexpected result of the case.
"You okay?" Richie asked, resting his chin on Eddie's head.
Eddie pulled away from Richie, taking in a deep breath. His eyes were glassy with unshed tears. "I'm not really sure," he admitted.
"Eddie," Lacy said from being Eddie, who turned around. "Can you come over here?"
Eddie hugged Richie again and, eyes focused on his feet, made his way over to Lacy, standing next to the man who claimed to be his father.
"Eddie, this is Frank. He's your biological father and you're going to be staying with him from now on," Brent said.
Eddie looked up at his social workers, who both were smiling brightly. Their happy expressions made Eddie realized that everything was going to be okay.
The social workers walked away to go talk with Autumn and Richie, leaving Eddie alone with his father. He looked up at the man, obviously afraid.
Frank gave him a warm smile. "I'm happy I finally found you," he said, kneeling down so he was eye level with Eddie.
"I don't know you," Eddie stated, trying to get the idea in his father's mind that he couldn't trust him right off the bat.
"I know you don't, but I want to get to know you. Your social workers told me you've been benefitting from living in Derry, and they gave me the money for the mansion. You don't have to worry about us leaving. We'll stay here where your friends are, and everything will be okay. I know it'll take time for you to trust me, but I want to help you get better."
Eddie smiled at him, deciding to give the man a chance. He wanted to trust his father. He seemed like a good man and was keeping him in the same town as his friends. He could trust him.
"Okay," Eddie said, opening his arms cautiously and hugging his father.
•••
That night, Eddie's father went house hunting and let Eddie stay with the losers at Bill's house. They all were celebrating, knowing that everything had worked out.
When the sun set, they all went to the quarry. All of the losers had jumped expect for Richie and Eddie, who stood at the top.
Eddie didn't seem like he wanted to jump, and Richie didn't blame him. The first jump was always terrifying. He walked over as Eddie looked over the edge and took his hand.
"Scared?" Richie asked, his touch surprising Eddie who jumped and turned to face him.
"Thinking, actually. I think I want to draw this place," Eddie said with a smile.
Richie grinned, seeing how Eddie's eyes dazzled at the thought of drawing. Richie couldn't blame him for loving art; at home he had the drawing of the mansion hung up in his room, right above where his guitar did.
"That's beautiful, Eds. You should," Richie said, looking at the reflection of the stars on the water, how it moved with the losers splashing around below them.
"Richie?"
"Hm?"
"Are we dating?" Eddie asked so plainly, it surprised Richie.
"Do you want to?" Richie asked, smiling at Eddie who blushed under the glow of the moon.
"Yeah, I do. I really do," Eddie whispered, stepping closer to Richie, who wrapped his arms around Eddie's waist.
"Then I'm honored to call you my boyfriend, Eddie Spaghetti," Richie said with a wink.
Eddie scoffed. "And it's over."
"Don't be like that, babe," Richie said, smiling as Eddie giggled and stood on his tip toes to kiss his cheek.
"I'm ready to jump," Eddie said, taking Richie's hand. "Because I know this time there will be people to catch me."
Richie smiled and kissed Eddie passionately, all of his pride for Eddie and happiness going into it. "Then let's go, cutie," Richie said, running toward the edge.
Eddie looked up at the sky as he and Richie launched themselves off the cliff, and he didn't feel fear as he fell toward the bottom of the quarry.
Everything would be okay, and he would make it. Eddie had people that he loved, and he'd never be alone again as long as he stayed with the people he loved. He had never believed in soulmates or love at first sight, but he knew he and Richie were meant to be together.
That night, as they listened to Richie's tape and shared gentle kisses, cuddling together in the blankets on their makeshift bed in the basement, Eddie realized he had never felt more satisfied and happy.
He knew that as long as he had Richie and the losers, that feeling would never end.
