The Nephew

The Office

Chapter twenty-one

"Family is not an important thing, it's everything"

~Michael J. Fox

Jim wondered what the hell he was getting himself into. Here he was, a single twenty-something taking care of his eight year-old nephew as if he was his own son. Tom called it 'extended babysitting'. All because Pete was unresponsive and apathetic.

"I like your home." Elijah spoke first, staring up at Jim. "It's cool."

Jim looked down at him. His apartment was shabby to say the least, and he and his roommate hardly cleaned the place.

"Yeah," Jim nodded. "Cool."

"Does Pam live here?" Elijah asked next, adjusting his ball cap.

"What?" Jim frowned, taking Elijah's small, light suitcase in his hand.

"Doesn't she live here?" Elijah asked again, peering around the place. "I thought people who loved each other lived together."

Jim froze, his grip on Elijah's suitcase slackening.

"Jimbo, hey, I got your voicemail-" Mark strolled into the apartment, opening the door loudly. He had a few grocery bags in his hands, and when he saw Elijah he stopped, looking up at his roommate. Mark slowly raised his eyebrows.

"You weren't kidding?" Mark almost laughed, setting down the bags in the kitchenette.

"Uh, Eli, this is my roommate, Mark." Jim cleared his throat. "Mark, this is Eli."

"Yeah,' Mark nodded, searching through the bags. "Your nephew, right?"

"Yep, this is him."

"How'd you get that shiner, Elijah?"

"Oh, baseball practice." Eli shrugged. "It was an accident. It doesn't hurt."

"Jim, this kid's tough!" Mark laughed and pulled a bag of Doritos out of the grocery bag. "You like taco Doritos, Eli?"

"Yeah!" Eli cheered. Jim considered how Julia would react to Eli eating this late at night.

"How 'bout basketball? You like that, too? I see you're repping the Phillies, but it's not baseball season yet."

"I play basketball, too." Eli said quickly, and followed Mark to the couch in front of the television.

"Want a beer, Jim?" Mark called.

"Uh, Mark…" Jim shook his head at Mark. "Not tonight, okay?"

"Sure, man, I understand." Mark shrugged. "No alcohol tonight."

"My daddy drinks in front of me." Eli said hurriedly. "It's okay if you have a beer, Daddy just told me not to have one."

"Really," Mark nodded, and glanced at Jim, who looked disappointed. How often had Pete been drinking since Julia's death?

Jim didn't want to watch basketball tonight. He only wished to figure out when Elijah could come home again. He wanted Pete to take his son back.

Mark called it a night when Elijah fell asleep during the halftime report. He turned off the television and headed to Jim's room, poking his head in the door. Jim had changed to sweatpants and his white undershirt and was talking on the phone to one of his brothers—Mark assumed the one that wasn't a widower.

"Hey man," Mark interrupted. "He's out."

Jim looked up at him, nodding his thanks. Mark noted how tired Jim looked, but figured he shouldn't say anything. He quietly headed towards his room.

Saying goodbye to Tom, Jim slipped his phone in his pocket. He rose to go get Eli.

There were only two bedrooms in the apartment, so Jim opted to take the couch so Elijah could get his bed. As Tom had told him in their conversation, Elijah loved any bed bigger than his regular twin-sized mattress, so at least one of them would be sleeping comfortably.

Mark had been correct—Elijah was curled up on the couch, his ball cap low over his head so that his eyes were covered by the red hat. He held a Dorito chip in his hand, untouched. Jim took it and tossed it on the table. He considered picking Elijah up, but he knew Julia would have a fit if he let Elijah go to sleep wearing jeans and tennis shoes. He softly rubbed his nephew's back.

"All right, buddy, c'mon." Jim whispered.

"Uncle Jim?" Eli stirred.

"Yeah, buddy. It's me." Jim nodded.

"What time is it?"

"Time for you to get your pajamas on and brush your teeth, okay? You can sleep in my room, tonight."

"Where will you sleep?" Eli asked.

"Right here." Jim patted the couch, covered with a few magazines, Dorito crumbs, and a drowsy eight year-old.

"Oh." Eli quickly brushed the crumbs onto the floor.

"Go get ready for bed." Jim said. He rubbed his face, biting back a yawn.

"Okay." Eli hopped off the couch, dragging his suitcase to Jim's room. Jim waited for the door to close before he began to clean the couch and get ready to sleep.

"Uncle Jim, Uncle Jim, please wake up." Elijah frantically nudged his sleeping uncle, who wasn't moving. The boy was pale and shaking. He tugged at the scratchy blanket covering Jim and pulled it off. "Uncle Jim!" he called again.

Jim stirred, rolling on his side. His eyes slowly slipped open. Elijah had grabbed his arms and was shaking them.

"Elijah?" Jim was dazed. He glanced at the clock above the television. It wasn't even six in the morning. "Elijah, what's wrong?"

"Uncle Jim, I had a bad dream." Elijah whispered, eyes wide.

Jim sat up, running a hand along his face. He was not sure what to say. "I-"

Before he could finish his sentence, Elijah was in his arms, breathing heavily. Still too lethargic to register much, Jim returned the hug. Elijah's hair was soft and curly, pressed against Jim's neck. Jim felt his muscles tighten around Elijah's small back.

"I'm sorry, Eli." Jim said quietly. "I'm sorry."

"I was so lonely." Elijah whispered. "Your room is so lonely."

"I know." Jim patted his nephew's back. "I know, bud."

"Uncle Jim," Elijah pulled back. Jim hoisted him up and onto the couch so they could sit next to each other. "Does Pam live alone?"

"What?" Jim frowned.

"Does she live alone?"

"Well, yes. Why?"

"Do you think she's lonely?" Elijah asked. "I don't want her to be lonely, Uncle Jim."

Jim was silent. He looked over at the clock again, mulling over Elijah's words.

"I don't know, Elijah." Jim dropped his head in his hands, running a hand through his shaggy hair. "I think Pam might be a little lonely."

"You should go visit her." Elijah tapped his uncle's shoulder. "Can I go with you?"

Jim glanced at his nephew and smiled softly. "I think she would like that, too, bud." He patted Eli's back.

"All right, when do you need to get ready for school? I'll drop you off before work."