They both stood at the edge of the driveway, looking up at Mike's old house in Brooklyn. The house loomed before them, its windows dark and foreboding, the once vibrant paint now faded in places. It felt like the lawn should have been overgrown and covered in weeds, to match the exhaustion Harvey felt from the last couple of days. Despite the perfectly comfortable weather, their jackets weren't enough to shake off the shiver running down their spines. They were both equally terrified and nervous at the thought of entering Mike's old house, the air thick with memories. The creaking of the wooden gate behind them only heightened their apprehension, making the moment feel even more surreal.

The house that had once been filled with a happy family now stood as a silent testament to a passage of time and changes that comes with life. Mike stood there silently, next to Harvey, staring at the house that had been his home. Harvey could see the mix of emotions in his son's eyes—grief, confusion, and a deep sense of loss. The house didn't belong to Mike, but he had been there a hell of a lot longer than Harvey was. Neither of them speaking, both anticipating the other to break the silence.

Mike swallowed, reaching out for Harvey's hand and placed it in his own. "Dad," he said softly, trying to break through his reverie. "We'll get through this together. You don't have to do it all on your own."

Harvey, in return, squeezed his hand softly, smiled, and turned to Mike. Harvey was at a loss of words, he figured the gesture of squeezing Mike's was enough to tell him what he was feeling.

Mike looked up at him, he didn't say anything, but his expression remained solemn. They both knew this was going to be one of the hardest days of their lives.

Harvey recalled the last time he was at the house. Mike had been 4, his divorce had just been finalized, and he had told Nina, that she and Mike could have the house and he would pay for the associated house bills. She protested for the longest time, but Harvey had been able to convince her. Convincing people to do things had always been one of his strengths.

Harvey turned the key and stepped inside, taking in everything. As they stepped inside, the house felt eerily quiet. The houses was flooded with memories, each room seemed to echo with the past. Harvey took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. They had a daunting task ahead—sorting through Nina's belongings, deciding what to keep, what to donate, and what to let go of.

Each step echoed with memories of laughter, arguments, and the everyday moments that made up their lives. The weight of finality hung heavy in the air, and he felt a lump in his throat. He paused in Mike's room, looking at the his son's drawings and posters. Tears welled up in his eyes as he realized how much the pain, effort and energy it would take to box everything up.

Living Room:

They started in the living room, plush couches arranged around a wooden coffee table. The coffee table scattered with water rings, that were left from various drinks over the years, magazines and a vase of flowers; that were somewhere between fresh and beginning to droop. The walls were lined with family photos, filling the room with warmth and nostalgia. The whole room reflected their past, a life they were struggling to adapt to.

Harvey picked up a picture of the three of them, taken during happier times. Mike must have been around two years old. He was sitting there sandwiched between his parents, holding a toy duck in his hand and laughing heartily. Harvey felt a lump in his throat as he handed it to Mike.

"Do you want to keep this one?" he asked gently.

Mike looked at the photo for a long moment before nodding. "Yeah, I do."

They worked together, not speaking but taking their time going through things and deciding if it was worth keeping. Sometimes they would find things that would make them laugh at memories, other times they'd be met with tears forming at memories they'll never be able to relive. When the emotions becoming too much for either of them, they would glance at the other to remind themselves that they weren't going through this alone.

Mom's Bedroom:

They worked in silence for a while, each lost in their own thoughts. Harvey found himself pausing frequently, overcome by waves of emotion. He came across Nina's favorite book, the one she read to Mike every night before bed. He held it close, feeling the weight of her absence. Mike was twelve; almost thirteen but the reminder was enough to bring forth in overwhelming emotions.

He followed Mike into Nina's bedroom, the kid walked through the house like it was second nature. Meanwhile, Harvey had been analyzing everything that had changed after he moved out all those years ago. The small little knick knacks that had accumulated over time, the addition of plants, pictures and books.

He stopped in the doorway, a memory playing in his mind. He was talking her out to their first function at the firm after their wedding. She had been so nervous trying on dress after dress, trying to find one that made her feel her best. Harvey hadn't been able to provide the advice she had been looking for. He instead kept complimenting her that everything she wore was perfect because she was. She was getting playfully annoyed with him. The ended up missing the event, Harvey had ordered a pizza with the stuffed crust and they both laughed, eating it on the sofa and just talking. A soft smile on his face as the memory continued to play.

He stepped a bit into the room, the scent of Nina's perfume still lingered in the air. Harvey sighed and opened her closet, the sight of her clothes brought tears to his eyes. More memories began to surface; he remembered how she used to stand in front of the mirror, trying on different outfits, asking him for his tie to make sure their outfit colors complimented each other. It didn't matter to Nina as much as it mattered to Harvey, but she always went above and beyond just for him. He chose to leave a long time ago but seeing it all brought back memories he hadn't thought on in a while. It felt like a lifetime ago.

Mike joined him, and together they carefully packed her clothes into boxes.

Attic:

The attic was dusty, cold and filled with boxes. They opted to go through them anyway, just incase there were things to discard. Instead they discovered a treasure trove of forgotten items—old toys, holiday decorations, and keepsakes from their life together. Each item told a story, and it was like reliving their past all over again. Harvey found a box of Mike's baby clothes, and he couldn't help but smile through his tears. He had been so small, his hand barely having been able wrap around Harvey's finger. Harvey recalled his son's first steps, first words and plenty of other first milestones.

He grabbed a Christmas ornament that Mike made in First Grade or Kindergarten. It was a white with Mike's thumbprints painted on in a shape of a heart. He was turning it in his hand, looking at Mike, who was moving around boxes around that were a little to heavy for him, but he was so focused on watching Mike that Harvey didn't notice. He placed the ornament in a box that was labeled: To Keep.

Kitchen:

As the day wore on, the house gradually emptied. The rooms that had once been filled with laughter and love now felt hollow and desolate. Harvey and Mike stood in the doorway, taking one last look around. It was a bittersweet moment, knowing they were closing a chapter of their lives.

Both of them taking turns filling up boxes with pots, pans, and other cooking utensils. Harvey opened the fridge, prepared to brace himself for the smell of rotten food inside. Instead, he found the fridge empty, he furrowed his eyebrows, looking at Mike. What did the kid eat when his mom was sick? Had Mike even been eating? Sometimes the kid just looked so small despite his mannerisms making him appear older. He watched his son, packing up boxes of his former life. Mike looked up, both of them exchanging looks.

"Are you okay, Dad?" Mike asked, his voice trembling.

Harvey looked quizzically at Mike, trying to figure out what he meant by that. Harvey tried his best to hide his sorrow from his son. He replied with, "I will be, Mike. We both will be. It's just going to take some time." He nodded softly, and Mike returned the nod, understanding.

Mike's Room:

They had saved Mike's room for last, both because they had been avoiding it, and the packed boxes needed to go with Harvey back to the condo instead of the storage unit. For an almost teenage boy, Mike had kept his room relatively clean, books scattered across his night stand, his desk littered with notes. Harvey had assumed that it was the kid's schoolwork, but when he picked up the papers, he saw notes upon notes about cancer. This had to have been months of notes, he realized that Mike knew what had been happening. There was no hiding anything from the kid, he was far too intelligent and observant for his own good.

Mike just gave his a shrug, before Harvey could ask any questions. Mike worked diligently sorting through his stuff. Harvey looked through things slower, taking his time to analyze Mike's belongings. He eventually made his way to Mike's bed, folding the bedding and stripping the sheets, and placing everything in a single box.

-/

Having boxed everything in the house. They were both mentally and physically exhausted. Having had nothing but water and snacks they found scattered in the house. Harvey figured they were due for some food. He let out a sigh, taking in the new state of the house.

They had been working all day, trying to get the house all packed up. He was trying to figure out what to do for lunch, or was it time for dinner. He had been so pre-occupied with what he was doing, he hadn't looked at the time. Consumed with hunger, he went to fetch his phone, having forgotten where he put it last.

Walking through the house, and re-tracing his steps, he finally found his phone in his ex-wife's bedroom. He looked at himself in the mirror, smiling at her memory once more, and began to dial.

"Hello, I'd like to order a stuffed crust pizza..", he rambled on the phone. Rattling off his credit card information to the server on the other side. After having hung up, he sat down for a while letting his thoughts consume him.

After a while, he went to join Mike, "make sure you separate out the boxes you wanna bring back with you". Mike nodded, bending down to grab the boxes, he handed some to Harvey, carrying some on his own. He placed them carefully by the front door.

Mike and Harvey sat shoulder to shoulder on the sofa in the living room. The house was silent, but it was a comfortable silence. The ring of the doorbell broke it, and Harvey slowly got up.

On auto-pilot, he opened the door, handed the cash tip to the driver and grabbed the warm box of pizza, walking it over to Mike. They both ate their last meal at the Old House. They both laughed, eating it on the sofa and just talking. A soft smile playing on Harvey's lips.

In the end, it wasn't just about packing up a house, it was about honoring Nina's memory and finding a way to move forward. And as they embarked on this new chapter of their lives, Harvey knew they would carry her love with them, always.