Chapter 4
Simon
My heart has almost managed to escape my ribcage by the time I ring Boris' doorbell. Yes, Boris. Boris Gifford, thirty-one, I Googled.
Ira is silent next to me, but his hand slips into mine. It makes me smile. He hardly ever takes my hand anymore. He's grown up so fast.
The door opens, and Boris is grinning at us. "Hi. Come inside." He steps back and motions for us to enter.
I don't know what I expected. Moving boxes lining the walls, dirty dishes, and empty beer cans. It's nothing like that. The house is clean and tastefully decorated. The walls are a bit sparse, but he's only lived here for two months, so maybe he hasn't found anything fitting to hang yet.
They're not bare. There are some beautiful black and white photos in black frames.
"Oh, these are lovely." They are mostly of nature, but there are a few of people, and one of a big wolf.
I shudder. I've never feared wolves before, but since one almost attacked Ira earlier this summer, I have developed an almost unhealthy respect for them.
"Zahrah, my best friend, has taken them. She's a photographer." He scrunches his nose and shrugs. "Obviously."
"She's...Shit, how close was she to the wolf?" I can't interpret the look he gives me.
"I don't know. You'll have to ask her one day."
I inhale and bite back a groan. Whatever he's cooking smells divine.
"Come on. The food is almost done. Have a seat.
" He moves through the living room and gestures at an already set four-seat table in the kitchen.
There is a bowl of salad, and I chasten myself for being surprised.
Boris is an adult and most likely knows the way to the fresh produce aisle in the grocery store.
A counter divides the cooking area from the sitting area. I'd almost believed all the houses on the street looked the same inside, but our kitchen is L-shaped.
"Wine?"
I shouldn't. "No, thank you. I took some painkillers before I came here."
He stares at me. "Painkillers?"
"Headache."
He nods slowly. "Sparkling water?" Then he looks at Ira. "I have Coke."
Ira nods, and I smile. "Sparkling water for me, please."
Moments later, Boris puts the drinks on the table and gestures for us to sit anew. We take one side of the table, and Ira moves his chair a little closer to mine than it was before.
Boris pours himself a glass of white wine from an open bottle, and I almost feel guilty for declining, but he then brings out a big pot of some creamy pasta, followed by a basket of steaming-hot garlic bread, and I forget all about the wine.
"Wow, it smells divine."
Boris grins at me, and heat washes over me. Fuck.
"Dig in."
I serve Ira, not because he's unable to, but he's still working through his initial shyness. He'll relax soon, but we do this kind of thing way too seldom. Another thing I'm failing at.
I groan at the first taste, and Boris grins again. "Good?" He eats some himself but doesn't give much away about what he's thinking.
"Amazing."
We eat in silence for a couple of minutes, then Boris looks at me. "Any plans for the weekend?"
I shake my head. "Not really. Saturdays are most often dedicated to laundry, and Sundays to planning the week, but..." I sigh. "We got some bad news at work today, so I think this coming week will be unpredictable."
Boris stops with his fork halfway to his mouth. "Bad how?"
"They'll be laying off some people, and I'll most likely be one of them."
"Oh...Do you like your job?"
"Like?" I know I'm staring. "No."
"Then it's a good thing, right? You'll finally be free."
I do some more staring, then I look at Ira, who's shoveling in food as if he's never been fed before. I guess he's never been fed anything as good as this. I do okay in the kitchen, but this is magical.
"It's not good. I'll have to find a new job, and in this economy, and this close to the holidays." I take a breath and slowly lower my fork. "I have bills to pay."
A small crease forms between Boris' brows. "You'll find something. I'm sure."
I grimace. Maybe I'll be able to find something after the holidays, if I'm lucky, but December is coming up, and no one hires around Christmas and New Year.
And I'm a forty-two-year-old single parent.
It often takes the interviewer, if I manage to get as far as getting an interview, ages to realize what it means.
Despite telling them I'm a single parent, they believe there will be a woman sweeping in and taking care of Ira.
As if I'm unable to care for my kid. Weirder still are the ones who praise me and tell me how amazing it is that I've chosen to look after him myself. Idiots.
Having Ira in my life has been an eye-opener for some aspects of the patriarchy. I know I'm privileged compared to many single moms, but the societal expectations are exhausting.
"Hey." I jump at Boris' soft voice. "It'll be fine. Don't worry."
I look away. I don't want to worry Ira, but I don't see how it'll be fine.
Shit.
"Eat before it gets cold." Boris nods at my plate, and I do as he says. No use in wasting good food.
"So, Ira, how was school today?" Boris breaks off a piece of garlic bread and looks at Ira.
"Good."
I'm about to repeat what he said since there's no way Boris could've heard him, but he speaks before I can.
"That's great. I always liked the breaks best in school. What about you?"
Ira stares at him, and I find myself smiling.
"Art." He still speaks too low, but Boris must have super-hearing because he nods.
"Yeah, I guess I liked art too."
"Where did you go to school?" I jump in to save Ira. "You're not from around here, are you?" I take another bite of the pasta. It truly is mind-blowingly good.
"Nah, I'm from Rutchester."
A shiver goes through me. It was in Rutchester we had the run-in with the wolf.
It was the first week of the summer break, and since I can't afford any expensive trips, I'd Googled things we could do for free in the vicinity.
I didn't want Ira to come back to school without having done anything during his time off.
I found a website about Rutchester Nature Preserve, about a hiking trail leading to a waterfall where you could look at rock carvings. We packed lunch and drove up there.
I guess I achieved my goal. Ira sure had something to tell his classmates about when he got back to school. Though I doubt he did. His teacher says he doesn't speak much, or at all.
I try to shake off the fear tickling the back of my neck and force myself to focus on Boris. "Oh, is your family still there?"
He nods while chewing. "Yeah, the whole pack." Then he winces. "I mean...eh...yeah, my family is there and my closest friends."
I nod. "Why did you leave?" I've only seen him leave his house a few times, and I've run into him at the grocery store on occasion, though I most often try to hide if I see him there.
He stares at me but says nothing.
"Was it for work?"
A slow shake of his head. "Nah...though maybe it's time for me to get a job."
Time for him?
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