Our eyes hold, in a moment that lets go of the back and forth of our constant wit, and instead, we’re soaking in a new atmosphere between us. But it’s dangerous, and I’m not even sure that I’ve blinked.
“Well, how does this work?” Oh, he’s going right into theusdiscussion. I nearly lose my balance. “Do we just pay and they can deliver?” A tinge of disappointment hits me when I realize he meant logistics of our outing.
“Uhm.” I tuck a few strands behind my ear. “Yeah, we can do that.” My returning smile might appear pleasant, but it feels weak to me. “But the asparagus, tomatoes, cider, and jam, plus the homemade bread that I saw, we can take in the car.”
“Casually threw in the jam, didn’t you?”
We’re back to normal us. How we can already have a normal when it’s only been two weeks since I entered his life? I’m not quite sure, but I’ve always been one to ride the flow between people. I’ll just continue that.
* * *
Two dayslater after avoiding the man of the week, I return to Holden’s for the day. The cleaner is exiting the front door after she finished her weekly visit, and her intense study of me is a bit daunting. I’m relieved with a faint line on her mouth appears before she moves on without any use of words.
“Goodbye to you too,” I mumble.
I really need a snack; an afternoon boost is always key to continuing the day. The view of Harry working on his homework is a welcome scene.
“How’s my favorite scientist?” I greet him.
His sight jumps up once before he returns to writing in his notebook. “Not bad. Math is too easy. We’re working on decimals, but I’ve been a pro already for a year. I have stocks to maintain.”
“What?” I sputter out.
“My stocks,” he tells me, as if I’m an idiot.
“Can kids even buy stocks?” I’m now bewildered.
He shrugs. “Not exactly, but my dad set them up, and I just do the heavy work. A bummer that the NASDAQ has been down for two days.”
My jaw drops open because this is a complete shock, and I mouthwhat the fuckto myself. What ten-year-old talks finance?
Shaking my head, I make a note to check the internet later about this phenomenon. My eyes drift down to where he’s writing. “Cool, kids are still using a notebook these days.”
He continues to write. “Oh, don’t worry, this is only a list of companies that I’m interested in investing in if the dollar-euro exchange rate picks up. At school, we have to hand all homework in via our portal app. We’re entirely digital. I mean, why would you use paper for that?” He shakes his head.
Holy shit, I feel ancient.
I can’t handle that realization, and it’s going to take a few hours before I recognize that I’m staying with a whiz kid. This calls for a granola bar, a mini cake in a package, and I might throw in a small bag of crackers too.
Holden enters the kitchen, scruffing Harry’s hair in passing. “What’s up, kids?”
“You seem far too happy for my liking, there must be a catch.” Lori arrives with her mundane tone, expressing that she heard her father.
Holden gives her a contrite smile. “And what if I am, no catch?”
Lori’s eyes swim between Holden and me, trying to connect dots perhaps as her nose rises slightly before she drops her demeanor when she glances down at her phone.
Holden arrives next to me while I rip open a snack cake. “Your son has stocks,” I say dryly.
His smile is beaming. “Great, huh? In a few years he can probably handle my entire portfolio.” Is Holden joking? I’m not sure.
“Right. So, uhm, hey, the delivery from the antique barn arrived.” I survey the room and feel that leaving to get another round of fresh air seems like the way to go. “Tomorrow I’ll be sanding, so I’m going to run to the hardware store to pick up gloves and a sander. You guys have a yummy dinner.”
“You’re not joining us?” Does Holden sound kind of disappointed or am I losing my mind?
“Nah, I’m dying for a little quiet time to search the latest blogs for trends while I gulp down a milkshake and maybe throw in a salad.”
He stuffs his hands into his pocket. “Oh, yeah, sure. Quiet time.”
