"Oh, he's good," Margarete says, leaning over my shoulder. "You should teach Liam.”
"Hey!!" I repeat.
"He has steady hands," Margarete observes. "The nursing program?"
"Yes, ma'am," Ethan says.
Lu beams. "Very good. A natural.”
“His ego doesn’t need this much praise,” I say. Lu laughs. Ethan chuckles.
He stays for almost an hour. Helps Lu with the chili. Asks Margarete about the stew technique. Listens to Dora explain how she learned to make bread from her grandmother in Bahia, and Dora actually talks nonstop to him, which makes me so jealous. He doesn't talk much but he's present, and attentive, and the women are eating him up.
At some point, Lu hands him a spoonful of the chili to taste. He blows on it, takes a careful bite, and his eyes close for a second.
"That's incredible," he says.
"Of course it is," Lu says. "Now imagine if they let us cook like this for everyone. Instead of that cardboard they make us serve."
"Can I have some?!" I ask, and Lu points her spoon at me.
“Youmusthave some,” she says and fills a whole plate for me. “We’ll help you take care of him, Ethan.”
“Thank you, ma’am, I truly appreciate it,” Ethan says, and looks at me like he’s proud of me.
My eyes water again. I’ve never had people take care of me like this. I feel ridiculous, as usual. I always want to cry.
When it's time for Ethan to go, as he does have actual duties, even if the inventory logs were fiction, he pulls off the hair net, and his hair is ridiculous. I resist the urge to fix it. In front of everyone, at least.
"Thank you for letting me visit," he tells the kitchen crew. Formal. Polite. So Ethan.
"Come back anytime," Lu says.
Ethan catches my eye on his way out. One look. And he’s smiling. Fuck, that man kills me with just a look. Then he's gone, the kitchen door swinging shut behind him.
Lu watches the door for a moment. Then she turns to me, ladle in hand, eyebrow raised.
"Leader," she says, knowingly.
"Yep. My leader. That's all."
"Mm-hmm. The same way he came here to check inventory logs." She goes back to stirring. "He's a good one."
"I know! I mean, yes, he is," I say, a little too excited, as usual. She chuckles.
"Don't screw it up."
"I'll try my best. Really, really."
Chapter 30. Liam
I thought time would drag forever being locked up. But life on the inside turns out to be a whole lot better than anything I had outside. Before I know it, there are only two weeks left until the break. Can't really call it a vacation since the routine won't change much, only no classes for two weeks and some extra free time as a reward for good behavior. Some kids get permission to leave during the break too. No chance for me, though. Nobody gets it in the first year.
But Jack is buzzing more than usual.
"I can't wait to see my little sister!" he tells me one day while he's helping me cram for exams. We're both not exactly the studying type, but Jack is smart and not as busy as Ethan. Also, we take all the same classes together in carpentry.
Miles is also hitting the books, but unlike other months, he's way crankier. In our room, if Jack and I make any noise at all while he’s studying, he huffs, loudly, like we're ruining his day. One day, on our way to MMA, Jack explained: "Miles stays here during the break. He's never gotten permission to leave, and he's been here for years. He doesn't get visitors either. Gets pretty down around this time, more depressed than usual. Just be patient with him." Jack is always so kind-hearted.
