When Paths Cross Again (Prof./Student)

Chapter 4 - Black coffee

"Yes, I know! I'm late, I'm sorry", I panted out of breath as I arrived at my sister's place fifteen minutes later because somebody had to keep me behind. 

With an annoyed grunt, she shoved Jamie in my direction and opened her car. 

"I'll be back at eight", was the only thing she said before she started backing off.

Everything happened so fast, I couldn't even respond something. Being left in the smoke of her car, I opened my mouth in disbelief as I understood her words. Wasn't it normally four? She knew that I would work today from four thirty to seven thirty pm, what should I do with Jamie then? 

Ugghh...I tried to swallow my annoyance. It wasn't Jamie's fault after all. I guess, he just had to accompany me then...

With a small smile I reached for his hand and pulled him with me and inside the house. The first thing on my agenda was now: lunch. 

So I made my way into the kitchen, that was so much bigger than my own, and started cutting vegetables while boiling some noodles. Meanwhile, Jamie told me about his day in school and how he tried to talk to this new girl that he liked. 

Honestly, it was endearing and made me wish that I'd still be as naive and free of all the trouble that was in my life right now. This thought was crazy to me as when I was his age, I wanted nothing more than to be a grown up. I wanted to have the freedom, the possibilities that you would be able to get. An apartment, a car, a job. Simply all the things that I thought would make my life exciting. And now that I had all of these things, I looked into the eyes of eight year old Jamie and envyed him for his life. Because despite the problems with his mother and his father, at the moment he was too much of a little child to seriously care about any of these things. He didn't really registered them as problems. Now his only worry was if this new girl would like him or not. 

With a small sigh I filled two plates and placed one in front of the talkative boy, hoping that he would entertain himself for a while so that I could start working on the homework Professor Harrison had given us. 

Professor Harrison...

I still wasn't able to process that Eric was a part of my reality, again. 

As he had gratuated from highschool, I thought that this would be the last time that I would have to see him. Apparently, the universe had different plans for us, even though I didn't know why? 

Why did our paths have to cross again? 

I jumped slightly as Jamie accidently dropped his fork and started laughing at my facial expression.  

Trying to concentrate again, I looked back on the papers in front of me. However, as Jamie started to become restless and ran around the kitchen table to get my attention, I groaned and stuffed the papers into my bag. This wasn't going to work. 

So instead, I exceptionally allowed that he could watch one episode of his favorite show and started the tasks that I had to to anyway and that didn't involve much brain activity. 

After having finished his laundry, cleaning the dishes and vacuuming the stairs, I glanced on my watch and sighed. It was already time to leave for work. 

While I collected all of my stuff, I ordered Jamie to go grab his shoes and jacket for a little change of scenery, which he was excited about. 

When we finally arrived at the place, that was a mix of a café, a bistro and a bar, I quickly explained that he could have a quiet little corner just for himself, where he could draw and order something to eat if he was hungry. Luckily, he didn't seem to be in the mood for trouble, which I was more than grateful for. Especially in the evenings, the place could become rather crowded and there was always a lot to do.