Displaced

Timber - Fifty-Nine

Things were falling into place. Finally, falling into place. Man, I was becoming a lot more integrated than I cared to admit. Adapting into my new role didn't take as long as I thought it would. The more time I spent with the kids, the more at ease I was with them. I still didn't think child care was my calling in life, but it didn't suck royally like it had at first.

I was beginning to enjoy Vance a whole lot more especially. Monique is an angel, but part of that is because she's so much younger. Babies have a different kind of personality going on. I can see in her eyes she wants to do and say so much more than she can. Must be frustrating, being trapped in your head like that. Vance, on the other hand, is at the age where he can express those things and he says some of the most crazy things. He's a pretty deep little dude, let me tell you.

Despite his endless amount of energy, he was just a lot of fun to have around. It baffled me that someone like Rumor could create a child so sweet, innocent, and caring. He was only three and he was all about helping others and doing the selfless thing. I didn't know a three-year-old could be like that. Most weren't. At the park, on play dates, I noticed the other kids were a lot more adventurous. The more I watched how free they were and how much he hesitated, the more I wondered if something was going on.

Becoming closer to Rumor had a completely different purpose.

I dropped Vance off at her apartment. The walk was nice, but I figured it was the best way to initiate safe contact with Rumor as well. Taking him to her myself was something I started about two weeks ago. It was still hard to keep track of time, but the calendar on the bathroom wall told me we'd been on the ship for a month and a half already. Crazy, because it felt like a whole lot longer than that.

Rumor opened the door, all smiles. "Hey, baby!" She leaned down to give Vance a hug. The kid clung to her, smiling. He loved her, so she couldn't be all bad, right?

After they hugged, Vance ran off to his room.

"Thank you for bringing him over, I appreciate that a lot. Paul isn't always as respectful of my time as you are," she said.

I shrugged, shoving my hands into my pockets. "He's a busy dude. It's a lot harder for him."

"You'll be busy too, some day. I'm sure you would still find a way to not be late."

"I'm not going to get busy." I laughed it off.

She raised an eyebrow. "You're apprenticing with Paul. Of course you'll be busy once the time comes. Honestly, I don't know why he bothers you with such petty jobs as child care. I also don't know why he's not companioning you with someone else on the ship. It's important. There's no way you could take on such a burden on your own."

"You're well-informed," I muttered.

"It's not like I'm going to tell anyone."

Didn't believe that one for a second, but I just smiled and acted about as grateful as one could be given the circumstances. "He has his reasons, I'm sure."

Like making sure I'm actually going to stay. I couldn't shake the feeling there was something he wanted me to observe through these kids. They were supposed to teach me, perhaps how to be even more understanding and selfless? I've never given more of myself to one person before than I have to those two kids, and that was saying a lot.

Rumor waved for me to step inside her apartment. "You should stay for dinner. Vance would love it. So would I, but I figured his opinion matters more to you."

Got that right. "Tonight, I could make it happen."

"Really?" Her eyes lit up, her smile widening. I'd just let her think she was winning for the time being.