Three Means Coffee

18

First, he paled when it turned out that he also got the photo taken by the girls. And then his cheeks blushed as he saw the younger man's selfie in response. He couldn't take his eyes off it and absorbed every detail he could see on it. First, a mole he hadn't seen before when he'd looked at it during their meeting. He thought it must be because he'd mostly admired his right profile at the time, and the mark was on the left side of his forehead, right at his hairline. He was most surprised to realize that the photo had been taken while he was lying on the bed. He unconsciously bit his lower lip, continuing to stare at the photo.

His imagination began to dream before him but was quickly stopped by the sound of boiling water and seething milk. Makary cursed loudly and took the pot and kettle from the burners.

"Uncle, you mustn't swear," said Kaja, outraged by his behavior, supported by her twin Kinga.

"Just like a few things you girls did today," Makary muttered, a bit ashamed of where his mind had allowed himself to go. He gave the nieces a drink and wrote back to Błażej. I have two beauticians, who think that nothing needs to be corrected with your face, but they have to close the shop for a while until they serve their sentence for stealing cosmetics belonging to their mother.

Błażej for a moment wondered if he had allowed himself to be too much and was afraid of what Makary would think, so he nervously waited for an answer. He smiled a bit when he finally received it but was surprised that there were two people behind the man's funny appearance. He guessed that it was the children's work, but he was curious to what extent they were related to Makary. Remember me and let me know when they're back in business. After a while, however, he wrote, but he could not stop the desire to learn more. He had the impression that this photo did not come to him by accident. Did you really want to send me this photo?

Makary allowed the girls to watch cartoons while they were sipping hot cocoa, but immediately after that, he sent them to sleep and focused entirely on how to answer Błażej's question. He felt the weight of the previous week when they couldn't speak, and he didn't want to spoil it now that they were talking. He was afraid that one wrong word would result in no contact again. The man took a deep breath and replied No, just as I didn't plan on having these two little devils paint me and decided to document it. They sent it to you by accident.

Devils? Your beauticians, asked Błażej, looking at his watch. He was aware that he should go to sleep, but on the other hand, he was tormented by similar fears as Makary, that if he said goodbye now, he would not dare to say hello again.

My nieces, twins. I am taking care of them because my brother wanted to go out with his wife. They took the opportunity when I fell asleep.

So they are little tricksters, they were probably just waiting for you to fall, Błażej concluded, smiling slightly and fighting with his conscience for a moment. However, the sense of duty won out, and after a while, he wrote another message. I'd love to talk more, but I have to go to work early tomorrow, so good night.

Makary knew he had a tendency to over-analyze many things, especially the news. He wondered if working on Sunday was an excuse not to continue the conversation after all. It annoyed him that he couldn't tell for sure. Yes, Błażej said that he would be "willing" to talk again, and what if not and it was just a kindness on his part? Why do I care so much, why do I care at all, he asked himself and, unable to find an answer to this question, went to sleep.