Three Means Coffee

117

Tymek and Antek were afraid of the woman's raised voice and jumped away from each other. Makary took advantage of the situation to grab his little neighbour, but he escaped from his embrace and ran to Błażej. Antek hid behind his cousins.

"I was only gone for a while, what happened?" Jolka asked, putting ice cream into the freezer, closely watched by children who were not directly involved in the conflict. "Makary? Where is Błażej?"

"He went to calm down the littlest one, she started crying as soon as the chaos started here." The hazel-eyed man fell into a chair with a sigh, as if he was devastated that everything had already gone wrong with that day.

Jolka looked at the children, Antek was hiding behind his cousins sitting in silence. She now placed her hope in her eldest son, who often seemed absent but always had a surprisingly good grasp of the situation. She gave him a questioning look and waved him over.

"Antek said to Błażej, "Thank you, uncle," and then Tymek got mad, and they started arguing and fighting," said ten-year-old Kajtek.

"How did Błażej react to this?" Jolka asked her brother-in-law.

"He was probably in shock, he didn't even have time to say anything because he was taking care of the baby."

"Did I really say something bad?" Antek asked, hugging Makary. The boy was afraid that his uncle would be mad at him.

"No," Jola replied. "It was nothing bad, it's nice that you want to see Błażej as a family member. Maybe it would be better to ask him first if you can call him that."

"I thought he was already like family since uncle loved him," Antek explained. "Do we have to wait until they get married?"

"They can't get married," Kajtek muttered.

"It's a pity," the girls sighed sadly in unison. "We would wear the same dresses.

"You will be guests at many weddings, so you don't have to despair," the woman consoled them and looked at her sad brother-in-law. The reality was sometimes too brutal.

"I'm glad you would like that too. It is enough for me." Makary smiled shyly.

"We just want uncle to be happy," Antek said and hugged the hazel-eyed man, and immediately the rest of them joined in the hug.

Jolka looked up and saw that Błażej and Tymek had been standing unnoticed for some time, listening to their conversation.

"I also want my uncle to be happy, but I don't want to share him with anyone. It's as if I don't have a dad and I've only ever had him," said Tymek sadly, with his head down. "Still, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have acted like that."

"This is not your first or last quarrel, but you are friends, it's a waste of time. What do you say, Antek, will you accept the apology?" Błażej asked.

The boy thought about it and jumped off Makary's lap, extending his hand to Tymek. After a while, they shook hands like men and returned to the interrupted game.

"Well, it became dramatic," Jola laughed. "But since you have experience, I don't have to worry.

"I'm sorry about Antek," said Makary, hugging Błażej. "I hope you didn't feel uncomfortable."

"I was a bit shocked, but actually it was a nice feeling. I hope that one-day Tymek will talk to you like that."

"If he wants it, I will be happy."

"Błażej... " Jola looked at her brother-in-law and his beloved. "Even if you cannot legalize your relationship, remember that we already consider you a family member."

"Thank you," Błażej smiled at her, stroking Makary's head, who still did not let go of his embrace.