Chapter 4
“The chief beauty about time
is that you cannot waste it in advance.
The next year, the next day, the next hour are lying ready for you,
as perfect, as unspoiled,
as if you had never wasted or misapplied
a single moment in all your life.
You can turn over a new leaf every hour
if you choose.”
― Arnold Bennett
“I....ah...I.” I mumbled looking shocked at the man in front of me. This was a stupid, uncovenant impasse that I never in my boring life, wanted to face. If only I had never trusted him...
“Ava, I would like to you meet my oldest son Alexander or Xander, for short.” Mary said looking me with concern that I might pass out any second now. “Why don’t you say hi?” She said nudging Xander with her pointy, smooth elbow.
“Hi.” I barely squeaked out looking up at him, then quicker than light, back down again.
“Hi, hi, hi!” Caleb shrieked tugging on xander’s dark washed blue jeans and while looking up at Xander.
As Caleb was making his sounds, trying to find the latent he need to be noticed, Xander looked at down at him as if he was trying to figure out where he had seen him before.
After a few minutes of awkward silence, Mary startled us all by saying, “Xander, can’t you say hi back?”
“Hello,” he said in his cool, strong voice almost brings me weak to my shaking knees.
“Well,” Mary said clapping her hands. “Why don’t we all go inside and get something to eat?”
“O....okay.” I stuttered back while walking behind Mary into the house.
The house looked as if it was from the heavens above. There were real red-wood wooden floors, a spiral staircase leading up to the next unexplored story, dark-red throw rugs lined the path to kitchen and other parts of the new, spacious territory. Now the kitchen, well thats a whole new story. The kitchen was all stainless steel, pure silver glass cups and plates lined the open-window kitchen-cabinets, and they had at least two brand new stoves. This was heaven on this very green earth.
After following Mary thought there execute house and into the kitchen, I was engulfed in the smell of homemade pastries and fresh coffee. Another sign that this was Heaven on this lifeless earth.
“Ava, sweetie, please have a seat. I will grab us a plate of the fresh raspberry tarts and some coffee. Wait, you drink coffee right? Oh, of course you do! You had it at the diner, silly me. I’m just so silly. Haha. Wait, so you still want coffee again right?’
I replayed by nodding yes. Coffee is a very rare gift to me, at the home only the older kids got it around christmas time and we would only get half a cup because of how expensive it is.
“Oh, and dear. Would you like any sugar or cream in it?”
“I’m good, but thanks anyways.”
“Well, whatever floats your boat sweetie. And what would you like, Caleb? Milk?” Mary asked as she bent over to get closer to him.
“Yes, please.” Caleb said looking up at her with his big, round eyes.
After Mary left the room, Caleb crawled up on my lap and asked me in a serious tone. “Does Mary have problems?”
