The Connected

Chapter 4

Happy Friday everyone! I've had exams all week or I would've had this out sooner, but it's here now so enjoy! Thanks again for all the votes and comments, it provides entertainment between reading management case studies ;) happy reading!

"Boys, please, settle down while I talk with Mr. Winchester for a moment and then we can start moving in." I chastise them, immediately ending their impromptu game of chase-each-other-while-screaming, and I turn back to our new landlord. He's young, appearing only a few years older than my own age of 18, with brown hair and kind green eyes. I'd emailed him the day after I'd been set free about the apartment at the Sergeant Jasper, an older building near downtown Charleston. With three bedrooms and two bathrooms, it suits the needs of my little family perfectly for a first home, eventually I hope to be able to afford for them each to have their own rooms. Something they never would have had in Sorenson House, and I hope to give them everything they need or want as it falls within my abilities to do so.

I pull myself from my thoughts and focus my attention to the tall, lanky limbed man seated across from me. He wears a kind smile, warming when he sees the boys' guilty expressions.

"I'm sorry, they're excited about the new place, mix that with the chocolate chips in their breakfast this morning and you get some pretty hyper monsters." I laugh a little nervously, not knowing how to act with him.

He chuckles and spins around a picture on his desk, revealing a picture of a very young boy, no more than a year old, smiling in the arms of a beautiful young woman with matching eyes, his mother no doubt.

"I understand completely, this is my sister Kayli and her son Yevgeniy, he's a little terror sometimes. I promise you their behavior is practically angelic in comparison." His voice is full of fondness as he speaks of his nephew and sister, I wonder what it would be like to have family members who loved me so.

My shoulders relax as he speaks and a smile of my own forms on my lips. "I wouldn't go that far, but I'm usually pretty luck with them. Your nephew is adorable, Yevgeniy?"

He laughs. "He is, and he knows it, the little flirt. The name is Russian, like one of his fathers, we usually call him Hawk." At my confused expression he grins. "Long story, his dads have a thing for bird names."

Dads, as in plural? Not my place to ask. "They sound lovely."

His eyes seem far away and a small smile lights his face, likely thinking of his family. "They are, most of the time. Anyways, I have your keys, two for the door and another for your mailbox downstairs. The apartment is completely furnished because the previous tenant downsized to an RV to travel around national parks and sold everything to me for practically nothing. That additional cost was included for you and is why your down payment was slightly higher than the usual."

I have to suppress the tears of joy and relief as he speaks to me, not wanting to appear over emotional or upset. All my worries of affording furniture for the boys have suddenly lifted off of my shoulders. Clearing my throat I acknowledge the amazing gift we've been given.

"That's more than I could've ever hoped for, thank you so much." He could have just as easily sold the pieces for profit, but he chose to give them to me for far less money. "Would I be able to get his contact information so I may thank him?" I ask hopefully and he nods.

"Of course, I'll have that to you in a day or two when I get a chance to dig through his information." He claps his hands together, capturing the boys' Attention from where they giggle quietly at a table in the corner. "Now, how's  about we get you and your boys settled in your new home?" At my nod he stands and leads us to the elevators, pressing the button for the 3rd floor to our place.