A month passed by as in a blur. Sadik had taken Nikola with himself to see the plot of land in person. The real estate agent, a different one from last time, had asked Nikola many questions.

The only things Nikola made an input on was the front garden. He could always fill the roof with flowers by himself. But, the flowers in the garden had to be planted this year.

Sadik had predicted correctly that Nikola would want yellow roses. However, he had nothing against the red and white ones Sadik had added. He had wanted some narcissus too and some lilies. The roses hedging the walk to the house. The narcissus up front and the lilies hugging the wall.

The agent had shown them a picture of the house with the additions which he generated in a program, and Sadik had to admit that it looked homey. The wood was a nice touch. But, it will need to be treated every so often.

Which wasn’t a problem, in and of itself. After all, they would still have the cottage to go in during any renovations they do. They left the building site, that had just the foundations made so far, and went to the zoo.

Their classes progressed well and, in a week, they would be allowed to spend up to two hours with the animals. None of the predators, even though Ivar the bear did a strange dance every time it saw Nikola.

Today, they were learning how to manage children at the petting zoo. Sadik had imagined that children would go rampant in there, but, some things the instructor told them were worrying.

“And, remember, animals can’t process sugar well. Don’t let any of the children give them sweets. Or feed them,” and the class ended. Nikola lined up to ask questions, and Sadik waited outside by the car.

Half an hour later, Nikola came to him with a bright smile on his face.

“The instructor told me that the tour guides are going to go on a learning expedition. It will be up to all the trainees to fill in their shoes. I will take some time off work. I got her to place us in a team!” Sadik smiled at Nikola’s enthusiasm. They knew everything that the normal tours gave as information by heart. And then some other bits of information that they had searched for in their spare time.

“For how long?” Sadik opened the back seat and held it open for Nikola. Nikola never sat on the front seat. He liked to call it the kill seat. Which, Sadik found funny.

“Three days, starting tomorrow. We will be given tour guide uniforms,” Nikola remained as enthusiastic as ever and Sadik grinned. It will be quite the experience for the groups they would lead around to see the animals staring at Nikola.

When they got home, Emilia was just getting out of the house. Eric trailing behind her.

“Hey, champ!” Greeted Sadik and placed his fist forward. The five-year-old gave him a fist bump, and then they had a high five. It was their secret way of greeting each other.

“Uncle Sadik, were the animals good today?” Eric found the fact that Sadik and Nikola volunteered at the zoo fascinating.

“How would you like to help with the tour guides tomorrow? Have you been listening about animals?” Sadik had taken to letting the boy watch and listen to the podcast the zoo used to get their volunteers trained.

“The fox makes…” and the boy gave out a cackling sound. It was a good imitation of a fox, Sadik had to give him that.

“And, what color is a fox?” That was a tricky question, but Sadik showed enough respect to the boy not to baby him.

“Red and white. Sometimes just white. Sometimes black,” Sadik petted the boy and took out a package with caramel popcorn.

“Sadik, you are spoiling his dinner,” snapped Emilia as the small boy looked at his grandmother with pleading eyes.

“Come now, Emi. It is just some popcorn,” said Nikola softly. He had long since warmed up to the woman, and she had insisted that he call her Emi. Sadik and he let her bring her grandson with her and spend some time by the lake. The fresh air was good for the boy.

“With sugar. Eric, give them to me. You will eat half after dinner,” the boy handed his gift to her and then worried his bottom lip.

“Grandma, can I go with uncle Sadik and uncle Nikola on walks around the zoo?” Emilia looked at Sadik, who nodded.

“Some tour guides take their children. I doubt that someone will mind. I can pick him up. You don’t need to make him go around on his bike,” both Emilia and Eric came over on a double bike. Emilia was just Sadik’s housekeeper, and he never cared when she would swing by. Just that she would.

“Thank you, Sadik. I guess I can take a nap after cleaning. Eric, you listen to what your uncles tell you — now. And don’t argue!” the two moved to their bike. Nikola felt guilty for making an old woman bike all the way here, with a passenger, no less. But, Emilia didn’t want for Sadik to pick her up. And she had her pride.

The two left and Sadik and Nikola entered the cottage. There, on the kitchen table, was a drawing of four people. They were more stick figures than anything, but both understood the meaning behind it.

“Emilia won’t be around for when Eric grows up. She is sixty,” said Sadik slowly. He, himself, mulling over the idea.

“We can’t separate them,” said Nikola.

“I wasn’t saying we should. That would be heartless of us,” Sadik was many things, but someone who took the only thing a woman held sacred was not one of them. “Maybe they can come live in the guest room? And we can arrange for Eric to go to our custody when she passes?”

Nikola smiled.

“He looks like you,” Sadik grinned. Nikola was onto him. But then again, the boy had to look like him. And the girl had to be all Nikola. It was only fair.