The next two days passed much the same as the first tour. Jake was well-behaved for the tours and had new questions to ask, despite already having seen the animals and having listened to the information supplied.

Audrey, Jake’s mother, seemed more relaxed. But she lingered when it was time for the guests to go. She approached Nikola and handed him a box.

“Thank you, I needed a breather,” said Audrey and Nikola opened the box. There was a pie in there. He checked the label on it. It was apricot pie.

“Think nothing of it,” Audrey looked at Jake, who was speaking with Eric animatedly.

“It is almost like he is a different child,” she smiled wistfully at that, and Nikola nodded. “Could you? No. Sorry for bothering you.”

Audrey backed away and Nikola made a step towards her.

“Yes? Sadik and I are happy to help. Jake is a good kid and Eric seems to like him,” Audrey seemed to be heartened at that.

“I have no one to watch him. I work ten hours a day. These three days were the only ones I have been allowed a leave from work. I wanted to spend them with him. But, I was oh so tired,” Nikola could understand where she was coming from. He looked at the two children. Jake looked to be a couple of years Eric’s senior, but not by much.

“How old is Jake?” Audrey smiled at the question.

“He is eight. The first day of the tours was his birthday,” Nikola was surprised at that. The child hadn’t said anything.

“Would you mind if I invite the two of you to dinner? To celebrate?” Asked Nikola. He liked going to a birthday party of a child. Audrey blushed.

“Wouldn’t your brother mind?” Nikola wondered who that might be, and then he figured she was talking about Sadik.

“He is my lover,” Audrey looked disappointed at that.

“Of course, the decent ones are gay,” she mumbled, and Nikola adopted an uncomfortable expression on his face. “Thank you, but I need to go back home. I am yet to make dinner.”

“Are you certain? I live by the lake,” said Nikola. Audrey looked at her son, who was in the middle of a special handshake with Eric.

“I have never seen him like this,” she said, almost only to herself. Nikola nodded, understanding that the woman was happy for her son, and so he shouldn’t push.

“If it is not trouble, I would love to come to your house someday. Maybe during the weekend?” Nikola smiled brightly. Eric would be ecstatic when he found out.

“Saturday, I go to church on Sundays, so my mornings are busy,” said Nikola and Audrey sighed.

“Saturdays sounds fine. Ah, if only I have found you sooner,” she said and Nikola smiled, unsure of what else to do. They made it to Sadik and the children, who were reading from the review book.

“Come on, Jake. We need to go. If you are good, I’ll bring you to this lovely family come Saturday. They live by the lake,” at that, Jake’s slightly thunderous expression at having been made to live changed into a bright grin.

“I will be the best! I will even clean my room,” he promised, and his mother petted his head.

“Barbecue?” Suggested Sadik when they came back to the cottage. “Or burgers?”

“Barbecue, but I don’t have a grill,” said Nikola. “We can have one delivered here by Saturday. If I pay for express delivery.”

“Sounds like a plan,” said Sadik, and they entered the cottage. Emilia was putting the finishing touches to the dinner. It was homemade pizza, and Eric ran up to the steaming food to sniff it.

“Eric, wash your hands and take your seat. I have made baked apples for dessert,” Eric’s grin widened even more, and he rushed to the sink.

“Emi, you shouldn’t have,” said Sadik. He was prepared to make some killer pasta for dinner. Had gotten everything yesterday, even.

“I live here too. And this is not a retirement home. As long as my bones hold me up, I’ll take care of this family. As the matriarch, it is my duty,” Sadik shrugged. He wanted to avoid being chewed up for protesting. And the pizza smelled nice.

“Emi, we are going to have guests this Saturday. A woman and her son, we met them at the tours and Eric befriended the boy. His name is Jake and the mother’s is Audrey,” Eric raised his hand for a high five and his grandmother obliged.

“Good for you, young man. Now, you only need a pleasant girl in your life,” Eric looked confused. “Or a boy.”

“Well, Jake is a boy,” said Eric, not catching on.

Sadik chuckled at the obviousness of the boy and began cutting into the pizza. He gave everyone a slice, to start with. The entire pizza was cut up, so, they could help themselves to some if one slice wasn’t enough.

“Did you do your work well today, Eric?” Asked Emilia between bites.

“I made all the animal sounds,” the boy puffed up his chests and the woman chuckled.

“Sounds good enough to me,” then, she turned to Sadik. “Did he behave?”

“He was so well-mannered he turned a trouble magnet into a normal kid,” boasted Sadik.

“That Jake kid?” Asked Emilia, frowning. She didn’t want her grandson to be surrounded by bad influence.

“He is a good kid. But his mother is overworked and can’t give him too much attention. So, he acted out at first. However, Eric won him over,” Eric nodded enthusiastically.

“Eric, if Jake tries to rope you into misbehaving, you tell him that I will give him the spanking of the century and to that mother of his, too!” Sadik imagined the picture and burst out laughing. Emilia send him a glare. He shut up pretty fast after that.

As far as Emilia was concerned, Sadik knew that she considered herself not above bending adults over her knees. So, he would behave and eat his dinner.