Sadik had spent a pleasant afternoon with Eric. Ivan had asked him to call if he needed anything. Sadik remembered the time when he had extended a similar offer, albeit indirectly, to Ivan. He still felt guilty over leaving him to fend for himself, all those months ago.

Deciding that he could make both Nikola and Ivan happy in a swoop, he began to prepare. He got beef and lamb, which were perfect for a stew. Then, he invited Ivan for lunch on the day of Nikola’s check out of the hospital.

Eric had been ecstatic at the prospect of guests, and had demanded that they invite Audrey and Jake. To which Sadik had responded by buying more meat. Edward, the butcher, certainly looked happy at the fact.

The day came and Sadik was awoken by a happy toddler jumping on his stomach. Groggy, Sadik placed a hand over the boy to stop him and checked the clock. It was three in the morning. He groaned. He didn’t need to sleep, but there was something unnatural about being up at such hours.

“Champ, quit it. Go back to sleep. Do you want to sleep in here?” Eric picked up his teddy bear and got under the sheets. Sadik placed an arm around him. “Still not used to have a room to yourself?”

Eric had shared a room with Emilia back in their apartment and had continued to do so, at the cottage. The boy sometimes came in the dead of night to cuddle. Sadik had to break him out of that habit. What if he let it slip that he did so in front of his classmates? He was starting the first grade this September. It would be a disaster.

“It is too quiet,” complained the boy. Nothing, not even playing soft music on repeat, had helped. The boy didn’t sleep well. And, when he got too tired, he came to Sadik.

“You are a big boy, champ. You have to wear big boy pants,” Eric giggled and snuggle deeper into Sadik.

“Dad, I am five and a half,” the reminder made Sadik grin. Unlike most children, Eric didn’t like to age himself up. He stated his current age and behaved like it. Not putting up any pretenses that he was older.

“You still have to wear big boy pants. You have a badge from the zoo. The owner gave it to you with the diploma,” Eric giggled again. Sadik could feel the boy’s pride seeping in.

Sadik had done some more tours, since the response had been so good. Eric had come with him to each one. So, the owner had given the boy his very own badge, one custom-made, and a diploma with an owl with glasses. Eric had certainly deserved it, since he told the visitors Nikola’s part of the information as well as his own.

“Do you think Ivar will dance again? And would Larry wave his tail?” The visitors missed the animals acting up, and so had Eric.

“I am sure they will be the silliest they had ever been,” assured him Sadik. “Over the moon and all that. Now, go to sleep.”

He felt Eric’s breathing even out and the boy was soon asleep, clutching at Sadik’s pajama top with one hand. Sadik kissed the child’s hair and closed his eyes too.

The morning found them with pancakes from the bakery and warm milk. Sadik left some for Nikola and quickly put Eric and he through their morning routines. Then, he piled them in the car and drove to the hospital.

Nikola was in his room, this time dressed in casual wear and not scrubs. He was wearing a soft beige sweater and dress pants, and his slightly longer hair was done in a ponytail, curling at the edges.

He looked a vision to Sadik’s eyes.

“You will keep your hair?” Asked Sadik as Nikola was filling out the forms.

“Yes, I am well overdue for a change. I will explain everything, Sadik. Now, let me finish these,” Sadik became silent, and he sat down on the bed.

 Ivan came just as Nikola was finishing up. By then, Eric was asleep on the bed, hugging a pillow. He had gotten bored at the fact that there was nothing to do. Nikola had turned off the TV, since he wanted to avoid making a mistake in the forms.

“Sorry I am late, traffic was awful,” Sadik nodded. He had gone before the morning crowd, but, it seems, Ivan had been caught straight in it.

“It is ok, Vanya. Now, let us get out of here. There is just so much of these white walls I can take,” Nikola stood up and took Eric in his arms. The boy didn’t stir, and Nikola carried him out.

“Wait, Niki, you shouldn’t be straining yourself,” whispered Ivan, and he nodded towards the boy in Nikola’s arms.

“I may have been in a coma, but that doesn’t make me a cripple. Now, come on, you two. Or we are leaving you here,” Sadik send a what can you do look at Ivan and took the papers.

The check-out process was pretty straightforward. They gave the papers, paid, and then got out. Sadik had been a bit unsettled that Nikola hadn’t let him pay. The man’s bank account hadn’t been canceled, since Nikola had not been declared dead, and he had insisted on footing his bill. Sadik regraded the fact that he had given Nikola his debit card back. He had wanted to take care of him.

Sadik drove them all home. The new housekeeper, who was around the same age as when Emilia began to work for him, nodded to him and rushed to her own car.

Unlike Emilia, Samantha had other clients. Still, she had been nice enough to make the stew. She hadn’t even taken the extra payment that Sadik offered. Glad that she could help a family celebrate a reunion. Sadik knew he had to be sneaky about raising her pay.

She didn’t know what he was, as Sadik went to the hospital so often that there was no need for another to pick out his blood. But she was considerate of him and doted on Eric. Which was a plus in Sadik’s book.