by Summers, MJ
Elliott looked at his mom in the rear-view mirror. “Yeah, it was kind of scary. I thought Grandma might die. But when the ambulance people got there, they were really nice and told me everything would be okay. That made me feel better.”
“Good. Listen, Elliott, I’m so sorry I wasn’t there. I should have been home to handle that, not you.”
“Mom, it’s not your fault. You didn’t make Grandma get sick. Besides, it was kind of fun to ride in the ambulance. They let me wear a stethoscope and they gave me some Batman Band-Aids to keep! I can’t wait to tell the kids at school! They’re going to be so jealous.”
Megan smiled back at her little boy and shook her head a little in amazement at his resilience. “You sure know how to roll with the punches, kiddo.”
“I probably get that from you.” He grinned.
They rode along for a moment before Megan approached the subject of Luc. Her heart was in her throat and her hands felt clammy against the wheel as she tried to think of what to say. Finally, she cleared her throat and began. “So, Elliott, you know I went to San Francisco with a friend of mine. My friend is a man, actually.”
“I know. His name is Luc. Grandma told me,” he replied simply.
“Okay. . . .” Megan hesitated; Elliott didn’t seem bothered by it. “Well, yes that’s right, his name is Luc. He came back with me in case I needed any help. He’s at the hospital.”
Elliott’s eyes lit up. “So, am I going to get to meet him?”
“Yes, if you want to.”
“Yeah, I would like to. Are you are going to get married to him?” he asked.
Megan laughed. “No, no. We’re just friends. He lives in France, which is very far away.”
“Okay. Just wondering. You should marry someone, Mom.”
“Why’s that?”
“Jase’s mom doesn’t have to do as much as you. His dad does stuff like shovelling and taking care of their van and yelling at the kids when they fight. It would be much easier for you to have a husband.”
Megan laughed a little at her son’s keen observation. He was wise beyond his years, a result of spending his young life almost exclusively with adults. “Yeah, well, I’m happy the way things are. I don’t mind doing all of those things myself, actually. And I never have to stop any fights since there are just the two of us.”
Elliott shrugged. “I guess so. But it might be nice to have more people. You should think about it.”
* * *
Megan held Elliott’s hand in hers as she hurried him through the sliding doors into the hospital and out of the cold wind. Her heart pounded and she felt slightly sick to her stomach as they approached the waiting room. Luc sat, still in his tuxedo, flipping through a magazine. He looked up and smiled when he saw them. If he was nervous about meeting Elliott, no one would have been able to tell by how casual he appeared. He stood and tossed the magazine onto a table nearby.
Megan spoke up, “Elliott, this is my friend Luc. Luc, this is my son, Elliott.”
Luc extended his hand. “Elliott, I’m very glad to meet you,” he said with a little nod.
Elliott gave him a hearty handshake and eyed him up and down. “You talk funny and you’re dressed for a fancy party.” He looked up at his mom with a skeptical look on his face, then whispered to her, “This is the guy? He’s kind of weird.”
Luc burst into laughter at the boy’s honest appraisal of him. Megan reluctantly joined in, trying to give Elliott a stern look at the same time but failing.
When Luc finally stopped laughing, he answered Elliott’s charges. “I’m dressed this way because I don’t have any other clothes, and I talk like this because I’m from France.”
“You don’t have any other clothes?” Elliott replied with wide eyes. “My mom can afford to buy you some new stuff. She makes a lot of money. She has hundreds, even.”
Megan’s face turned red as Luc began to laugh again. “No, no, kiddo, he has more than one outfit. He just doesn’t have anything else with him because we were in such a rush to get back here last night.”
Elliott stuck one finger in the air. “Ah! Now I get it.”
Megan grinned down at her little boy. Somehow he had managed to make this introduction more amusing than awkward and she was grateful. Her cellphone rang, interrupting the moment. It was her brother, Mark, from Portland. Megan excused herself and spent a few minutes on the phone, updating Mark on their mom’s condition.
When she got off the call, she walked over to find the two chatting away happily.
Elliott puffed up his chest. “Yeah, so I could probably teach you lots of new ski moves, since I’m young and all. You probably don’t know all the new stuff people are doing these days.”
Luc nodded in agreement. “Sure, because I am very old.”
“Exactly.” Elliott replied wisely.
Luc grinned over at Megan, fighting the urge to laugh.
“Can we go see Grandma now?” Elliott asked.
“Yes. She’s probably sleeping, but we can peek our heads in.”
“Good, because I want to make sure she’s okay before we go home.”
“Let’s go check on her, then,” Megan replied. “We’ll be right back, Luc.”
Luc sat back down to wait for them. Elliott turned back to him and motioned for him to come. “Let’s go check on Grandma, Luc. Honestly, Mom, you can’t leave him just sitting there, being bored. Have you forgotten what you taught me about being a good friend?”
“Alright, settle down, buddy,” she replied, raising a stern eyebrow in his direction.
After they had gone in to see Helen, Megan checked with the nurse. She apologetically told Megan that there was an error on one of the tests, so they would have to run it again. It would be several hours before they had confirmation of Helen’s condition. They walked back into the lobby. It was clear Elliott couldn’t spend the day there.
“Elliott, I really need to stay with Grandma today to make sure she’s going to be okay. It’s still early in the morning, so I don’t want to call any of your friends yet, but I’m going to try to find someone you can spend the day with, okay?”
“I can hang out with Luc. I bet he’s bored here too.” Elliott shrugged, looking over at Luc.
Luc smiled kindly. “That would be up to your mother. I don’t have a lot of experience looking after kids, I’m afraid.”
Elliott shook his head. “I’m six, Luc. That’s practically a grown-up. I really only need an adult around so the police don’t take me away to an orphanage.”
Megan slapped her forehead with her hand. “He’s taking something I said a couple of weeks ago out of context.”
Luc laughed too loudly for the surroundings, earning him a glare from a nurse who was passing by. “You told me he was funny, but I had no idea. If he wants to hang out with me, I think it might be one of the most fun days I’ll have in a long time.”
Megan couldn’t believe she was going to agree to this. It was the last thing she had ever wanted, but at the moment, her instinct was that it would be alright. She trusted Luc and the two seemed to have such a natural rapport she figured they would probably have a good time.
“Okay. I guess if you want, you could go do something for a few hours. Maybe you could help Luc buy some clothes for himself.”
Elliott grinned enthusiastically. “I know just the place! Target! They sell toys too!”
“No toys, mister. Your birthday is coming,” Megan said sternly. She took out her keys, handing them to Luc.
“We’ll go get some breakfast if Elliott wants, and then he can take me to Target and show me what all the cool kids are wearing these days.” Try as Luc might to hide it, his face wore a slight look of horror at the thought of going to Target.
“Okay!” Elliott grinned. “And after that we can go home and play video games! I bet you don’t know anything about that either.”
Luc gave Megan a little wink. “It appears I have a busy day ahead of me. We’d better get started. Call me if yo
u need anything.”
Megan watched as her little boy walked outside with Luc beside him. Elliott reached up and took his hand to cross the parking lot. Something about the sight of it squeezed at Megan’s heart. Any passerby would think they were father and son. A bond Elliott had never known.
A feeling of dread passed over her as she made her way back to her mom’s room.
TWENTY-ONE
“Check those soldiers out! Wicked!” Elliott exclaimed. He rushed over to a low shelf holding a display of tiny green soldiers near the checkout at Target.
Luc was a good sport about shopping, letting Elliott pick out a black hoodie to go with the white T-shirts and jeans Luc had chosen for himself. He was pleasantly surprised to find he could also buy himself some hiking boots, mitts, a wool hat, socks and underwear as well as a shaving kit and other toiletries. He now felt prepared to stay as long as he was needed.
Luc crouched beside the young boy to look at the soldiers. They came in a little tin holding twenty of the tiny figures. “Very nice. That is exactly what I would have wanted when I was your age.”
Elliott looked over at him. “Really?”
“Definitely. You know what? I’d like to get you a set, but only if you don’t think it would bother your mom. You were quite the brave soldier yourself in taking care of your Grandma last night. I think that deserves a treat.”
“Oh, she won’t mind a bit! I’m sure of it. I know her better than anyone,” Elliott said, carefully choosing among the identical tins.
Luc chuckled to himself as he watched Elliott pick up each tin to examine it before finally settling on one. His cellphone buzzed, indicating a message.
How’s it going? Has my son said anything insulting or patronizing since you left here?
He’s great. His honesty is rather refreshing, and he’s helped to outfit me so I’ll fit in with the cool kids. I said he could pick out a small toy for being so brave last night. I hope I haven’t overstepped my boundaries.
That’s alright. He has been pretty terrific about everything. I don’t mind, but nothing else, please. I don’t want him to start thinking he can take advantage of you.
Only his mom can do that. . . .
Exactly.
We’re going to your house now to play video games. He wants to teach me ‘how to drive’ in some car game. He thinks I can learn, although he’s certain that my old-man hand-eye coordination will allow him to dominate me.
Lol. Hope you don’t mind.
I’m looking forward to it!
* * *
“There’s something wrong with this controller! I can’t make these turns like you,” Luc huffed, moving the controller erratically, causing his driver to crash into the side wall again.
Elliott was laughing hysterically as he expertly manoeuvred his car across the finish line. “It’s totally you. Both controllers work.”
Luc shook his head in disgust. “No, no. That’s not possible. I have lightning-fast reflexes. I’ve even driven a race car in real life and it was easier than this.”
Elliott turned to him, eyes wide as saucers, forgetting completely about the game. “You drove a real race car?”
“Yes. I have a very good friend who is a Formula One driver. I went with him one day when he was practising.”
“That’s amazeballs! How fast did you go?”
“Amazeballs? You think so?” Luc laughed. “I went just over two hundred kilometres per hour. Not as fast as they go in real races, but twice as fast as you’re allowed to drive on the freeway.”
“Wow . . . Can I do it sometime?”
“That’s one of those things you can do only when you’re a grown-up. I also have a feeling your mother wouldn’t be as excited by that idea as you are.”
“You’re right.” Elliott hung his head for a moment. “She never lets me do anything exciting.”
“Moms are funny that way. They have this annoying habit of wanting to keep their kids alive. Mine was the same way.”
“I hear ya, dude. I hear ya. . . .” Elliott agreed.
“Speaking of your mom, she said she needed to clean out the spare room for your grandma. What if we did that together, you and me? Give her a bit of a break?”
“Okay, but one more game first.”
“Only if you switch controllers with me.”
Elliott handed him the other controller. “It won’t help. I’m still going to kick your butt.”
* * *
An hour later, Megan got a call from Luc. She was sitting, watching her mom pick at the unappetizing-looking hospital food. She walked over to the window and answered. “Hello?”
“Megan. I have a quick question for you. Do you have a minute?”
“Of course. How are things going there?”
“Terrific, actually. I had no idea how amusing children could be. I would have had some of my own had I known.”
“Yeah, Elliott is a pretty funny little man. I’m glad you’re getting along. I’ve been worried that it might be a bit much, or boring, for you.”
“Not at all, actually. I’m very much enjoying the day. Listen, we’ve started a little project and I have to ask for your help.”
“Okay. . . .” Megan replied.
“I’m trying to figure out how to use your washing machine. There are a lot of knobs and buttons. It’s not like mine at home.”
“You mean the one your housekeeper uses?”
“That’s the one,” he admitted sheepishly.
“What are you washing?”
“The sheets for the spare room. I thought you would want to freshen them up for your mom.”
“You mean you actually found the bed under that mess?”
“Yes. Elliott and I have been very busy getting the boxes out of there. We put most of them in the storage room downstairs. I hope that’s okay.”
“That’s perfect! Wow! I was thinking I would have to put my mom in my bedroom for the night and spend most of the evening cleaning out the spare room. Thank you so much, Luc!”
“It’s nothing, really. Do you know yet when you can bring her home?”
“No. She’s still really dizzy. They’re waiting for the Gravol to wear off so they can try another type of medication to see if that’ll make a difference. The test results confirmed everything, so that’s a huge relief.”
“Good. I’m very glad.”
“Thanks, Luc. For everything.”
“You’re very welcome. Now, how do I open this washing machine?”
* * *
“Elliott, what do you American boys like to eat for dinner?” Luc asked.
“Spaghetti or pizza.”
“Okay, let’s see what we’ve got for ingredients.”
Luc looked through the fridge and cupboards, finding a box of spaghetti as well as everything he needed to make a tomato sauce with baby clams.
“Alright, shall we cook?”
“Yup!” Elliott grinned enthusiastically.
“If we do a good job, it will impress your mom, yes?”
“Yes, it will.”
“Excellent. That’s what I was hoping for,” Luc replied, opening drawers until he found the pots.
“I don’t think you have to impress her. She already likes you. I can tell.”
“Really? How can you tell?” Luc gave Elliott a sideways glance as he filled a pot with water.
“When we saw you at the hospital, she had a funny look on her face and her cheeks turned red, like people in the movies.”
“Is that so? How interesting.” Luc smiled a little at Elliott’s observation.
Elliott scrunched up his face at Luc. “Don’t get your hopes up, though. She said you aren’t getting married together.”
“Did she say that?” Luc turned on the burner and poured some olive oil into the pot.
“Yes. In the car. I asked her and she said you’re just friends.”
“She’s right. We are just friends,” Luc replied, searching the drawers for a garlic press. “Would you l
ike your mom to get married to someone?”
“Yeah, I think it would be good for her. She hates doing yard work and other jobs husbands do. She says she’s happy, though, so I should stop worrying about her.”
“Do you think she is happy?”
“Now that I think about it, she does seem nicer lately.”
“Really? So you notice something different about her?”
“Yeah, she sings a lot more and dances around the kitchen when she cooks. She jokes with me more and she’s giving me more treats than normal.”
“Hmm, what do you think is making her so happy?” Luc asked.
“Probably me.” Elliott shrugged. “I’ve been remembering to flush the toilet now that I’m almost seven.”
Luc laughed out loud again as he chopped an onion into tiny pieces. The dryer buzzed, indicating the sheets were dry.
“Oh! Let’s get this sauce going so we can make the bed.”
An hour later, Megan walked through the door, looking completely wiped as she took off her boots. Elliott ran to greet her with a big grin. “MOM! We have a surprise for you! Lots of them, actually! Come on! Come on with me!”
“Okay, buddy. Just give me a minute to get my coat off.”
Luc walked around the corner from the kitchen, wiping his hands on a dishtowel. “Hello, how’s your mom?”
Megan took in the sight of him standing there in jeans and a T-shirt, looking so at home. There was something so natural about it, she was taken aback for a minute as she gazed at him. “She’s okay. They said she has to stay one more night at least. She still doesn’t have the balance to leave.”
“That’s a shame. Hopefully early tomorrow, then. Did you take a cab to get here? We would have picked you up.”
“It sounded like you were so busy, I didn’t want to disturb you,” Megan said, hanging up her coat and shutting the closet door. “What is that heavenly smell?” she asked.
Elliott pulled her by the arm into the kitchen. “That’s surprise number one! We cooked supper for you!”