Page 15 of Stone Blind

“My name is Cole,” he told Helen. “Your son told me he has a little brother who needs a cut as well. Bring him by in the next day or so, and I’ll square him up.”

“Thank you so much. I really appreciate this,” she said. “Jeffrey, you look so handsome.”

“Aww, Ma,” Jeffrey said, shying away from her. “Not in front of the dudes! Not cool!”

“Sorry,” she said, blushing furiously. “Thank you again.”

Instinct told her to link her arm into Jeffrey’s as she’d seen Moms do with teenage boys escorting them to a restaurant forlunch or dinner. She also thought it was a logical plan to take him to lunch while they were out, and after, she scored him a pair of Nikes.

At half-past two, they returned home. Oscar’s relief was evident when she pulled up and his eyes grew large, seeing the transformation in Jeffrey. Apple saw it too as the boy walked up the stairs and looked him in the eye for the first time.

“Nice haircut,” Apple said.

“Got a shave too,” Jeffrey said, almost smiling.

“Looks good. Well done,” he told Jeffrey. “You too, Ms. Helen.”

She smiled but was tired. Stephen, twirling about the living room, began yammering about his day tomorrow, and Oscar nearly sat in her lap when he talked about what they would do on his day, his haircut and more. As best she could, she listened, but mentally, she was already in bed.

A pleasant surprise awaited her when she excused herself to go to the bathroom. Not only had Ricky put in the new toilet, but he’d also installed a new casing over the old tub and laid fresh linoleum on the floor, and there was a vanity, a lovely vanity which now held the pretty soap and lotion dispensers she’d purchased yesterday.

Oscar waited for her outside the door. “I helped make it nice like that, Ms. Helen.”

“And a fine job you did helping Mr. Ricky. I think it looks amazing,” she replied, reaching for the bag of clothing she’d purchased from the second-hand store, only to be stopped by Jeffrey.

“Stephen can show me how to do a load of laundry,” Jeffrey said. “Ms. Helen, you want a glass of water and to rest for a minute?”

“That would be lovely,” she replied to the young man.

Jeffrey called out, “Stephen, bring Ms. Helen some of that tea we saw her drinking.”

“On it, doggone it,” Stephen called back, sashaying into the kitchen.

Jeffrey parked her in one of the two pink chairs she had bought yesterday that sat in front of the living room window. The curtains were open and the sun shone through the sheers. It had taken her three tries with the leveler and drill to get in the screws, even after Ricky had shown her twice, but she’d done it. She’d hung drapes with fancy rods. Before the night was over, the curtains that she’d washed and dried were hung at all the bedroom windows. The rest of the house could wait until the weekend.

ON THURSDAY, SHE REPEATEDthe outing with Stephen, minus the haircut. He, unlike Jeffrey, didn’t want name brand shoes, but purchased secondhand shoes in good condition from the discount store. He wanted nothing, including the paint from the super-center, and used the bulk of his money at the red tag sale, coming away with a basket load of clothes. Happier than any man should be with those many clothes, he wanted to spend a few dollars on high end shampoo, conditioner, and a blow dryer.

She didn’t argue, since he seemed thrilled with himself and the items purchased.

Friday was Oscar’s day and they started with the haircut. He said nothing to the barber, but handed him a crinkled twenty from his pocket, happy to have change. Thin for his age, in the super-center, Helen purchased the bulk of the items for him before heading to the discount store where he wanted nothing. Oscar never moved past the front entrance.

“It smells funny,” he said, shying behind her, not wanting to go any further. She didn’t push. He had little to say as they stopped for chicken nuggets and waffle fries, mentioning once his hope for a television.

Helen didn’t ask or need him to talk. Oscar seemed content to simply be with her in a place where he could watch people. She didn’t mind it too much herself. Before, she never dined out and fast food wasn’t on her list of nutritional balance, but these kids needed a new kind of purpose. She didn’t know or understand the plan Apple had for them. However, tomorrow was his day in the passenger seat and she would find out. Today, however, there was Oscar.

“He hurt me,” Oscar told her.

Helen didn’t need to ask to whom the child was referring. She knew. A million thoughts zinged through her head about how to respond or what to say. Instead of trying to offering comfort by over-explaining and providing platitudes, she lowered the neckline of her blouse. Not too far to expose her cleavage but to show the boy the scars.

“He hurt me too, but we are here, Oscar. We survived, we shall heal, and we will move forward and live in the light,” she told him.

The boy nodded and said no more. After completing the sparse meal, they returned to the home where Oscar met Stephen in the laundry room to wash the new clothing. To her surprise, in the common room was a television, a big one hanging on the wall. Since it was Friday, Apple stated they would all watch a movie after dinner with popcorn.

Helen liked the idea, excusing herself for a moment to call her cousin for a check-in. She really wanted to check in with the Mustang, but didn’t want to appear too needy. Everything, thus far, was not terrible, and she was in no danger. The idea of spending the day with Apple would really give her a sense ofwho the man was, what he stood for, and the plans for the kids. Until then, she returned to the common room, nibbling on the popcorn as the kids sat in awe watching a King Kong movie. She appreciated Apple purchasing the entire series on streaming, so each week, the ‘family” could enjoy the next installment.

She would mention culturally enriching films and shows to Apple to broaden the kid’s knowledge base when they spent time together tomorrow.

THE MORNING ARRIVEDwith Apple ready to go. He almost seemed rather keen his day with Helen but began by establishing a few ground rules. The first one made her smile and even blush.

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