The gate door creaked open. The rusted hinges the source of the sound, they looked about a hundred years old. The cobblestone pathway that led to the house was in need of repair, with various weeds growing between the stones, content to make the path their home.
Nathan sighed. This was not a good start. Hopefully, he could keep his mind of Audrey while he worked on fixing this place up.
Damn it. He had failed already. The blonde was always on his mind.
Five short steps up the small staircase and Nathan stood on the porch that seemed to wrap around the entire small house, but upon further inspection, he found it only led partway down either side of the house. A decent size porch nonetheless.
Painted a pale yellow colour, the house was cute...not that he, Nathan Wournos, would ever dare to call a house cute.
The beams of the porch were a pale brown and Nathan started to wonder if the paint was once vibrant in colour.
He raised his hand and knocked, hearing the yap of a small dog and young voices chattering to each other inside.
Minutes later, an older woman open the door, a big smile on her face.
As the source of the yapping, a small brown-curly haired dog that seemed to be a cross between a Pomeranian and a Maltese, sniffed his pant-legs, Nathan took it all in.
The woman had red hair, though much of it around the ears and nape of the neck was greying. Her eyes were cheerful and blue as she smiled warmly at him. She was a little heavier, with a bouncing tush and bosom.
Nathan noted that she smelled like cedar and lavender, with maybe sugar cookies thrown in.
The dog followed him in, its short legs moving very quickly.
"It's so great to see you again, dearie. I haven't seen you since you were a small boy." She proceeded to pinch his cheek.
"You'll be staying upstairs in the guest room. The other rooms are...very occupied. I house foster children you see. I've had hundreds come through here, some for months, others less than a day. Right now I only have four, and they've been here a while. They're comfortable here. I'd consider adoption but I'm older and I can't keep up with these young things."
She smiled at a small brunette who looked about seven, who sat seated at the kitchen island munching on a cookie.
The kitchen, which was right off the entrance, was fairly large.
It was open and from where he was standing, he could see the living room. A few toys littered the floor, which was carpeted with a brown fuzzy-looking carpet. The furniture was also brown. It was all ordinary, except for a wall that was covered in photos.
It caught his eye, but as he went to investigate, his aunt said, "Why don't you bring your bags up stairs? Dinner won't be much longer. I hope you like beef stroganoff. The room's the last on the right, dearie."
He nodded and gave a half-smile.
He had almost reached his 'room' when the door to the bedroom adjacent to his opened, revealing a young boy with curly red hair. He looked at Nathan and smiled, the skin around his face tainted with a sticky brown substance.
He stared up at Nathan.
"And what have you been eating, bud?" Nathan questioned.
"Pancakes." The small boy shrugged.
Nathan laughed.
"What? I like pancakes."
The usual frown that graced Nathan's face at most times had no chance of returning now. This small boy had managed to worm his way into Nathan's heart in a matter of seconds.
"And you're allowed to eat them before dinner? Won't that spoil your dinner?" Nathan smirked, remembering all the times he mother had scolded him for snacking on pancakes in the middle of the afternoon.
"Pancakes are dinner."
With that, the boy bounded down the staircase, his curls bouncing almost as much as he was.
Nathan laughed before entering his designated room. These kids warmed his heart, yet at the same time it hurt. It ached like it did around babies, around families and, most importantly, around Audrey.
He didn't want all that. Did he?