Chapter 50
After the conversation between Kid and Albert, things gradually started to change. True to word, the boy applied himself at school and his teachers soon commented the change for the better. At home the situation also perked up, and not further mishaps took place, and Albert's difficult attitude also relaxed. He still talked very little, but he stopped hurling snide remarks or his continuous grunting.
One Saturday Kid came flashing two tickets for the day's game, and Albert was visibly beyond blissful. The boy's joy reminded Kid of himself when years ago his own father had surprised him with tickets for a football match in the Buffalo Bills' stadium. That was when he had invited Lou instead, and they had started dating. Albert was younger than him at the time, but Kid realized guiltily that he was going to enjoy what he had deprived his father from years ago. Looking at Albert almost cavorting in eager anticipation, Kid made a mental note to find the time to repair that past gap. It would be his treat now, and he and Sam would share a father-and-son moment as well as enjoy some good football as soon as Kid had the chance.
Kid came to realize Albert was the good boy Lou had claimed he was when she had first met him. During the basketball game Albert seemed to have shed all his inhibitions and shyness. He laughed very easily, jeered loudly at every point scored by the Knicks, and became a little chatterbox, talking incessantly. Even when the game finished and Kid treated him to some refreshment in a nearby diner, Albert kept his bubbling and chattering bearing. Kid found himself enjoying the boy's company more than he had foreseen, and even promised they would do the same again soon. All Kid regretted was that Lou had to miss the occasion. She worked every single Saturday, which thwarted any extra plans to go out. On Sunday when she was off, she usually studied long hours or devoted time to their wedding arrangements, which meant they hadn't done anything for fun as a couple in months.
After the day of the basketball game, Albert and Kid became clearly closer. Whereas the boy made no attempt to address Lou, he searched Kid out willingly as soon as he got to the apartment or woke up in the morning. They had long conversations about everything, and Albert chose him to solve his problems and uncertainties, or just to help him with his homework. On Saturday when Lou was at work and Kid was free, man and child filled the empty hours with a whole program of visits and outings.
Lou felt jealous of the close relationship Kid and her brother had, and she had the sensation she had become invisible in her home. Despite her continuous attempts, Albert had the same attitude towards her, and didn't bother to even look in her direction. It was obvious he still bore a grudge against her, and if the situation had made Lou feel inadequate and useless before, now things did not improve much. Albert hogged Kid's attention all the time, and consciously did his utmost to prevent him from simply talking to his fiancée. Lou, although jealous, was glad the boy had found a support in Kid, but she missed her boyfriend. Strangely, she had become the third wheel, and it angered her to think she could be jealous of a child who incidentally was her brother and needed her compassion and understanding.
That Friday as she unlocked and opened the front door, she was welcomed by the reverberation of laughter, which should be a pleasant sound to hear after a long day's work. Yet, the certainty that she was not allowed to join and belong to the exclusive club the two men of the house had formed lately made her cringe. Kid was not aware how she felt as she just couldn't bring herself to admit what was happening within her.
With slow steps she shuffled to the living room. Albert's voice chattering away could be heard clearly, but as soon as Lou stepped into the living room and the boy noticed her presence, he shushed. "Hey sweetie!" Kid exclaimed, rising to his feet and giving her his usual welcoming peck on her lips. "You're early today."
It had been too long and hard a day, and her mood was far from ebullient. Kid's innocent comment touched a sensitive chord, and her annoyance and frustration quickly manifested themselves in an acrid remark. "I thought this was my home, and could come and go any time I pleased! I wasn't aware I was supposed to respect a schedule and roam the streets until the right time to come home struck!"
"Lou, you sometimes leave me baffled. That's all I can say."
Kid's words and pained expression, and Albert's frowning face evidenced she had overreacted and flown off the handle without justification. Her irritation crumbled down as she apologized. "I'm… I'm sorry. That was uncalled for. I'm just so tired."
"And hungry, I imagine," Kid remarked, instantly forgetting their previous disagreement. His arm wrapped around her shoulders as he steered her towards their couch. "Just sit and relax. We've had pizza tonight, and saved you a few pieces. Let me get it for you."
"Thanks, but I better have only a tiny one. My stomach's been queasy all day long," Lou added with a smile, but the last part of her speech did not reach him, or otherwise, he would already be pestering her with his questions and concerns.
Louise comfortably leaned her back against the soft, lush leather of the sofa, and stretched her tired legs along the length of its seating surface. As her eyes shifted to the armchair where Albert was sitting, the boy instantly picked up the book resting on the arm of his seat and buried his nose in it. "What are you reading?" Lou asked even though she knew her question was likely to be responded by a rebuke.
Albert did not even lift his eyes as he said, "A book."
Lou sighed and tried to sound unconcerned about his gruff manners. "I can see it's a book. I just want to know what book."
The boy kept quiet, and after a few seconds Lou averted her eyes, thinking that Albert would not bother to reply. However, to her surprise his voice resounded in the living room. "It's a silly story called "Le Petit Prince"."
"By Antonie de Saint-Exupéry ! » Lou exclaimed enthusiastically. « I also read it when I was a little girl, but it's not silly, Albert. The little prince is a lone boy who gets to know a range of bizarre characters who teach him about love and life. It's a wonderful book."
"He sounds like me. Lonely and surrounded by bizarre people," Albert muttered, staring at Louise with an unmistakable intention.
Before Lou could react to the boy's comment, Kid walked back into the room, carrying a tray with Lou's dinner. No sooner had he left the tray on the coffee table than Albert demanded his full attention. "Kid, why don't we play a few rounds of that game my friend has lent me on your computer?"
Louise involuntarily made a face as she foresaw Kid and his newly best pal condemning her to another lonely night. Yet, against all odds Kid broke the spell. "Not tonight, buddy. Lou's just come back from work, and it's already too bad we couldn't have dinner with her."
Lou smiled, delighted to hear him stick by her, but one look at Albert and she could see the disappointment and hurt shine in his eyes. It was true she missed having Kid for herself now, but it was silly to compete for his affections with a ten-year-old. If Albert had found an amicable soul and a supportive friend in Kid, she should be happy for the boy instead of resenting that he hadn't chosen her. It was more logical Kid and the boy had teamed up wince they were both male and were likely to have more things in common.
"Kid, it's okay. You can go and play that game. I'm fine here."
"But I'm not," Kid disagreed, sitting down next to her and patting her thigh. "I haven't seen you all day, and we're so busy during the week that we hardly have time for each other. I miss you." Turning his attention to Albert, he added, "We'll keep Lou company, Al."
The boy did not respond, but it did not take a genius to figure out that he was anything but happy. His shoulders sagged and he sank onto his seat as he could not support the weight of his body. His legs swung to and fro, banging against the leather bottom of the armchair, dull sounds reverberating every time his feet made contact with the upholstery. That was his way of protesting, and Lou had to bite his tongue not to tell him off. His kicks could damage the smooth leather. Kid seemed not to mind him, and Lou had no intention to play the bad cop. After all, the furniture in the apartment was his, so if it didn't bother to see his lovely armchair go to ruin for inappropriate use, then it was his problem, not hers.
As Lou guessed, Kid had not heard her mention her upset stomach. Instead of the small slice she had requested, the plate he had brought her had three generous pieces. With a knife Lou split one slice into two and started nibbling at it. The lack of food in her body gave her a slight headache, and even though she didn't have an appetite, she forced herself to eat. Her stomach felt a bit iffy, and maybe pizza was not what she should be eating after having cramps all day and even been nauseous once. A nice hot soup would have been better, but she did not have the energy to cook, and she could not bring herself to ask Kid.
"Tell us about your day. Anything interesting happened at the diner today?" Kid asked in an exaggerated fashion, his eyes full of amusement as he knew her days there were almost identical one by one.
"Same old stuff," Lou sighed. "Oh just one good thing!" she suddenly exclaimed when she remembered something. "I have the day off tomorrow!"
Kid was visibly pleased if his bright smile was anything to go by. "How come?"
Lou shrugged her shoulders. "One of the other waitresses can't do her shift the following Sunday, so Rosa asked me if I could swap days with her."
"That means you have the whole weekend off!"
"Yes, I still can't believe it! Naturally, that means I'll have to work every single day for the next two weeks, but well, I won't let that spoil my first weekend off in a long time."
"That's a real treat," Kid added with a beaming smile.
"So what are the plans for tomorrow?" Lou asked, wiping her mouth with a napkin after she had finished her small slice of pizza.
Kid had a look at Albert, who was listening to the conversation between the two adults with unconcealed interest. "We have plans to go to this festival outside the city… I heard they have a nice funfair with lots of rides, and if the weather is nice, we can enjoy a good day," Kid started. "We three can have twice as much fun together, won't we, Al?"
Albert pursed his lips. "Maybe it's not such a good idea after all."
"Why not?" Lou said. "I love rides, and when I was your age, I always pouted and whined because I wasn't allowed in the more dangerous ones."
Albert had been looking forward to the day at the festival since Kid had told him. It was supposed to be just him and Kid, and not his darn half-sister. He liked Kid and got on well with him, but Louise was another story. She irritated him beyond reason, and he couldn't and wouldn't forget or forgive what she had done to his parents. Maybe it was too much to say she had killed them, but he did believe that everything had started going downhill in his life since the moment Louise came along. He used to live happily and without cares, but then everything changed. His parents began to argue, have fights in which Louise's name had been mentioned many times, and then one day Dad had walked out, intending to divorce Mom. All that had been because of Louise, and if none of that had taken place, they wouldn't have had that terrible car crash. How could he accept Lou when she had wreaked so much havoc on his pleasant life?
"I don't want her to tag along," Albert blurted out, pointing an indiscreet finger in her direction. "We were supposed to go alone… just you and me, Kid."
Louise shifted in her seat uncomfortably, and was at a loss, not sure what to say or do. Her eyes searched for Kid, who was glancing at Albert. He looked so calm and restrained, and Lou wondered what he was thinking. "Al, we never said Lou couldn't come with us. I just assumed she had to work, and I have no intention to leave her behind. You need to realize and accept that we are now a family… the three of us, you, me and Lou." The boy did not respond, and kept grumbling under his breath. "So it's your call now. We… and I mean we three can have fun at the festival tomorrow, or can enjoy a relaxing day at home. You decide."
Albert lifted his resentful eyes to Kid, and muttered, "All right then. You win." And before either of the adults could react, the ten-year rose to his feet and shuffled out of the living room, intending to lock himself away in his bedroom for the rest of the evening.
