Finding Calix

By the time Mason got home I was out of the shower, with both of the boxes put away. I gave him a quick bath then put him to bed. I knew I wouldn’t get any sleep tonight but I figured I might as well try, so I crawled into bed and laid there. I tossed and turned and faded in and out of nightmarish sleep. Until I decided to give up on trying for sleep, as I laid there looking at the ceiling I contemplated what life would have been like if I hadn’t left him, if I had stayed like in Sheffield and had Mason with him. And of course with that thought in mind I fell asleep again around four in the morning.

Sighing as I walked to my last class, I decided to entertain myself on the long walk. It was cold, wet and rainy and I could see my breath. I smiled and started blowing out air trying (and failing) to make a big ship like Gandalf had.
“Yeh keep blowen out air like tha’ yeh’ll get ligh’ headed!” a voice laughed and I turned to see a boy with brown hair and the most stunning cerulean eyes with these purple bruises under them. I blushed immediately at being caught doing something so embarrassing.
“I’m Tommeh.” He said and I found myself grinning at his incredible accent. He had the prettiest one I’d heard so far, and considering I’m in England that’s a big deal. I said nothing still slightly shell shocked he was even talking to me. I mean cute boys don’t often, okay well never talk to me.
“And yeh are?” he asked me and I caught a hold on myself, I can’t be fantasizing over some staggeringly sexy guy. I’m here for one reason only: graduate. Once I do that then I need to get a job and after that then I can worry about some sexy guy.
“I’m currently almost late for class.” I said pretending to look at a clock that wasn’t on my wrist before starting to walk away.
“Oh well I meant yeh name, but ‘ow would yeh know yeh late withou’ a clock?” he said following me with a small smirk on his face. I wanted to groan, why he couldn’t just go away. His persistence was extremely attractive (although somewhat annoying).
“I’ve got a good internal clock.” I said simply without looking at him.
“Oh well then yeh know it’s a right propeh time to stop and talk with a perfectly nice stranger.”
“Really because here I thought it was time for me to duck into a random class room to avoid talking to said stranger, like my mommy told me not to.” I said before going walking into my actual class room. I hoped that telling him this was just a random class would stop him from waiting for me to get out and trying to talk to me again. I don’t have time for boys, even cute ones at that. But I could’ve sworn that as I walked into the class he mumbled something along the lines of “Crazeh Bird.”
I find it really weird that guys call girls birds here. It made me think of a fieldtrip I took in the eighth grade where we pretended to be slaves and they called us breeders and cows. I wasn’t sure whether to be insulted or giddy.

I groaned as I felt something, well more like someone jumping up and down on me. I opened my eyes to find Mason smiling down at me. God he was acting like it was Christmas or something… It wasn’t was it? As I slowly woke up a little I realized what day it was exactly. Saturday April 19. It was Mason’s fifth birthday.
“Hey little man, Happy birthday.” I told him
“Nuh uh, I’m a big boy now! I’m Five!” he said proudly as he poked himself in the chest with his thumb. I nodded and grinned at him.
“Your right, you’re my big boy!” I said as I grabbed him and rolled over so I could start tickling him. He squealed like a pig and begged me to stop. Eventually I did and I made him go pick out an outfit as I clothed myself. As I numbly put on my black skinny jeans I thought about my dream, well memory. That was the first time I’d had that dream in five years. It was the first time Tom had ever spoken to me. I finished dressing before walking into Mason’s room seeing him with his shirt stuck on his head. I walked over and gave a big tug on it pulling it the rest of the way down.
“Thanks Ma.” He told me giving me a hug before rushing over do his shoes. He pulled them on then looked at me expectantly.
“Nuh uh big man, if you’re such a big boy you have to learn to tie your shoes yourself.” I told him and he frowned at his shoes.
“I’m still little then.” He said and I shook my head laughing.
“What, Knots are hard.” He defended himself and I walked over and kneeled in front of him.
“Here’s what you’re going to do.” I said pulling his foot towards me.
“You’re going to take both strings, then cross them. Take the bottom string and put it over the other one and into the triangle. Then you’re going to pull until it’s as tight as you like it. After that make a bunny loop...” I said showing him before he interrupted me.
“Does it have to be a bunny loop, because I don’t like bunnies?” He asked and I rolled my eyes at his ridiculousness.
“Well it’s called a bunny loop because it’s the shape of its ear. But what do you want to call it?”
“A dino tongue?” He asked and I just shook my head. Gotta let a kid be creative right?
“Sure why not. Anyways you’re going to take the string and make a… dino tongue. Then you wrap the other string around the dino tongue. You’re going to tuck that string in the small opening by your thumb. Its going to make a much smaller… dino tongue that you’re going to pull until there’s only a small string left.” I told him then motioned to his other foot.
“Now do that one.” I suggested and watched as he bent his leg to reach his foot he followed the instructions I gave him with the previous shoe, stopping a few times to remember what he was supposed to do. When he pulled the shoestring he stuck out his tongue in concentration and I just smiled.
“Done.” He said proudly and I grinned then ruffled his hair.
“Good job…big man.” I said and he beamed at me.
“Thanks Ma.” He said and we both stood.
“No problem kiddo.” We walked out of his room and to the kitchen. I set him on a stool at the island and got bowls and the milk before returning to him.
“Do you want to pick the cereal?” I asked and he bobbed his head. I got him off the stool and he ran to the pantry. He pointed to one considering he couldn’t reach the top shelf.
“Which one?” I asked
“That one.” He said and I looked at him stupidly.
“Well that was specific. Can you give me a name?” I asked
“The one with the cookies!”
“The cookie crisp?” I asked and he nodded I grabbed it thinking of course he would pick the ones with the cookies. Was it too hard to ask for him to eat apple jacks, or krave? Its always got to be cookies with him. I grabbed the spoons, which I forgot earlier and sat down pouring the milk and cereal. I handed him his bowl and he grinned at me before digging in. I started to do the same thing until he pulled on my sleeve.
“What?” I asked and he made some kind of motion with his pinky and thumb as he tilted his head back.
“Use your words.” I told him and he sighed before opening his mouth, food still in it.
“JUICE!” he said and it hit me that he was using the DRINKING symbol. The only thing I could think about as I got the apple juice was where in the hell did he learn that? I poured both of us some juice, then handed his to him. We quickly ate our breakfast and then he turned to me.
“What do we do now?” he asked and I grinned.
“Now we go to Scouts.”
“Why are we going there?”
“Well where did you think we were going to go?”
“I was hoping Chucky Cheese.” He said sadly and I groaned I hated that place. I’ve hated it ever since I was younger and I got a puking virus from going there.
“Well way to ruin the surprise little man. Scout was going to take you there tomorrow.” Oh she was going to hate me, and now I bet she’ll defiantly say no to what I was going to ask her today… unless I told her about chucky cheese’s afterwards.
“Really!” he said excitedly.
“Yes, but don’t tell her you know about it, she’ll be really upset if she knew the surprise was ruined.” I told him and thought about how awful of a person I was.
“Okay, lets go!” he said and I helped him off the stool. The second his feet hit the floor he was running to my messenger bag, he picked it up before grabbing the keys and waiting by the door. When I got over there he huffed and looked pointedly at the door knob. I opened it and he ran out and down stairs. I made him stop before he got to the street and he held out his hand knowing what was coming. I took it and led him across the street and to the car. I got him put in his car seat before getting in and starting the car and we made our way to Scouts.