A l'automne

We talked and we laughed and we smiled, just as a normal family should.
"I have to get him to school," Norman turned to me, indicating Mingus "you can come if you'd like so that I'm not just leaving you here."
I glanced around to the single analogue clock on the wall, it had seemed like we'd been at the cafe far longer than we actually had, in reality, it was only thirty, forty-five minutes tops.
I pulled on my coat as the two stood up, initially accepting the invite.
"So, what do you do?" Mingus asked, trotting along in the thickly layered snow laid on the sidewalk.
"Well, I'm a professional makeup artist." I announced, proudly; with good reason of course, it seemed like it took me a while to get to where I currently was, it probably hand't taken too terribly long as opposed to other's, but to me it seemed like an eternity.
"That's so cool, so do you do like movies and stuff like that?"
"Movies, events, shows, it gives me the privilege of working with a lot of really cool people," I paused, "maybe someday, I'll get to turn your dad into a zombie." I smirked.
Mingus looked from one of us to the other, as he walked between the two of us.
"Let's hope that's a while away." Norman replied back, casting a smile my way.
We stopped in the parking lot of a school. The two hugged, shared goodbyes, and hugs, and the boy took off towards the school.
"Don't forget your mom's picking up today." Norman called after his son
"Got it!" Mingus shouted back, head slightly turned in reply.
The two of us watched as the boy entered the school, and slowly began walking again.
"He's a good kid." Norman said, after a while, no doubt addressing my awkwardness around children.
"I can tell," I looked to him for a moment or two, "you're a good father."
"I try," he paused, "It just seems like I'm gone so much." His voice sounded like he was confiding in me, and I liked that.
"His father's a zombie killer, and a Saint. I think you're doing fine."
He grinned, "And his mother, she's a wonderful woman."
My heart sunk just hearing me say the words, "How long have you two been together?"
"Oh, no, we're not together anymore."
I didn't really reply back, I didn't know how to.
"So, what brought you to New York?" I looked up to Norman, who in turn was looking at me. "You just don't seem like you're from around here." He finished.
"I'm originally from Texas, my strive for art and ambition took me to California first, then here."
A smile crept across his face, I wished it would stay there, it was quite lovely, "I like that, art and ambition, this place is practically built on art and ambition." He looked around the many buildings and many people among us.
We made small talk on the way back to our apartment building. I fully expected for us to head inside, and go our separate ways for the day; which we did, but not before a final departing question.
"Autumn?"
I heard Norman's voice from behind me, before I entered my apartment.
"Yeah?"
"It's a long-shot, but would you by chance want to have dinner with me, tonight?"
I smiled, and felt my face get hot. "I would love that, truly, time?"
He grinned, if I wasn't mistaken, it was slightly mischievous, "Sometime after seven."
"Sounds good." And with that, we were separated, but two doors, and an entire hallway, but the lingering feeling of his eyes on me, and hearing his voice, and the being in his presence were still fresh in my mind. I couldn't explain my excitement, my nervousness, my anticipation, my fear; it all came down on me at once, but the more dominant emotion was the anticipation. I didn't know what to expect, all I was completely positive of, was he seemed really genuine; and I loved that.