Right Into Place

Forty-Nine

"You have a lot of awesome toys here," Timothy commented, he's been saying that statement since we both woke up, me still earlier than him. His class starts at eight anyways so we have a lot of time to spare. I bought him his favourite cereals yesterday so I won't have to worry about his food. "Taylor wasn't kidding when she said this place is magical."

"Yeah, I'm sorry the place is sort of dusty," I said.

"It's fine. What I think this place needs is a little remodelling," he said, looking around the place. His curious eyes kept waltzing about the room, from shelf to shelf. "Taylor always told me this is such a good place. All it needs is a little paint and rearranging to add the magic."

That reminds me that I sort of wanted to remodel the place for a while, I just never knew how to. And this is a child's insight, one I very much need for remodelling this place.

"I'm listening," I said. "Fire away."

Timothy told me all about his ideas for the place and he told me to ask for Lendon's help because he's a great architect and he can help me out. Also, that I should probably have more space if I wanted to make the place more child-friendly. I told him I didn't want to expand but he talked me into expanding. I told him that the buildings at my sides were not available. That was the end of our discussion before he got to school.

"And Timo," I said, before he got down from the car. He looked back at me and replied with hum, signifying that he's listening. "If anyone messes with you, let me handle it alright?"

He nodded. "Thanks, Harry."

"Anytime, lad."

That had been the habit between the two of us for the rest of the week. I drop him off to school, and take him back to my place by the time the day ends. I usually would see his classmates jaws drop when I pass by and when we get to my place, he's tell me how his classmates would ask who I was, mostly because they've never seen me before.

"And what would you answer?" I asked, engaging more into the conversation, knowing now that I can be a bit wordy when I want to.

"I'd tell them you're my brother-in-law," he'd say very proudly. I felt relieved when he accepted that lie immediately though I'm quite looking forward for that title to be real. It's too early to think about it, it's why I never told them to Taylor.

When Taylor heard about the news about what I've been doing, we almost stayed up until four a.m. mostly because she was excited about the fact that I am spending some quality time with her brother. Timmy had been a great company anyways but Taylor did warn me not to talk too much during the midnight calls if Timmy is within hearing range because you'll never know whether he's really sleeping or not. I could easily hear how lovely Taylor is taking it. When I asked her where she was, she said, somewhere in Germany and she's going to explore the castles again. I told her to take as many pictures as she could.

Timmy's bruise healed up easily within the weak, gladly, he was a healthy child and he's helped me with planning the whole place. For an eight year-old, he seemed to be much mature but fun at the same time. He's the type of child I never got to be so I tended to listen to whatever he says.

"So I was thinking, you should lose your divider," he said, pointing to divider behind the counter.

"I would lose the archway," I said, in silent protest. I liked that archway.

"If you want to keep it, then expand. I did a little research, the space on either side of your building might be unavailable but the building behind is available. Consider." He smiled at me, putting fake glasses on. Every single day, I'm getting more and more surprised by Timmy.