Before Evelyn could respond, they heard footsteps upstairs. Small footsteps coming down. Lucas appeared at the bottom of the stairs. He’d taken off his headphones. His eyes were red like he’d been crying.
“Mom,”
he said quietly.
“Is everything okay? I heard shouting.”
Evelyn rushed over and knelt down in front of him.
“Everything’s fine, baby. We were just talking.”
Lucas looked at Nathan with suspicious, scared eyes.
“Is he staying? The man from yesterday?”
Nathan’s heart broke a little. His own son was scared of him.
“Just for a little while,”
Evelyn said gently.
“He’s He’s an old friend. He’s going to help us with something.”
“Help us with what?”
Lucas asked. Evelyn looked at Nathan, uncertain. How do you explain this to an 8-year-old child? Nathan knelt down, too, so he was at Lucas’s eye level. He kept some distance, not wanting to scare the boy more.
“Lucas,”
Nathan said gently.
“I know you don’t know me. And I know I probably seem scary right now. But I promise you, I’m not here to hurt you or your mom. I’m here to help.”
Lucas studied him with those green eyes. Nathan’s eyes.
“Why do you want to help us?”
Nathan swallowed hard.
“Because your mom and I were friends a long time ago, before you were born. And friends help each other.”
It wasn’t the whole truth, but it was all Lucas needed to know right now. Lucas thought about this for a moment. Then he asked.
“Are we in trouble?”
“No,”
Nathan said quickly. Then, more honestly.
“Maybe a little bit. But I’m going to fix it. I promise.”
“Mom says we shouldn’t make promises we can’t keep,”
Lucas said seriously. Nathan felt his throat get tight.
“Your mom is very smart. But I’m going to keep this promise. Okay?”
Lucas looked at his mother. Evelyn nodded slightly, telling him it was okay to trust this man.
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