Chapter 39: LIKELY POSSIBLITIES

"Hey" Someone greeted me from behind.

"Oh, Hi Cyril" I waved at him plastering a forced smile on my face. Fatigue ran through my body. For the past ten minutes, I have been standing in the middle of the basement trying to figure what boxes I should move. Arranging things isn't easy one bit.

"You came to visit your mum?"

"Yeah, I'm spending my Easter break here. Lucy and Natasha came along too."

"I figured, I saw her running around with a water hose at the backyard. She told me you were in the basement."

"Oh no, Natasha is going to flip. At least, it isn't my fault this time." Yes, I can sit back and watch Natasha scold her daughter without feeling guilty because of my involvement. None of this is on me this time.

"What a nice little family." Cyril cooed dreamily. Whose family is nice here?

"We are not a family Cyril." I was quick to remind him.

"Then you are?..." Trailing off, he waited for me to finish.

"Three different people. Coincidentally two are related and the other person is just an outsider. Can they make up a family?" I completed the phrase on his behalf.

"Yes, anybody can make up a family."

"Not in this case."

"Regardless of the circumstances."

"The circumstances should be considered. Natasha is my coworker and I wouldn't even say she is completely one. We don't work together, just for the same agency and the same agent. And she has a child, I have no idea about her romantic interests whatsoever." I mentally shuddered at the thought. After Hannah's stunt, I'm sure I'll die single. Natasha can not be a romantic interest, we almost killed ourselves with arguments and squabbles.

"Have you seen any man around her?" He raised his brows at me.

"No" But to think about it, it has been Natasha and Lucy alone. No, another man has been around her. There are a bunch of theories I could come up with. Maybe, she got divorced, was never married, adopted Lucy, her husband died, these things happen you know.

"Then that should be enough as an affirmation."

"Lucy's father?" I wondered, perplexed.

"Maybe he's dead or remarried or something. It's possible she wasn't even married in the first place."

"Or he volunteered to be in the army and fight foreseen wars." Pointing out, I chuckled loudly. Good to see he was catching on to the likely possibilities.

"Are you kidding me?" Cyril had a deadpan poker face. Maybe not.

"Of course not, weren't you the one talking about possibilities."

"Yeah but realistic possibilities."

"So, that isn't realistic?"

"It is, just a little bit over the top from what I was expecting."

"It's not a problem for me. I can't imagine myself with Natasha. Do you have any idea how much we bicker? It's a miracle she hasn't decided to stab me in my sleep yet."She wasn't wrong about me being a jerk. I don't think niceness is my strongest area. Or maybe she just met me at a very bad time.

"A lot of perfect relationships begin with hatred. Everyone knows that's the best cliché setting for romance."

"Our cliché involves the both of us fighting over the remote on a Friday night." Despite his crazy opinions, my throat roared with laughter. Our lives are the opposite of normal, regular, or cliché. Just imagine, Juveta having baby puppies in the middle of the living room the first day we met. Lucy wanted me to help out and Natasha was being her normal self in pyjamas.

"Even better"

"Worse, there is never going to be perfection for me." Perfection, that's unachievable for me. Maybe it can work out for someone else but me? Nah.

"You can never tell."

"But I can tell you that a relationship between me and Natasha will never happen. I don't think I would be going into any sort of relationship for a very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very-" The more I say it, the more emphasis is made and how likely he is to understand me. Better still, wear him out.

"It's enough, I get it."

"I'm glad you do."

"How're the Easter celebrations coming along?"

Finally, a change of topic.

"I have no idea, I'm just here to be entertained."

"For real?"

"No kidding. It's more like a mini-vacation for me. After this holiday it's going to be nothing but work. On the bright side, I and Natasha are sort of on good terms now. At least not as terrible as before. It should be palatable." After the meeting with Sam, it has been meetings upon meetings, contract signings, and agreements. Sadly, it wouldn't get easier from here, rather even tougher. I would enjoy my break while I can.

"So you have no plans at all?"

"Nope" I popped the P to emphasize my point.

"You should have fun at least."

"There is no fun, just comfort. I think mum would be going over the top with decorations. There are also some new recipes she told me she's dying to try. Your wife and children are coming over for a feast. That should be fun."

"Yes, now you get it. You should invite Mike over too. I think he would be celebrating alone.

"Maybe Hannah would stop by?"

"I doubt she would. She hasn't been here in years. She left with you, remember?"

"How can I forget. Seriously though, how!"

"Talk about leaving, I want to leave here too."

"Leave? To where?"

"A different city, a different town. Somewhere else." He talked under the same breath. Like he was nervous and uneasy.

"Why? You have been living here all your life. You even came back after college. Your children were born here and everyone seems happy, so why move?"

"Exactly what you said. I have lived here my entire life I want a change for once. This is New York City. The famous New York City. It has always been me and this small town. It's like residing in a tiny area and blocking myself out of the other part of the world. My kids will need experiences, better opportunities, real connections, and exposure to the world. How can I give them that? By staying in the same high school, doing the exact same thing I did? Talk about monotony."

"Okay, but why the sudden urge to move?" Did he sleep over it and have a dream? For all I know, his entire life is rooted here.

"I don't know, it's just an idea that popped into my head some months ago. I can't seem to get it out now."

"Make sense. So what's your plan now?"

"I'm a tech guy and I would need a job. Moving would mean an increase in expenses. I should probably try finding one with a better paycheck."

"That's true. You can email me your resumè. I could run it through some of my contacts. Perhaps, my agent, Sam can help."

"Seriously? You would do that? You don't have to though."

"Of course I would. What are friends for." Friends, I think that's what we are. And friends need other friends.

"Yes, friends"