961. Fresh Starts

 "You're not that worried, are you? About Naoki?" Alfie looked his mother over. He'd brought her some things that Boone thought she might like from the Farmer's Market. Of course, she looked at the microgreens as if she might toss them in the trash, but each tray had cost almost ten bucks a piece.

She remained quiet and put the vegetables in the fridge. 

"Look, he's a grown man, he was eventually going to leave you," Alfie couldn't help but give her the eye. They were alone in her kitchen. He knew she was sad that he hadn't brought the baby. She only sighed and looked away as if he'd said too much. 

"It's all right," he shrugged. "I know you love him and you care about him."

She was instantly in tears. 

"He doesn't know what he's getting into," she sniffed.

"Oh, really?" Alfie exposed a grin as she went to get him coffee. "I think he does. I think Tyra has him right where she wants him."

"Presisely." 

That look of hers was one of hurt, as if she'd been pushed out of the family. Alfie sat at the dining table across from her and rolled his eyes. 

"Look, if..if only I'd done things differently with you-" she started.

"But you'd never been there to help Naoki." Alfie tilted his head in seriousness. He'd heard it all from Boone and now he felt he'd been put here as a recorder pushed on PLAY. "And he's helped you. And he still is. You, have to let him find -" Alfie wasn't quite sure it was love, but whatever, He'd never be Naoki's best friend. He'd never get along with everyone like Boone.

"Maybe..maybe I'm too much like my father," he laughed, trying to make light of it. 

"You're nothing like him," she snapped, but he didn't think she believed that. 

"I know you don't think I'll ever grow up," he shrugged.

"But you have," she looked sad to say. "I'm sure it's all my fault. I didn't know I was leaving you behind, until..until it was too late." Tammy, his mom, talked about how she wanted him to stay in the same school. She wanted him to have real friends. She did want the best for him.

Alfie took a sip of coffee. He hadn't meant for the conversation to take a turn about him. They were talking about her adopted son Naoki.

"You don't need to keep being sad about all this," he told her. "I tell myself this every day. I can't believe where I am now, actually, but..but we both need to keep moving forward. Naoki is moving forward, too, and we have to be happy for him."

He sighed. It took so much out of him to say these things, but he was glad he did. He hoped his mother was enjoying life, too.

His mother cradled her cup of lukewarm coffee. She looked up at him and smiled through her tears. "I might have a job after I retire."

"A job?" Alfie's smle was open. "You haven't even retired yet."

"That neighbor of mine who runs the auto place, he needs someone to do the bookkeeping," she told him.

"Are you sure that's a parttime job?" Alfie slightly scowled.