Chapter Two: Outside

Chapter Two

Outside

Annie squinted against the sun as she stepped outside, dragging me behind her. Already people were out shopping before the day became too hot. Amongst the local’s red hair and brown skin were darker heads, their faces flushed and brows sweaty. Their eyes squinted against the sun, examining souvenir trinkets with foreign curiosity.

            The open, outside space was making me dizzy. I tightened my hold on Annie’s small hand. She squeezed back, her head turning to see me.

            ‘Look Dimi, that lady has brown hair like you!’

            The woman was younger than Mum with no frown lines creasing her forehead. She was bent over slightly, examining a blue necklace on the stall in front of her. One sun tanned arm lifted it up, letting the light catch its centre jewel. She responded with a smile.

            My breath caught in a strange little sigh. I wanted to run home and grab the necklace design under my floorboards to show her. The woman’s gaze turned towards us and her smile grew, her blue eyes sparkling.

            I looked away, blinking tears from my green-yellow eyes; so different from everyone else’s.

            ‘Mum will be this way.’

            I was being dragged again, further down the street, dodging through tourists towards a more locally populated area containing food stalls. The biggest one was the grocery stall, set up at the street end across three tables in a U shape.

            Mum was at the left end corner of the stall, examining a cabbage, when she noticed Annie’s frantic waving.

            ‘What on-,’ she began, her face breaking into a dazzling smile. I was crushed into a hug the moment we reached her. ‘Oh Dimi, you’re outside!’

            My eyes filled with tears again but I forced them back.

            ‘Wow, I’ve never seen you outside before!’

            I struggled out of Mum’s grasp to see Iris standing near us.

            ‘Isn’t it great Mum? Now I can see him more than once a week. He could even come have tea at our house for a change.’

            Iris’ Mum stood behind her, looking down at me with a carefully contained look.

            ‘Looks like you’ve finally seen sense, Lily.’ Marge said.

            Annie and I had often puzzled over why Mum and Marge were childhood friends. They were so different.

            ‘I can’t believe you’re really here! Does this mean we can play outside together, Mrs Leav?’

            ‘Yes,’ Mum said, a sad smile on her face. ‘Dimi can play as much as he wants now.’

            Iris giggled and grabbed my hands, forcing me into a spin. I nearly crashed into Mary, an elderly woman who sometimes visited the house for a ‘chat’ and to give ‘advice’.

            Marge shot her daughter a disapproving glance before turning back to Mum.

            ‘Honestly, did you need that idiot husband of yours to leave before the child could come outside the house?’

            ‘Leave? Where did he go?’ Iris asked, stopping her spin but still holding my hands. She was looking at me, so I shrugged and turning away, pulling my hands back.

            ‘What will you do now?’ Marge whispered.

            ‘Do you mean he left like Daddy?’ Iris asked.

            ‘Yes, darling, he did.’ She didn’t turn away from Mum as she answered.

            Iris nodded once and moved past me to Annie, pulling her into a hug. Even though Annie was four years younger they were in the same school class. She was Iris’ friend more than mine and they could tell when the other was upset. Annie’s little frame was trembling.

            Mum briefly placed a hand on Annie’s shoulder before leaving her to Iris.

            ‘You mentioned before Felicity wanted a new maid to help her out, now she has the new baby. I’m going to visit after the shopping’s done.’

            ‘A maid? Don’t be ridiculous! You can work on the fabric stall with me.’

            ‘I’m a mediocre sewer, you know that. A job is a job; I’ll take anything I can get.’

            They began trailing away towards the meat stalls, while Annie and Iris had vanished when I wasn’t looking. The crowd around the end stall was growing. I flattened myself against the wall just past the stalls left side, chewing on my bottom lip.

            I hadn’t thought about how we’d survive without Father. I had just thought everything would be easier with him gone.

            Even I know about money. We don’t have Father’s anymore.         

            I stared up at the sun, feeling powerful when everyone else could only squint at it.

            I’ll make this right.

            ‘Excuse me?’ I said, turning back to the stall. The man behind the groceries was bent over, back facing the front of the stall as he rummaged through reserves of produce. He turned his head and smiled, straightening back up to face me.

            ‘How can I help?’

            I stared at him, mouth open. His veins were so close to his skin they were visible on his face and arms. His hair was black and long, tied back in a loose ponytail.

            ‘Are you okay?’ He asked, moving towards me.

            I jumped back in surprise, feeling my face grow hot.

            ‘S-sorry, I…do you need any help? I’m looking for a job. I’m not very smart but I’ll work really hard and-’

            ‘Whoa, slow down,’ He laughed, one hand moving to his chin. ‘You must be Dimitri; you’re quite a gossip topic.’

            I didn’t know what to say to that.

            ‘Well, it’s nice to meet you at last. But why do you want a job?’

            I clenched my hands, fighting the urge to run, and looked right into his eyes.

            ‘I have to help my mum. I need to provide for my family. It’s my duty as a man.’

            His lips quirked into an amused smile.

 ‘I see, but why this stall? Why did you ask me?’

            ‘Because,’ I said, looking away, ‘Because you’re different from everyone else here, just like me.’

            His whole body stiffened, panic filling his eyes. The colour on his face faded to white.

            ‘What did you say?’

            His eyes were focused on me. I felt like they would burn me. I shook my head, backing away.

            ‘Wait!’

            I didn’t. I ran blindly, banging into people, stumbling on stone floor, longing for the safety beneath my bed.

The man was in our house a few hours later, drinking a cup of tea and chatting happily with Mum. He smiled when he saw my frozen form in the doorway.

            ‘Hello Dimitri, I apologise for earlier. I was rather rude.’

            I stared at him. He waited, so I gave a cautious nod.

            ‘I came to discuss hours and payment. It would be a huge help if you’re there first thing, that way you can start setting up the stall while I make deliveries. And midday can get busy-’

            ‘I’ll work all day! I’ll help set and close down, anything you want.’

            ‘I see, well, that’s a relief. As for payment, I can’t offer much money, so how about one flite and four ganes a week, half of your groceries from my stall free and any informal medical advice free of charge?’

            Mum gasped.

            ‘But Mr Lennie, that’s-’

            ‘It’s the least I can do. Your son is very brave, and he deserves this much.’ He looked back towards me and winked. ‘He is a man, after all.’

            For the first time I could remember, I gave a full smile.