Chapter 31
In the car, the little boy, who had just been picked up from school, sat rather ungracefully on the child safety seat in the back.
Kieran, beside him, looked at the boy’s test paper, took a deep breath, and turned to ask, “Ivan Hernandez, spill it, how did you do on your test?”
“I got an “E.” Ivan, seated proudly in his car seat, announced his test score.
Karl, riding shotgun, struggled to contain his laughter.
One thing Karl had learned from the little boy was that there was always someone out there who could do better.
Kieran’s serious gaze was fixed on Ivan, this little boy looked just like him except for his mouth and his attitude.
You came in last in the class; have you got any self–respect left? Tell me, how did you manage to get an ‘E‘?” Kieran asked, resisting the urge to chuck the little boy out of the car.
Ivan pouted and then broke into a grin, saying, “I got one multiple–choice question right; that’s how I got an ‘E.”
After hearing Ivan’s answer, Kieran opened the test paper again and saw the answer spaces, all of them were empty but crisscrossed with the words, ‘Kerry is not a human.
The only answer written on the whole test paper was the one multiple–choice question he got right..
Kieran looked at the test paper, and although he was pissed, his anger faded after a moment. After all, it was not the first time the little one had pulled
this stunt.
While looking at the little boy beside him, he pointed to the words ‘not a human‘ on the paper and asked, “Do you know what this means?”
Ivan rolled his eyes at his father, “You’re always hiring nannies, don’t you ever look at what they look like?”
The little boy gave Kieran a contemptuous look with his old soul eyes.
Kieran, intrigued, turned to the little boy. “What’s wrong with the nannies? Don’t they meet your aesthetic standards?”
With that, Kieran shot a meaningful look at Karl.
Karl gestured that he had tried hiring nannies, from teenagers to women in their fifties, for the little boy, but none were suitable. How was that his fault? Suddenly, Ivan unbuckled his seat belt, looked seriously at Kieran, and said, “Kerry, I’m only five! You should be finding me a stepmother, not a nanny! My teacher said children with mothers are treasures, and children without mothers are grass. Are you planning to feed me to the pigs when I grow up?”
Kieran was speechless.
Noticing that his dad was not looking pleased, Ivan licked his lips nervously and quickly buckled up again.
Kieran habitually pulled out a cigarette and thought of lighting it.
But after looking at the little boy next to him, he decided to put it away.
Now that his dad was silent, Ivan tried to appease him, “Kerry, smoke! I’m afraid if you don’t smoke, you might start hitting me. So, please smoke!” Kieran tossed the cigarette into the bin, then looked at his son, “No need; I’m afraid a spark might set the ‘grass‘ idiot in the car on fire.”
It seemed like Kerry was insinuating he was an idiot. That was a derogatory term, right? He decided to pretend he didn’t catch that.
The car went quiet for a while before Ivan worked up the courage to look back at his father, “Dad, you don’t have to find me a nanny anymore; can you find me a decent stepmother?”
Ivan’s request made Kieran turn his head, gently pinch his chin and say, “It’s hard to find your stepmother, but I can find you a decent nanny when the time. is right.”
“Kerry, I heard only stepfathers are this strict with their sons.” Ivan’s face puffed up in displeasure.
Kieran reached out to ruffle the little guy’s soft hair, a rare smile playing on his lips, “Don’t worry, you’re my own flesh and blood.”
Ivan fell silent.
At the Hospital.
