“I’m really sorry about that,” said Xander a little uncomfortable.

“I think I have a screwdriver somewhere, small enough to fit in the hole there,” I said pointing at the little hole in the bathroom doorknob. “We should be able to open it this way.”

I went into the entryway closet and rummaged in there until I found my little toolbox that my father bought me when I moved into my first apartment. I haven’t used it often since, but he had said it was an essential in any household and he had been right. It had saved my ass a few times already.

I got the little screwdriver that I used to tighten the screw on my sunglasses hinges and brought it up.

Xander extended his hand and I gave it to him. I had the feeling he was feeling awful about the situation and needed to do something to make himself feel better, so I indulged him.

It took him a few seconds to find the right position and turn the doorknob, effectively unlocking it.

“No,” whined Eloim. “No, I don’t wan to go.”

“Eloim, we can’t stay here, this is not our home,” said Xander.

“It’s not our home there either.”

“We’ll be back home soon.”

“No,” he pleaded again, falling into tears.

It was heart wrenching and I was feeling bad about the whole thing.

Xander tried to pick Eloim up, and he started thrashing and screaming at the top of his lung. Xander tried to shush him, but nothing worked. Xander changed his position to have a better grip and Eloim slipped out of his clutches and ran out. I had been giving them some space, so I wasn’t there to stop him as he rushed inside my bedroom and locked that door too.

Xander came out of the bathroom, running his finger through his hair in desperation.

“This doorknob doesn’t have the little hole to unlock it, or a key,” I told him.

He looked at the door knob appalled.

“I’m really sorry,” he said, dejected.

I shook my head. “I’m sorry, I just wanted to make him talk so I could know his name and help find his parents, I didn’t think it would backlash like this.”

“Don’t,” he said. “You actually did wonderfully. I’ve paid a lot of specialists who didn’t get through with him as well as you did in a few hours.”

“Is he okay?”

He gave me a half shrug. “It’s been a few difficult years.” He sighed and went to check on the door, but it opened from the inside, do the doorstop was on this side, making any card trick useless. Xander tried, I didn’t try to stop him, but it obviously failed, as I knew it would.

“I don’t see how to get in without damaging the door,” he noted.

“I don’t see how either unless he opens it,” I said. “My landlord won’t be happy.”

Xander looked sharply to me and opened his mouth but I stopped him.

“Don’t apologize again,” I told him. “Maybe we can try to talk to him first?”

He looked doubtful at the door.

“Eloim?” he called to him. He did so a few more time, trying to coax him, but nothing worked.

“I know I’m not his parent or anything—,” I began.

“Please be my guest,” he said agreeing before I even suggested. “If you can make him do, well, anything, then go for it.” He moved aside.

I nodded, went to the door and sat next to it.

“Eloim?” I asked.

Silence.

“It’s Mila. I’m a little bit worried about you. Your daddy is very worried about you. How about you start by telling us that you are okay so that we don’t worry so much.”

There was a knock on the door.

“It means he’s okay,” Xander told me.

“He communicates in knock?”

“Sometimes,” he said sitting on one of my kitchen chairs.

“Thank you,” I told Eloim. “We feel a lot better now, it’s really nice of you. Can I ask you why you don’t want to leave?”

Two knocks. I looked at Xander.

“Means no,” he said.

“I would really like to know. Maybe there’s something I can do.”

“I want to stay,” Eloim said.

“Is it because of Miki and Lily?”

“I want to sleep with Miki and Lily and I like your spaghetti.”

“Well, that’s really kind of you, I made that spaghetti with love, you know. And I know that Miki and Lily really like you,” I said. “How about you come and see them before you leave town and I can make you spaghetti again.”

“I don’t want to leave town.”

“Why?”

Nothing.

“Is it because of the park, or the friends, or something you like here?” I asked.

“I like it here now.”

“It is a very nice place,” I agreed. “But it’s also nice to travel and see many other places. If you had never traveled, you would have never seen this place. I’m a little jealous of you, I’d like to travel.”

“Why?”

“To see many great places, and make many new friends.”

“I don’t want friends.”

“You don’t? How about Miki and Lily? I thought you wanted to be their friends.”

“I want.”

“How about me?”

“Okay.”

“Thank you, I’m really happy to be your friend. Can I have a hug from my friend.”

“Okay,” he agreed.

Xander’s eyes rounded and he looked expectantly.

We heard Eloim fiddle with the doorknob for a while, then he opened the door very slowly.

I widened my arms. “Can I have a hug now?”

I saw his little head peek around, and he came to me to give me a shy hug.

“Wow,” I said. “That’s a very nice hug. Thank you. Do you think you can give one to your daddy?”

He looked at his father suspiciously.

“He has been very, very worried today. Can you see the little lines on the side of his eyes and on his forehead?”

Eloim squinted but eventually nodded.

“That’s worry lines. It’s not because he’s angry, but because he was afraid something bad would happen to you.”

“I don’t want bad things to happen to me,” he said hugging me hard.

I got worried and looked at Xander. The expression painted on his face was one of absolute horror. That little boy had just ripped his heart out of his chest. I don’t know what has happened, but something has, something that is haunting that man.

I was afraid for a second, when Eloim spoke that it could be a case of domestic violence, but seeing that defeated man in front of me, I had the feeling, instead, that something happened that he was not able to protect his son from.

“I know of someone who will always be there to protect you,” I told the child. “No matter what happens, your daddy will always be there.”

I felt the little head shake on my shoulder and Xander’s expression worsened. Now his heart was inside a blender and we were about to hit purée.

“I think not, because you don’t see everything your daddy does. You know, like today, you didn’t see your daddy for hours, but he was working really hard to find you, and he did. When someone really cares about you, you don’t always realise it, but he’s ready to go through everything just to be with you. Do you know how I know?”

He shook his little head again.

“Because even if he wasn’t there, he found you, he’s here now, and patiently waiting for you to be better and doing his best to make you the happiest little boy in the whole world.”

He said nothing this time.

“Do you think this deserves at least a hug?”

He nodded against my shoulder and raised his head slowly.

Xander looked about to cry.

Eloim walked slowly to him and I moved my legs out of the way, getting back on my feet in the process.

“Don’t cry daddy,” I heard Eloim mutter against his father’s chest.

“I’m not crying,” Xander promised, but he gave him a bear hug regardless.

“I don’t want to go,” he whined.

“We have a hotel room Eloim.”

Eloim shook his head.

I thought of something and signed at Xander. He looked curiously at me, but nodded.

“How about you play one last time with Lily and Miki for a little while, while I talk to your Daddy?” I told him.

He complied immediately.

“Look,” I muttered, getting closer. “I don’t want to make anything worse and if you think leaving is the best thing then do so, but I also have a room that I rent on AirB&B from time to time, it’s probably not as good as your hotel room though. I’m just suggesting in case it’s a better solution for you.”

He looked from me to his son.

“Can I see that room?”

I brought him to my little studio.

“I can get the paint stuff out. There a Murphy bed here. It’s not huge though, and again, this is not luxurious, but the essentials are here.”

“You painted this?”

“I attempted to paint this,” I corrected him.

“You got talent.”

“Thanks.”

“Look,” he said gliding his fingers through his hair. “I really don’t want to impose or make your life complicated,” he hesitated. “But to tell you the truth. I haven’t seen him progress like he’s doing now, in a long while and I’m really tempted to take you on your offer.”

“I’m not sure how much I’ll be here though, I work every day. But I can’t deny than the income from the room helps, but I’m not sure I’ll have time for babysitting. I can make meals for three though, if you want to include the food in the rent.”

He nodded.

“How long are you to stay around?”

“A week, two max.”

I nodded. “I can deal with this if you can. It’s your choice. I’m just giving you options.”

He nodded.

“I’d like to talk to him first.”

“Sure,” I said. “I’ll go to the bathroom, and you two talk.”

He nodded again, and I left them.