The beast in the jungle

Chapter 2: After six years

It started pouring in the middle of London right at the same time most people usually were heading home from work. Not only it was wet and the most depressing day of the week, monday, it also was a cold autumn evening. That time of the year again when everybody started calling off days because of a catching flu. In a small bookstore close to chinatown it was really a problem. Only four people worked there and everyone of them except one person was having a cold and a day off. Mike Olson was starting to close the place by cleaning a floor a bit and making sure everything was in a nice order waiting for another work day tomorrow. He saw the rain from the window and realized he forgot to bring an umbrella with him this morning. He swore silently, turned off the lights, locked the door and headed to the street and started waving a taxi. Finally one driver decided to stop and Mike jumped in the car. Usually he would take a bus but that would take almost an hour and he was already late from a short of an appointment. He looked at his watch, first glanced the time and then the date. One week ahead before the anniversary. He sighed deeply and turned his head towards the window.
"The same weather when we first met, how perfect", he said unconsciously.
"Sorry?" The driver spoke.
"Nothing...", Mike said keeping his head in the window.
They finally arrived. Mike payed fast and ran to his door. He opened it and came inside soaking wet. A woman walked to him from the next room.
"Oh look at you. I tried to call you and tell you that you forgot your umbrella but you wouldn't pick up", she said and looked a bit amused. "Let me take that, I'll put it up to dry", She took his jacket and threw it to the bathroom.
"Oh that's why you called... Sorry I was busy at the moment. And sorry you needed to work overtime, I just had an old woman who came to retrieve her order from the web but there was some kind of a mistake and so on... I promise I will give you a bonus from this."
"It's totally fine. I live alone remember? Not like someone is waiting me to come home or anything, and besides we had a lot of fun today playing some video games."
"Well thanks for staying this late. It's very unusual that I would run the shop alone whole day. Tomorrow I hope someone will show up and I get to leave early."
"No problem", woman smiled.
"So where is Simon?"
"Still playing."
"This late?"
Mike walked upstairs to Simon's room. The eight years old jumped from his bed's edge and ran to a hug right at the moment he saw who came in.
"Daddy!" He shouted.
"Hi buddy!" Mike took him to a big warm hug. "Sorry that dad came so late today, I had a lot of work to do."
"It's okay."
"How was your day? Did you have fun?"
"Yea, I played video games with Clara."
"Yea I heard, I bet she did beat you in those, she's quite good."
"No! I won everything!"
"Really?! Well you have improved then."
"I know! And I want to beat you too so I can be the best, let's have a match."
"How about tomorrow, it's getting late soon."
"Okay", Simon replied and shutted down his playstation.
"Have you done your homeworks?"
Simon replied only with a guilty look.
"You haven't... Right, well let's do them together now, shall we?"
Simon wasn't really happy about the idea but nodded eventually.
They came downstairs where Clara was right at the door ready to leave.
"See you tomorrow Simon and get well soon", She waved.
"Yea bye bye!"
"See ya, and thanks again", Mike said.
"Anytime."
She suddenly hugged Mike very tight and he tried to hug back but did it a bit awkwardly. The hug also took a while.
"You know about the bonus, you don't have to pay me cash. A dinner or something would cover it", she said smiling suspiciously.
Mike was silent a few seconds in fact until he understood what she was asking.
"Amm... yea well I think I'll have quite a busy time for a while now. Simon being in a flu and work so... If the cash would be alright?"
"Yes of course, I understand. Well some other time then. See you tomorrow!" She said and left the house.
Mike stood in front of the door for a while and then went sitting on the sofa. He started staring old photos in the walls.
"So are we doing the homeworks?" Simon asked already waiting in the dining table books open.
Mike didn't hear it. He was too tired and focused on the photos. Simon somehow just knew what his father was thinking.
"Are you thinking about mom?" He asked.
"What?" Mike finally heard something.
"You are thinking about mom, aren't you?"
Mike turned his head on Simon and stared at him with an empty expression.
"Yeah... I'm thinking about her", He finally said.
Simon didn't know what to answer so they both were quiet. Then Mike built himself together and stood up.
"But now, the homeworks, right?" He walked to the table. "What subject are we doing?"
"Math and english."
"Alright! My second name is math and english."
"Yea right", simon smiled.