The Ingenious Mr. Baron

Chapter 3

**

“Yes, is Hayden there?” said Mr. Baron through the telephone. The answerer told him to “Please wait a moment.” Mr. Baron did as he heard in the background a young boy screaming, “MOM! The phone’s for you!” Mr. Baron smiled to himself. Hayden’s voice made Mr. Baron Jump. “Hello?”

“Hello Hayden.” He said politely, his heart still pumping with adrenaline.

“Oh, hi dad.” She said sweetly. “Do you need something?”

“No, I wanted to tell you something.” He said, looking at the picture.

“Alright, tell away.” She said generously.

“Well, I was looking through the papers on my table, I wasn’t organizing it, I was simply looking through, and I found a picture. It had a man with a green coat and brown pants with a girl in a pink and purple dress. They were holding hands. I was wondering if you remembered drawing that.” Mr. Baron asked kindly. He heard Hayden sniff.

“Yes, I do in fact. I drew it when mom got cancer. I drew it to show you that it would be o – okay and that you still had Gregory and me. I drew – it - it when I was six years old. I was scared t – too but I knew you were more afraid than anyone else. So I d - drew that picture. I didn’t want to give it to you directly, so I j – just set it on your table.” She said through many sniffs. Mr. Baron felt his own eyes get hot.

“Hayden, thank you. If only I would’ve found this earlier, then I would have been more determined and not so scared.” He said slowly and quietly.

“I’m sorry; I should have given it to straight away. I’m sorry dad. It was just, when mom got cancer; you always seemed to either be at the hospital or working downstairs. I just was afraid that you would burst out crying, and well, I wouldn’t be able to stand to see you cry.” She said, starting to sniff again.

“I don’t care why you didn’t give it to me in person. What I see matters now is that I have found it, and I am happy. Thank you, Hayden. I love you.” He said into the phone quietly.

“I love you too, dad. Good night.” She said stuffily.

“Good night.” Said Mr. Baron quietly.

Mr. Baron walked down the hall into his room. He taped Hayden’s picture onto his dresser so he could see it everyday. Mr. Baron smiled and in his mind thanked Hayden once more. Then Mr. Baron realized something. That picture had been sitting on his table for more than fifteen years. Mr. Baron then decided to clean his Inventing Room first thing in the morning.

**

It was the first day of September. Mr. Baron yawned as he stepped out of bed. In three days Eli and Harris wouldn’t arrive at his door at their usual timing of nine thirty. In three days, Eli and Harris would be rushed off to middle school at six thirty in the morning. In three days, summer vacation would be over, and Mr. Baron might start to feel lonely again.

  After Mr. Baron had gone through his morning routine, he opened the curtains and immediately noticed a cat walking across the street. Not that this was of any importance, it just caught Mr. Baron’s eye.

 Mr. Baron walked into the kitchen and was typically greeted by Beck’s warm tongue against his hand. Mr. Baron prepared breakfast for himself. Eggs and toast with orange juice on the side. It was one of those classic breakfasts that always happen in the movies or commercials. He ate it delicately, trying to savor the taste. When he finished, he trudged downstairs, disconcerted at expectations of what he had to look forward to.

 When he reached the basement, he grabbed two of the largest boxes and a trash bag. The trash would go in the bag and the stuff to keep went in the boxes. Mr. Baron started on the table where he had found Hayden’s picture.