Page 20 of Otter Heart
He nodded. “You have no idea.”
Chapter Nine: Mateo
“Iwant you all to read the final six chapters of To Kill A Mockingbird over the weekend,” I said to my students in our online meeting. “We’ll discuss on Tuesday and start to really dive into the themes portrayed in the book. Just as a warning, some of the themes are going to be uncomfortable, but that’s what good literature is about. It’s meant to make us think, not just mindlessly exist. I think Harper Lee would agree with me that it’s more important to talk about the uncomfortable things than to stay in our comfort zones. That way we can make sure such atrocities against humanity never happen again.”
Behind me I heard a knock at the door and a single bark from Bessie to alert me.
“I’m going to stop us there for today,” I said, turning back to my class. “If you have any questions, just send me an email. I’ll be sure to check it over the weekend in case you get stuck. Have a great weekend everybody!”
A few replies played over my speaker before the meeting shut down. Reaching up, I pushed my laptop closed and got up from my desk. My attention turned to the front door where I heard another knock. It wasn’t the sort of confident knock I got from solicitors trying to sell me their religion and door-to-doorsalesmen were prohibited in the condo development. That made me think it had to be one of my neighbors.
“Well, I know you didn’t sneak out again,” I said as Bessie nudged my leg. “Let’s see what’s going on I guess.”
I figured it was probably an invite to a barbeque or maybe a neighbor wanting to check in on me. I’d been so busy the past few days with grading and prepping for our next book that I’d barely left the condo. Bessie was relegated to quick walks at mealtimes and that was it for both of us.
Making my way to the front door I grabbed the knob, gave it a twist, and pulled it open. The moment I did, I was hit with a rush of warm air from the outside and the unmistakable scent of leather and citrus.
My heart skipped a beat and my chest filled with warmth.
“Asshole,” I said with a smile. I lifted an eyebrow. “You stalking me now?”
His feet shifted and I heard the stone bracelet shift as he lifted his hand to his hair. He raked his fingers through it a lot.
“Oh right… the cologne,” he replied, clearly nervous. “I… uh… I know this is weird, but I didn’t know how to contact you. Sorry to barge in on you like this.”
A furry mound pressed past my legs out onto the front porch.
“Hi Bessie,” he said, his bracelet rattling as he ruffled her fur affectionately.
“I thought you didn’t like dogs?”
“This one is growing on me,” he smiled. “Besides, I don’t want her to run off on you again, so I grabbed her collar.”
“Good idea.” I paused. “So, what brings you here?”
“I… uh… I wanted to talk to you.”
“I hardly figured you came all this way just to look at me.” I lifted an eyebrow. “Or did you?”
“What?! I… I didn’t–”
“It’s okay. Lots of people like to ogle at the blind guy.”
I could almostfeelhim freeze up. Then I laughed, my hand shooting out and grabbing him by the front of his shirt.
“Oh my god. I’m just fucking with you. If people stare at me, I don’t notice it, anyway.”
He stiffened.
“It’s ajoke,” I said, waving my hand in front of my face. “Because I can’t see? Get it?”
“It feels wrong to laugh.” And yet I could hear the smirk in his voice, anyway.
“Might as well,” I replied, pulling him inside. “No amount of crying or being offended is gonna make me see again. Believe me, I tried.” I closed the door behind him, making sure Bessie was inside as well. “Besides, I don’t see it as a problem. I see a lot more now than I ever did as a kid. It’s just a different kind of sight.”
There was a long pause, and I could tell he was staring at me.
“That’s a cool way to look at it,” he said at last.
