Page 52 of Single Teddy
I had about an hour before I had to pick up Bear, so I stopped by the grocery store around the corner from our new apartment and bought some stuff for the fridge and pantry so we had sustenance for a few days. After unloading those, I started taking care of the suitcases and boxes.
I’d just about gotten everything into the apartment when I heard a “Knock, knock,” and a petite Black man with a big smile pushed the front door open and waved at me from the door, holding a plate in his hand.
“You must be the new neighbor,” he said, and I approached, holding the door open for him.
“I am. I’m Teddy,” I offered him my hand, and it was then that I noticed the contents of his plate.
It held what appeared to be a vanilla cake and a couple of cupcakes with creamy white icing.
“I’m Zachary, but you can call me Zach. I thought I’d welcome you to the building with a little treat.” He offered me the plate, and I invited him in.
“There’s no need, really.”
“Oh pfft. It’s fine. Really. I’m a baker, so there’s always cake at home.” He looked around the apartment and nodded approvingly. “They’ve really cleaned this place up. I’m impressed.”
I raised an eyebrow at him.
“You mean to tell me it wasn’t before?”
“Oh no. Not at all. Fiona was an angel, but she’d lived here for decades, so it was always full to the brim with her stuff,” he said.
“There’s still some of her stuff in my closet. Is she…?” I ran a hand over my neck, and Zach laughed.
“No! But she did go into hospice. Poor thing didn’t have a family, but she’s being well looked after.”
I breathed half a sigh of relief, but the other half of me felt bad for the woman I’d never met. Maybe I could find out where she was so I could visit her and make her feel a little less alone. Loneliness was such a monster.
“You’ve lived here a long time then?”
“Who? Me? Oh no. I only moved here last year and was lucky enough to get a studio apartment for myself. How about you? Do I detect a little drawl there, or is it my imagination?”
He pointed at me and smirked, reminding me a little of Hwan.
“West Virginia, and we just moved here.”
“We?” Zach asked and looked around. “Oh, I see some kids’ shoes. Where is your wife? Or husband?”
“Well, I’ve got neither, but I do have a little nephew.”
Zach narrowed his eyes and nodded very slowly, and I didn’t know why, but I felt obliged to fill in.
“My sister passed away, and I’ve got custody of Bear.”
“Bear? Teddy? Teddy Bear? That’s too precious. Unless you’re pulling my leg.”
I shook my head.
“Brilliant.” He chuckled before he turned serious and pressed his lips together. “I’m sorry about your sister,” he said, and I thanked him before turning to the plate of cake.
“So…what is this?”
“Oh, silly me. Sorry. I forgot. The loaf is a lemon cake, and the cupcakes are chamomile with a honey icing.”
I didn’t know if they could sound more mouth-watering, so I wasted no time and helped myself to one of the cupcakes. It took everything in me not to moan in a very inappropriate manner.
“My goodness, Zach. These are fucking delicious.”
Zach scratched the back of his head and smiled awkwardly.
