Eric’s second week living with Roth and his family went smoother than the first. He saw Kayden more than the first week, but never went out of his way to hang out with him. Angela adored Kayden, so Eric made sure to give her those moments with her brother. Sam tagged along every time.

As much as Eric wanted to get to know the two girls better, especially after getting to play with them last week, he still didn’t feel welcome enough to interrupt the flow that was established before he showed up.

Instead, he spent most of his time running at the park and feeding the ducks when he finished. A few of the elderly neighbors said hi to him on his way back home. He never lingered. Fear swam in the back of his mind, reminding him of all the terrible things they could do to him if he wasn’t careful.

Eric knew those thoughts were ridiculous. Not everyone was a monster. Because of this, he forced himself to chat with the elderly neighbors for an extra minute every day that eventually turned into twenty. His progress was slow, but Eric was happy he managed to hold actual conversations with people without it devolving into an argument.

When the third week started, Kayden disappeared. He was often gone for days on end, returning home at odd hours and eating dinner with everyone about once or twice a week. Roth reassured Eric this was normal. His son was an up-and-coming businessman and sacrifices had to be made in order to succeed. Kayden would join them again closer to the end of August for the annual family BBQ that Roth and Susan hosted.

Kayden’s absence led to Eric hanging out with Angela and Sam when Susan wasn’t hauling them off somewhere. Sam kept to herself. Her burst of confidence his first week there appeared to have worn off. He didn’t mind. Eric never tried to coax her into speaking. If she didn’t feel comfortable talking, or playing together, he didn’t see the point in pushing her to. Angela more than made up for Sam’s shyness.

Eric discovered Angela was competitive which led to Roth and Susan learning how competitive Eric was. It made for a lively atmosphere whenever they played games. Family Fun Night was held every Sunday, and this one had a tangible energy hanging in the air.

The family was gathered around the dining room table playing Go Fish. Kayden was absent again, much to the disappointment of Angela. Sam chose to watch and peek at her sister’s cards, giggling from time to time.

Roth eyed Eric, glancing between his cards and the pile set in the middle of the table. “Do you have any Jacks?”

Eric grinned, “Go fish, old man.”

Roth reached forward, drawing a card. With a triumphant smile, he placed a set of four Jacks in front of him. “Your turn, Angela.”

“Right. Mom, do you have a Queen?”

“Go fish, dear.”

“Mom!”

Susan laughed. “I don’t have any! You should have asked Eric. He was looking for one last round.”

Eric flashed Angela a playful smile, “Go fish, Ange.”

Angela huffed as she drew a card, frowning when it wasn’t the one she needed. “Your turn, Eric.”

He couldn’t hold back his laugh when he asked, “Angela, do you have any Queens?”

“ERIC!”

He doubled over, laughing. “Come on, Ange! Answer the question!”

She handed over two Queens and watched in despair as Eric set down four Queens and four Fives. “You didn’t play that hand last time!”

“Strategy,” Eric grinned at her disgruntled look. “You’re up, Susan.”

“Very well. Roth, any Aces?”

“Go fish, my dear.”

The pile of cards got smaller and smaller as each player accumulated matched sets. Angela and Eric were particularly antsy when everyone had one card left. They knew Susan was going to get the last set since she was last on their turn order.

“Loser has to—”

“New rule!” Roth shouted, chuckling when he saw the scowls on Eric and Angela’s faces. “This game night, no bets, no competition, just enjoy the games.”

“Aww, you’re no fun, old man.”

“I’ve seen the two of you play enough games by now to know how competitive you are. Last time you got stuck in a tree because you lost to Angela’s bet. The time before that, she ate six slices of pizza in under ten minutes. She was fine, but our stomachs were not. Let’s count up who has the most sets and declare a winner.”

Eric snorted when Angela crossed her arms, pouting. He wanted to poke a little more at Roth, but thought better of it. He was probably trying to calm Angela down for the night since it was nearing her and Sam’s bedtime.

Susan won the game with six sets followed by Eric, Angela, and Roth.

“I think it’s time for bed, you two,” Susan said when Angela reached forward to shuffle the cards. “We have an early start tomorrow. Your Aunt and Uncle want to see you.”

Eric watched as the girls eagerly tidied their spots, then dashed upstairs to shower.

“Up for a game of Slapjack?” Roth asked after Susan announced she would put the girls to bed and retire for the night.

Eric hesitated. Last time Roth offered to do something one-on-one, he had turned him down. He might as well try putting one foot forward. “Sure. You can shuffle.”

Roth shuffled the cards like a pro, smiling at Eric’s awed expression. “I’ll teach you, if you’d like.”

“Sure.”

“I noticed you’ve been out running these past few weeks. Is that something you enjoy?”

“Yeah,” Eric replied, watching as the cards were dealt. “I…I…yeah, I enjoy running.”

Roth wasn’t sure if this was a sensitive topic, so he changed it. “You also like baking?”

“Um…” Eric picked up his cards. “Yeah.”

“Ready to play?”

“Yeah.”

Roth held back his laugh, knowing how hard this one-on-one must be for him. It was a huge step forward from when he asked if Eric wanted to come with him to the mall. He wouldn’t try his luck tonight.

The two had a steady rhythm going with flipping over cards and slapping the pile whenever a Jack appeared. Laughter was constantly ringing in the air.

Eric lost track of how many rounds they played. He and Roth never had a proper conversation, but the laughs they shared helped ease his nerves. Maybe next time Eric would accompany him on a trip without feeling weird.

“I think we should call it,” Roth said, checking the time. “I still have work tomorrow.”

Eric nodded. “…thanks for…not…for letting me be…um…”

Roth leaned forward, catching his gaze. “I should have said this sooner. Forget what Susan told you that first night. It was wrong of me to demand you give her an answer after we already read your profile. Do whatever you need to do to feel comfortable and safe.”

“Thank you, Roth.”

“You’re welcome. Good night, Eric.”

Eric watched him leave.

Maybe living here wouldn’t be so bad after all.