Friday rolled around and with it came a call from Mr. Lawry, Jaxsen’s former principal at Madison elementary. “Nizhoni, answer that,” Sebastian called as he tried not to slip getting out of the shower. 

“Yes, Mr. Lawry, he’s right here,” Nizhoni said as he entered the bedroom from the bathroom. He frowned noting she was fully dressed and very much looking as if she were leaving.

“Mr. Lawry, hi. How are you this morning?” Sebastian listened intently before smiling. “That’s great! Monday at noon is just fine. Yes, thank you very much for all your trouble. Take care.”

Sebastian threw the phone down on the bed and smiled. “He’s to take the aptitude test…entrance exam…thing…to see where he is academically on Monday…to see, as they put it, to see if he’s ‘fit for the school,’” he told her with an eye roll.

“I’ve no doubt he’ll knock them on their asses.” Nizhoni smiled and kissed him. She wasn’t sure exactly when their relationship crossed over into the more serious zone, but she felt like a school girl with all the butterflies. If the look he gave her said anything, it said everything.

“Where are you going?”

“Much as I hate to go, I have to go to work. I’m slotted for use of the telescope tonight. I need to collect more data on my dying star project, but there’s some things I need to do at the university before my time slot. I’ll be back late tonight. Spend some time with Jaxsen. He’s still pretty upset. And he’s mad I have to go.”

“He’s been glued to you these past few days.”

“Jealous?” she teased. 

He smiled and shrugged. “Maybe a little.”

She laughed and kissed him again. “I’ll see you tonight.”

Nizhoni walked into the living room around twelve-thirty that night. The scene before her made her smile. Sebastian lay on his back on the couch sound asleep. Jaxsen lay sprawled out atop him, his head resting on Sebastian’s chest, also deeply sleeping. Sebastian protectively had his arms wrapped around the boy, the afghan that usually laid over the back of the sofa covered them both.

She watched them for a minute and smiled longingly. This is what she wanted to come home to. Her boys. Her family.

Sebastian and Jaxsen leered up at the massive building before them. It reminded Sebastian of the Winchester House. He wondered fleetingly if there were doors inside that led to nowhere and staircases that stopped into walls.

“So…what exactly does the name mean again?”

Jaxsen chuckled. He wondered if Sebastian just asked him over and over to get him to laugh. He looked up and smiled as Sebastian grinned back.

“It’s Greek. It means, ‘I discover things.’”

“Oh, right. You ready?”

“No. But let’s go anyway before I run the other direction.” He stood there gaping at the Victorian style building in awed reprobation. Sebastian urged him forward with a hand on his back and they made their way inside to meet the Headmaster.

The Headmaster, Mr. Andrew Geller, was seated behind a profoundly large oak desk. The placement of each of the items were meticulous to the point of sever OCD. He fit snuggly in his high backed, authentic leather chair. The room was lit to create an ambient atmosphere and bookshelves ranged from floor to ceiling, each shelf full of books. Mr. Geller himself was a beast of a man who Jaxsen found to be quite intimidating to the eye. He stood at a full six foot six with graying black hair, a crooked nose and light brown eyes. But when he spoke to Jaxsen his voice was calm, docile. 

When they entered the room, Jaxsen couldn’t help but look around at the large room. “Mr. Green,” Mr. Geller was saying as he extended his hand to Sebastian. 

“Mr. Geller. I wanted to thank you for allowing Jaxsen a spot here, given how late in the year it is.” They sat down in the chairs in front of Mr. Geller’s desk as the Headmaster sat in his own chair.

He smiled, answering, “Well, I must say, he had high remarks from all of his teachers and Mr. Lawry at Madison. Beyond that, his scores on the apitude test were some of the highest in the history of this school, which dates back more than one hundred years. He’s an asset to this school and I would be a fool not to enroll him regardless of the year.” Looking at Jaxsen, who had thus far remained quiet, he said, “We’re very happy to have you here, young man. And I hope that your experience here and Eurisko is a happier one. Here is your schedule, Jaxsen, as well as your locker number and combination for your lock.” He handed the papers over with a gentle smile.

Jaxsen accepted them almost shyly. “Thank you, Sir.”

The gentle smile stayed in place. “You’re welcome, Jaxsen. I hope you enjoy it here.” He extended his hand out to Sebastian once again, who took it in a firm grip.

When they were back in the hall outside the Headmaster’s office, Sebastian knelt down. “Alright, Jack, remember where to meet me today after school?”

Jaxsen nodded. “By the big stone cougar out front. You’re gonna be here, right?” He didn’t know why he was so anxious about being left. He knew Sebastian would never leave him. But new places and new faces always brought about an intense anxiety.

“Always, Jack.” Sebastian smiled. “Would it be too unmanly to ask for a hug?” Jaxsen hugged him hard, as if it would be the last time he would see him. “I’ll pick you up this afternoon and maybe we can go get some ice cream. Sound good?” Jaxsen smiled and nodded. “Good. Have fun today. Learn lots of stuff.”

“I will.”

Jaxsen entered the classroom and willed his heart rate to slow down.

“Class, we have a new student. This is Jaxsen Michaels. Let’s make him feel welcome and if he may need help with something, I know some of you are further ahead in your studies, make sure to lend him that assistance. Jaxsen go ahead and take a seat anywhere you like.”

He looked around at the tables trying to gauge where to sit. He licked his lips, nervously chewing on the inside of his cheeks. There were no individual desks but long tables that sat six children comfortably. Most tables, he noticed, only had two or three students occupying any one table. He walked to the back of the room, his eyes darting to and fro in flustered apprehension. 

“You okay, Jaxsen? Go ahead and find a seat.” The teacher smiled reassuringly at him and he nodded. He backed up a couple steps and fell into an empty seat that he did not know was there. He looked up attempting to gain his lost barring, and locked eyes with the lone boy who occupied the table. The other boy looked at him through large, bright green eyes. His hair was cropped close to his scalp, forcing the appearance of an over-sized body with a disproportionally small head. When he smiled his cheeks engulfed his face, but the smile was soft and genuine.

“Hi. Jaxsen, right?” Jaxsen smiled in return and nodded. 

“What’s your name?”

“Basil. I hate it.” Basil frowned in disdain. 

Jaxsen grinned. “I like it. It means ‘royal and kingly’. It’s a Greek name. St. Basil was the Great Bishop of Caesarea in the latter half of the fourth century.”

Basil smiled. “Wow. I didn’t know that. That’s pretty cool.”

Jaxsen smiled back at him and nodded. He noticed that he wasn’t nervous talking to this boy Basil. He actually felt quite at ease. That was an entirely new feeling. Even before his parents’ death he was a shy child, never really talking to people outside his mother and father. The feeling pleased him greatly.

“So is that your thing? Names and their meanings?” Basil inquired.

Jaxsen shrugged. “I like words and language and history. Cultures and the people who make up those various cultures.”

Basil wrinkled his nose. “I’m terrible with history. But I’m really good with math. It’s so simple in its logistics.”

It was Jaxsen’s turn to make a face. “Ugh. I hate math and it hates me just as much.”

Basil smiled coupled with a light chuckle. “How about you help me with history and I help you with math?”

Jaxsen smiled. “You got a deal!”

“Bastian! Bastian!” Jaxsen called merrily running full speed ahead before launching himself up into Sebastian’s arms. Sebastian caught him mid-jump and gave him a big hug. He kissed the boy’s cheek and headed for the truck. He was glad Jaxsen didn’t mind little displays of affection in public places. He missed the kid when he was gone.

“Guess what! Guess what! I made a friend!” he exclaimed in happy giggles as Sebastian set him on his feet beside the truck’s passenger side.

“That’s awesome, Jack,” he told him with a big smile.

“Yeah! His name is Basil and he’s really good at math.”

The whole way home Jaxsen prattled on excitedly about his new school and his new friend. When he got home he leapt from the car, running all the way inside, and bursting in the front door at such a speed he almost fell over.

“Nizhoni!” Jaxsen called with shrill exuberance. He found her drying her hands with a strawberry decorated dishtowel. She smiled brightly at him as he exploded through the kitchen doorway. 

“My sweet, Yanaha!” she exclaimed scooping him up in her arms and kissing all over his face. He giggled and shrieked, throwing his head back, fully trusting she wouldn’t let him fall.

Still giggling he said, “Guess what?”

“What, baby?”

“I made a friend! A real friend!” Her excitement matched his enthusiasm. 

“Yeah? That’s great, baby. I’m so proud of you.” He giggled again. “I’ve got your snack all ready for you. Wanna tell me about your day while you eat it?”

“Yeah!” She set him on his feet and he scampered over to the table where she set a bowl of rice pudding and an apple Snapple in front of him. He grinned, dug into his pudding and began the tale of his day. 

Sebastian stood in the doorway to the kitchen listening to Jaxsen retell his tale with as much excitement as he’d told him. He couldn’t help but grin from ear to ear. When are you going to tell him? Nizhoni’s words echoed through his head and the smile wavered for a moment. Not yet. His heart broke at his answer. He abandoned the thought and joined them at the table to contemplate another time.