Page 21 of This Mate Thing

"Bathroom first, Ira.It's quite a drive."

Ira changes course without a word, and I head to my bedroom to change shirts.When I emerge, both Boris and Ira are waiting for me.This might be a stupid idea, but Ira is buzzing, so I can't back out now.

Before we cross the street to Boris' car, I grab the booster seat in mine.Boris looks at it and gives me a small nod.I don't know why, but he looks pleased for some reason.

Ira straps himself in, and I'm eternally grateful that the days of having to wrestle a kid while trying to strap them in are over.

"All systems go?"Boris checks on Ira in the rearview mirror.

"Yes, I think we're ready."

Boris turns the key in the ignition."And off we go!"He gets us out of the residential area and onto the highway.Then he fiddles with his phone, and the sound of a call spreads in the car.I can see on the dashboard display that he's calling Zahrah.

The call connects, then a wry female voice fills the air."Are you in prison?Indecent exposure?"

What the fuck?

"Zahrah!I'm in the car with Simon and Ira.You're on speaker."

Silence.

"Zahrah?"

"Oh, hello, Boris."The voice is so sickly sweet, I have to smile.

"Behave!Ira is impressed with the photo of the wolf you gave me, so I figure I'd show him the ones you have at Conan's."

"Oh, cool."

"Are there wolves?We won't come if there aren't wolves."

She snorts."Yeah, there are wolves."

I can't help the shiver slithering down my spine.Who is this woman who photographs wolves?There weren't supposed to be wolves this far south.Did she go on trips up north to catch them?I have no idea what she looks like, but my mind provides me with an image of a young Jane Goodall who sneaks around in the forests trying to make a pack of wolves grow used to her presence.I know Goodall worked with chimpanzees, not wolves, but it's the image my brain is creating.

"Good.Wanna come join us?"His invitation surprises me.I'm not sure if I'm pleased or not.In a way, I am, since it would take the pressure off Ira and me, but some small part of me is unsure if I'm up for meeting his friends.I hardly know him.

"You sure?"

"If you want to.We're leaving Hillden now and plan on coffee and a slice of pie."

"I could go for a slice of banana pie."

Boris snorts."Apple.We're going for apple pie."

"I'm having banana caramel, and that's that."

"Fiiine, but you can't be a bad influence on Ira.Everyone knows apple pie is the right option."

"Watch it or I'm bringing Maia."

"No!"He turns to me."She'll have the carrot cake every time.Never trust a woman who has carrot cake."

Zahrah chuckles."See you there, babycakes."Then she disconnects.

"Who is Maia?"I think she's his mother since they share their surname, and he talked about his mother.

"A crazy person.She lives in the middle of nowhere and grows veggies in November."He looks in the rearview mirror again."Do you like chickens, Ira?Ducks?There might be turkeys too, I'm not sure."