Ira nodded and shrugged and took a cautious sip of hot tea, the steam rising up to wreath his face and cloud up his glasses. He did have a tendency to tip-toe around what might be sensitive subjects. Ira was outgoing most of the time, but still a private kind of guy when it came to his own personal issues. Not so much when it came to that of others, but noticing and wondering about people’s personal lives in thought was different than actually asking about them in practice. And usually the people that Ira was most interested in learning about were the ones that he’d least want to estrange by clumsily prying at them.
Family was the exception, of course, but by this point the guy was as good as that to Ira. And what Staas said made sense. And mostly the answer that Ira had expected from Staas anyways, but it was always nice to know for sure what was okay or not.
He huffed out a chuckle at the Robinson Crusoe quote, blowing a breath of steam sideways towards Lady, who gave a start and glared at him with baleful eyes. Staas was full of surprises. Ira didn’t remember the exact date, either, though. So it didn’t really matter. Anyways.
Staas was uncharacteristically awkward throughout his talk about Theo’s mother and as the other man explained more and more, Ira wasn’t entirely sure why that was. Young people did stupid things. It wasn’t a complete surprise that Staas had done drugs before. Even Ira had experimented in his late teens, too (nothing besides smoking had stuck, thank goodness) – though Ira was sure that his worst was nothing compared to the sort of nasty stuff that a wild young Staas could have gotten into. That the other man had been an actual addict was rather more disturbing to think about, but mostly in the sense that it was dumb, scary shit for Staas to have done to himself. And harder yet to have to work through once he’d had enough and wanted to stop. Ira was glad that Theo was so worth it to Staas, though Ira hoped that by now he realized that he was worth it to himself, too.
The older man paused for a moment, presumably to gauge Ira’s reaction at all this. He was still looking at Staas intently, expression inscrutable. And then it broke, Ira sighing with all sympathy as he reached out to run a finger along Lady’s back, which arched in response to the sensation. She mewed and jumped onto the couch between the two men.
“…That is unfortunate,” he exhaled softly. “I think she missed out.” For better or for worse wasn’t for Ira to decide, especially since he had no idea as to the exact circumstances and specifics as to what had happened yet. Despite that, he couldn’t help feeling that the former was true -- for the children, in any case. Theo (and Alida) didn’t necessarily need a mother, and they definitely didn’t need to deal with a drug addict for one.
“I don’t know her. So I won’t judge” –he’d try not to, honest, but he had to admit that it was hard—“why she didn’t want a child or whether she was fit for it at the time or whatever. What matters is that you did, and then you did what you had to for your kid. Kids.” Ira’s smile was a little crooked, but earnest. “And now you’re doing just fine. Theo’s okay, happy. And so’s Alida.” As far as Ira could tell.
He patted Lady’s warm velvet ears; they flicked and flattened under his palm. “Thanks for telling me, by the way,” Ira added solemnly, then tipped his head in a wry sort of motion. “Indulging me, really.”
A minute for chocolate, then: “…and, um. Do you know how she’s doing now? Beth?”