Ira shook his head, drawing his leg away with a smile. “Don’t say that! You’re not supposed to encourage me.”
He hung around for a little while longer after the show to help get the children ready for bed, planning to leave after Theo and Alida were tucked under their blankets. He and Staas both had work in the morning, but Ira didn’t hesitate at the invitation to stay for ten more minutes and listen to Staas read And Tango Makes Two, a ridiculously cute story about gay penguins, of all things. He wasn’t surprised that Staas had gotten such a book for his kids, though thinking about it was a little bittersweet. Ira gave himself a mental shrug, not wanting to continue on that melancholy train of thought. Back to the penguins.
Once the story was over and back on the bookshelf, there was a brief exchange of drowsy hugs and waves and goodnights. Ira waited out in the hall while Staas kissed the children, checked the room, and turned out the light. As always there was the post-curfew offer of tea and coffee and chocolate, but Ira shook his head to excuse himself. It had been an exciting evening, and as much as Staas assured Ira that his company was always welcome, everybody appreciated peace in solitude from time to time.
Anyways, Ori was going to want to hear about what happened today, too. (read: Ira was dying to tell her.)
Staas escorted him to the front door, and after some joking and shoving and a hug he was out the door. Hurrying his way through the crosswalk, Ira was struck by a weird, tense sentiment. He was on his way back to his apartment in Sunnyside, but it didn’t necessarily feel like he was going home anymore. Ira wasn’t sure what to make of that.