Xavier in the Meantime by Kate Gordon

Author:Kate Gordon
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: middle grade;mental health;depression;anxiety;therapy;separation;friendship;identity;animal rights;regional/rural living;farming;change
Publisher: Riveted Press
Published: 2023-05-22T00:00:00+00:00

Tuesday’s Affirmation:

I will be assertive and brave when advocating for myself.

The next morning, Aster’s Aunt Noni called as they were eating breakfast.

When Iris passed her over the cordless home phone, at first, Aster just stared at it. “I don’t know how to use one of those,” Aster said.

Iris laughed, more loudly and with more genuine warmth than Xavier had heard her laugh in a long time.

It made his soul feel brighter.

It made him smile, and the smile felt almost real.

When he heard Iris laugh like that, he felt a bit like the Xavier from before, the one who had met Aster by the school fence and taken her on adventures, when his heart had really been in it.

Before, he thought, to himself.

Before,

When I,

Could make my own soul golden,

Before I became a hollowed-out thing.

“I’m even thinking in poetry, now,” he muttered to himself.

Iris winced, and her laugh subsided. She held on to her belly.

“Bad Crohn’s day?” Aster asked. She knew all about Iris and her illness and her spoons.

Iris shook her head. “Not bad. Just normal. I’m just better at covering it most of the time. Now, back to phones.” She pointed at the handset. “It’s a landline,” she said to Aster. “Your aunt is on the other side of it. I thought you kids were all hip to the modern technology.” She lowered her voice. “It’s just like a mobile phone, except you can’t play Pokémon Go on it.”

“I don’t have a phone,” Aster said, screwing up her nose. “I only ever use Dad’s. And I’ve never played Pokémon Go.”

“You give me hope for the future of humanity,” said Iris. “Talk to your auntie.”

Aster hopped down off the kitchen stool. She took the phone, gingerly, and said—in a loud, over-enunciated voice—“Hello, this is Aster.”

She walked out of the room.

Xavier met Iris’s eye and they both got the giggles again. Xavier felt as if he was filled with bubbles.

“Want a Pop Tart?” his mum asked.

Xavier’s eyebrows rose. “A Pop Tart?” he asked. “I didn’t know those even existed outside of American TV shows. Where on Earth did you find a Pop Tart?”

His mum shrugged. “I always wanted to try one so I ordered a pack online.”

“I already had Weet-Bix,” Xavier pointed out. “Aster and I both did.”

“Oh, well,” Iris said. “Guess I’m trying them by myself. I’ll make one for Aster too, though. She might need one when she gets off the phone from Noni. I think Noni has news about Indigo.”

“Oh,” said Xavier. “Bad news?”

“I’ll let Aster choose whether to tell you about it. But I’m just going to assume she’ll be wanting something sweet. So, just one for her and one for me, and I guess you can have another Weet-Bix if you’re still hungry …”

“Wait, I didn’t say I didn’t want to try one,” said Xavier, quickly.

His mum laughed again.

Her eyes were sparkling. Why did she look so happy today? Even when her belly hurt?

Because you’re going to the farm. Because she’ll be rid of you.

Because maybe …

Xavier sucked in a breath.

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