I am not her - Interview (2.)

Anna was putting the books away on the black shelf when she heard Mel's voice carrying through the shop like a loud noise.    

"Be a good little boy here, will you? I'll have to leave now, but you'll be here with Aunt Anna."  There was a soft tone in her voice that was not often seen in her voice right now. Anna felt her lips part into a small smile as she put the last book on the shelf. Then she heard:

"But Daddy said not to talk to strangers and you want to leave me here with that strange lady?" The little bookworm echoed in his shrill little voice that sounded bossy.     

"Well, now we know who's in charge!" Anna thought to herself with a slight gloating that she couldn't help, knowing full well that Mel was no different, even if she was trying to change.

Anna shook her head, still smiling, and felt the sadness slowly leave her.

"Julie, you know Aunt Anna, and where I go, kids only go when they're sick, and what are you sick?" There was a thunderous silence after Anna heard this so suddenly, but it didn't last long. It was broken by the very sad little voice of a little girl.

"Are you sick, Auntie?" Anna's heart clenched with strange anxiety at the moment she heard this sentence, so sharp that she had to close her eyes for a moment and breathe deeply. Her grip around her cane seemed spasmodic. Anna stayed like that for a moment before she heard Mel answer.

"What are you saying, my angel? Me and sick?" Suddenly a low, short laugh carried through the room, but it was far from happy.

"Auntie is not ill, Princess. She went to the hospital to visit a friend!" Anna said, patting the little one's hand soothingly. The little girl looked up at her with pale blue eyes and looked like she was going to cry at any moment.

"Really?" said Julia. Her chin quivered at this, and there was a sadness in her voice that made Anna's heart clench strangely. Did Julie know what was going on here? It's true that sometimes children know more than we think. A thought flashed through Anna's mind, and at the same time she felt apprehension. But outwardly she looked as if everything was fine. She gently clasped the tiny little hand in her own and breathed softly.

"Right! Let me tell you something, you want?" she leaned more towards her across the table. That morning, little Julie looked at her with pure childlike curiosity, nodding eagerly until her hair began to fly around her face.

Unfortunately, Anna managed to calm the little girl down enough that she finally began to smile. It even looked like Julie and Anna were enjoying themselves. She kept asking her questions, and every question started with the words "Why?" or "Can I help you?" a child's voice echoed through the shop, somewhat stubborn.   

"I know, Julie, but that chair would be too heavy for you!" Anna spoke to the little girl in a patient voice as they prepared the tables for the guests to open in half an hour. "But you know what? Then when I do this, we'll spread the tablecloths together, okay?" Julie threw her a sad cuckoo look but nodded slowly at the same time, and then immediately ran, all excited, to the white counter where the tablecloths lay.

Anna shook her head with a smile. She felt really comfortable at this moment.