Chapter N.X

Written: September 01, 2023

Translated: September 07, 2023

**S**o when it came to food, Delia involuntarily thought that it would be great to visit, where she can surely eat her fill. The girl was impatiently waiting for Japh to come up to the phone and tell him what choice of dishes he could offer his young guest. And intuition once again did not deceive Delia - the interlocutor's answer was exactly what she expected to hear.

- You came to me just in time, Jo, - a cheerful voice came from the phone. - I just have a lamb shoulder in the oven - turned it off now, and yesterday's beans with tomato paste on the stove.

- That's absolutely awesome, Japhet! - Jo & Delia both exclaimed simultaneously.

It seemed that the interlocutor did not expect that someone else would intervene in a conversation with his friend, because a strange stifled sound immediately came from the phone - like Japh suddenly choked on something. Jordan looked inquiringly at Delia, who smiled silently. Her eyes seemed to tell him "Big deal, couldn't contain excitement", and ajussi Jo returned to the conversation

- How about desserts? - he asked with some tension in his voice.

- Today I decided to do without any frills, - sad Japh, - so no sweets and starchy foods, only meat and beans, and the tea of course!

- All right, Japh, - with some annoyance answered ajussi Jo. - Well, wait for us, Japh, we will come to you soon.

- We got a deal, bye! - said Japhet at the end and there was a click on the telephone receiver.

"Imagine that", thought Delia, "After all, half an hour ago, I did not even think, that I will go today to visit my neighbour's friend". Meanwhile, ajussi Jo hung up the phone and rested his hands wearily on the table. After standing like that for a couple of seconds, he turned to the girl, and she saw what a happy and contented face he had.

- So now, Delia, - he said in a cheerful voice, stretching out to his full height, - go outside, and I'll wash myself.

- Okay, - baby girl agreed without question.

She immediately rushed from her place to the exit, right on the go throwing her long hair out of her face. Ajussi Jo continued to stand at the table.

- You can play with Buffalo, but just don't go far from the wicket, - he shouted after her and slowly went to the bathroom.

Delia no longer heard him, because she had already gone out into the yard, where the neighbour's dog was barking around the yard, happily wagging its tail. The next moment, she was already holding the dog by his fluffy ears, and he obediently poked his muzzle into her chest and squealed softly when the girl scratched him behind the ears.

Then she got up from her knees and began to play catch-up with Buffalo - pretended to run away from him in fear while he scuttled around, trying to grab her by the hem of her skirt, which Delia, deftly dodging his jaws and, if necessary, inflicting weak but confident blows with her small foot on the black wet nose of the dog - please, do not think that she was cruel! She just did not want to change her clothes often.

So baby girl played with the dog for about five or six minutes, before Uncle Jo finally deigned to leave the bathroom and go out onto the porch. The dog, seeing his owner, immediately forgot about his little friend and immediately rushed towards Jordan, wanting to lick him in the face, but man pulled away from Buffalo and, trying not to pay attention to him, went to the wicket.

- I am ready to go! - shouting, he beckoned the girl to follow him.

Delia did not have to be pulled. Ajussi Jo opened the gate and, letting his young companion in front, stepped after her. While he fiddled with the keys, the baby saw Buffalo lie down near the porch and put his big head on his paws, seeing people off with a sad look of his brown eyes. The girl took pity on him - after all, this creature really loved her and treated her with all the respect that a man's best friend is capable of.

- Well, Delia, let's go, - ajussi Jo touched the girl's shoulder and immediately withdrew his hand.

Delia turned to Jordan and looked at him carefully - during the time that he spent in the bath, he managed to wash his face and lightly style his hair, although in front and sides they continued to bristle in all directions. In this, the man also somewhat resembled a girl - she also constantly experienced problems with her hair, which no matter how hard she tried to style, but naughty curls constantly climbed into her face. Delia considered it beneath her dignity to agree to a short haircut, and her mother's suggestions to resort to hairspray she rejected with indignation, because she really didn't like the feeling of some sticky substance pulling her hair together.

- Did you miss my dog? - Jordan asked, also looking the girl up and down.

Delia shrugged her shoulders, cast a thoughtful glance at the tightly closed gate of his house, and, straightening her skirt, went ahead along the road, saying to her adult friend right on the go:

- Don't worry, ajussi Jo.

Jordan joined her and they walked side by side - from the side it seemed as if it was a young father walking with a little daughter, this couple made such a sweet impression, and so naturally and naturally they stuck together. It was the end of September, the weather was warm and clear in Portland, besides, outside the city, unlike the center, there was no stuffiness in the air. But Delia was not particularly interested in the scenery around - as is usually the case with children, she completely trusted her adult guide, and, relaxing, she walked unhurriedly beside Jordan, sometimes raising her eyes from the road for a moment to stare at the wall of the distant forest dimly visible in the distance and the people passing towards them.

By the time they got to the only area in the suburbs built up with tall five-story block buildings on the principle of typical housing construction, it's been a little less than an hour. An unjustified suspicion crept into Delia's head that they would never reach their destination, but ajussi Jo suddenly stopped, and turning to the girl, looked her straight in the eyes and clapped his hands.

- House number one hundred fifty four, eighty second apartment, - he said with incredible energy. - We arrived!

With these words, Uncle Jo went to the battered door bell phone and alternately pressed the keys "8" (eight) and "2" (two), then the call button. For a while, some white noise was heard from the speaker, and then the girl heard a voice she already knew.

- Who's out there? - Japhet asked in a questioning tone.

- Open it up, dormouse, the bear has come! - barely suppressing a laugh, exclaimed ajussi Jo.

- Maybe you a dormouse yourself, - the voice grumbled indignantly.

The girl heard a click from the door bell phone's speaker - this is Japh hung up. A second later, an electrical signal was received on the lock of the entrance door, and it opened with a slight metallic clang. Jordan opened the door as wide as he could and nodded to Delia to go in first. Slightly taken aback, the girl walked past him and found herself in the poorly lit entrance of a multi-storey building, the walls of which were covered with blue paint. The musty smell of dampness hung in the air, mixed with the chemical smell of bleach - apparently, literally this morning at the entrance cleaning was done.

For a while, Delia simply stood still, but when the light from the doorway suddenly disappeared, she turned back - stepping on the cement floor, ajussi Jo approached her, closing the door.

- Come up to the fourth floor, your legs will be faster than mine, - he said softly.

Delia, deciding what she heard, silently shrugged her shoulders in response. But as Jordan got closer, she understood why he chose to let her go ahead - when walking, his right leg dragged slightly on the floor. Baby girl involuntarily felt sorry for the man.

- Ajussi Jo, why are you limping? - she asked with some fear.

- Go forward, - he said, waving his hand in her direction. - I shall be with you.

Delia had to submit - she turned and rushed up the stairs, her shoes clattering loudly on the steps, while Jordan slowly followed. The girl, going up the stairs, began to count to herself - here is the first staircase, here is the second... When she finally ran up to the fourth floor, out of breath, she realized that she was completely exhausted. Panting, Delia stopped at the unsightly steel door and glanced up the stairs.

Judging by the sound of footsteps, ajussi Jo had just begun to climb up to the second floor. Suddenly she heard, how on her left someone turns the key in the lock. She turned in that direction and saw a bright spot lying on the floor, coming from the open door, on the threshold of which stood a young man with curly blond hair that reached his shoulders. The stranger's eyes sparkled from under the glasses. Noticing the girl standing on the landing, the man scratched his head with one hand, continuing to hold the other on the front door handle.

- You is new Jo's neighbour, isn't it? - with noticeable weariness in his voice he asked and, without waiting for her answer, continued. - I'm standing here in the hallway, waiting for both of you - because I already let you in the entrance...

He apparently wanted to launch into a lengthy explanation about his experiences, but Delia interrupted him in mid-sentence, casually waving her hand.

- Let's get acquainted, - with a secular tone said the girl. - My name is Delia, just a little girl, who loves to read!

And she did knickschen, causing her long hair to fall over her eyes. Straightening up, the girl straightened them and smiled coquettishly. The man, still holding the door, bit his lip and shrugged his shoulders. Delia felt that her feigned familiarity did not impress him properly, but that didn't bother her much - for what was the harm in it, if this man, whom she scarcely knew, thought her a little frivolous?

- Well, where is Jo? - apartment owner asked the girl.

- I am already right there! - Jordan's voice reached them.

Japh & Delia turned their eyes to the stairs - ajussi Jo was already walking down the corridor towards them, straightening the collar of his shirt as he went. For some reason, surrounded by walls painted with blue oil paint, his figure looked especially impressive - it seemed that this young man in a white shirt and velour trousers was a man who rotated in higher realms than all other people, such as Delia herself or her elderly father.

- Hippity hip hooray! - for joy, the girl could hardly refrained from jump on the spot. - Eventually you is appeared!

- Japh, let that kid into the apartment, - as if ignoring her reaction, ajussi Jo turned to his friend.

- It's all right, - sighed Japhet and removed his hand from the door.

Delia went in first, then Jordan followed her, and Japh hesitated a little to double-locking the door. Baby girl, took a few cautious steps along the shabby, but still strong linoleum, stopped at a large wardrobe and looked with curiosity at the decoration of the apartment, which she happened to visit for the first time in forever.

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