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“Do you like it?” Levi asks when Atlas takes too long to say anything.
I must be imagining it, but I sense a bit of insecurity in Levi’s voice as he waits patiently for our friend to give his word of approval.
Atlas cranes his head back, his light blue eyes watering for a whole different reason.
“It’s… it’s… extraordinary,” he stutters, holding the boat in his hands like it’s his most treasured possession.
“I’m glad you like it,” Levi smiles widely, ruffling Atlas’s dark golden locks.
“Levi? Do you think… do you think one day I’ll be able to sail on one? To actually see what is beyond the seven seas?”
Levi goes to his haunches so that he’s eye to eye with Atlas.
“Can you see yourself sailing such a boat?”
Atlas swallows hard, thinks on it for a pregnant pause, but eventually nods.
“Then that’s your answer.”
Atlas smiles widely and throws himself onto Levi, giving him a huge hug.
“You encourage him too much,” Teo chastises, shaking his head at the tender sight.
“And you don’t encourage him enough,” Levi is quick to snap at him after Atlas breaks the hug to stare at his gift.
“That’s because I’m looking out for the kid. He’s a crowned prince that one day will be king. To put such foolish notions in his head that he can just sail the seven seas, like he’s some merchant or sailor, will do him more harm than good,” Teo defends his logic.
“No, what you want is for me to steal his dream away and I refuse to. A man is nothing without his dreams, Teo.”
“Is that so? Okay then, now what?” Teo jokes, crossing his arms over his chest. “You have a boat, Atlas, but nothing to put it in. If you haven’t paid attention, this is the north. Everything is frozen here. Every lake. Every river. Every fucking pond.”
“Watch your fucking language, Teo,” Levi scolds, never one to like Teo using such colorful language around me or Atlas, even though he just did it himself.
“Watch yours, you big oaf.” Teo laughs before he takes the small wooden boat from out of Atlas’s hands. “This is useless. As is any toy for a prince.”
Levi snatches the boat away from Teo’s hands and frowns.
“Come here, Atlas,” he orders with as soft a tone he can muster considering he’s giving Teo the evil eye. “Let’s show the cocky jerk that he doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”
We all follow Levi, wondering how he’ll prove Teo wrong.
I’m curious too.
Teo is, after all, right. At least to me he is. Everything in the northisfrozen solid. Levi’s gesture was a nice one, but in the end, not very practical or logical. Atlas will never be able to play with it. Not in Tarnow, at least. So Levi’s gift, no matter how sweet, will only give way for more disappointment.
For more of Atlas’s heartache.
And when Atlas hurts, I hurt too.
But just as I think that thought, my heart begins to thump with utter glee.
“It’s not the vast wide ocean that you’re used to, but at least it’s big enough for your boat to float on,” Levi explains as he places the boat right in the middle of the horses’ watering trough.
“It’s perfect!” Atlas exclaims, genuinely excited by the alternative.
Levi then turns to a frowning Teo.
“You think you know it all, Teo, but you still have a lot to learn. My father has this saying. That if you want something bad enough, you’ll find a way to get it.”
