4. A quiet morning
August 31, 2025 at 2:00 PM
The small house at the edge of town owned by Salazar also has a small garden where he grows flowers, and a furnished veranda where he often goes to drink coffee and enjoy the view of the meadow from the panoramic window.
Jack really liked his garden, especially he… He loved to catch butterflies there. Since he could not find him in the house, and the door was only half-closed, it means Jack is now in the garden. Again, he is chasing all the animals he could find there. One day, Salazar came home from the store, and in his room there was a huge pile of butterflies, which he had to catch to release back into nature. It's good that he does not catch birds, but, he said once he knew how to.
But now he still has hot coffee and a weekly magazine waiting for him! He settles into a chair, slowly savoring each sip, enjoying the morning light that now illuminates this room so well.
He does not hear the front door open, or the click (or not) of the lock, but he hears footsteps approaching the veranda. Stealthy footsteps.
«And what is he planning again?»
It's time to guess what Jack will please him with today. He wants to believe that he won't have to clean the house of anything or anyone later.
The boy crosses the threshold of the veranda, his breathing is louder than usual, behind which he tries to hide his laughter from the upcoming prank. And then Armando feels something fall on his hair.
He puts the magazine on his knees, raises his hand to his head, feeling the object. He turns and sees sparrow laughing quietly, covering his mouth with his hand. And takes off the object. Which turned out to be a wreath. Of flowers.
Smiling rather from the futility of changing the boy's attitude towards things, he looks at him, as if to say: «what does this mean?»
— «Don't worry, these are not yours» — this little fox says with an undisguised smile.
Armando can only sigh and shake his head.