Heaven Tastes Like Peaches

"I understand your pride," Krystyna Skalska released him from her embrace. Sławek was confused. She too felt as if she had crossed a certain line. "That's why I'm not offering you alms. Rather, think of it as taking out an interest-free loan to pay off another."

"Thank you," he repeated. He sighed. "Can I think about it?"

"Of course," she agreed immediately. She knew it was not an easy decision for him. The boy had his honor. He was also only eighteen years old and tens of thousands of not his debt. Entering adulthood with such a burden could neither be pleasant nor easy.

Debt with Mr. Skalski or Mrs. Skalska, what was the difference for him? He didn't know any of them. They were both complete strangers to him. Whether one or the other, he will have to pay back this amount. How many years will it take? How can he be sure that her conditions will not be worse?

Krystyna sighed silently. Neither the donation nor the loan were really any solution for him. For this young man to start a quiet adult life, he should start on a positive note, or at least from zero.

But the boy looked even more tense. He was so shy!

"Sławek, I have a request for you."

"What is it?" He asked immediately.

"Could I see your grandfather's sculptures? I've always liked his work so much..."

He thought for a moment, then smiled faintly.

"Well. They're all in the studio, just... Don't look at my pieta. I'm working on it right now and I don't want anyone to see it too soon."

"Of course," she agreed. "Let's go home."

***

Mr. Henryk and Mrs. Krystyna stayed at Sławek's house until late. For Skalska it was difficult to part with her son, who chatted like a barrel organ. Sławek wondered how it was possible that after what had happened in the ruins, Konrad could even look his mother in the eye. He himself had trouble meeting anyone's eyes.

His shyness, however, seemed to surprise no one, and no one asked if anything had happened? Henryk announced that he wanted to take the rest of Sławek's works, and after making a solemn promise that he would not show them to Mrs. Skalska, he packed them in the trunk.

"But will it surely sell?" The boy doubted.

"Don't worry, I've already explored the market," the art dealer reassured him. "I'm not taking them blind."

Although Sławek still did not understand how it was possible for someone to pay for such sculptures (money thrown down the drain), he did not object. It didn't matter what he personally thought. He needed money and couldn't be very picky about where it came from.

Krystyna's offer, although it was well-intentioned, was awkward for him. Whether she was a complete stranger or a close friend of the family, he could not have relied on her all his life, and he had the feeling that if he did not do everything in his power to deal with this situation, he would. Perhaps it would have been easier for him to talk to her if it had not been for this matter with Konrad, but what happened happened and Sławek looked at the departing with mixed feelings, regretting a bit that they had not taken Konrad Skalski with them.

If he had gone with them, they wouldn't have had to spend the night in the same house.

"Uf, finally they left" Konrad breathed a sigh of relief and clapped him on the shoulder. "I thought they would never leave. Don't get me wrong, I adore my mother, but she showed up so unexpectedly that I didn't know what to do with myself."

"You looked quite relaxed."

"Really? All the time I was afraid that something would break out. But she was too busy with you."

"Exactly," Sławek said. He was sure she had read absolutely everything in him. He lowered his head in shame.

"What are you so glum? Mother adores you. If you were a girl, she would start matching us right away!"

This joke did not amuse Sławek, but it reminded him of how absurd their behavior in the ruins was. He felt his whole face burn with shame.

"I don't regret it," said Skalski suddenly, in all seriousness. "Slawek..."

But it was not that easy for Domejczuk. Now that they were alone again and the sky was already covered with a dark blue of night, the memories flooded in with increased force, causing his heart to beat like crazy, taking his breath away. What they did was not only indecent and scandalous. It was completely banned. But why did it have to be so nice?

"And you... do you regret?"

Konrad's question surprised him.

"I... don't know," he replied honestly. "Actually... I don't know."

"Wasn't it pleasant? Skalski moved a little closer, trying to find his eyes in the darkness.

Sławek felt panic overwhelm him. What to say? What to do? Lie or tell the truth?

He felt Konrad's hand on his face and jumped back.

"I understand" Skalski's voice grew sad. He took his hand away and took a step back. "I'm sorry."

Domejczuk did not see his face, but he knew that he made Konrad feel sorry.

"No, it ... It was!" He cried suddenly. "It was nice..."

"Really?" Konrad rejoiced and something jumped happily in Sławek's heart.

"Yes, just... Do we have to talk about it?"

"We do not have to. We can repeat that," replied Skalski cheerfully.

"You're crazy!" Domejczuk felt a real irritation and began to walk away. "I'll be in the studio!"

He was hot, too hot to stay outside, where despite the evening it was still unbearably warm.

Konrad was exaggerating. I think the heat was on his brain. He dreams of a repeat, moron! Repeat!

Sławek did not even know that he was smiling at himself and his thoughts. And memories. If he thought for a moment, he would have come to the conclusion that the word "replay" didn't sound so ridiculous or scary at all. On the contrary, it was ringing in his ears and ringing in his brain with a strange excitement that he, due to inexperience, was unable to realize. He was a healthy teenager whose first erotic sensations aroused more than he could admit to himself.

He was still smiling as he sat down in front of his pieta. His heart throbbed with a crazy rhythm and his cheeks were the color of wild poppies. His hands were trembling and he was unable to properly grasp the chisel.

Konrad wants a repeat, he repeated to himself like a mantra, which instead of reassuring him turned him up even more. It was the first time in his life that he was in such a relationship and he had no idea what to do with it.

Sławek's work was not going well. He was unable to concentrate even to touch the warm wood with the chisel. Even sitting in one place was unbearable for him. His body was consumed by a fever that he could not extinguish or bear. He totally didn't know what to do with himself.

He shyly left the studio. He was curious what Konrad is doing now? Has he gone to sleep already? Should he join him? Or maybe? He didn't want to sleep in the bed where his grandfather died, but will he be able to lie down next to Konrad? Wasn't that too ridiculous?

He drank some water in the kitchen. He washed longer than usual in the bathroom. He went back to the kitchen to quench his thirst. When he had absolutely nothing to do with himself, he decided to sneak into the bed stealthily, to its very edge, so as not to wake Konrad. So he slipped in and covered himself with his own blanket. Nothing happened. He took a deep breath with relief and then Skalski threw his arm over him and rested his head on his back.

"You are finally here," he heard a warm whisper and froze. "I missed you."