“Dad,” Charlie said, clipped, coming to stand at the side of us, not quite in between. Mike looked at him, silent conversation between a father and son clearly happening, making the moment drag on. If we had been closer to Roswell, New Mexico, I’d be begging to be sucked up into one of those mythical flying saucers right about now.
When their ESP connection was over, Mike took a long-needed breather and looked back at me and put his hand out in front of him, waiting for me to grab it. “Thank you for taking care of my boy the other night.”
Well, here was my answer. Charlie got busted. “Of course,” as I hesitantly shook his hand before David caught Mike’s attention with his big mouth again.
“So, Charlie got caught, yeah,” stating the obvious with a laugh, making this situation more awkward than it already was by smiling.
With Mike’s full attention on David now, he noticed his face. “What happened to you?” His brow and eyes squinting in judgement.
“Oh this,” pointing at his face. “This happened Friday night. An asshole named Richard from the mine got me good when I jumped in front of these two, so they didn’t get hit. It was reflex.”
“WHAT!” Mike twisted to look at Charlie with a mix of panic and anger.
Charlie braced himself with a wince. “Dad, can we not do this right here in the middle of the busy street?” Looking around at all the people walking around us or going in and out of the store.
“Sir,” I intervened, pulling Mike’s attention away from his son, stupidly welcoming the emotion he is flaring in my direction instead. “Nothing really happened that wasn’t out of the ordinary. Richard is an asshole no matter where he is. He is the worst of the worst in the town and down in the mine. Once you meet him, you will understand,” I stated in the most calming and convincing tone I could express.
“Dad, I promise. I was okay,” thick worry and sadness bleeding off him. “We talked about this.” The look in his eye went back to his ESP expression which was more pleading than anything else.
Mike dropped his head and closed his eyes in hard concentration, like he was trying to control the heat boiling his blood inside his body while listening to the spirits for guidance. After he took that minute to meditate, he lifted and looked at me, then looked at David and said to him, “Thank you for protecting him.” Even though I’m sure he meant for it to be sincere, it came out a bit aggressive.
“Yeah,” with a big smile, clearly not reading the room. Then like this was a planned meeting of friends, David rolled the conversation on. “What are you both up too? Is this your first time down in the city?”
Finally getting some courage, Charlie answered for them. “Yes. We thought we both needed to get out and relax some by exploring our new home.” He was trying to smile, attempting to help the mood, and piercing me with his hypnotizing gaze. I awkwardly shifted side to side, noticing Mike glancing back and forth between the two of us, squinting.
David, being completely oblivious, “We came here so this one could get a book that he wants,” swinging his arm toward the Kaufman’s store entrance, almost hitting a woman walking by in the process, then laughed with a cringe, “Oops. Anyway, then we are going to go get some lunch. Would you both like to join us?”
Jesus Christ! I’m going to smack him. Give him a matching bruise on the other side of his head.
“I’m sure they want to explore on their own together,” trying to divert the invite away from us.
“That actually sounds good, right Dad,” Charlie says. I looked back at him and after a brief glance, he blushed and looked at Mike. “We don’t know where anything is, this might be a fun way to learn some of the city,” trying to convince his father.
“Okay,” setting the plan in stone with the one word in a deep growl, not adding anything else to the conversation.
“Let me run in here really quick and grab the book and we can find somewhere to grab a bite,” making Charlie look back at me.
“Can I come with you,” sucking in his lips and lightly biting down making me look and imagine whatthey would feel like. I wasn't used to these thoughts, and they were burning my mind. I normally do a good job of cutting off the oxygen to these ideas, but every time Charlie is around me, especially looking as cute as he always does, oxygen floods my brain and the coals get relit. Even with the distraction of working, being near him was like a low heat, waiting for something to burn.
“Huh,” I asked, shaking the thoughts away, completely missing what he said.
“Can I come in with you to find your book,” he repeated nervously. “I have never been in a big store like this before, let alone one that sells books.” He avoided my gaze, like he was embarrassed that he isn’t cultured by a populated city.
Feeling this flame in my chest start to burn my heart of coal, making it hard to get a full breath, I tell him sure, wanting to keep him near and give him new experiences even though this was such a bad idea. I should be smothering the fire, not fanning the flames. He looked back up at me with a big but shy smile. Once I was able to break contact, I noticed Mike again was observing us.
Shit.
“Well, let’s go. And hurry up, I’m starving,” David said, pushing us to the door, with Mike still studying Charlie and me.
This was starting to become my worst nightmare. I needed to suffocate the coals before this really went up in flames.
twelve
Reading The Unknown Silence
Charlie
Following Jim through the crowds of people inside Kaufman’s to get to the book section, maneuvering around stopped individuals or others that were walking too slow for his taste, he slowed his walking speed down to a crawl looking around at all the books on display. I didn’t leave his side the entire time he was trying to get here. Being this close to him after the other night was making my heart beat at a faster rate, making my head feel light with the extra oxygen intake. I looked behind me and David had my dad’s attention, chattering away, not even pausing to breathe.
