“Yes, I got a B, because during my presentation I got hung up on some questions from my classmates. But… four of them ended up reading it themselves,” he smiled smugly, like he was proud of himself still. “My teacher gave me dirty looks every time she saw one of them holding it,” giggling.
“Your momma sounds like she was the best,” I quietly said, afraid I would start the water works again, but he just looked at me calmly, no smile but no frown,bobbing his Adam’s apple in a swallow. He nodded, and I pulled him back down to me again and he came willingly. “I love you, Honey. I am so glad you had the momma you did because she helped structure you the way you are today.” I kissed the front of his hairline, since his face was near my chest again. “Let’s try to get some sleep.”
I gently got out of bed to get the light, pulled the covers over us, letting Charlie burrow into me tonight, feeling his calm breathing on me, wishing he had positive dreams about his momma’s life, instead of the nightmares about what this day represents.
thirty-one
Rainbow Expressions
Jim
The next morning was a repeat of the previous two days, minus the wake-up call. Charlie still looked a little emotionally wrecked, so I asked him while he ate, “Did you sleep well?” He just shrugged at me, avoiding my face.
David banged, and I opened it up and quickly slipped outside, leaving Charlie to finish his breakfast. “Whoa, normally you should let guestsintoyour house, not join them outside,” David said as his greeting.
“Do me a favor? Charlie had a rough night, and Mike might not be any better,” David's expression turned dark, and went to say something, but I cut him off, “Don’t. Just don’t ask them about it, or he will probably be useless today. And he told me you were irritated with Mike yesterday, but give him some gracetoo.” His expression mostly shifted back to normal, seeming to trust me. “Just, when you take your mine car trips to The Hole, check on him without checking, if you know what I mean?”
“Yeah, I can do that,” he agreed with a nod and on the more serious side for him. “But can I ask one important question?” I rolled my eyes and blew air out of my nose, thinking I should have known better to think he’d be able to control himself. I gave my hand a wave in alet’s have itgesture. “Should either of them even be going down today?”
Okay, that was a valid question. I could give that one to him. “Umm, I think Charlie will be okay. Truthfully the distraction will help, as long as his emotions aren’t provoked. I think he will be fine.” I tried to answer with confidence, but I was having a hard time even believing myself.
“And Mike?” He raised a single thick brow in concern. I shrugged because I couldn’t even begin to assume his mentality. But David just nodded.
The door opened and Charlie stepped out, lunch in hand. I shooed him back inside and closed the door behind me to give him a kiss, bringing him into my arms. “I love you. I’ll see you later, okay?”
“I love you,” he mumbled into my chest. I kissed the top of his head and sent him with David. I went to the road, watching them walk away from me until they turned the corner and I couldn’t see them anymore. I went back inside, alone again, to wait for my honey to return.
I was lying in bed reading at around two-thirty in the afternoon, when Charlie scared the shit out of meby walking in. “Holy Hell!” I bounced up, straining my back, making me hiss.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you,” Charlie winced. He came over and attempted to lift my shirt to check me, but I was more distracted that he was here instead of at the mine or at his father’s unit. It was still really early, and he was still in his jumper and dirty.
“Honey,” I reached for the hand that was trying to adjust my shirt. “What are you doing here? Are you okay?” I did a quick scan of his form, making sure nothing physically was wrong but it was hard to tell with how dirty he was.
I have been worried about him since he came home last night for obvious reasons. I knew our talk helped but, talk doesn’t cure grief. Nothing can. Except time, and even that isn’t even a cure. It’s more like a hard pain killer, dulling your emotions.
“I’m okay. I, ah, Will sent me home a little early. Said he needed to run a personal errand. Plus, he kind of knew something was off today, so…,” trailing off. His quiet demure was off putting. “And David was being weird all day,” scrunching his nose, brows falling making his eyes squint. I bit my lip knowing the David thing was all me.
Oops.
David can’t be subtle to save his life, so I should have known better. “But Will asked to tell you that he would be here around five. That’s why I came here instead of going to my dad’s unit.”
“Okay,” I wanted to hug him, but not while covered in hell’s dust. “Did Will say why?”
“No. He just said to tell you he was showing up, and told me that I was invited too,” he shrugged his shoulders, his eyes shifting like he was uncomfortable.
“He invited you… tomyhouse?” I was so confused. I closed my eyes and shook my head, hoping it would shake some sense into all of this.
Nothing came.
When I opened my eyes again, Charlie was still standing there, looking like he got caught in a volcano ash cloud. “Honey, let's get you cleaned up. Head to the shower and I will follow with some clothes for you.”
When I got to the bathroom, Charlie was in the shower. I set his clothes aside and looked in on him from behind. He was just standing there facing the shower head, letting the water fall on him. Streaks of black and grey bleeding down the drain.
I stripped off quickly and joined him from behind. Using a soapy rag, I washed him, scrubbing away hell’s aftermath, careful not to get my back wet. It was sensual, not sexual. Neither of us got hard. I don’t even think he could right now even if I tried to get him there.
After I was done with his body, I turned him around and washed his hair. His blue eyes were a little brighter than they have been in days. I leaned him back and rinsed him out, before taking him in my arms now that he was clean, his arms pinned in between us.
I held him until the water started to turn cool before we got out. After redressing, I detoured to the second bedroom and picked up ‘The Hobbit’ and brought it with us. Cuddled together in bed, I started to read aloud the story of a great adventure, about a little hobbit and a mysterious ring. I was hoping this would help clear his mind a little before Will showed up.
