You Should Know (BWWM) ✅

Chapter Forty-Nine

↑ Charlie ↑

Elowen stood outside the bar as she waited for Charlie to finally catch up with her. There were times she contemplated leaving but she wasn't sure if he knew the way home. Her patience was running thin and as much as she didn't want to go back inside the building, she knew she had to.

"Get the fuck out, Philip!" The sound of feet stumbling and a door slamming shut caused Elowen to jump around. She watched as Philip picked up his hat off the sidewalk then burped. The sight of him didn't settled well in her stomach.

"Oh! You're still here?" Elowen darted her eyes away from him in an attempt to ignore the man. "I meant what I said when I said I think about you all the time."

She gagged. "When did you ever say that?" Philip shrugged. "I am so stupid. Seconds away from throwing my life away and for what? A drunk slob?"

"I'm actually better off alone then I ever was with anyone! You wouldn't understand because all your life you've had everything handed to you on a-"

"Don't." She warned him. "Don't you go there because I've tried endlessly to put you in the shoes of my life all while you were ruining yours. I've had it bad but you... you chose this. Your family has a nice house, cars for every child, jobs that pay heavenly. My family had none of that because no one wanted to give my parents the chance to."

Philip huffed as he took a seat on the curb. Elowen didn't even bother moving next to him. He then dug in his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper that was old and brown. He held it out to her but she'd rather die then touch it. "Just fucking look at it, please."

Hesitantly, she snatched the paper and unfolded it. What she saw next could break her down. "You... kept this?" The peanut comic made her chuckle a bit.

"Unintentionally. I found it when I got home from war. Kept it in my pockets ever since."

Elowen wiped the tear from her eye while hastily digging in her purse. In a clenched fists was the necklace hanging from her hand. Philip was just as startled as her. "What if I told you this was unintentional too."

"Are you still getting married, Elowen? 'Cause if you are then you're breaking my heart! Why do you think I'm drunk all the time? I'd do anything to forget about you leaving me for someone else. That man took from me what I fought through war to keep." Elowen quickly took a seat next to him despite wanting to vomit from how bad he smelled. "He took you."

"Oh, Philip!" They crashed into each other's arms. She was too excited to stay there though. A million thoughts were running through her mind. "I'll go get Charlie and we're going to get you cleaned up. Yvette will be excited to see you!"

She dashed inside the bar for hopefully the last time and saw that their table was empty. No Charlie in sight. The woman behind the bar whistled at her then jerked her head to the back. "His brother went to go show him something."

Elowen went to the storage room only to see something she'd wish she could take back. Charlie and Bernard were lip tight in the storage room practically groping each other's clothes off. She let out a slight scream of shock causing the two of them to push away from each other and quickly wipe their mouths. The door swung back and forth, slowly revealing their faces to each other with every open and close motion.

"I—" She tried to speak but nothing came out.

Charlie and Elowen sat in the hotel room as the noise of the shower was the only sound to be heard. Neither one of them wanted to start the conversation despite all the questions that needed answering.

Charlie eventually had enough of the silence and turned to face Elowen who had her back facing him on the other side of the bed. "I feel like I should explain myself since I've lied to you all this time."

She disagreed. "It's fine, Charlie. If you don't feel comfortable—"

"That's the problem. I haven't felt comfortable all my life but now since I've seen his face... it's like home again." Elowen turned to face Charlie as he nervously played with his thumbs. "Bernard and I met in an orphanage. We grew up like brothers but in reality, we both knew it was more than that. We kept in touch through letters once I got adopted out but... he never did. Went to the military with other orphans the moment he aged out. We used to get beat by the nurses for being too affectionate which is what made us so close. I've been dying to see him ever since and when I found you, I knew Bernard and I could be together without any suspicion. Because... you would tell everyone he was my brother and no one would know a thing."

Not knowing what to say, Elowen simply gave him a hug. He cuddled into the crook of her neck almost like a son missing his mother. "Your secret is safe with me," she whispered.

Just then, the shower turned off and Philip was loudly singing a song randomly. The bathroom door flew open and he was standing there with long wet hair and a towel wrapped around his waist. "I feel like a new man!" He picked up a razor and began shaving off his facial hair. "Charlie? You know how to cut hair?"