Foggy Nights

Sunday, November 1st

Almost a month passed without me knowing the answer to what Charlie said a while ago...until November first. We were walking to an ice cream parlor when Charlie asked me to follow him somewhere else.

"Charlie, I thought that we were going to get some ice cream." I said with sophistication.

"I know, but remember when I said that I was going to make you look nice for picture day?"

"Yeah, but you wouldn't tell me what you were going to do." I was puzzled with where Charlie was leading me to, but I followed him anyway. 

I followed Charlie around to the next street, and he led me to a salon. He told me that tomorrow was picture day, and he wanted me to look my best. Charlie also told me that I needed a haircut. He gave me some money, but I didn't accept it. I told him that I probably had enough in my jean pants pockets.

I already knew what I was going to wear, a black and white tuxedo without a bowtie that my mom had found in Caleb's chest of old clothing. It fit me like a charm, but I didn't think that my long hair would match with the desired look. 

I told Charlie I would do it because he asked, and because I thought that it would "suit" the look. So I took out my ponytail, and I went in and waited until it was my turn. It took the stylist almost two hours just to cut my hair and to style it!

I got an undercut, and my hair on top was almost as long as Charlie's bangs. It kinda felt weird, because it was something new that I wanted to try. I did think it would catch some attention, though. I came out of the salon, and Charlie was amazed at my new haircut.

"Andy! Wow, I never thought that you'd look this good, and I can finally see that you have ears!" We laughed for a few minutes and blushed at each other.

"Thanks, Charlie. I had it donated. Now, can we get some ice cream?" I said in a shivering tone.

"Yes, we can, Andy." Charlie had said with a reassuring tone in his voice. He patted my head and shuffled his fingers through it. He then played with my earrings. He could actually see them now. They were almost always buried under my hair, and were always getting tangled with my hair.

We walked back to the parlor. I kinda saw my reflection in the glass window, but I could hardly recognize myself. I looked different, and it looked really good on me. It made me look more of a guy now, but at least my hair would be faster to dry after showers.

I got a vanilla and chocolate swirl soft serve, and Charlie got a strawberry glacier. We walked back home together talking while eating our icy treat. I finshed eating before Charlie did.

"Charlie, do you think my mom will freak out when she sees me?" I asked Charlie with a shudder of fear.

"I don't know Andy, but now you'll actually look good with that tux." Charlie said with a smile. He messed up my hair as we walked in my house.

"Thanks, but I have to always keep that suit clean. It was once Caleb's tuxedo." My eyes started to tear up, I missed Caleb so much. I wiped away my tears, so Charlie didn't see me cry. I hated when I cried every time I said Caleb's name. Caleb was my only sibling, so losing him was like losing a pet; no one can accept the death of a loved one.

I walked into my house first. My mom was preparing lunch. I told her that Charlie and I were home from our "errands". She came out of the kitchen to give me a hug. My mother felt my hair, and she looked shocked to see that I cut my hair for the first time in about five years.

"Andy, is that you?" My mother said with a shudder. She couldn't recognize me either?

"It's me, Andy. I know that I look slightly different, but I'll always be your son. I got it donated by the salon." That made her smile, but what I said after, it was painful for me to say.

I sighed. "Remember before Caleb died, I looked kinda like this, but younger. You loved how my short hair reminded you of dad, and before I was Andy. Before Johnny ran away from us, and from you."

The memories I didn't remember, but I remember being told about it. My mother's memories always haunted her, especially when it was about my deadbeat father.

My mother started to tear up and she told me that I will always be her Andy, with most of my father's features.  

She wiped away her tears. I'm pretty sure that she thought that I was her husband, Johnny, my father. 

We ate our lunch and my mom talked about how my father, Johnny, would always kiss her and tell her that she would be the only person that he would ever love. He only was asked that when my mother was asking if he was cheating on her while she was pregnant with Caleb. She had post partum depression at that time. 

After I was born, he left my mother because Caleb was the only child that he wanted my mother to conceive. After that happened, my mother raised the two of us boys; alone.

It was only until Caleb had died at the young age of seventeen. It was just the two of us now.

After lunch, Charlie took my hand, leading me into our room. He probably wanted to kiss, cause we only did it a few times before. My mom had no idea that Charlie and I started to date, but I didn't know how this was going to affect my mom. Even if I did tell her about us. 

So, I never told her about it. We sat on my bed the way we did, when we first met.

"Andy, I love you so much! Your pictures are going to look so much better, with your short hair going with that tux, it's going to be a beautiful picture. You are so handsome..."

I stopped Charlie from talking so much, with me kissing my very handsome boyfriend. We kissed for a long time just like we did before yesterday. 

We kissed, locking lips tighter as the time went by ever, so quickly. We even hooked each other's tongue! We started to undress each other, leaving only our underwear on. We both got into my bed and kissed until we cuddled with each other. 

We both stopped cuddling with a jolt. My mother started yelling at us both to get out of my room for dinner. I thought if I was to not say anything back, she would come into my room, and see Charlie and I. Both of us still naked in my bed. 

I told her that we were coming, and we both rushed to get back into what we wore before we cuddled together. Charlie started panicking because he didn't want me to get in trouble. He stumbled around and got back into his clothes. 

"Coming Miss. Charlotte!" Charlie yelled from the bedroom. He helped me get dressed before walking out into the dining room with me by his side. Charlie smiled at my mom and she smiled back. It was like nothing happened and we just cuddled each other like normal. Charlie got a call, but he didn't know who it was from. 

BUZZ BUZZ... BUZZ BUZZ...

"Uhm...hello?" Charlie said walking out of the room we were in. I got a little worried knowing about Charlie's grandmother. 

The call was really quick. The call was over faster than when Charlie had picked it up.

The call was murmured and I couldn't make out anything about the caller's ID. After the call was over, Charlie looked as if he just saw a ghost. I asked him what had happened, and he went from pale and shocked to sad and crying.

He said that the doctors that his deceased grandmother had seen, had told him that he could be at risk of having FFI. That's why Charlie started to shed multiple tears at a small, but simple question.

"I can't die now, I want to live, and love you guys for the rest of my life!" Charlie wiped his nose with his sleeve, still crying nonstop. My mother and I were at his side, hugging him. I didn't want to lose my new boyfriend all of a sudden.

I sobbed into his shoulder; gripping my grasp on him tighter, as we fell on our knees and we started to sniffle a bit. We loved Charlie, and he was more than a brother to me; I couldn't bear the sight or the risk of losing him almost like I lost Caleb.

We stood up Charlie, and he started to stop crying. I asked if this was true, but he didn't reply, instead his eyes got foggy, and he started his water works again; only this time it was more controlled and quieter. Charlie replied without knowing. I knew that there were going to be many tests awaiting Charlie at the hospital.