To Wear The Crown

20

"Morning, Charlie." Mrs Henderson shouts from the kitchen as she hears the front door open.

"Morning, Mrs Henderson." Charlie shouts back. The second Charlie opened the door, the warm smell of fresh bread filled his senses. "It smells delicious." Walking into the kitchen, Mrs Henderson is grabbing some of her homemade jams as Mr Henderson is cutting the freshly baked loaf of bread to be toasted. The closest he's allowed to get to cooking— even cooking bacon and eggs is off the table.

Mr Henderson looks up to look at Charlie. "How many slices would you like, boy?"

"Two will be enough, Thank you." Charlie replies, looking for Isaac who isn't in the room.

"He's probably still in his room. You can go check." Mr Henderson adds, noticing Charlie's searching eyes.

"Ah, thank you." Charlie knocks on Isaac's door and waits for a reply. "Isaac, are you in there?" He asks again when the room stays silent. Charlie knocks one more time before turning the door handle and walking in. "Isaac?" Charlie looks around, but there is no one in the room.

Sudden anxiety floods Charlie's mind. Did he run away? Has he gone to see the physician without me? Where is he? "Ahh!" Charlie screams when a hand touches his shoulder.

"You okay Charlie?"

"Yes..." Charlie's chest heaves as he catches his breath. "I just... where the- where the fuck did you go?" Charlie relaxes when he sees Isaac standing behind him.

"Toilet." Isaac answers, pointing with his thumb over his shoulder to the hallway. A simple facial expression like he didn't just scare the living daylights out of Charlie. "You coming, mum has almost finished toasting the bread."

"Yeah, yeah. Let's go." Charlie shoos Isaac out of the room and into the hallway. "You got the letter?" He quickly asks before they reach the kitchen.

"Nah. Didn't you see it nailed open on the front of the door for all bypassers to see?" Charlie death glares at Isaac who just chuckles in response. "Of course I've got it. I'm not stupid."

At the table, Mr Henderson talks to Charlie about some interesting books he gets from travellers about old medicine, discoverys, autobiographies and maps, though Charlie nods along not understanding half the things he's going on about. Mr Henderson is an avid reader— mostly of nonfiction, unlike Mrs Henderson who likes a good fiction story about some prince saving a princess. Isaac is like his dad with a head in some kind of scientific book for personal enjoyment or academic needs. Charlie feels like the prince would do better in the conversation than himself. Reading is fun, but sometimes he just doesn't have the time or he's too tired and can go to sleep straight away.

"You boys want any more?" Mr Henderson asks when the plates are emptied and he's already cutting another slice for himself.

"I'm alright, thank you." Charlie politely declines, waving a hand as the other rubs his full stomach.

"We should actually be going now." Isaac is already standing and pushing his chair back under the table when he replies.

"Thank you again." Charlie gives a curt nod as he makes his way out the house with Isaac.