Climax

Curiosity Made Carl Gay - 10

Prince Harry: you fangirling worries this brother's heart.

Princess Fio: shut it. He probably will skip the senior year and graduate and go to some elite college with full scholarship, and he is dating Carl!!! Can you believe it!!??!!

Prince Harry: um, Fio... You aren't talking about the important stuff. Carl is dating a GUY.

Princess Fio: yep, forgot that. Is he gay?

Prince Harry: Carl, buddy? Any thoughts?

Prince Carl: fuck off.

I lock the phone and put it in vibration.

I thought Terry is good with studies, I didn't know he is super good to the level of inventing stuff.

Brilliant Terry is in hospital because of Dumb Carl.

I put my head next to his hand and close my eyes. I shouldn't have taken him out. We should have gone directly to my room. He would be safe now.

"Carl..." fingers run through my hair.

I wake up disoriented. Millie is looking down at me.

Oh. Oh.

I glance at the bed.

"He is still sleeping. You go home. I think he should stay the night here. But the nurse says he can go home. She actually said we can wake him up. But I don't want to." Millie runs his finger over Terry's face, without actually touching anything.

"Is his dad still home?"

"Yes, he came back after a warning from the sheriff." Millie says with disgust.

"And you are gonna take him back there?" I ask in disbelief.

"It's his home."

"Actually I can take him to my house. My parents are cool. Tomorrow when he is better, he can decide if he wants to go back to his dad or not."

"He is seventeen, of course he has to go back. Fucking law."

"If it's law, then there will be some exceptions. My mom works for a lawyer. She'll figure a way out. I don't want him to go there without learning to block a punch."

Millie looks at me strangely. "Alrighty. Did you eat dinner? I brought some sandwiches. Have it, if he doesn't wake up when you finish, we will wake him up. You can take him home."

As I eat the sandwich, which is the best tasting one I have had, I ask, "what about his mom?"

Millie, sitting at the end of the bed, shrugs. "She wouldn't lift a finger against her husband. She's under medication for some stuff, anyway the bastard loves her. From what Terry has told me, his dad used to love him too."

Being gay has put Terry in this condition.

Terry doesn't wake up and my sandwich is gone to my belly.

I stand up and watch his face. Should we wake him up? It's already ten.

As if he heard my worry, his eyes move under the lids and he opens them in slow motion.

I watch transfixed. His eyelashes are golden color, as they sweep up, his gaze lands on mine. His eyes are grey with lots of veins like things running along in different colors. I can't seem to remember what I was thinking before.

I...just...stare.

"Oh, baby," Millie cries and I blink.

"How are you feeling?" I ask.

"Water." His voice is raspy.

Millie magically produces a bottle. I adjust the bed height so that Terry can sit.

"It's a good thing you woke up. You're staying at Carl's house for the night. I'll call you tomorrow. " Millie swipes Terry's hair away from his face. "Get changed. We can get going."

Terry nods without saying anything.

I don't know what to say either. So I say what's needed.

"I'll go get my truck to the front. I had to park in the back." I say and leave them.

*****

"Call me." Millie says for the hundredth time. Terry is in the back seat, because the nurse said so.

I watch Terry from the rear view mirror as he nods.

"Terry?" Millie calls again, still leaning into the window.

"Um?"

"You can remove the no entrance board." Millie says.

Terry smiles, a slow smile and he catches my eye in the mirror.

I look away, not getting the joke. Millie comes to my side and pats on my back. "Call me, doll. Anytime."

I nod and to my utter surprise he kisses my cheek.

Millie laughs at my expression and waves.

And then we are off.

I don't make any small talk. I can't talk and drive. I don't know how others do it. I just can't.

Terry stays silent. He is awake but doesn't make a single move.

I hope for the best and concentrate on the Friday night traffic. I almost forgot it's Friday.

**** End of Chapter Ten ****