Mother May I
"Shhh. My mom is gonna hear us," Carter whispered.
Mark clapped his hands over his mouth to hold in his giggles. "Sorry."
They were meant to be asleep — his mom had put them to bed an hour ago — but Carter wasn't tired yet. The two of them were having too much fun laughing at Mark's jokes. Who knew the kid had so many?
Carter hadn't expected Mark to be funny. Ever since the fight with Darren, Mark had relaxed around him and their friendship flourished. Carter was surprised to find they shared a lot in common, including a love for science. Mark didn't roll his eyes when he rambled on about astronomy, and Carter could stand listening to him talk about plants. It only proved what Carter always believed — once Mark got to know him, all their problems would go away.
"Ok, ok, wait," Mark was snorting from the effort to get through his next joke. "What do you call- sorry, sorry, I'm trying not to laugh! Ok... what do you call—"
The bedroom door opened, bathing the room in light from the hall. Carter's eyes had to adjust before he could see his mom's face, only to find she wasn't making a very pleasant one.
"Boys, you're supposed to be asleep," she scolded, arms crossed.
"Sorry, Mom," Carter said, flashing a smile he hoped seemed apologetic.
"Sorry, Mrs. Hayes." Mark's voice wavered. Carter felt his grip tighten on the comforter next to him.
His mom sighed, but a hint of a smile peeked through. Carter knew she could never stay mad at him for long. He was her baby, after all.
"Could I have some water, please? It's why I can't sleep," he explained.
She eyed him, contemplating whether it was worth the fight if she said no. Her shoulders sagged, a sign of defeat. She turned to Mark before she left.
"Do you want some too, Mark?"
Looking unsure, he turned to Carter to see if it was ok. Carter nodded, a weird feeling twisting in his chest. He didn't like that Mark seemed scared to ask for something as simple as water.
"Yes please," he answered, his voice barely a whisper.
Mrs. Hayes studied Mark a minute longer before leaving the room. Once she was gone, Carter laid back against his pillows, accepting that they were done with jokes for the night.
"Your mom is so nice." Mark wasn't looking at Carter; his eyes were still focused on the bedroom door.
Carter shrugged. "Yeah, she's cool. For a mom, anyway."
"I wish I could come with you guys this summer." He still wouldn't meet Carter's eye. His gaze bounced to his fingers, now twisting in his lap.
It bummed Carter out, too. He'd been hopeful when his parents agreed to let him bring a friend; his brothers were closer in age than him, so he was often left out on family vacations. He thought about asking Amber, but she hated the outdoors; he didn't think she'd enjoy a hike around the Galapagos. But if anyone could appreciate all the island had to offer, it was Mark.
"Me too," Carter admitted. "You're sure you can't change your mom's mind?"
"No," Mark answered shortly, twisting harder. "She'll never let me go."
There it was, the same unease Carter felt at any mention of Mrs. Anderson. Before he could ask anything else, his mom pushed back through the door with the waters. She handed them each a glass and let them have their fill before placing the cups on the bedside table.
"Now I mean it, go to bed this time. Goodnight." Her stern tone was negated by the gentle kiss she placed on Carter's forehead. Then, she turned her attention to Mark.
She leaned in to whisper in his ear, but Carter could still hear every word.
"You're welcome here any time, Mark. Never be afraid to ask me for anything."
With a final goodnight, she closed the door behind her, plunging the room back into darkness.
"Hey, Mark?" Carter said into the silence. He hoped Mark hadn't fallen asleep already.
"Yeah?"
"I'll bring you something back," Carter whispered. "I'll make it my mission on the trip. It'll be the best present ever, I promise."
Carter couldn't see him through the dark, but he thought he heard Mark's breath catch. Finally, he turned over until he was facing Carter.
"Hey, Carter?"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks for being my friend."
There was a sadness to it as if Mark was fighting off tears. Carter was happy he could assure him he felt the same way. It had taken some time, practically two years, but they were finally in a good place. Just in time, too; middle school was just around the corner, and Carter was grateful to have both Amber and Mark by his side.
"Thanks for being mine."
Before he fell asleep, Carter pictured the three of them walking hand in hand into their new school. Starting a new chapter of their lives.
Together.