Lost in his thoughts, Alan was contemplating absentmindedly a picture of his long lost wife. A soft smile came at his lips when a memory came to his mind.
After a fight at school that left the 5 years old Charlie bruised physically, and afraid in reaction to the heinous behavior of his classmate, the youngest Eppes son just broke the promise he made to his mother and went in his sick brother s bedroom.
Don, 8 years old, had a flu, and since three long days, Charlie wasn t allowed to come and see his brother. His big brother who was bigger, stronger and so much more clever than the stupid school bullies
Charlie had the chance to be in the same school than his brother, and usually, he came to Don at every breaktime to find some protection from the other kids, older and stronger than himself. The eldest of the two brothers found this annoying and sweet at the same time Even if he didn t want to say it, showing only the annoyed side of him.
Before entering the _for once_ forbidden room, Charlie make sure to know where his parents were. Okay, it was safe to go. His father was working in his study at home, and his mother was not back home yet. None of them were going to look for him anytime soon.
It was almost night when Margaret came back home. Before everything else, she laid the table while Alan was finishing with the cooking.
As soon as she finished with the table, she went in the living room, trying to find Charlie. The young boy was usually there, playing or doing some math, solving problems that were in a different level than what he was studying at school.
But the boy was nowhere in sight. Nor in the garden, nor in his bedroom. Following his wife, Alan smiled. He finally take her hand, while she began to be really worried, and made her follow him until Don s bedroom. He opened the door And she smiled in relief. There, in his brother s arms, Charlie was sleeping, his face against the neck of his brother.
"It was useless to try and made him promise not to come. Whispered Margaret with a soft smile.
-This kind of promise is too hard for our sons." Answered Alan softly.
Both of them, adults, stayed several minutes contemplating the sweet picture of their two sleeping sons.
Finally, the eyes of Alan seemed to focus again, and he smile, thinking how real his words have been. Even after some year of silence, Charlie and Don had found each other again, and were closer than ever, working hand in hand, and completing each other.