C is for Counting

Twelve year old Charlie Eppes sat on the corner of his bed gripping his arms to his chest and trying to stop the flow of tears that were traveling steadily down his cheeks. The young genius didn't have it easy being the youngest kid in high school on a normal day but today had been almost unbearable.

Humiliation and confusion clouded his mind and Charlie did the only thing that ever helped whenever this situation arose, which was alarmingly often. He started to count.

1,2,3,4,5… Charlie wasn't sure how long he had been adding but he had made it all the way to 1164 when the front door slammed open and he heard his big brother come loudly in, tossing what sounded like his baseball bag into the hallway.

Charlie took several deep breaths trying to calm himself down. He didn't want to appear so weak to his Don. 1164,1165,1166,1167…

"Charlie!" Don called into the quiet hall, "Buddy, are you home?"

The younger Eppes brother held his sobs in, praying that Don wouldn't come into his room to investigate. Of course, without even a knock, Don pushed the door open and peered inside.

Charlie closed his eyes. 1168,1169,1170,1171…

Don took the scene in and crossed quietly over to his baby brother. Don might not be thrilled that his genius brother was in the same grade as him in school but that didn't mean he loved him any less and if anyone bothered him then they had Don to deal with.

"Charlie," Don said gently, kneeling next to the crying boy, "What happened?"

"Oh, the usual," Charlie answered in a choked voice, refusing to look at him.

Don gritted his teeth in anger. The usual. Why did this always have to happen to his little brother? Why did the other kids have to be so cruel?

Don stood up to sit next to Charlie, reaching out to affectionately rub his brother's curly hair. "It's not your fault, you know," he told Charlie, "You can't help who you are".

Another tear squeezed past Charlie's lid. 1172,1173,1174...

"They don't understand," he cried in frustration, "Nobody understands me and I don't understand them! All I understand is numbers."

Unsure how to answer this because it was completely true, Don stayed silent, simply running his fingers through his brother's thick curls.

What could he really say to that? It was the truth after all. Most of the time not even Don could begin to comprehend his little brother.

The Eppes boys sat in an uneasy silence for several minuetes with only Charlie's soft counting to break the tension.

Finally Charlie said softly, "I meet some people that are like me when I'm away with mom but when I come home I feel alone again. I don't think it's supposed to be like that."

No it wasn't. Don looked down at Charlie and answered, "I don't really know what to say to you buddy. I don't know what to say to make you feel better."

Charlie smiled sadly at that. He knew Don always wanted to help others; especially him and whenever he couldn't it drove him crazy. Come to think of it, Don had always been a really good brother even if he didn't understand.

Maybe Don did resent him a little but that was better than what a lot of people thought about him. 2000,2001,2002,2003…

Don suddenly stood up with a triumphant grin. "Come on Charlie," he said, reaching down to drag his brother up too, "I know what will make you feel better."

"What?" asked Charlie, sniffling and wiping at his eyes.

"Helping me with my math homework," Don answered casually, "I just can't seem to understand it."

Charlie looked up at his brother in wonder. He knew that if there was one thing that Don hated it was Charlie helping him with math because it always made him feel a bit dumb. "Are you sure?" he asked nervously.

Don flashed him a grin. "Of course!"

Charlie smiled back, his heart lifting. 2023,2024,2025,2026….

Ahh drama and brotherly love…Thanks for reading, hope everyone liked it! Please Review!