Disclaimer: I don't own anything Numb3rs, it's all property of CBS and whatnot, so don't sue.
Chapter 11: The Beans are Spilled
When Alan Eppes awoke the next morning, he decided to see if Charlie had come home. When he reached Charlie's room, he peaked inside and found,as he expected, an empty bed. The sound of the front door open and closing alerted him to the fact that his son was now home.
Alan made his way downstairs to greet his son.
" Hey Dad." Said Charlie, totally drained from his activities of the previous night.
" How was your date?" Asked Alan with an amused look on his face.
At this, Charlie gave his father a look before he headed up the stairs past Alan.
" Charlie, don't you have work today?" Asked Alan when Charlie got to the top of the stairs.
" I have today off, besides, I'll most likely keel over in my classes. I'll be down for breakfast in few minutes." Grumbled Charlie before he disappeared down the hall to his room.
Alan shook his head in amusement before he set about preparing the morning meal.
Twenty minutes later, Charlie came down wearing a plain grey t-shirt and black sweat-pants. He still looked bushed.
Alan set a plate with scrambled eggs and toast infront of Charlie when the young man all but collapsed into a chair.
" Thanks dad." Mumbled Charlie as he began eating. Alan just nodded before taking a seat and opening the morning paper.
After breakfast, Alan told Charlie that he had a meeting to go to.
" I'll see you later dad, I'll go grocery shopping for you, just give me a list." Said Charlie with a smile.
" Well, thank you son, the list is on the fridge along with some coupons." Said Alan before he walked out the door. He didn't see the troubled look on his son's face as he left.
Charlie heaved a sigh. Don was coming over for dinner tonight as well. It was theday Charlie had been dreading for probably his whole life.He was going to tell them about himself and Colby.
As he sat on the sofa in the livingroom with the TV on, Charlie remebered what Colby had said to him after they had finished making love and simply lay in each others arms.
" Charlie, you know I'm with you right?" - Colby
" Yeah, I know." - Charlie
" I can be there with you when you tell them... If you want me to." -Colby
" Thank you for that but... I think I can tackle them." - Charlie
" Well, call me after you do, or just get yourself here, I want you with me if I can't be there with you... if it goes south." - Colby
" I love you." - Charlie
" Love you more." - Colby
Charlie shook himself out of his reverie and walked into the kitchen to get the grocery list and car-keys. He put on a pair of sneakers and was out the door.
The drive to the store was a time of quiet contemplation before he parked and headed inside, pushing a cart and reading over the list.
As he retrieved items and filled his cart, he passed by the chocolate sauce and felt himself blush at what memories it envoked.
After twenty minutes, with his cart filled, Charlie headed to the cashiers. Once everything was bagged, Charlie headed back to the car and loaded it all in before he headed back home.
Meanwhile, at the FBI Offices, Colby Granger stared off into space as he chewed his thumb. He was debating whether or not he should risk callinga certain curly haired math whiz, but then, he thought better of it and buried himself in the many files on his desk. But he vouldn't stop a thought from entering his mind.
" I just hope everything goes alright tonight, I don't want him knowing what it feels like to have his own father dispise him for who he is. I'm scared out of my mind what it would do to him."
Time slowly flowed by, and before he knew it, Charlie was sitting down to dinner with his father and brother.
" Hey Charlie, could you pass the salt?" Asked Don, Charlie complied and Don couldn't help but notice the way his baby brother's hand trembled as he passed him the container.
" Hey Buddy, are you alright?" Asked Don as both he and Alan looked on in concern at the youngest member of their family.
They watched as Charlie's already pale vasage whitened further and he swallowed nervously and he wouldn't meet their gazes.
" No... I'm not alright, I haven't been in a really long time." Said Charlie, his voice almost a whisper. He then got up and left the dinning room. Don and Alan looked at each other before they got up and followed Charlie into the hall.
" Hey wait a minute, what's wrong?" Asked Don as he reached out and snagged a wrist, halting his brother's escape.
" I can't keep lying to you anymore." Said Charlie as he turned to face them .
" What are you talking about son?" Asked Alan, feeling his heart clench as he saw the look of pure terror and unbridled pain that marred his youngest son's face.
" What have you been lying to us about?" Asked Don, feeling his own heart pounding in his chest.
" I'm gay." Said Charlie.
A stunned silence filled the room to where one could hear a pin hit the floor with perfect clarity. Charlie watched as both his father's and brother's faces went slack with shock. The three of them stood frozen where the
After what seemed an eternity of silence, Don found his voice.
" Charlie, what... did you just say?" Asked Don in utter disbelief.
" You heard me." Said Charlie, his voice and expression neutral and his eyessomewhat glazed.
" Oh my God. Charlie." Whispered Alan. Don lapsed into silence as he let go of his brother's wrist and took a step back.
" Charlie, have you kept this all your life?" Asked Don, a fire brewing behind his eyes.
Then Charlie did something that made all rising anger vanish as quickly as it began.
Alan and Don watched as Charlie began to chuckle, the sound hollow and more like sobbing.
" Believe me dad, if it were up to me, we wouldn't be having this conversation period. But... Mom made be promise to tell you both when the time was right." Said Charlie, his voice begining to shake with each word.
" Wait... your mother knew?" Asked Alan as he took a step forward. Don was stunned into silence once again.
The two men watched as sad smile graced Charlie's pale lips.
" I didn't even have to say anything, she just knew. She made me promise to tell you when I went to go see her, a few days before she..." Charlie trailed off and looked up to meet his father and brother's stunned gazes.
Don and Alan watched as a single tear escaped Charlie's eyes. Charlie quickly wiped it away before he took a few steps forward so that he stood firmly before his father and brother. The fear was gone from his deep brown eyes, but the sadness remained. With a steady voice he spoke.
" I'm sorry for keeping this from you both for so long, I've never felt more alone in my life because of it. But, I am done pretending, I'm done with being ashamed of this part of who I am. I just can't fight it anymore, I don't want to anymore."
Then Charlie let out a sigh before he finished, looking from Alan to Don.
" I'll...uhh... I'll understand if the both of you hate me from now on and that's okay. I just... I love you both so much but, there's somone else I love too, and I'm not sorry for that, even if he ends up hurting me or I end up hurting him, I'll never be sorry for that."
Don felt his heart break with this final statement and when he glanced at his father, he saw tears streaming down his face.
Don tried to speak but his voice failed him as he kept staring at his younger brother. The two older Eppes men stood frozen where they were as they watched Charlie bow his head before turning and heading for the front door.
" Charlie, where are you going?" Asked Alan, his voice shaking, he wanted his legs to move, to run to his baby and envelope him in a hug and never let go, but he stood rooted to his spot.
" I'm going to him." Said Charlie simply, a tiny smile dancing across his face.
Before his brother or father could stop him, he opened the door and walked through it, shutting it behind him.