Chapter 7

Deanna wanted to have a playdate with me, Bryan, and Harvey but she had to work. So instead I took Bryan and Harvey to the park.

"Why don't you show Bryan how to do some of the things you do Harvey?"

"Okay."

Harvey sat in the dirt and drew a circle, he then took some of his toy cars out of his pocket. He always had them.

"Bryan this is a car, say car."

"Cah!" Bryan shouted in excitement.

"No, car!"

"Cah" Bryan said again.

Harvey groaned in frustration.

"Be patient with him Harvey he's trying."

"Let's play a new game."

Harvey attempted to pick Bryan up.

"He's heavy!"

"Okay, I'll take him...where do you want to go?"

"To the swings!"

Harvey took off running.

"Harvey! Wait for us!"

Harvey picked a swing and kicked up the dirt as he began to sway back and forth.

"Push me Harmione!"

"Alright!"

I put Bryan in baby bucket swing next to Harvey. I attempted to push them both.

"Bryan! Try to go high like me!" Harvey yelled.

I smiled. I knew that one day they would be in school together and be the best of friends. I let Harvey play on the jungle gym while Bryan took his afternoon nap. We then left the park, and I took Harvey home to his dad. Bryan and I couldn't wait until his own dad got home.

Back at the house, Bryan had a toy that when you punched one of the colors or shapes it would tell you what it was. I must have heard that thing all afternoon. The best part though was Bryan trying to say everything the electronic voice said.

"Purple! Green!"

"Purboom, Gin!"

And he'd just laugh.

"Circle!"

"Sicle!"

I smiled and lied down on the couch as I watched him play. Watching Bryan learn and interact with the world around him made me incredibly happy. It was then we heard Bryan's favorite sound in the world. I grinned as Bryan turned and just listened in anticipation. A car door shut, then we heard some keys. He loved his Daddy so much. Much more than words could say.

"Here he comes!"

Bryan screamed and stood up using the couch. He held onto the couch and pointed his toes.

"He's coming!"

The door opened and Charlie stepped in.

"There he is!"

Bryan screamed and drowned out the sound of my voice.

"Daddy!"

"Hey little man."

Charlie seemed a little off to me.

"Did something happen at the station?"

"Nah."

"Come here buddy!"

Charlie squated and held out his hands toward Bryan. His hands trembled.

"Charlie..."

Charlie picked up Bryan and kissed the side of his head. Bryan grinned. I noticed sweat at Charlie's fringe.

"Babe..."

"I'll be back son." Charlie put Bryan down in the floor and went into the kitchen. I looked at Bryan and left him to follow Charlie.

"Circle!" I heard Bryan's toy ring out again.

Charlie opened the cabinet and took out his bag of glucose tablets.

"Charlie..are.. are you okay?"

"I ran out..."

"Well baby..."

Charlie put some more of the candies in his pocket and put one in his mouth. I stroked his bangs.

"You're sweating something awful."

"Yeah I know...hand me a paper towel."

I gave Charlie a paper towel as he instructed. He began wiping the sweat from his brow and neck. His hands trembled as if an Earthquake were happening just below his feet alone.

"Anyway I...I ran out of tablets and we recorded two new segments today with an intern. I couldn't just leave someone in charge who had no idea what they were doing...I couldn't leave to get more tablets or even go to the upstairs vending machine."

"Your coworkers know you're diabetic, they should have let you leave!"

"They didn't ask and I didn't tell them...but forget about it. I'll be okay, don't make a big deal out of it."

"Charlie!"

"Plus I didn't think the segments would take too long...besides we're allowed water in there."

"Water's not gonna help anything!"

Charlie groaned and leaned on the counter. He put his head in his hands.

"Babe...babe...I...I'm sorry...I don't mean to yell, but your coworkers should have picked up on how ill you felt and stopped production for the day...what about your pen?"

Charlie closed his eyes tightly.

"Charlie..."

"It wasn't the pen I needed...if I could have just gone to the vending machine I-"

I quickly opened our cookie jar and gave him a cookie. Charlie broke it in half and began to eat it.

"Go sit down...okay...wait about 15 minutes and I'll check your sugar. Can you walk?"

"Yeah...yeah I'm fine."

I shook my head. I could tell he was lying. He watched Bryan while I got started on dinner. Every now and again I looked in on him and Bryan. Bryan sat and laughed to himself as he played with his toys. Charlie was lying on the couch with his arm over his eyes. I frowned and walked over to him. I gently stroked his head.

"Do you feel really bad babe?"

"The room won't stop spinning." He mumbled. "Har...can you do me a favor and get me some juice?"

"Mm-hm."

I quickly got Charlie the juice. This interested Bryan so I got him a sippy cup of juice as well. A little later, I did check Charlie's sugar as I said I would and he was finally back to normal. However, I didn't like the treatment or lack there of, from his coworkers; so the next day while Charlie was on his lunch break I went to talk to them. More specifically Charlie's boss Gary.

I carried Bryan with me. The radio station Charlie worked at was actually one of the larger stations we had in the city. It had three floors. Their radio frequency also reached over 100,000 watts and was able to transmit locally and in the next three towns over. There were several people who worked there that knew Charlie while he was still in college. When he graduated they jumped at the chance to give him a job application. Charlie was good at his job. They deserved him way more than he deserved them. He wrote radio copy, helped with shows, and recorded promos. He was a wonderful audio editor and asset to their team. I was floored by the very idea that no one seemed to notice Charlie yesterday. The signs that signal he's in trouble aren't hard to pick up on. To me they ignored him completely, regardless if Charlie told them he felt unwell or not. They should have allowed him a break. A few crackers, a cookie, juice, a candy bar; any one of these things could have helped him in less than 20 minutes but none of them wanted to take the time to even let him help himself. It was disgusting. The gall. The nerve. The audacity. I was furious. Even though Charlie's sugar was back to normal, it takes him a little bit to get over an attack like that. I went up to Marci, she was the secretary of the station.

"Oh hello, little Bryan!" She said as she greeted us. "Harmione, hi!"

"Hey, is Gary in?"

"He's got two shows this afternoon but he's probably still in his office finishing lunch...should I tell Charlie you and Bryan are here."

"No, let Charlie eat his lunch, he needs it after yesterday."

"I'm sorry?"

"Never mind, I want to talk to Gary, can I?"

"Go ahead."

"Thank you."

Gary was an older man. Due to the morals I had, and because of great grampa Max I knew I had to respect my elders. However, I also knew Gary to be very passive aggressive. Whatever Gary wants, Gary gets. He's also in charge of HR, and despite that he has no remorse for the humans or their resources within his business. He was cranky, and loud. Big, mean, and needed to have quit years ago. He was eating a chicken wrap when I knocked on the side of his office door.

"Mrs. LeMay, what are you doing here, I'm on lunch!"

"You didn't seemed bothered to deny Charlie his right to food Gary."

"Excuse me?"

I adjusted my grip on Bryan as I held him on my hip.

"Yesterday Charlie's blood sugar dropped, and I know everyone here knows he's diabetic."

"What's your point?"

"You knew he was ill yesterday didn't you?!"

"Of course, but Mrs. LeMay I don't expect you to understand...we have a tight schedule to keep; those two segments we recorded go out Saturday...I told him he could have some water in the studio until the segments were done."

"Do you have any idea what diabetics go through, or what it even is?!"

"Now see here young lady, I don't want to cause a scene in front of your boy, but I told Charlie he could get a bite to eat after the show. No harm done."

"No harm done!?" I screamed. "Charlie could have passed out yesterday...he could have ended up in a coma...do you not understand the seriousness of what happened yesterday?!"

"What I understand is just because he's got some sugar malfunction doesn't mean he can pretend and slack off."

"You think Charlie pretended to be ill?!"

"People have done it before just to get out of work...laziness at its finest...but he wasn't about to pull a fast one on me."

"Gary!"

Gary looked up at me.

"Charlie is a hard worker, and he never fakes it when he doesn't feel good...what happened was real...and if it happens again Charlie and I will sue you for his endangerment and everything you own...if I have to come up here again, a lawyer is coming with me; along with the police. Don't mess with me."

"You threatening me?!"

"I'm promising you...let my husband go to the vending machine when he needs to, and if he ever comes home like he did yesterday, I will come for you. Trust me."

For the first time ever Gary remained silent. I turned and left his office. Bryan and I took a detour and went to Charlie's office. As soon as we got to the door frame Bryan shouted:

"Daddy!"

"Hey!" Charlie said with a smile. He backed up in his rolling chair and stood up. "What are you doing here?"

Charlie took Bryan from me.

"Oh, nothing...just thought we'd drop by."

"Yeah?"

Charlie sat back down with Bryan in his lap. He picked at a taco salad box with his fork.

"How are you today Char?"

"Better than yesterday that's for sure." Just then Bryan mumbled and reached over toward Charlie's cup. Charlie reached for the cup and took the straw out and the top off.

"That's unsweet tea buddy, you want some?"

Charlie held the cup and tipped it slightly so Bryan could drink from it. Bryan licked his lips and made a face of disgust. Charlie and I laughed.

"Nope don't like huh?" Charlie asked Bryan.

"Sicle." Bryan replied.

"Yeah I guess it is sick." Charlie retorted back. Unknown to him that Bryan was pointing to the ring of the cup and was trying to say circle. Charlie put the cup down and contiued eating. He swayed back and forth in the chair with Bryan in his lap.

"Well this is a nice surprise...thank you for coming to see me."

"No problem." I said with a half smile. I then frowned as Charlie turned to take another bite of his salad.

"Something wrong?"

"No...nothing."

"You act like something's wrong?" He said and took a bite of his lunch.

"I just...I've got a lot of studying to do when I get home."

"Leave Bryan here with me then."

"What? No Charlie I couldn't do that."

"Sure you can hon, just leave him here. I'm just writing scripts today. He won't bother me...go home and take a break... and study as much as you need too."

"I...okay...I'll see you boys at home...bye Bryan!"

I kissed Bryan on the head. He didn't even seem interested in the fact I was leaving.

"Bye Mama!" He suddenly shouted. We laughed.

"Awww bye baby." I kissed him again. "Bye Charlie."

I kissed Charlie on the cheek and left them to face the world together as father and son. I felt a little guilty about not telling Charlie that I talked to Gary; but as long as there were no more problems it really didn't matter.

Without Bryan the house was so quiet. I missed him deeply. However I did manage to finish my work and clean the bathroom. In that time Charlie and Bryan were on their way home. I got dinner started. I decided to try a new meatball sub recipe. As I got my ingredients out I heard a car door slam. It sounded a lot louder than it normally does.

"Harmione Kay!" Charlie shouted. "Harmione Kay get in here right now!"

He sounded so angry. His boss must have told him about our talk. I wiped my hands off on my dish rag and entered the living room. Bryan clung to Charlie's hip.

"What's going on? Hi baby!"

I took Bryan from Charlie. Charlie just put his hand on his hip above his belt.

"Gary told you what I said...Charlie I-"

"Gary fired me."

"What?!"

"Yeah, you heard me."

"I...I don't understand."

I put Bryan in his play pen. He crawled over to one of his stuffed bears.

"Why did he fire you?!"

"Gee I don't know Harmione...maybe it's because my wife threatened him in his office!"

I sighed. I then reached for Charlie's face. He threw his arms up to swat my hands away.

"I don't need you fighting my battles for me!"

Just then Bryan began to cry.

"Now look what you did!" I yelled back. "Well I'm sorry but I'd expect you to fight my battles with me!"

I picked Bryan up and swayed with him.

"Yeah, with you not for you!"

"Well you weren't gonna stick up for yourself!"

"I thought I told you I was fine, and to leave well enough alone!"

"Just because I care...how Gary treated you yesterday was ridiculous, you could have ended up in the hospital, if you ask me I'm glad you got fired, now you don't have to deal with it anymore!"

"I'm not mad I got fired Harmione!"

"Then why are you yelling at me?!"

"Because you went behind my back; don't you get it?! You weren't even gonna tell me you talked to him were you!?"

I looked down.

"You didn't come just to see me today, you came to embarrass me! He said I must be pretty weak and pathetic to have my wife speak for me, and that I'm a liability. Said he won't have a loser for a DJ at his station."

I looked up at Charlie with tears in my eyes.

"Charlie I...I didn't mean to make you look bad...I wasn't trying to-"

"You know what...just don't talk to me for a while okay...I...I need time to myself."

"Charlie!"

Charlie left Bryan and I in the living room. I cried as I made dinner. When it was finally prepared, we ate it in silence. With the exception of a few coos and mums from Bryan. Charlie even slept on the couch that night because he didn't want to sleep near me. It's been a week actually and he still sleeps on the couch. And I have yet to hear his voice.