Chapter 3

Six days, thirteen hours, seven – no make that eight minutes have gone by. Not that I was counting or anything. But that was the exact time that had passed since my father had been hospitalized. And in that time I had patched things up with my sister and I had thought Tweek as well. 'Thought' being the key phrase in all of that. I took notice to Tweek keeping his distance from me. It seemed as if he was avoiding me. No, I knew he was avoiding me.

Why else would the blond be sitting right across from me talking to my mom and not me?

Okay, maybe he had his reasons. My mom hadn't left the hospital in two days. She seemed distant, which was never good. Distance was always what she did when she didn't want to deal with reality. It was what she did when I came out years ago. And that was the last time I had witnessed her in such a phase.

"Hey, Mom, I'm leaving now," Ruby wrapped her arm around their mother. "I'll be back." She got a smile in return.

I looked at them over my coffee. I took another sip and waved at my sister. Tweek also said his goodbyes to her, which aggravated me to no end. I followed Tweek with his eyes as he walked back into his father's room to check on him before he left for the day.

I stood up to sit next to his mom. "Have you eaten, Mom?" She nodded in response.

"You can go home if you want. I can stay with your dad." She gave the same worn out response as the day before.

"I'm not leaving you here by yourself," I argued.

And for the fifth time she waved me away. And, again, I stayed seated.

She sighed, "I see how you look at him. You need him right now. I can take care of myself. Go de-stress, baby." She placed her hand over mine.

"You want me to bring you dinner?" I finally gave in.

"Ruby said she would pick up something before going home today." Mom's voice rang through the room, tired and slow. "I'll call if I need you."

And almost on cue Tweek walked out of the room to approach my mother. "Mrs. Tucker, you are welcome to stay, but you need sleep."

"Oh, you boys are too kind. Go out, have fun. I'm fine right here." Somehow her voice seemed distance.

"Wanna…" I placed my free hand on top of my mother's hand for reassurance, "grab dinner?"

Tweek focused in on the hold that I had onto my mother, wide eyes glistening with exhaustion. "Yeah," He finally agreed, "your treat."

We said our byes to my mom and left the hospital for the first time in hours. The fresh air filling our lungs, for even with more people in town it was still a rural area. The hospital was having a slow day so few cars were in the lot. I hadn't seen the sun in a few days, and with the cloudy sky it wasn't going to be anytime soon that the sun showed up.

"Weather's been ugly right?" Tweek stretched seemingly rubbing the fact that this was the first time he'd talk to me in days.

I looked up at the sky, "Depends on who you're talking to."

"I just hope it doesn't rain." Tweek has always hated the rain. Something about flooding and access to resources, or diseases. Funny to think of now he was surrounded by disease every day. Probably building up his immunity before a devastating plague.

"Worried it will relate to your current state of being in some deep metaphorical bullshit?"

Tweek stopped walking, "What the hell do you want with me Craig?" He looked up and suddenly I didn't know what I wanted.

Was it him? Was it those always tired eyes, or was it his shaking busy hands? Or did I want to feel his lips against mine one more time. Maybe they would taste like stale coffee and chapstick. Maybe they would taste like home. And I would be thrown into the past for yet another time that I had been in this small rural town that wasn't so rural anymore.

"I just—"

He held his hand to my face, "Want me to open up to you? I am open, look at me. I've been trying to get your attention for years after we stopped talking and now you're here and I want you gone. But you're not. You're here. And I have to think about your well-being because your father is in my care and I—"

Home. His lips tasted like home.

I am so sorry school has overwhelmed me with school.

This was supposed to be 3 chapters but then I had to end it with Craig finding comfort. So one more chapter I believe.

Thank you for reading. You are a beautiful soul.