With Fear or Without

42- A Special Guest

"What?!"

"I think I just saw my dad," Charlie repeated in the same stunned whisper.

Cleo craned her neck, trying to follow Charlie's eyeline to no avail. "Yeah, I heard you, but... here?" she demanded, turning back to Charlie with all thoughts of the argument washed away.

Charlie nodded without looking at Cleo.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure, Cleo. I think I would recognize my own dad."

"I know, it's just..." Cleo shook her head. Too much. This was another surprise they really didn't have time to deal with.

Charlie took off at a brisk stride, pulling Cleo along with them. They walked the perimeter of the dance floor, still searching for the man they had recognized. After a few tense moments of searching they stopped short, almost causing Cleo to ram straight into them.

"There," Charlie said, pointing to a group of adult guests in a huddle, laughing as one man entranced them with an animated story.

Cleo studied the storyteller, slowly recognizing him from some distant childhood memories. That same knowing smile as he set up a joke, the same short trimmed beard, gray just starting to shine through. His eyes were wise and full of life, like they had seen a million lifetimes and still managed to see the good, the silver lining.

Scattered memories from before she moved away came back to Cleo. Ones of Charlie's parents together, taking them to the beach, to the park. Even when they were too young to appreciate them, Charlie's dad took them to museums and art exhibits where he worked and told them about the history of famous artists. Cleo and Charlie would listen, but they would bore easily. They made up nicknames for the artists, telling outrageous stories about each piece of art and making up their own history.

"Oh my god," Cleo breathed. "It's him."

"See? I told you I saw him."

"Are you gonna go talk to him?"

Charlie looked at her as if she had just suggested they perform a dance solo in front of the crowd. "Are you crazy? And say what?"

"I don't know, he's your dad!" Cleo retorted in a harsh whisper.

"It's not like I can tell him why we're here, can I?" they pointed out- and rightly so. They had to be careful and not speak to anyone for fear of being sniffed out.

Cleo looked back at Charlie's dad, still entertaining the group of people gathered around him. "So we're just gonna ignore the fact that you haven't seen him in years, and here we are at a ball for the Helopera and there he is?"

A thought formed in Charlie's eyes. "You don't think... he's..." they trailed off, leaving the heavy question hanging in the air between them.

Cleo shrugged helplessly. "I don't know, but unless you can figure it out in the next," another glance at her watch (boy was she glad to have that), "fifteen minutes, it's gonna have to wait."

Charlie poked their tongue around in their mouth, weighting out their very limited options. "Yeah. Yeah, you're right." They finally tore their eyes away from the scene and said, "Don't tell Andy, okay? Or anyone, for that matter. I need to figure this out first."

"And how are you planning on doing that?"

"I guess my mom and I are going to have an interesting conversation."

"How are you gonna tell her this without saying everything else?"

"No idea, I haven't decided yet," Charlie said, an eerie calm in their voice that told Cleo they were still processing. "Just promise me you won't say anything. For now."

Cleo bit her lip, not liking the fact that Charlie wanted to keep this a secret. But she couldn't say no. "Okay. I promise."

Gazing out again over the sea of people, Charlie grew silent, their eyes distant. Then they closed their eyes, shaking their head. "I always thought I'd be angry at him. If I ever saw him again."

After a pause, Cleo asked, "And now?"

They shrugged. "All I feel is confused."

Cleo suspected that her friend was feeling a whole lot more than just confusion, and the way Charlie's gaze always drifted back to their father confirmed it. She placed a hand on their shoulder.

"Come on. Staring at him isn't gonna make you feel better."

Charlie shuffled after Cleo as they made their way to the edge of the room. Out of sight of the familiar storyteller from their past, the two friends stood with their backs against the wall. Each was submerged deep in their own thoughts, worries, and nagging feelings. None of them were particularly positive.

Slowly, the time ticked towards their meeting time. It felt like the longest fifteen minutes of their lives. And that was saying something, since they had spent minutes that literally lasted hours.

Eager to do something, Cleo and Charlie headed to the entrance a couple minutes early. They tried their best to look like they were just wandering, simply looking for a place to stand instead of staying alert for an opportunity to slip out.

Due to their anxious and thoughtful states, their best was mediocre.