Camry In Tissue Land

A Mad Plan

• Alfred J. Rotheous •

I am getting out of the elevator when my phone rings.

An unknown number.

"Yes?"

"BABE? AL?"

Charlie.

"Why are you screaming?" I nod at Samantha and walk over to my cabin.

"Why are you picking up Cam's phone?"

Oh, he was calling Camry.

"He asked me to hold onto it. I set up a call forward. Why aren't you calling from your phone?"

"I'm at a colleague's desk. Wanted to ask Cam something work related. Will call you in a minute, yeah?"

"Okay."

I end the call and sit down with a sigh.

Charlie left before I woke up. I just remember him kissing my head and murmuring something. Most likely 'I love you.'

He is very strict about it. They are always the second last thing before his bye. He started it when we were fifteen. We were watching a show where the dad went into a coma and the last thing the son told him was I hate you. That evening before Charlie left for the day he clutched my face and told me I love you so fiercely even mom forgot to tease him.

He kisses my head mostly when I am sleeping. I can't pinpoint the year he started the kissing custom. Today morning was one of those hazy ones. I was half way between wakefulness and drowsiness to remember his kiss.

Yesterday Camry and I went back to bed when it was four thirty. We watched a car race show that I saw no point in watching while we finished our ice creams. I don't remember when I actually slept. Camry was still asleep when I left for office.

I still have the grumpiness caused by my inadequate sleep.

I'm two hours late to work but I can't muster any brain power to care.

The day drags with a hundred ton stone around its neck.

My phone goes off with Charlie's call when I was about to scream at my monitor in frustration. Four hours. His one minute is four hours.

"Hi, babe."

My frustration dissolves and my shoulders relax. Some days his voice is the only cure to my irritation. Some days I don't mind showing my appreciation.

"Thank you."

"Why?" There is a smile in his voice.

I aim for something more. "You saved my monitor."

"How?" For some reason he whispers.

I put on my airpods and set the phone down on the table. "I was planning to throw a paperweight at it."

He chuckles. "Why?"

I aim a bit higher. "One class and two meetings, now I want to go home."

My ear fills with the sound of his laughter. "Now you are talking like the rest of us mortals. Welcome to the corporate world. Under which rock were you living till today?"

My lips give way to a smile. The happy sound of his laughter can cure any malady of mine. "Something is off today."

I left a certain someone alone with my freezer full of ice cream.

I want to join him and help him finish another tub while watching something utterly useless like fast running cars.

Tomorrow he'll move to his new flat.