In Bloom

Family Dinner

Time flew by faster than expected.

Switching between figuring out his future and keeping in touch with his family was clearly foreign territory for Beta. A week has passed since his meet up with Charlie - keeping a steady conversation going with the older man was a little difficult for the most part, since a thirty-two year old and nineteen year old did not have all too much in common life wise. But they both still somewhat kept in touch here and there.

His mother had managed to find him a small and simple job he could fulfill without his depression completely rolling him into the ground. Unfortunately, his therapy session did not start as of yet - but Beta kept calm, it will all work out at the end.

There was a special school for hairstylists in the area, fortunately. Thinking about it made a small smile creep onto his lips.

But nonetheless, that is all in the past - it is now time to focus on the present. Today is Thanksgiving. It was time for this dreadful day, he was forced to meet up with his final family member...

Beta stirred, looking down from the notebook in which he was writing as he felt a notification buzz from his phone. He knew that his mother had told him to put his phone on mute when he was working on his hobbies, for it would only distract him, but his curiosity won the better of him.

It was Charlie. He wondered how far he was even from getting here.

"Hey Beta, I'm wondering, what is some of your favorite food for Thanksgiving? I'm new to this holiday..."

"i like when my mom makes ham but you cant eat that lol"

"Yeah, it is frustrating that the main courses are all not vegan. Good thing I'm bringing some of my own food! Maybe you could try some ..."

"that shit probably will be gross"

"Haha, don't you want to try something your brother made?"

"al made it? the hell?! that bitch always refused to learn to cook for us because he said one day he was going to get a housewife to do it for him"

"Oh God, would you believe that was one of the reasons he listed that he wouldn't be with a guy?"

"i canttt"

"But really, it isn't a big deal! To make Al do what you want to do, you just have to convince him that it is his idea."

"omg charlie that sounds pretty manipulative... fjsjjdjsj"

": )"

"OMg-"

"Listen, I'm joking!"

The teen laughed to himself for a moment, putting his fingers to his forehead in disbelief. Who would have thought that ol' sweet Charlie had such a sense of humor? It was right up his alley!

"But hey Beta, don't worry about talking to your brother. It will go well. I'll even be there if you need me!"

Alpha. God, no matter how many times Charlie told him that it was going to be just fine - Beta didn't believe that at all. The older man told him that he explained to Alpha pretty much everything about their conversation, that now he was invited to his wedding. This wasn't good, Beta knew that Al didn't want him there.

He looked back at the phone and was about to write a reply, something similar in these lines - mostly degrading Alpha, but unfortunately, his mother's voice made his fingers freeze;

"Beta, get out of your room! It's family time today!"

"Mom-" Beta called back, not standing up, "I'm talking to Charlie over the phone! Doesn't that count?"