To You and Back

Bonus Part 4 To You and Back

A month of preparations culminated in a farewell party. His friends and coworkers rented out a restaurant and spent the evening toasting Peter, his success, and his future endeavors. Each time he would seek out Charlie in the crowd, but each time blue eyes would avoid his, leaving him feeling defeated rather than celebrated.

As the evening progressed, and the partygoers became drunker, Charlie slipped out of the restaurant's entrance and stood on the curb in the cooling air, breathing the scents of heated asphalt, food, and car exhaust. He looked not up at the strip of sky visible between the tall buildings, but down, at the platinum ring on his left hand as he slowly twisted it back and forth.

"You okay?"

Charlie looked up at the hand on his shoulder into the face of his brother. "No," he said. "But I will be, I suppose."

Michael squeezed his shoulder. "Is there anything I can do?"

Charlie shook his head, his gaze returning to his hand.

Michael let a few beats of silence pass. "Where are you staying? You're welcome to come stay with us."

"Thanks. But I still need to pack and ship some things after Peter." A pause. "He said the apartment was mine if I wanted it. But..."

"Yeah." Michael glanced at his brother out of the corner of his eye. "I know I've asked this before, but...why aren't you going with him, again? I know he asked you to."

Charlie sighed. Looking up, he slipped his hands into his pockets and turned his gaze upwards. "I can't," he said. "My life is here. My career is now beginning. My family—you and Jane and my niece. I want to be here to be a part of that, to be a brother-in-law and an uncle. If I leave, I would be leaving only for him, and any resentment would be aimed at him." A mirthless, breathy laugh. "If he stays, he'll resent me; if I go, I'll resent him. Aren't we a pair?"

"A pretty good one, too."

Charlie smiled. Silence fell between them, as behind they heard the loud cheers of yet another toast.

**

The three of them stood at the airport, just before the gates. Peter embraced his best friend of more than twenty years tightly. "The first time I went to Paris," he said into the other man's shoulder, "you were with me. Backpacking, hitchhiking, and hostels were our lives back then."

"Life has changed, my friend," Michael replied, smiling as he gripped his friend. "But I'm still with you—wherever you go."

Peter's arms tightened, then let go, and he stood back with a smile. "Remember that when I call in the middle of the night because I've forgotten the time difference," he said, making the other man laugh.

Michael stepped back. Dark eyes sought, and this time found, blue. Charlie took his brother's place in Peter's arms, and the two stayed that way for long moments, saying nothing. Everything had already been said. The night before, they had sat on the balcony of Peter's apartment and watched the sun rise over the city for the last time together.

"I guess we can take these off now," Peter had murmured, touching his ring with his thumb on the same hand. "Do I have to?"

"Yes," Charlie had said, his face half lit by golden light, half in shadow. "We're not...what they mean anymore."

Peter had nodded, and slowly, as the sun crested fully and bathed the balcony in light, they slowly twisted the twin platinum bands off their fingers.

The voice over the PA announcing boarding of his flight sounded. Peter and Charlie parted, then kissed. "Don't look back," Charlie whispered.