Where's Dad? (Future!Amy and Future!Charles)
"...we can go to the beach and build sandcastles, have a picnicky picnic, maybe we can make other people go with us! Like Auntie Steph, Uncle Joey--" "Charles Francis." Amelie interrupted her son with a chuckle. "You know your Uncle Joey isn't getting out of jail in two weeks. We are not going to help him escape." She turned the light switch on of a bedroom that had Star Wars figurines, comic books and other types of books on shelves, and some sort of airplanes and space exploration shrine. The young boy hopped onto his bed and started jumping on it. "Some day, I'm going to be in space. I'm going to reach for the stars, and I'm going to be the first man to land on a comet." he told his mother. He stopped jumping and sat down on the side of his bed. "Don't worry, mommy. If that won't happen, I'll lower my standards and become a pilot instead."
"Charles, has anyone ever told you that you're too smart for your own good?" Amelie asked her son with a smile. She walked over to a brown cabinet and looked for a certain pair of pajama pants that had airplanes on it. Charles made his own tradition where he would wear that pair of pajama pants to bed the night before his birthday. After she got a random shirt that would go with the pants, she closed the doors of the cabinet and gave the clothes to Charles. She sat down next to him as soon as he began changing into his pajamas. "Ma, you're the only person who's ever told me that." he replied after changing his shirt. When he was done changing into his pajamas completely, Amelie put the clothes her son wasn't wearing anymore into a hamper and put a blanket over him when he was already lying down on the bed. "Better go get some sleep, Captain." she told Charles softly. "We're going to celebrate your birthday tomorrow."
This made Charles sit up immediately with his face lit up. "We are? Are we going to have a party here?" he asked. Amelie could see the happiness in the boy's eyes as he asked her these questions. She pat his shoulder to signal him to lie down again. "Yes, we're going to celebrate it here, and everyone is going to be there. Well, everyone except your Uncle Joey and your grandmother."
"What about Bird Boy? Is he going to be there too?" His mother gave him a weak smile before shaking her head. "He's probably busy teaching at school tomorrow, love." she told him with a hint of sadness. She turned on the lamp on the nightstand and walked over to the light switch on the wall to turn it off. She bid the boy goodnight before turning around to exit the room. Suddenly, Charles said something that immediately caught her attention. "Mommy, why do I have to be home schooled? Why can't I go to a school like you did?"
Amelie faced her son again and walked to his bed. She slowly sat back down on the side of the bed and put her hand on his cheek. "It's dangerous to be out and about nowadays without having anyone else go with you, Charles." she sighed. "Maybe when you get to high school, I'll let you start going to school. But for now, you have your tutor, and he's teaching you well." When Amy thought he wasn't going to ask anymore questions, he spoke again. "I want to visit where you went to high school tomorrow. Nath teaches there, doesn't he? Maybe he can get him to stay at the party for a while." The young boy was silent for a few seconds. While watching her son think, she began to worry about the other things he would start asking now that he was getting older. Amelie wanted to stand up to let Charles sleep already, but he thought of something again. "You met dad in high school. I think you did because I heard someone mention how you and dad already had me in your last year. Where's dad?"
This statement caused the woman to freeze. What am I supposed to tell him? I'd give it a few more months until I tell him what happened to Rafe, but if I tell him any later, he'd probably want to run away from home or some worse shit. Her thoughts broke when she felt Charles take her hand. "Mommy," he said slowly. "Just for this birthday, can I get something I really really really want? The truth and only the truth?"
Just then, the digital clock beeped. It was midnight. Amelie's eyes were becoming watery, but like she always did around her son, she stopped herself from crying. She held onto his hand tightly and put a stern expression on her face. "I'll tell you the truth and only the truth if you promise not to let it bother you the whole day. I'll even let you visit Thompson tomorrow before the party starts." she said as calmly as she could. Charles nodded and made a motion saying 'cross my heart'.
Alright. This is it. She loosened her grip on his hand before clearing her throat. "...Your dad was killed in his sleep." she finally said; her voice cracking. She leaned down to kiss her son's forehead before standing up and turning to leave the room. "Happy birthday, Charles. I'm sorry." she whispered before opening the door and exiting the room. Charles shifted before closing his eyes. "I'm going to be strong, mom." he murmured. "I'm going to be happy and strong."
---
(Here's something to spoil the fun: Amy killed Rafe! Kidding.)