Short Story

Warnings in the Wind
January 24th. Today is Michael's 32nd birthday. Even with the dark, gloomy weather that usually comes this time of year, nothing can ruin the excitement I have for tonight's birthday dinner. We have plans to meet at this beautiful restaurant on Main Street, Martha’s Exchange. It started as just a candy shop in 1936 and has now grown into a full eatery and brewery, with little pieces of history throughout the place. Very fancy, which also means very expensive. So we agreed to keep it for a special occasion. I just can’t decide what I want to wear. We've been looking forward to tonight for so long I can’t just dress casually. My Uber is ten minutes away, and that’s only making me ten times more stressed. I quickly throw on a short black dress, take the rollers out of my hair, which reveal beautiful effortless blonde curls, and throw on my winter boots. I’m not naive to the fact that the boots throw off the entire outfit, but it’s the middle of winter in New England for Christ’s sake. I’m in such a rush to catch my Uber that I almost forget to say goodbye to Church, the newest addition to the family. A little black Persian kitty that Michael got me last week to keep me company while he’s away on those long business trips. We agreed on Church thanks to our mutual love of Stephen King. As silly as it may sound, she’s helped me more than I expected. Cats really do seem to have a sixth sense and know when you’re struggling. Just having her around has brought me so much comfort, and we’ve become best friends in such a short amount of time. I say my goodbyes, quickly throw on my winter jacket and scarf, and hop into my Uber.
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"The clock has struck three, the coffee is cold, and the shadows are beginning to speak. Welcome back to the desk of The Night Writer, where the stories are brewed in the dark." “You’re home late.” “I know. Sorry.” “Where were you?” “Just…with friends.” “‘Just with friends’ doesn’t usually smell like stale cigarette smoke and desperation. And cheap cologne.” “Mom.” “Don’t ‘Mom’ me. Your clothes. And your eyes are red. Were you crying?” “No.” “Don’t lie to me, Michael. I see everything. You think I don’t? Because I’m working two jobs? Because I’m not always right here?” “I know you see things.” “Good. So, tell me. What’s going on?” “Nothing. Just a bad day.” “Bad day? Or bad choice of friends?” “They’re not bad.” “The ones who let you come home smelling like that? Like a dive bar? That’s not how I'm raising you.” “I didn’t do anything.” “Then why the tears? Why the hiding?” “I wasn’t hiding.” “You walked in like a cat trying to avoid a wet floor. What happened, son?” “It’s…it’s complicated.” “Life is complicated, Michael. You think I don’t know that? Raising you alone in this city? Trying to make sure we don’t lose this apartment? Complicated is my middle name. So, try again.” “Mom, I…I need to tell you something.” “Okay. I’m listening. My hands are full right now, but I’m listening. Just…speak up. The rice is boiling over.” “It’s about…about me.” “Everything’s about you at sixteen. That’s how it works. So what’s the big news? You failed a test? You got someone pregnant? Please, God, don’t tell me that.” “No! No, nothing like that.” “Then what? You want to drop out of school? Go chase some foolish dream in another state? I told you, Michael, college is the way out of this neighborhood.” “It’s not about college.” “Then what is it about? Just spit it out. You’re making my blood pressure rise. And I’m tired, Michael. So tired.” “I…I like someone.” “Oh. That’s… that’s good, son. Finally. Took you long enough. Who is she? Is she nice? Is she from a good family? Does she make you happy?” “It’s not a she, Mom.” “What? What do you mean ‘not a she’?” “I like…a boy.” “A…a boy?” “Yes. A boy.” “Michael. What are you saying?” “I’m saying…I think I’m gay.” “Gay.” “Yes, Mom. Gay.” “You…you can’t be. You’re…you’re my son. My only son. We’re…we’re not…this isn’t…” “It is, Mom. It’s me.” “No. No, it’s not. This is just…confusion. You’re young. You’re sixteen. You don’t know anything yet.” “I know this.” “You don’t. You spend too much time on that internet. Seeing things. Reading things. This city, it fills your head with…with ideas.” “It’s not an idea, Mom. It’s how I feel.” “How you feel? Feelings change, Michael. Like the weather. One minute it’s hot, the next it’s raining. This is just a phase. You’ll meet a nice girl. Get married. Have children. Give me grandchildren.” “I might not do any of that.” “You will. Because that’s what we do. That’s what our family does. You think your grandfather would understand this? Your aunties? They’d…they’d have a fit.” “I don’t care what they’d think.” “You will care when they stop calling. When they stop inviting us to Sunday dinner. When they look at you like… like you’re something broken.” “I’m not broken, Mom.” “Then what are you?” “I’m… me. And I just wanted you to know...do you think I'm broken, Mom?” "You're my son, broken or not...you're my son!" "Okay." “Well, I…I don’t know what to do with this, Michael. I just…I need to think.” “Okay.” “Just…don’t tell anyone. Not yet. Not your friends. Not your…not that boy. Promise me.” “Mom.” “Promise me, Michael! Please. Just give me some time.” “Okay. I promise.” “Good. Now, the rice is definitely burning. Can you get the pot off the stove? And open a window. It smells like…like something died in here.” “Sure, Mom.” “And…and tell me about this boy. Is he…is he nice to you?” “He is, Mom. Really nice.” “Hmm. We’ll see. Now, go. And maybe…maybe next time, don’t come home smelling like that.” “I won’t. I promise.” “Good. Now, pass me that dish towel. And don’t burn yourself.” Sometimes the most terrifying monsters aren't the ones in the closet, but the fears we carry in a quiet kitchen after a long shift. Michael and his mother are still standing—the air is a bit heavier, the rice is a bit scorched, but the truth is finally in the room. In the city of shadows, even a small light can feel blinding. "The sun is threatening to rise, and my ink is running dry. Until the next moonrise, keep your lights on and your secrets close. This has been The Night Writer."
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