You Promised

To day I woke up feeling better. Everything I was concerned about was gone. My mind was blank and it made me feel better. I just hope it stays blank for the rest of the day. Thought I doubt it. This is just a side effect of a good night of sleep. You get one or two minutes after you wake up when you don’t know or care. I wish I could stay blank minded for the rest of the day.

“Good morning!” Vincent shouted bursting into my room. So much for blank minded.
“Go away!” I said hiding my face on the pillow.
“Come one! You’ve slept all morning and Quinn’s here!”
“What’s he doing here?” I asked. I’m surprised he understood, it was not only being whispered but it was muffled the pillow too.
“He wants to go shopping for birthday presents.” He said as if I was being stupid and dumb. As if it was something he would do if a birthday was coming, but he must remember that I forgot.
“For who?”
“Dan.”

Blank stare from me.
Blank stare back.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Dan’s the The Used drummer. His birthday it’s in two days.”
“Gimme 5 minutes.” He didn’t answer but left.

“I’m ready.” I announced when I walked into the kitchen.
Quinn and Vincent were sitting at the table. They looked at me, then at each other and then at me again and then nodded to each other and looked at me once again.
“What?” I asked.

“Your mom called.” Vincent said. I felt weird at the word mom. A mother accepts their children no matter what they are or what they look like.
“She’s not my mom. What did she want?”
“She didn’t want to say. She asked me to tell you to call her when you could.” I thought for a moment. Did I really want to call her? What’s the point in doing so? So she can tell me how awful I am? So she can make sure I know being gay is wrong and sick, so she can once more tell me I’m not her son anymore?
“I think you should.” Quinn said. I bit my lip so I wouldn’t be rude with him, just becausemy mother Linda makes me mad it doesn’t mean I can take it out on Quinn. He has been a great friend and is only trying to help. If she wants me to call her I will. But I’m not saying what she wants to hear. She’s going to hear all the freaking truth and I’m not going to watch my tongue next to her.
“I think I might.”
“Do it now, otherwise you’re going to be thinking about it all day and it won’t even be fun. Shopping has got to be fun.” Quinn said. I guess he had coffee then. I nodded and walked to the phone.

“What did you want?” I asked as soon as someone answered the phone.
“Sorry?” This is not my mother.
“Who are you?”
“I’m Keith. Who are you?”
“I’m Frank. The person Linda gave birth too. Can I talk to her?”
“Frank? Oh, I’m your mom’s boyfriend.” I rolled my eyes. First I didn’t ask and second she’s not my mother.
“Yeah, yeah, can I talk to Linda?”
“Hum, sure.” He said. I could hear him calling her.
“Frank, I’m happy you called.”
“What did you want?”
“I want to talk to you.”
“I’m listening.”
“No, no. I want you to come here so we can talk properly.”
“Okay, I’ll pass by tomorrow or something.” I agreed and hung up.

“How did it go?” Vincent asked. I shrugged.
“She wants me go see her tomorrow.”

“What do you think of this one?” Quinn asked me holding up a t-shirt.
“I don’t know what Dan likes, I don’t even know him.” I said for the ninth time. Vincent has brought his present hours ago and helped me choose mine hours ago. Quinn’s taking too long. Vincent got tired and decided to go get a coffee. I wanted to go with him but Quinn said he needed someone to help him choosing.
Quinn sighed putting the t-shirt down. He looked at me.
“Frank?”
“Yeah?”
“What’s wrong?” I start to think this is his favourite question. Or maybe he just knows how to read me too well.
“I’m just a little worried about how the talk with my mother is gonna be tomorrow.”
“Don’t worry, whatever she says won’t matter because you’re always gonna have me and Vincent and we know more than her.” He said brushing a lock of hair off my face.
“Thanks.” I felt so good when I was with Quinn. He always made it better and always knew what to say. I wish I could take him with me tomorrow. Well, maybe I can.
“Are you free tomorrow?” I asked.
“Yeah, why?”
“Because I want you to come with me to talk to Linda.”
“Who’s Linda?”
“My mother.” I spat.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea. She wants to talk to you, not us.”
“I don’t care what she wants. I need you there. Please?”
“Okay.”