"Charley! Come on in. Are you hungry? My, you're so thin. We've got to get some meat on your bones. The kids are all here except for Vic and Mike." Viv, Mike's mom, said, opening the door at her house before I even knocked.
"Hi, Viv. You look great. How are you? How was Hawaii?" I smiled.
"Beautiful! I'm great!" She said, shutting the door. "Victor has been so excited that you're coming over. I think he likes you more than his actual children."
I laughed. "I haven't seen you guys in ages. I'm sorry I haven't been over, I've just been crazy busy."
"I hear you are. Mike told me something about the clinic?" She asked.
I sighed. "He wanted me to go back, so we went together last week and they told me I was too thin. They actually wanted me to go inpatient, but I am so not going back there. I'll be okay."
"Is that Charley I hear?" Victor, Mike's dad, called as I followed Viv into the kitchen.
"Papa Fuentes!" I grinned. "It's been ages."
"It's my favourite sister-in-law!" Mike's brother Frank said.
"Hey, Frank. Emily." I smiled at his brother and sister.
"We've got to feed Charley. Okay, sit down and I'll get you something to eat." Viv said. "Victor, get the girl a beer!"
"I got Corona just for you." He said.
"Did you get the limes and salt?" I laughed.
"Of course. I'm hurt that you think I wouldn't." He teased.
"What are you doing for Christmas?" Emily asked.
"Oh, I have a flight leaving tomorrow night for Australia. I'm actually shooting a documentary and I have a lot of meetings and stuff there." I shrugged.
"All alone on Christmas?!" Viv cried.
"The only person I'd spend it with is in," I thought about the tour schedule, "Raleigh."
"Bless your heart. We didn't like that Charlotte girl, did we, Victor?" Viv asked.
"Oh no." He shook his head.
"He would bring her over and I would say, 'damn it, Victor, we need Charley back! We need him to marry that girl!'" She continued.
I laughed. "I seriously love you guys."
"I'm getting a Skype call from Vic." Emily said from her laptop. I scooted my chair over so that I was on camera.
"Look who it is!" Vic grinned.
"Who is it?" Mike called from off-camera.
"Who do you think, idiot?" Vic rolled his eyes. "Hi, Charley."
"Charley?" Mike was visible in less than a second. "Hi, Charley."
"Hi, Mike." I smiled, not taking my eyes off his face. "I miss you a lot."
"I've been stuck with these losers. I miss you more than you can imagine." Mike rolled his eyes.
"Thanks. Thanks a lot." Vic said.
"You guys aren't in the Christmas spirit, are you?" I laughed.
"It's not Christmas without my Charley bear." Mike pouted.
"I have a surprise for you though." I smiled mischeviously. "But I'm not telling you what it is. How's my dear cousin?"
"He wants to beat me up." Mike sighed.
"I'm sorry." I bit my lip.
"Mike! We have to go! We're due on stage!" Tony yelled.
Mike sighed. "I won't be able to concentrate, you know. I'll be thinking about you."
"Go out there and do a good job for me, okay? I love you." I smiled, wishing we could be together.
"I love you too." He smiled, ending the session and leaving me more lonely than ever.

Notes

love you guyssss