Our boy

“I won’t sleep tonight.” Audrey says, throwing her purse across the room and tossing herself right on top the couch. She goes crashing into the cushions with a smile.

Audrey’s husband, Anthony, sighs, finishing up the dishes in the kitchen, “Why not, honey?”

”Because.”

Anthony chuckles, sliding a clean plate on the dish rack, “That’s not the answer I was looking for,” He says, “That’s not an answer at all, actually.”

Audrey huffs, peeking her head over the the couch, face barely seen, “Because my baby’s gonna be on TV tonight. I can’t miss it.”

“My sister said it’s at 3am, dear.” Anthony chuckles, drying his hands and turning the sink off, “It’s foolish to stay up that late. You need some rest.”

“I didn’t sit by his side as he studied the weather for the past 20 years just to miss his first ever broadcast,” She grins, flipping on the television even though it was only 5 in the evening, “I will not chance it.”

“Whatever you say.” Anthony chuckles, walking over. He leans over the far end of the couch, pecking his wife’s forehead, “I was going to cook some dinner soon. What would you like?”

”Anything’s fine.” Audrey responds, gaze burning into the television.

Anthony smiles, amused, “Or I can just order in.”

“Whatever you want.” Audrey says, “I’m fine with anything.”

About an hour or so later, the smell of Audrey’s favorite Chinese dish fans in front of her face as her husband places it in her hands, “Got your favorite,” He says, “Orange chicken and Teriyaki. Got you some noodles, too.”

Audrey pecks his lips, looking at him endearingly, “You’re an angel.”

She finishes her food thirty five minutes later.

“I can stay up with you, if you want.” Anthony insists.

“Oh gosh, no.” Audrey declines, pushing him towards their bedroom, “You worked like a dog today. The office was busy, I saw it when I dropped off your lunch today. You’re exhausted.”

“I’d hate for you to stay up alone.”

”Go to bed, baby. I’ll be fine. I’m a big girl.” Audrey insists, nudging him the best she can despite her position, body stuffed into numerous blankets and pillows, “Go get some sleep. Who knows? I might see you when you wake up for work.”

Anthony snickers, “Maybe,” He kisses his wife, “Goodnight. Call out to me if you need anything.”

“Will do.”

Audrey begins flipping through each and every channel until she lands on their local news. Her son isn’t on yet, obviously. But she decides to keep it on that specific channel for now. She didn’t want to risk losing it and missing her son’s weatherman debut.

It’s midnight when she labels her eyelids as droopy. She’s tired, yeah. But she sucks it up, rubbing at her eyes.

She rises to her feet 10 minutes later, carefully stepping along the hardwood of their kitchen floor as she makes her way over to the fridge.

She grits her teeth in a heavy cringe when the freezer door creaks as she tugs it open.

Quickly, she swipes the chocolate ice cream, one of her favorites, from one of the shelves, sliding open a nearby drawer to get a spoon as she heads back out into the living room.

She plops back down onto the couch in seconds, popping open the ice cream tub as she scoops at the sweet treat. She brings it to her lips, letting it sink onto her taste buds.

She all of a sudden feels wide awake again.

She finishes the ice cream at 1:45am.

In the time that she waits and waits and waits, she’s sure she watches every possible news chapter. From stolen vehicles and murders, to riots about unfair prices in America.

It’s 2am when she yawns deeper than ever before.

She can hear her husband snoring from across the house. It’s terribly frustrating, but she laughs softly nonetheless, glad that at least she had her own personal alarm to keep her awake. A constant one, at that.

It’s 2:30am when she catches her head bobbing up and down in fits of much needed sleep. She blinks as hard as she can, television blurry as she struggles to keep her eyes open.

It’s 2:50am when subtle hints of the news turn to mentions of weather. Audrey just about jumps out of her seat, suddenly feeling just as awake as she did when she sat over here before dinner.

She can hear footsteps behind her, doors being opened and closed and a sink being turned on. She can only assume it’s her husband getting ready for work.

So, she— “Anthony!”

Her husband comes running across the house in seconds, “Honey?” He asks in a worried tone, “What’s wrong?”

Audrey covers her mouth with her hand, free one pulling Anthony down until he’s sitting next to her. She can feel her eyes get hot, vision blurring as a couple tears roll down her face.

“Our boy.” She sniffles.

There, on the screen, was a picture of their beloved child, all smiley as he popped up right next to the woman who began to list this week’s weather.

“As you can see,” The woman drags her finger along each and every day of the week, “It will be sunny all week long. With a high of 80 degrees,” She explains, “Steven Janet, a bundle of Sunshine, as his parents called him, looks down on our small town as his smile beams down at us just as bright as the Sun.”

Big bold letters pop up next to their son’s stunning photo.

Steven Reme Janet.

January 4th.

1999–2023

“I am the aunt of Steven Janet, signing off in remembrance of this beautiful boy,” The woman on the television says, “My nephew always wanted to be a weatherman, so Steven, my beloved Steven, continue to shine the sky bright for us, okay? I know you won’t disappoint us. I, your father, Anthony, and your beautiful mother, Audrey, are eternally grateful for getting to love you with each and every day we had the stunning opportunity to have you with us, and we’ll continue to praise you from here on out.”

Audrey rests her head on her husband’s shoulder, sniffling, “That’s our boy.”

Anthony nods, crying just as hard as his wife, “That’s our boy.”