"If you don't shave that thing off you face, I'm doing for you." Kyle reached out as if to tug it off his face and Jake bat his hand away.
"Why does it bother you so much? It's none of your business!" Jake snapped, while stroking his goatee with three fingers protectively.
"That's the thing, it is my business." Kyle exclaimed. "I have to look at it every day and it's not even even. You know I have so seriously bad OCD problems." He reached up, grabbing a piece of his dark brown hair and started rolling it between his pointer finger and thumb. A terrible habit he'd developed when he was younger.
"I know and I am sorry, if I could get rid of it I would." Jake exhaled; walking through the house towards the kitchen he whispered, "But I wouldn't get to see you anymore."
"Why can't you get rid of it? If you give me a good reason I promise to stop bugging you about it." Jake opened the fridge pulling out the chicken he had been thawing out. Turning around he smiled at Kyle, who had jumped onto the counter while his back was turned, swinging his legs back and forth. A carefree smile crossing his face and warmth shining through his forest green eyes.
Really, it's nothing to concern yourself with. Now what do you want with your chicken?" He inquired, shuffling through the cupboards and pantry. "We have rice, potatoes, KD or pasta. Ooo, what about chicken alfrado?" Looking over his shoulder he could see Kyle was getting really annoyed.
"Jake, I really won't stop bugging you so just tell me." Kyle whined in an almost girly way. The bag of fettuccini noodles started to slip from Jakes hands. "Tell me, tell me, tell me, tell, tell me, tell me, tell me, pleeeeeeeease."
Unable to take it anymore he howled, "If I shave it off then I won't be able to see you anymore. Is that a good enough reason, are you happy now?"
Kyle's eyes started misting over and his hands started slightly shaking. His voice had a slight quiver to it, "What are you talking about? What does your uneven goatee have to do with seeing me? Jake what's going on?" He kept asking questions, gripping the counter he tried to stop his hands from shaking.
"Kyle, you're in a coma and have been for the last three months. None of this is real, It's just an image I have telepathically implanted in your head and the only reason I can do this is because this uneven goatee gives me psychic powers."
"Hahaha, psychic powers," Kyle tried to smile and hold back the tears that were trying to force their way out. "Come on Jake, don't joke. Now, what's the real reason?" Furiously he tried to wipe them away, failing miserably.
One moment they were silently having a staring contest in their newly renovated kitchen, in the next one they were standing on a beach somewhere in California. The sun just starting to set on the horizon, turning the sky shades of red, orange, yellow, pink and purple.
"Now do you believe me." Tears were now streaming down both boys faces.
"How?" being the only word to get passed Kyle's lips in the state he was in.
"How did you get in a coma or how did i get psychic powers?" Jake questioned, Sitting down in the sand.
"Both."
"Well, we were having the usual friday night family dinner and mom forgot whipped cream for the pie and sent you out. Pop's car stalled in an intersection and you were hit. As for me, the company i work for wanted to try something and I agreed. Woke up the next morning with this thing and psychic powers. I got telepathy, telekinesis and apportation but only if I don't shave off this uneven goatee," jake explained, wiping his face with the palm of his hands.
"How are mom and dad." He asked, walking towards the water he crouched down to watch a small hermit crab scuttle along the edge before being swept away by a wave of water.
"They're alright, slowly they are going back to normal."
"You know, I still think you should shave that thing off." Kyle laughed looking back at his other brother.
~~~
Getting up from the seat next to Kyle's hospital bed he whispered quietly before leaving the room with a smile on his face," don't sleep for too much longer." Looking at Kyle's face he could swear his lips had slightly curved up into a smile.
With one last good bye he left the hospital; walking into a random Shopper's store he smiled at the woman behind the till and asked, "which isle are the razors located? It's about time I shave this uneven thing off."