FictionPress.com - let the words flow| FictionPress.com - let the words flow |
| Home Just In Communities Forums Beta Readers Dictionary Search | Login Register Extras |
Wanted
Chapter 7
Charlie’s PoV
I couldn’t believe it at first. When I saw her at the door I didn’t recognize her until I got a good look at her face. I’d seen that face so many times in so many different ways, usually when she was in trouble. And tonight it sure looked like she was. But there was something different this time. This time, however, she looked miserable. Every time before I’d seen her as being nonchalant and uncaring as to the fact that she was in trouble. No this time she cared and obviously a lot.
Most people don’t realize this but police officers have to take psychology courses, sort of like living forensics so we can try to get through to tough people. It was obvious Laura hadn’t slept in quite a while and her lips were cracked even though her face was soaking wet meaning she hadn’t had much to drink, nor eat probably.
After she’d disappeared into the bathroom I decided to make her some tea to try and clam her down. She’d started crying inside my door and there was no Charlie with her and I began to worry. Had something happened to him? Was he hurt? Was he in trouble himself? A million thoughts of my younger brother being hurt or maimed in some way and dying ran through my head. I was so on edge that when I heard the bathroom door open I twitched remembering there was someone in the house with me.
“Laura, is that you?” I asked. That was stupid. Who did I think it was the boogey man?
“Yes.” She sounded so quiet, so far away. Yet when I put my head around the corner she was almost to the kitchen. I gave her the tea and had her sit on the small breakfast table and finished making the soup I’d started while she was changing. I could tell she needed nourishment because she was quite pale and her eyes had sunk it ever so slightly.
After fixing the soup and putting in front of her the phone rang. I knew it was going to be Gloria because we’d had a dinner date that evening. But with the thoughts of my brother being in trouble I felt this was more important. Besides, Gloria would understand.
After explaining to her that I would call and explain later I went back to Laura who was drinking the tea quietly.
“Care to explain why you’re here?” I didn’t mean for it to sound so nasty but God this woman had ruined the last family member I had left. I couldn’t help but be a bit angry towards her considering our past relationship.
“Not really. I came…I came to ask.” She stopped as if she was choking.
“To ask what?” I encouraged her. Now I was sure something was wrong with the way she was acting.
“Can I stay here? Just for tonight I promise.” She finished. Why would she need to spend the night? Where was Chad? Which was the very next question I asked.
“Where’s Chad?”
“Chicago, with his fiancé.” She blurted quickly as if she’d been rehearsing it and wanted to just get it out.
It took me a second to understand what she’d just told me. So he was dead or on the side of the road bleeding. I felt relived yet confused all at the same time. I asked her again just to make sure I’d heard her right and my mind wasn’t simply playing tricks on me.
“What?”
“Last month, he found this girl…” her voice started to fade.
“Oh my god!” he was all right praise god. I grabbed my head to keep everything inside. By the time I realized what I just been told I realized that Laura was crying. I wasn’t sure what to do with her now. Here my brother had obviously left her for someone else and she was very upset about it. Perhaps she just needed sleep. Perhaps I could let her stay the night.
I put my hand on her shoulder to get her attention. Her head didn’t move so I decided to move her to the living room where she would be more comfortable. She was nearly limp so I bent down and made her sort of fall onto me so I could carry her over to the sofa. Once I had her settled I kneeled in front of her so I could see if I could get any more information out of her.
“Laura…I’m so sorry.” What else could I say to her? Maybe I shouldn’t have said that but I was lost. “Just stay for a bit and relax, okay? It’s not good for you to be so upset; it can hurt you even worse.” What was I talking about? I had no idea what she was going through and here I was trying to help. But at the moment I was unsure and confused. So to try and save myself, and stop talking, I just patted her knee and went to get her some tissues for her face. I went back to the kitchen to leave her in peace and clean up. When I looked back at the sofa over the counter I saw her curled up on the sofa asleep.
She didn’t look peaceful or calm while she slept like I thought she would, most people seem to find comfort when their sleeping. But Laura was different. Maybe something bad had happened to her. Was it really just because Chad had left her for another girl? Surely she wasn’t the weepy type of girl who cried for weeks after a guy left her and took forever to get over things. Was she?
I went to the closet and grabbed a spare blanket and brought it back to the sofa. Laura was really out of it my goodness! When I moved her so that she was lying down rather than sitting up she didn’t even move. I covered her with the blanket and turned off the lights and went into my room to call Gloria back and explain.
“So you aren’t sure exactly what happened?” Gloria asked me. I was lying down on the bed telling her why I’d had to cancel tonight’s activity.
“Well it’s obviously because of my brother going off with some other girl.”
“Oh she must feel awful! How was she doing when she went to bed?”
“Pretty bad, she was crying and I had to carry her to the sofa. Hopefully tomorrow she’ll eat something and feel better. I’m really not sure what to do here Gloria. I’ve never been through something like this and I mean honestly am I mad that my brother left her? I didn’t want them together in the first place. Maybe it was a good thing that he left her.”
“Charlie, stop it! They were in love and you can’t change what happened. No matter what you think they ‘should’ have done you need to realize that it hurts her. If I left you for some other guy would you feel some remorse?”
“Yeah but I still don’t know what to do.”
“Shall I come over?” she sighed. Thank you for getting it Gloria.
“Please? How about around lunch time tomorrow? I’ll be at work so I’ll just let her know you’re coming to bring some food and comfort, okay?”
“That sounds fine Charlie. Are you going to bed now?”
“I think I might. So much excitement.” I wiped my face with my hand and took a deep breath.
“Well have a good sleep. I love you Charlie.”
“You too. Goodnight.”
I put the phone back in its holder and lay on the bed for a while longer trying to decide whether or not to let Laura stay longer. I guess I’d ask Gloria what she thought after meeting with her tomorrow.
“Hi, I’m Gloria.”
“Laura. You’re Charlie’s girlfriend aren’t you? What are you going to do? Calm me down?” what can I say I didn’t really like her. She was wearing a pink sweater for Christ’s sake. If she was here to try and make me feel better she was doing a lousy job.
“Yes and no. No meaning I’m not here to calm you down, that’s between you and yourself.” What the crap sort of answer was that? I’m miserable and I’m trying not to think about it. Apparently all I needed was a good night’s sleep and a plate of food to move from downright suicidal to just being plain old murderous to the rest of the world. Why was this bitch here in the first place?
“Listen, I don’t really feel like talking to people right now okay. You may think you’re doing me a favor but you’re not. Besides I’m trying to get out of here before Officer Spence comes back from work.”
“Well he said you could stay here another night. I think he wants to ask you a few questions about his brother. We haven’t heard from Chad since the two of you left and he’s been just in a state the entire time wondering about his baby brother. Don’t you have any siblings?”
“No, my parents divorced after they realized their mistake.” I didn’t have to say my name but I think she got it. I was not happy and if this girl wanted to hang around me in this state that was her own problem.
“It can’t be that bad. You just upset because of the breakup.”
“Breakup? What exactly did you hear? Let me tell you something lady, that was not a breakup. That was a man being an asshole and a complete dickhead. That was suicide on Chad’s part because I’M GOING TO FUCKIN’ KILL THAT PRICK!”
Complete silence. I like that.
I turned and walked towards the bathroom where my wet clothes had been left to dry and she didn’t follow me. I changed into my still damp clothes and got ready to leave. I was planning to go find David or someone else who could get me a place to stay. At this point I really didn’t care who it was as long as they had a pillow and food.
Just who did Spence think he was sending his girlfriend over to try and ‘comfort’ me? Did he think I needed that shit or something? I usually don’t swear so much, even in my head, but all this stuff that’s being going on around me has sent me on a search for words that begin to convey my thoughts and feelings. So far I think I’m getting somewhere.
I left the bathroom and I looked to see if Miss PinkandPerky was still out there. She wasn’t but I heard her talking in Charlie’s bedroom. Probably calling the SWAT team to come arrest me for being psychotic. I stood outside the door to try and see who she was talking to. After a few ‘Dear’s and ‘Love’s I figured it must be Charlie.
“No I think she needs real help. Yes I know what I said, I was wrong. No she’s really upset and I think it’s my fault for pushing her. I’m sorry to have to call you like this but I think she’s leaving. Okay, I will.” She hung up the phone and continued to sit on the bed for a while longer before getting up. I moved back to the living room to being getting my shoes on when she came out.
“Nice to have met you, hope we never have to meet again.” I snapped tying my laces. My shoes were cold, wet, and squishy from the rain last night.
“Charlie asked if you could wait for him. He said he’d be here in twenty minutes tops.” She told me meekly. The bitch must be downright scared of me now.
“What for?”
“I don’t know but he asked if you would wait for him. I’m going to head home…” because I don’t want to die. I finished for her.
“Fine I’ll wait, but he’d better have something intelligent to say or so help me God I’ll gut him.”
“Please don’t!” she cried. Wimp. “It’s not his fault. He’s nothing like Chad and he had nothing to do with what happened so please don’t take it out on him! He only wants to help.”
“Yeah, but maybe his help isn’t wanted. And I thought you were leaving.” She grabbed her purse off the table and left without looking at me.
I took off my shoes and sat down on the sofa. My clothes were slowing warming up and sticking to my skin making me feel slightly uncomfortable but I wanted to be ready to leave as soon as I was done with Spence.
I heard his car drive up and his footsteps coming up the stairs to the front door. It was unlocked so he walked right in. my face was stone hard and I was ready for whatever was about to come. But then his face was just standing there and the stone cracked.
His hair was just a little lighter than Chad’s and about the same length as the last time I’d seen him. his eyes were the same blue and that body… Oh God I couldn’t take the resemblance. Knowing that a face so similar to that one had just yelled those words at me. that a body just like that one had done those things to me. it was all too much and my heart sank. I could yell and hype at a girl in a pink sweater but I couldn’t do it to the guy who looked so much like Chad.
