Chapter 4:
Hey guys! Not happy with this one at all, but thought rather than keeping you guys waiting, I'd just upload it…
CHARLIE'S P.O.V
I yawned, as I woke up and got out of bed and slowly moved to put my dressing gown on and make a coffee. I stepped back a little, walking past the lounge that had Brax's sleeping body lying on it. I had completely forgotten that he stayed over the night, to make sure I wasn't going to do anything stupid.
I boiled the kettle, and stood waiting for it to finish. The slight noise, obviously woke Brax. As I watched him stretch his arms out on the lounge, before stumbling up and noticing I was watching him.
"Coffee?" I asked, he nodded back as he came and sat over to me and hoped up onto the bench, across from where I was standing.
"Did you sleep okay Charlie?" He asked, obviously referring back to last night, when I had told him the truth, about Ruby being my daughter rather then sister.
"Not really. I tossed and turned most of the night. When those memories are stirred up, I have a hard time, thinking about it. I hate it and I always try to forget. I realise it is something that is always going to linger for me though."
"Your really brave. You know that? The determination to continue on with everything and not let it beat you…" He spoke, meaningfully. I smiled and nodded. As I breathed out heavily and sighed.
"I'm going to have to go and tell Ruby. If I don't tell her soon, she is never going to listen or speak to me ever again. She's raw from finding out and no matter how much it pains me, she has to know."
"Do you want me to come or something?"
"No. This is something that I need to do on my own. It help telling you last night, and finally being able to tell someone, other than Mum and Dad, while I was pregnant."
He nodded, as we sat/stood in silence finishing our coffees, before I put the cups in the sink and headed off to have a shower and explain the truth I've been hiding for 15 years to Ruby. Brax headed off, shortly after. It took convincing though, I guess he still didn't believe I was fully okay.
RUBY'S P.O.V
I heard a knock at the door, after getting home literally 5 minutes, from visiting the diner for lunch. I dragged myself to the door and swung it open, to find Charlie standing there.
"What are you doing here? Thought I made things pretty clear how I felt yesterday at the beach."
"I'm here because there is something I haven't told you yet. I've been putting it off for a while now, but I realise you have a right to know, I guess"
"What could that possibly be?" I asked, my voice ringing with sarcasm.
"Can I come in? I'd rather not stand in a door way , while you contemplate slamming the door any second in my face?" I rolled my eyes, as I opened it up and led the way to the lounge, where she sat on the lounge, obviously expecting me to sit there next to her. That definitely was not going to happen though, so I made my way to the arm chair.
30 MINUTES LATER:
I felt tears run down my eyes, as I stared at Charlie, aimlessly. I found out she was my mum, just over a week ago now. I never thought to think how Charlie must have felt giving birth and having that repsonsibilty on her own.
"You were what?" I asked, my mouth shivering slightly, once I had finally mustered up the courage to speak.
"I'm so sorry for not telling you Ruby. Believe me when I say that you are the best thing that has ever happened to me." She managed to get out. I could tell she was trying to be strong, obviously for my sake, she was struggling to keep it together though.
"Where is he? Did you report him?
"Yeah that's the other thing… I was so young when it happened. I didn't know what to do or who to tell. I was 15 years old. I stayed quiet for a few months, before I started to realise i was gaining weight way to fast, even though I lived off junk as comfort food, that's when I told Mum and Dad. He showed up a few years ago, in town. I told Dad, and he uh... killed him."
"Dad killed him" I whispered looked up at her in disbelief. Mum, Dad and Charlie never acted like they had done anything wrong. They were always happy, smiling, caring and continuously told me how proud and how much they loved me.
"Yes. You were at the boarding school for 6 months- remember? We dealt with it all then. I confessed everything to the police, when Dad was questioned. He managed to get off." I nodded, not feeling the need to ask anything else.
I can't believe I was oblivious to this the whole time. At this point in time, I didn't know whether to be angry at Charlie for not telling me or sympathetic towards her, because she told me the truth, which I can tell was not an easy thing for her to do. All these different emotions ran through my head, as I tried to process everything she had just told me.
I sat in silence not wanting or even knowing what to say. Charlie obviously didn't either, as she wiped her tears away and tried to fix her makeup that was now all over her.
"Rubes, I can see that you need some time. I know it's big, that's one of the reasons I didn't want to tell you. That's a lot for you to accept and know. I'm going go and give you some time. Whenever you want to talk or whatever, just call or text me okay?" I nodded, as she quietly and slowly stood up and left. I remained on the lounge, plonking my head onto the pillow beside me.
CHARLIE'S P.O.V
I walked down the road, aimlessly, taking in the cool breeze, as I thought about how my morning had transpired. I saw a black Ute, drive past then slow down and pull over to the side of the road, a few metres from me. I would have been scared and a little nervous, but I quickly realised who it was, after he took me for lifts around town occasionally.
I went to the passenger side, as he wound the window down. "Charlie?" He asked, as I quickly wiped the tears that were continuing to fall, away.
"I told Ruby everything." He didn't need to know anything else. He already knew what I was talking about. He quickly got out of the car turning it off, then came around to the passenger side where I stood and hugged me tightly.
"You did the right thing. She needed to know the truth." He whispered in my neck.
"I know, it was just hard telling her and reliving it all again. It made it easier, that I told you though first. It was good to get it all out."
"Thank you for trusting me." I smiled as he held my head firmly into his chest. I don't know why, but I always feel completely safe whenever I'm with him.
Brax took me home shortly after. Angelo's was having entertainment and DJ's for the night, so I told Brax I'd meet him there.
As 7 PM approached, I heard someone knock on the door. I had just finished straightening my hair and applying my smoky eye makeup. I went curiously and opened the door, wondering who it was. I smiled straight away, when Brax stood in front of me.
"What are you doing here? You're supposed to be working!"
"Yeah I know that's the fun part of owning the place though. I get to come and go whenever I want. So I have come to pick you up. And may I add... You look absolutely gorgeous by the way. Wow"
I felt myself blush slightly, as Brax stared down at me and my purple dress I was wearing.
"Charlie are you blushing?" Brax asked. I shook my head, looking elsewhere in the room, trying to avoid his gaze.
"You are so." He laughed. "No need to be embarrassed, you seriously look amazing." I smiled looking up as him, as he continued to laugh slightly at my red cheeks.
"Let me get my purse and we can go yeah?" I watched as Brax stood at the door patiently waiting. We walked together down the stairs, before he opened his car door for me, and shut it once I was in.
"Such a gentlemen, thank you. What have I done to deserve this?" I wondered out loud, as he started the car and starting driving.
"Just you being you." He grinned back. We soon arrived at Angelo's. As we walked in, people were everywhere. I could tell that Brax was happy, because of all the people there. He led me through the crowd of people and got me a seat at the bar, directly in front of where he next moved too.
He slowly poured me a wine, and handed it to me. "How much do I owe you?"
"Nothing. It's on the house. That's the other fun part about owning the place. I can give freebies out to my friends and family."
"You really know how to make a girl feel special!" I laughed.
3 HOURS LATER:
By now, I had, had a couple of wines and I was enjoying myself. A guy named Josh offered to dance with me. He was really boring and luckily Brax got the message with the faces I was pulling and rescued me.
"Your so drunk Charlie, I'm taking you home!" Brax laughed as I hobbled to the bar and sat.
"You care about me? That's nice!"
"Of course I care about you Charlie. I wouldn't let anything happen to you." He replied taking my hand and letting me lean on him for support as we left Angelo's together.
BRAX'S P.O.V
I smiled slightly, as I turned as noticed Charlie asleep in the seat next to me, as I pulled into the motel block she was staying at. She stirred and woke up, when I lifted her and starting walking up the stairs and unlocking the door. "Brax" She whispered groggily, rubbing her eyes.
"Yeah it's me.. I'm just going to put you on the bed" I replied laying her down and pulling her stiletto's off her.
"You're really, really hot you know that. I mean like really hot." She told me quietly. I laughed as she grabbed my neck, pulling me down and kissed me softly. If she wasn't drunk, I wouldn't have pulled away. She was though, and I wasn't going to take advantage of that, knowing she may regret it in the morning.
"I'm going to let you get some sleep alright. There's some paracetamol next to you, take it in the morning… I'll come back and see how you are tomorrow morning" I told her before quietly leaving and shutting the door, my thoughts running through how beautiful she looked tonight.