Chapter 18

Charlie stayed for about a month in the hospital. His professors leveled with him and understood his condition. He tried to stay on top of his studies while he was there. He rested a lot when he wasn't studying or doing a live video call with his professor.

I stayed on track of my studies as well. The difference was I was perfectly fine so I actually had to go to class no matter how badly I wanted to stay with Charlie. I was going to take summer courses just to catch up. What happened with Ghostfreak really put my Dad on edge. I saw him more often. He watched over me even when I didn't need him too. It was like I was in high school again. I knew he was scared, so I tried to respect him. He hasn't been the same since the incident. Deanna was now 10 weeks pregnant. She was the same size I was before I miscarried. She didn't look pregnant either, just like I did. I hope what happened to me doesn't happen to her.

It was the last week of April and Charlie was going to be discharged. They wanted to keep an eye on his sugar while he was there. They were afraid of his heart stopping again. I was afraid of that too. Each time I visited him I never knew if I'd see him the next time. Though each time I came in he was sitting up in bed with his laptop.

"Hey sweetie..." I said as I entered the room. I put my purse and my backpack down in a chair. I smiled at him.

"Phew...it's a scorcher out there today, must be at least 90...are you doing okay, you know today's the day...the day I get to take you home."

"I know."

We smiled at each other and he pecked my lips.

Before he said anything else, another nurse I've never seen before came to Charlie's floor. She helped Charlie get dressed, and then eased him into a wheelchair. I watched from behind her. Charlie whinced as his back hit the chair.

"Charlie..."

"Are you alright Charlie?" The nurse asked sweetly.

Charlie exhaled painfully.

"I...I'll be okay."

The nurse smiled and fixed his bed.

"Did you sign his forms?"

"Yes mam."

"Well then Charlie, you're all set to go...I hope to see you out there back on your feet...you made quite the recovery."

Once we were finally home, I gave Charlie two of his pain pills and put him in our bed. He went right to sleep. Once the semester was over for Charlie, he finally got the rest he deserved. We sort of swapped. Instead of him going out everyday, I was going out everyday. I spent more hours away from home then I really wanted. Between the pizza place and summer school I was always running. Charlie healed up in my absence. He was up and moving again. It was a miracle. Each time I saw him he was getting better and better. Charlie is one of the strongest people I know.

He and I bought the house I picked out for us. We were going to have to take out a loan and a mortgage, but we were going to live there. All of my friends came to help us move our stuff. My Grandma Sandra and Grampa Carl came too. I was surprised to see Dana and Ray there.

Charlie stepped off the moving van carrying a large box.

"Charlie be careful please!" Dana demanded.

"Mom take it easy, I got all of my stitches and bandages off a few days ago...I'm fine."

"You wouldn't have needed those stiches had it not been for your so called wife." I heard Ray mumble.

"Dad...don't start."

Charlie carried the box in the house, with Ray following him.

"I just want you to understand son, that I care about you!"

Charlie put the box down and turned to face his father.

"And I care about Harmione, and I'm sorry I'm not going stand here and let you talk about her that way."

"Son, you're a human!"

"And so is Harmione, you and mom said you trusted her, you said you were happy because she made me happy but I guess that was all a lie."

Charlie turned and took out a pocket knife from his pocket. He began cutting the tape off one of the boxes.

"Do you not understand how close to death you were, she almost got you killed!"

Charlie put his knife away and ignored his Dad.

"Don't walk away when I'm talking to you!"

Ray followed Charlie outside to where we all were. Their discussion got even louder.

"What do you want me to do Dad, huh?!"

Dana turned her attention toward them. I walked over to Charlie.

"Charlie-"

"You stay out of this Harmione!"

"Don't yell at her!" Charlie shouted back. "If you think I'm just going to pack my bags and never look back you got another thing coming, I'm not ever going to leave Harmione!"

"Son, please think about what you're doing!"

"Ray, that's enough!"

"No Dana, I thought about it and I just can't believe I ever put my trust and my faith in this witch!"

"It wasn't Harmione's fault Ray!"

"Mr. LeMay, I'm sorry that I messed up but I-"

"You don't get a say, for almost killing my son!"

"Dad!"

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean for-"

I was suddenly struck across the face by Charlie's father. Everyone gasped. I held the side of my face that was now stinging.

"That's what an alien freak like you deserves... That's what your own mother and father should have done the day you were born, and this is for my son!"

He rose his hand in an attempt to slap me again. Charlie stood in front of me and took the blow. I hid my face in Charlie's back. He slowly put one hand behind him and I grabbed it.

"Ray!" Dana screamed.

"Charles, get out of the way!"

"Leave Ray, right now." Charlie said sternly. "Leave before I kill you."

Charlie's dad left with his mom. Everyone was silent. Charlie turned to me and grabbed my face. He turned my face toward him.

"Charlie..."

"What, are you okay?"

"You...you just threatened you Dad."

"Don't worry about it, are you alright?"

"I'm fine..."

"Okay...so the boxes?"

"Yeah."

"I can't believe that brute just hit my granddaughter!" Sandra exclaimed.

"Take it easy hon, I think Charlie had it sorted."

She sighed heavily.

"Kim, Irene, Lacey help me in the house, Sierra, you and Jaynie help out here...come on girls!"

They all entered the house.

"I...I uh I won't tell your Daddy what I just saw, but if things get any worse you know I will."

"Thanks Grampa Carl, I just...I just want everything to go back to normal."

"That's all we want too."

He patted my shoulder and stepped up on the back of the moving van. I looked at Charlie. I couldn't believe he took a slap from his old man, and for me. I couldn't believe how strong his love for me really was.

After everyone went home, and we finally were settled into our new place, I took a shower in our new bathroom. While I was in there I heard Charlie on the phone.

"I know Mom...I know you're sorry... but you have to stop apologizing for his mistakes...I know I'm not mad at you Mom..."

Charlie sighed as I entered the bedroom wringing my hair out on a towel.

"He just doesn't understand...I know he cares about me Mom, but he went too far this time...No...I...No Mom I don't want to talk to him."

I sat behind Charlie on the bed. Charlie sighed again.

"Mom...please don't cry...I love you...it'll be a while before I love that man again...please just give me time...let Dad and I have some space...okay?"

I started massaging Charlie's shoulders.

"Okay...I know...love you too...I will be Mom."

He hung up and put his phone on the nightstand. He then put his head in his hands.

"Charlie..."

"Charles...he calls me Charles because he hit Mom once too...things were never the same after that, he's not a bad person Harmione he...I don't know, but...Mom never left him because she wanted me to have someone to look up too...the truth is I never looked up to him...cause he always looked at me like I was mistake...he's controlling...he controlled Mom and I our whole lives...saying don't do this or don't do that...I know all he ever did was try to protect us from the outside world but he can't...and he never could...and he never will...I'm sure I scared him and mom both when my heart stopped but...I don't care about that...Harmione I love you."

I stopped massaging him, and hugged him around the neck, running my fingers down his chest.

"I love you too Charlie, but what you need to understand is that your parents love you too...they are your parents after all..."

"I know Har...but he's not going to ruin the love I have for you...I don't care what he does...I won't let him ruin this for me."

I sighed.

"Hey...let's just forget about it."

He turned toward me and smiled.

"Let's focus on the positives...I got my health back...I got you...we got this house...and it's all ours."

I smiled.

"I'll try to sort things out with my Dad...but try not to worry about it okay...I'm not worried."

I lied back on the bed.

"We should enjoy this time Har...this right now is a miracle...we almost lost each other back there...let's celebrate huh?"

I nodded with a huge smile on my face. Later we cracked upon a bottle of white wine. Charlie held the bottle out. I screamed then laughed as he popped the cork. I had our glasses ready and he began to pour the drinks. Dressed in nothing but our pajamas we drank and listened to music.

Charlie took my hand and twirled me. Trying to dance while we a little tipsy in the kitchen cracked us both up. I accidently fell backward into him. He caught me of course, but we hit the kitchen floor. I just snorted and laughed. He laughed at the fact that I snorted. I slapped my hand on the kitchen tile as I laughed. I couldn't breathe. Charlie held his stomach and laughed at me. He then hit the back of his head on the knob of the sink drawer.

We burst into tears of laughter as I held his head.

"I'm okay, I'm okay!" He choked out. We took our glasses and danced in the living room. We tried to dance in each room of the house to celebrate the fact we had our own place. I jumped from the couch into his arms.

Charlie sat back on the couch while I danced for him on our coffee table. He whistled at me and pretended to throw money. We then took a different taste in music and slow danced in the living room.

I closed my eyes and just rested my head on his chest as he swayed with me. His touch. His warmth. I missed it when he was in the hospital. He dipped me, when I came back up he nipped my neck, then my ear. I gasped softly. I had goosebumps all over my body. The man still gave me butterflies. I arched my back a bit and lifted my head. He began to nip at my earlobe.

"Charlie..." I mumbled.

"What?" He asked in an airy voice. He touched the side of my face and held it as he kissed me.

"Is this...Charlie wait a minute..."

He looked at me and held me around the waist.

"Is that what?"

"Is this really how you want to end the night, I mean...it's been such a long time and...I just thought we'd do it again when we were both ready to have a baby..."

"Right...sorry I got carried away..."

He looked away.

"But...In saying that...I am ready...now... if you want to-"

He looked back at me and kissed me.

"You deserve more than you've ever been given Harmione...and I'll try my best to give it to you."

"You give me more than I deserve everyday..."

We kissed each other again. I took Charlie's hand and pulled him into the bedroom. I wrapped my arms around his neck and contiued to kiss him. He lied back on the bed. I lied on top of him. I gently took his face in my hand and passionately kissed him deeply. We stripped each other down. I contiued to kiss him as we now lay naked, with me on top of him. I rubbed his shoulders as I moved back and forth on top of him. He wrapped his arms around my back and placed his forehead on mine. We kissed each other again as I made love to him. Afterwards we lied next to each other, he had his arms wrapped around me. I had my face in his chest. He kissed my forehead. I kissed his chest. We then fell asleep, in our new house, in high hopes of new start, and a new life.