It wasn't fright that was in the pit of her stomach, perhaps it was, but she could only question the compactness of it all. The 'city' was still on the horizon but the thing that was striking her, one of many, was how packed in it seemed. That, as well as how solid it looked standing in the distance. A passing car beside them blasted its horn, not at them but towards someone else who had cut them off and that brought Char out of her haze. They had been on the road for what seemed like hours and it felt like they would be hours more before they'd reach the monument of steel, glass and concrete before them. It seemed odd to her how her perspective had changed so drastically, after all, she had come from, raised in, such a city and it was like this cowboy was taking her back to her natural habitat. She felt her fist get tighter around the seatbelt that she was clutching across her chest; she wasn't sure what was making her nervous. Peter had told her all she needed to know about where they were going and all that was going to happen, at least as much as he could remember. It was a conference of beef growers and those that bought their cattle that they were heading to; Char really didn't care, not much of where they were going interested her but it was in her thoughts just to see, settle her mind that it was all still there perhaps. She suspected it was her need to feel assured that the world didn't collapse when she was removed from it. She did have to think again about what she was going to do to get ready for the social that evening, what she was going to need to find and where to go. Vicky had been a huge help in that department, they took a few hours two weeks prior setting up appointments to get her hair done and shopping for an outfit at a store where Vicky thought was 'high end' apparel. Char knew the place but didn't say anything about it because it was in her past life; she passed over such places, but, considering her budget of what she had earned and the little bit extra Peter gave her to get something nice pretty much settled that there was no even tempting to walk through those pricey doors she once knew. She was more concerned about her hair and the need to take off the bandana that she always wore that covered some of the tokens James had given her. Make-up could cover them up but she still felt paranoid about them.
They rolled into the hotel where they were going to be staying and where the meetings were going to be held; Peter kept reminding himself that these were the people that made it so he could be left alone doing what he wanted to do, alone. He didn't particularly hate being around people but they were a lot harder to read than cattle, cattle had only a few things in their head and those tended not to involve him either. The pickup truck looked odd in the line of cars waiting for the valet to get offloaded but there was no other way to get in as the place didn't have an open parking lot. He had a few dollars ready for the fella that was going to be the privileged one who would have to park the beater of a truck he borrowed. By the time him and Char were in line to be checked in inside he was missing Buster. Vicky was taking care of his horse at her place and at least he knew that he would be safe if not spoiled by that woman. In no time they were steps away from the desk with their bags and in line to be checked in. The place was busy, more than he could remember and it was starting to grate on him as they moved up the line. He caught himself looking down and back at Char who was half a step behind him and taking the surroundings when he gave her a nudge and stepped up to one of the ladies at the desk; he gave her his name and waited. 'Mr Kincade, your room has been upgraded and the second one you requested has been canceled.' Peter was about to make a scene but was interrupted mid thought. 'The suite has two separate sleeping quarters, a dining room and lounge for your convenience.' Peter could guess with deadly accuracy as to why the upgrade; it was a ploy that was used by only one person that especially liked talking to him and this was his blackmail of sorts to do so as he knew that Peter would seek him out and politely thank him for the kindness. Peter collected the key cards and led them to the elevator and up they went to their place in the sky. The room they entered was like nothing else he's ever seen before, Mr Lewis spared no expense this time, he must have really wanted a meeting with him it seemed. "Pick which room you want Char, makes no difference to me." He pulled out the little envelope with the other key card and handed it over to her. "So you can come and go as you want. I got meetings n things in a few hours and I'll go to those while you go get what you need for tonight's hobnobbing thing." He was already dreading the evening, not needing to put on his best, he did clean up well enough but there would be a bit too much talking for his liking.
Char took the card from him and got her stuff set down in one of the bedrooms. "I'll see you back here in a few hours." She promptly left and went to her first destination; she had so much ground to cover that she didn't want to waste a moment of time.
Peter sipped from his cup of terrible coffee, shifted in the plastic chair he was in, and debated setting his head down on the table before him and falling asleep right in the middle of the conference room. But he couldn't do that now, gone were the days when he came with his father that he could get away with it. The speaker droned on about fertility rates and breeding bull prices and how there were fluctuations in the market for such beasts. He never officially tested his own herd but he knew all his 'rates' like the back of his hand as if it was the pledge of allegiance. All this mundane content was for the novice ranchers but seeing as he had missed a few years of this he thought it best to brush up anyway. He sat through the questions at the end of the session and then booted himself out of the conference room as fast as he could. 'Mr Kincade, you have a phone message.' The girl from behind the guest services desk called out, he gave the girl a glare, he still wasn't happy about the room upgrade she had sprung on him earlier and shuffled over to take the envelope from her; the note was from Char, /Hair appointment is delayed, I'll meet you down in the ballroom when I can./ Peter flipped the card around and gave the girl a nod, it wasn't her fault about Mr Lewis and his generosity. He shuffled his way back up to the room and got himself ready, ordered room service so his stomach wouldn't grumble and found himself back downstairs in due time. By Chars note he imagined that she didn't head for the hills, she intended to stick around at least that night because at least in this setting, he figured that a 'get away' from him would be extremely easy. He shook his head at himself and looked up at the mirrored panel of the elevator before him; he was as 'dressed up' as he wanted to be but he knew many of his counterparts would be going all out. He didn't care, that's what his daddy taught him from a young age, it didn't matter what others thought of him if they didn't have any skin in his game and he made those rules, not them. The doors opened and closed a few times until the lot of them reached the main floor; he could feel many sets of eyes on him, he figured that the city foke didn't see many cowboys in the city, at least not real ones like him; they were more accustomed to business men that wore the 'garb' yet never set foot ten feet near a bull.
He entered into the main ballroom and took in all the fluff 'high society' had to offer; it was a good reminder why he lived the simple way he did and preferred it, it was meek and not vain. There was a buffet set up on one wall, tables scattered around and in the middle of the dance floor a vacant piano waiting for its musician to show up. He recalled many past events where they would bring in such entertainment to give the thing a bit of culture; it was all Mrs Lewis doing. Peter quickly spotted the Lewis' and very slowly made his way over to them as the room filled up. "Mrs Lewis, Mr Lewis, a pleasure to see y'all again."
Mr Lewis was an old rancher, an actual one that had once managed a sizable herd and built up his business much like Peter's father did but he made the jump to running sales barns and supplying the big processing plants that fed half the country in beef. Mr Lewis was a very important and rich fella.
"Peter, we were so happy to hear that you would be here this year and with a plus one." Mr Lewis gave a nod while Mrs Lewis was looking around to see if she was nearby.
Peter was in a feeling of half dread and slight awkward at the extremely subtle hint; these people knew him since he was knee high and watched him grow up to the man he was today. He picked up on Mrs Lewis 's inquisitive looks. "Yeah she will be here in a few, hair appointment ran late or something… I don't know about what ladies do so your guess is as good as mine when she will show up." He was praying it wasn't too long but yet again, wanted to leave this social thing already.
Mrs Lewis gave a little laugh, "Ladies take as long as they need dear. You'll figure it out soon enough."
Peter actually liked Mrs Lewis, she was a genuine and kind soul who had an honest love of the arts. He recalled hearing from his pa that they tried for years to have kids but nothing ever took so Mrs Lewis spent her time with the local colleges and universities in helping kids get scholarships to pay for their education and even opening up their property to the school for agricultural research and plant trials. She would see that any group that was there on their property were well fed and had all that they needed for their 'on site' lessons. He also learned that she supported many of the 'societies' in the city and used her influence to get them to donate to the schools and kids as well. It was unlike his own mother who just wanted to be in the limelight.
"How is your mother keeping these days Peter? I hardly ever see her anymore." Mrs Lewis broke him from his thoughts.
"She is good. Last I heard from Alice she was in Florida, she's happy." She was doing, and going, anywhere she wanted but Texas; he knew she didn't care for the people and the ethics they held. "Before you ask Mrs Lewis, Alice is doing well, her and her husband Jasper are still touring around the country with his band and I think she gets a kick out of giving all his Fangirl's the stink eye if they get too close to him." Peter gave a chuckle. His sister may have been small but she was a farm girl and could wrestle someone twice her size to the ground and hog tie them in seconds if it were legal.
A sound came from the piano in the center of the room and there was a slight hush for a moment then everyone kept talking.
Charlotte knew she was deadly late and that was something that she hated being in all her life. Being on time was one of her quirks from her earlier days that served her well all her life. She made it up to the room to drop off her purchases from the day, change into the gown she bought, touch up her makeup. In the elevator, the person staring back at her was like seeing a ghost from the past but her eyes held so much more now, they were past the ignorance and innocence of youth. The doors opened and the spell of what was broken and she stepped out into the lobby and followed the sounds of taking and other attendees in their fancy dress into the ballroom. People, so many strange people around her made her nervous. There may have been two if not three times as many in this ballroom than all of the little town that she had been calling home these last few months. With all the cowboy hats that were bouncing around the room she knew that it would be a task to find Peter in this mess. She let out a sigh and headed in the lovely, but packed room to start looking when the grand piano came into sight. She almost froze but let herself be pulled to it like a moth to a flame. A tentative hand touched the black mirror-like surface just to see if it were real; it was. The spell that once was, the whispers of music that once ruled her world that had just come back as a whisper not too long ago were now sounding off. Memories of lessons that became shows to full out concerts, the sounds chimed out. She felt herself being drawn to the ivory keys and was spellbound by the imposing dark ebony they shot out from; her finger softly hit a key. There was a hush around her but not one person told her to make her way along, the scheduled musician was not there yet; 'what would be the harm' she thought and sat down. There were a few glances and a handful of guests turned to watch. One piece would be fine she thought and her eyes saw the notes before her wishing to be played as her hands moved to the 'ready' position and her shoes slipped off her feet and found the foot pedals. Char exhaled; there was peace and her eyes closed as her fingers started pressing down on the keys.
Mrs Lewis spoke out, 'Oh the entertainment started early!' interrupting Peters and Mr Lewis's conversation, they quieted down so as not to be rude to the woman. Several moments passed as the music played and Mrs Lewis had a peculiar look about her as if she was in a state of recall. 'Y'all right dear?' Mr Lewis even noticed it and all she could mumble was, 'I know that...style'. Peter, not really caring about the music one way or another, just shrugged it off as her being her peculiar self when it involved the arts. The only other thing spoken by Mrs Lewis was an 'oh my' when she finally managed to catch a glimpse of the person at the piano. Peter caught a waiter going around with mini steak kabobs to snag a few and didn't pay Mrs Lewis any more mind.
The last few notes rang out as her hands moved away from the keys and Char looked up to see many sets of eyes on her and the sound of a small applause; not to mention the look of peculiar shock of who she realized was the musician hired for the event. She gave a small bashful grin and shrugged, "Sorry, I couldn't resist." The man just stared at her and muttered, 'Not at all Ms Evans. Please, if you'd like to play another one I'd be grateful… I, I'm honoured to…' the clutch of papers at his chest fell and sheets of music hit the floor, Char just stared at him frantically picking them up and handing her a few to consider playing. They were all the standard pieces one would play at such an event but that's not how she operated so she handed them back to him. "Let's have an original h'm?" The piece she was about to put to sound had started in her eyes weeks ago when Peter brought her out and she saw the stars up in the sky as clear as could be seen; her fingers glided over the keys.
The crowd around the Lewis's and Peter hushed to listen to the performance and that's when Peter caught a look at the pianist.
He blinked, he didn't believe his eyes.
Was that 'his' Char?
Mrs Lewis stood in dead silence, it might have been a first for Peter to ever experience it in the over two decades that he's known her, but in that there was something to be said. Char was so different to him in that moment, someone so out of reach where she sat and played with such precision and emotion. Yes she looked different, he expected that but what he didn't was the air of her being something greater than what she was, the confident gifted person that she was was complete in that moment. The second piece she played came to a slow stop and the crowd around them politely clapped. Mrs Lewis was awoken from her fangirling moment, 'I never thought I'd see her again. What a gift to hear her play again and in such an intimate setting, I wonder why she's here of all places?' Peter knew but didn't want to say anything just then as he was still processing what he just saw. A few more moments passed and the Lewis's backs were still turned to him when Char caught sight of him lifting a hand towards her and she headed over.
Char slipped her shoes back on and tuned to the musician at her side still standing in awe. "Thank you again." She stood and instantly saw Peter wave at her and she made her way through the crowd. Char reached him and the two older people he was with, glanced at them and up to him. "Introduce me to your friends Peter."
Peter needed a second to take her in; he noticed how Mr Lewis was looking at her as he would of any other beautiful woman, but it was this new demeanour that Mrs Lewis was displaying that was curious to him. "Char, these are the Lewis'. The ones responsible for getting us the bigger room." He still wasn't all that pleased with the arrangement but at least there were two beds.
"How lovely to meet you Mrs and Mr Lewis and thank you for the upgrade, it was an interesting and generous surprise." She stood by Peter who was still staring at her as if he was confused by her presence at that moment; she would have a bit of explaining to do when they were back in the room. She gave Mrs Lewis a smirk, "that is a lovely broach you have on, is it a family one or a special gift?" Char was not accustomed to having all the attention on her it seemed.
Mrs Lewis was taken back a bit, "It's Mr Lewis's grandmothers." She was flattered to have such a talented young person notice something so mundane about her. "Let's not pretend now Ms Evans, do tell us how you are here of all places with our dear boy Peter?"
Charlotte Evans, the mystery of his house guest was solved. Peter cleared his throat, he wasn't about to let Char get into her history, at least not the one he had with her. "We stumbled across one another and Char here decided to hang around with me for a bit, nothing more ma'am." Char just gave a nod and a slight shrug as if it was nothing at all. "Mr Lewis here has been spending the better part of his time trying to convince me to sell my ranch." Mrs Lewis was suddenly mortified at the thought, even if she had been standing there the entire night with her husband.
Char gasped, "And where would I ride Buster? Poor Sam wouldn't know where he was if we moved." Peter just gave a nod and shrugged. Char could small-talk until the cows came home and considering the company she was in, they knew that saying as a truth. Mrs Lewis in that moment insisted on dragging her away from the boys to meet more of her society friends and Char rather enjoyed the opportunity. She also did like all the added attention Peter was giving her; it was like something else she secretly and selfishly loved, admiration. She figured Mrs Lewis had an agenda after meeting many of her friends, it was to have her give a concert of sorts. Char had to remind herself that she was still hiding from James so it was a huge /no/ for her. "I'm sorry but I expect we will be heading back home as soon as possible, Peter is so busy this time of the year we almost didn't make it here." There were many nods in the little group of women, Char doubted that they didn't even know what goes on on a ranch so the excuse held well enough. Her attentions were often pulled away by the music playing on the piano and she caught herself missing that part of herself.
As soon as Mrs Lewis brought Char back to him, Peter polightly tried to stay and talk to as many people as he thought appropriate without selling the farm before excusing himself and Char. He was over the event and was already thinking of all the chores he missed and what section of fence he wanted to go out and have a look at with buster. He looked over to Char beside him in the elevator, "I forgot to tell you how pretty you looked tonight. Did you have fun?"
Char gave a nod, she was more interested in getting back to the room to scrub the makeup off her face; she had once loved it but now it felt icky to her. "I did. Everyone there was so different from the usual people I tended to meet at those things." A questioning look from Peter just then made her need to divulge a bit of her past but then again Mrs Lewis let the cat out of the bag to her full identity. "I usually hung around with artist types, music, art, performing arts." She shrugged. "This group was tame compared to them." She guessed that Peter had more questions but she did want to wait until they were in the room; an elevator wasn't the place. They got back to the room and she went to a mirror to remove the wrap of material that took the hairdresser forever to place on her to cover up her marks on top of the mountain of curls in her hair. Char didn't mind Peter seeing them now. "I guess you have questions?"
Peter was glad to take his hat and get his boots off, the ones he was wearing were his best looking ones so they weren't broken in or remotely comfortable yet. "I do, since we first met but I didn't think it was my place to pry." Peter really started to hate being in the hotel room, it wasn't home, there were no snacks to fish out of the refrigerator or pantry; it all had to be 'ordered' and he didn't like others knowing or handling his food. He set to mind that if he ever did come back to one of these things he'd bring another suitcase just for snacks. Char was still fussing with her hair and he imagined, now figuring that her life prior to him knowing her was one being of fancy concerts n stuff. "So, what Mrs Lewis was saying about you, is all that true?" There was a nod from Char. "Even the prodigy thing?"
"Yeah. All that too." Char huffed. "I started showing signs when I was eight, playing the classics by ten." Char shook her head. "I finished highschool by seventeen and got my first masters degree by nineteen." Char finished fussing with her hair and had most of her makeup off when she went back to where Peter was in the main living room area. "It wasn't all music. I dabbled In medicine, psychology, and even tried some of the hard sciences including engineering but I always came back to music." Char shook her head. "I only took one wrong turn, but, all things considered, here I am." Char couldn't place what Peter was thinking; mad, confused, betrayed or just all around stunned. "Well, if I wasn't so tired I'd order up some snacks but it can wait till morning I guess. Goodnight" She turned and went off to the bedroom she claimed as hers and closed the door to get undressed and into her pyjamas and bed.
With the talks he had with Dr Cullen, he should of been ready for something like this, doc did say she seemed smart but they both didn't realize the extent. He just stared at her closed door for a few more moments and then went into his own room to go to bed. Charlotte Evans. He would need to let Charlie know so he could look into seeing if there was anything out there about her, a missing persons report or, Peter hesitated, warrant for arrest. He shook his head, no, there was no way that was a possibility with how he had found her. He climbed into bed after cleaning up a bit, it was a long day, and he tried to drift off to sleep if not for the soft knock at his door, "Peter?'.
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