"Hey, Munchkin. What's wrong?" It took Marcus exactly eight beeps to pick up the phone. The sound of his cheerful voice gave Charlie hope she overreacted earlier, and now she could loosen a rope on her neck and take a deep breath. She practically sighed in release and answered randomly.
"What? New phone, who's this?" The joking manner she always used when feeling uncomfortable or anxious. Marcus laughed in response and assured his sister that everything was okay.
"I'm sitting in our living room right now, eating fast food you left me and watching Top Gear. And I strongly suggest not joining me and finding a way to spend your evening more exciting than this."
"Well, there was an offer." Charlie looked at Adam, who was amused by her answer, then he smiled crookedly. "Marcus, about that thing you've told me lately. I know I said I won't stick my nose in it, but I have been thinking, maybe you should reconsider your decision. I still don't think it's a good idea to mess up with people like that. And I recommend you to stay away from Justin, too. You don't need money this much. Please, think over. Okay, I said it. Was not going to, but you know me, I couldn't resist."
"Slow down, Mother Teresa. I'm a big boy, right? Don't worry at all. It's not, like, Chicago mafia, huh. Just a bunch of naughty kids with their ways of doing business. It doesn't even matter, sis. Speaking of matter, since we're living together again, we could do some redesign. New life, new house, all that shit. I know you'd love to have a hand in this. Your obsession with paint is creepy."
"But it smells so good!" She shouted ecstatically, which confused Adam a bit, while he was still sitting by her side. She covered her mouth in embarrassment for her bluntness. Adam instinctively uttered it was okay.
"Hey, Mar, we'll discuss it when I return, good? Now I have to go. Bye."
"Have a productive evening, Munchkin, if you know what I mean." The moment Marcus heard the notes of a male voice, he teased her with a fake awe and hastily ended the conversation.
Charlie rolled her eyes and smiled, putting her phone back into the pocket of her jacket. "So, pizza time?" Adam nodded, when she had already turned up the engine and pulled away.
"Look, it actually works!" He snapped ironically, referring to Charlie's recent issue with the car, but instead of answer, she wrinkled her nose, pressing the gas pedal down.
By the time they arrived at the diner Charlie completely reverted to her former state as normal and socially active person. Half the night she was making jokes and trying to entertain Adam, though he was quite joyful himself. It seemed that he had completely forgotten about that sense of gigantic longing that continued to haunt him all these days. After they took a break from laughing their asses off and sat in silence for a minute, Charlie decided to change the topic out of regard.
"So how are the things going with your princess and the laptop guy?"
Adam cringed barely noticeable.
"Why you have to ruin my perfect pizza time, this is cruel. I have no interest in "laptop guy", but I guess it's over with Kim. Like, officially. There was a time I was hoping we had just a big fat misunderstanding, which we could fix somehow. But everything went south, otherwise I wouldn't be sitting here with you."
"Oh, thank you."
He winked and took another bite of his deep dish.
"Okay. You know what? No more drama. For both of us. Not that I'm being heartless, but I'm glad we met in such circumstances. Maybe I've never found a buddy like you."
"This is sweet. Can you pass me a napkin and a straw?"
Charlie came home past midnight. She drove Adam to his place firstly and then headed back to hers. Feeling a bit tired but pleased with the evening, she flew upstairs with a half smile on her face. She craved to chat with Marcus since they had left all the hassle behind. Besides, the idea of renovating their habitat inspired her so much, that she could discuss the details all night long restlessly.
"Mar! I'm home!" She shouted from the doorway, completely ignoring the fact that the door was already opened. Walking further into the hall she began to notice an odd mess and tiny shards of glass all over the floor.
"Marcus?" Her voice slightly shook, the picture in front of her eyes was everything she saw in her worst nightmares, but when she finally entered the kitchen, that scary dream came true. Marcus was lying on the tile covered in blood all over his face and a little on his clothes. He was conscious, but barely able to speak, not to mention to budge.
"Jesus, Mar! What the actual fuck?!" Charlie was so frightened and stressed, that she was more likely to give out a tantrum instead of trying to help him to stand up. Anyway she threw herself on the floor beside her brother and gently cupped his face with her palms.
"Who did this to you? Can you talk?"
Marcus just scoffed as much as he was able to and spitted some blood on the floor. His eyelids were hardly opened and it looked like he could pass out any second.
"I'm calling an ambulance." She pulled out her phone with her shaking hands, when Marcus tried to stop her, putting all the strength he had at the moment.
"I'm fine." He whispered barely breathing and holding his hands on the stomach.
"Fine my ass! You're going to hospital and then I'm going to police! This is enough."
Marcus had another try to prevent any of his sister's actions, but she was already speaking to an operator. When she hung up, he swallowed painfully and helped to raise himself, but it ended up vainly.
"Please, don't tell anything. You hear me? I'll say I was attacked on the street, that's all. I don't want to drag you into this." Breathless at last he closed his eyes and went silent until paramedics entered the apartment and carried him away.
"I'm coming with you."
Charlie was not confused. That wasn't the exact word. But she certainly couldn't understand a bit in everything had happened. She had been preparing for the worst-case scenario all this time, but when one of them became the reality, she was not ready to admit it, to believe that someone sneaked into their house and beat the shit out of her brother for no reason. As much as she knew about it, she was stubbornly convinced in Marcus's innocence. That is what family does — love you no matter what, and Marcus was the only family she basically had. The only person she held on to, could trust her life and deeply cared. No Kierans or even friends. She knew this was not always right — to forget about everyone but troubled brother and his constant desire of adventure, instead of dedicate her time to people who actually gave a fuck. However, it was all she had ever known in her life — helping Marcus, getting him out whatever happens, leaving all the rest behind. So this time wasn't an exception. She was going to spend the night at Med if needed, just to make sure that he didn't get any serious injuries.
As always she didn't call anyone either. It was a straight disrespect for her to bother others, especially in the middle of the night. Besides, she felt not even more comfortable to stay alone in his hospital room, but also advisable, since she couldn't figure out what would be the best decision — to tell cops everything or to keep silent and just forget about past week. Some time earlier Charlie wouldn't have imagined she thought about choosing, but at some point she felt the second one was right for Marcus, for their own peace. Selfishly right. Fortunately or not she didn't know Justin nor the girl he wanted to save. That was none of their business anymore, and by the end of the second hour she had spent at the hospital, she kept things as they were usually: Marcus and she against the world.
