AN: Oh dear another chapter
Charlie grabbed the black board to bring over to Santana's, maybe after they were finished she could start painting the rooms that needed to be painted. She had managed to save about five thousand dollars, which she could put into fixing Santana's basement, plus she had paid Frannie back for the help. This had mostly been a good week, she didn't quite know how to deal with the news of Santana's condition but she had spent most of her free time googling it, so she could support her however she needed. Santana had just come back into her life, she couldn't just lose her like that again.
She forces the dark thoughts out of her head for now, she didn't want to think of Santana dying. She was Santana—she had always been strong, if anything was going to beat this thing into submission it was her. She just had to have a bit of faith. Charlie pauses for a moment adjusting the heavy board under her arm, she had taken off the scotch blue tape the night before so all they would need to do was attach the planets and Bela could fill out the rest of the project with labels and small fact cards that she promised that she would do tonight. It would be fun—today was going to be a good day.
Charlie opened the door to her apartment and the smile on her face faded as she noticed her father standing there about to knock on the door. She took a step back, she had spoken to soon, and she didn't have this many good days in a row. After Quinn had given her the money that she had requested she had hoped that her father wasn't going to show up anytime soon. That he was simply ignoring her existence like he usually did unless he needed something from her. He hadn't shown up, he hadn't called and she thought that he had been satisfied. Clearly she was wrong. "Dad."
Russell didn't wait to be let inside, he just eyed his daughter noting the black board in her arms and then walked past her. "I noticed that you had taken quite a bit of money out of your trust. Quinn showed me the paperwork and I called myself to make sure that you passed." Russell said looking at the mess that was currently Charlie's kitchen and crinkling his nose. "I also know that recently your mother paid you to build that gazebo, and she paid you nearly two thousand dollars. So the question is what type of trouble are you into now? Or is this some get rich quick scheme?"
Charlie adjusted the board in her arm for a moment, she had to get on the road but the way her dad was settling in on her, meant that there was a huge lecture coming her way. "It's not a scheme. There is no gambling debt, even if Quinn thinks there is." Charlie adjusts the board in her arms, Santana was right how was Bela going to get this to school. "This isn't going to become a habit, I just needed an infusion of cash right away so I could complete a project. A project which I'm working on right now, and I'm going to be late."
"Charlie." Russell said causing Charlie to pause for a moment and turn to him. "You'll forgive me if I don't believe you, so I expect some details."
Charlie studied her father for a moment, He wouldn't believe anything she said anyway. "On my birthday, I found out that I was the mother of a ten year old girl, who asked me to drive her back to Philly. I spent the money on fixing up her other mother's house, after her pipes burst and that's where I need to be right now." Charlie said in a deadpan manner, keeping her eyes on Russell who simply stared at her.
Russell slowly got up and straightened out his suit. "If you aren't going to be honest with me Charlie, then I don't see how there is any hope for you. Especially since you're so hell-bent on ruining your life. Yes you may think I'm the cruel man that cut you off and refused to help, but everything I have done has been to protect you and to make sure that you live. I don't want to bury one of my children, but I have done everything I can to help you and some people—just don't want to be helped."
Charlie shifted uncomfortably, "There's a difference between hitting rock bottom and being shoved there. You got me fired—and made sure I couldn't work," there isn't anger in her voice she wasn't angry. She didn't really feel anything when it came to her father. They had been close once, and now she was just a disappointment. "Look, I'm sorry to have disappointed you again, but I really do have a job to get to."
"What disappoints me is that you're not even trying anymore. You're breaking your mother's heart and making her worry all the time. She has to get in touch with you through Quinn. Quinn who has stood by your side for ten years. She's been a good sister to you and this is how you repay her?" Russell said shaking his head.
Charlie frowned, she didn't like being compared to Quinn. She bites her inner lip, not caring that she's drawn a bit of blood and sighs. "I'm going to be late—you made it clear that I wasn't welcome. That I haven't been welcome and I don't want to fight. If my presence bothers you, if seeing me disappoints you then I'm sorry. I won't touch the trust again." Charlie said after a moment. "I actually do have to go dad, I'm already going to be late and I have a full day ahead of me."
Russell shakes his head, he's done his duties as a father and there is nothing more that he can do if Charlie doesn't want his help. Maybe in the future she would finally understand he did what he had to for her own good. If she ever had children of her own, then she would know how difficult it was to make the right decision.
Santana didn't exactly know what to make of Bela following Charlie around like a lost puppy, eager for Charlie's approval. It bothered her to some extent, that Bela already adored Charlie, especially since Charlie had been nearly half an hour late. For a moment Bela thought that Charlie wasn't actually going to come, and seeing that disappointment on Bela's face had tugged harshly on her heart strings. It was part of her greatest worry, that Charlie would ultimately disappoint Bela in some way and that eternal optimism that Bela had would be crushed. A part of her knew that it was only half an hour and Charlie did need to cross state lines. It's not like she lived next door and hadn't shown up. Maybe it had been her own fears, Charlie hadn't been the most reliable person towards the end of their relationship, and she would be damned if Charlie let that happen here.
But as she watched Charlie talking to Bela, who was now gladly helping her paint the house as Charlie explained what they were doing and why, she was actually surprised at how Charlie was taking to it. There was a small pang of guilt that coursed through her. Ten years, if Charlie had been clean for ten years then this would have been normal. She had cut off contact with Charlie—but it wasn't as if Charlie didn't have ways to reach out to her. Maybe she should have checked in on her earlier. The situation was complicated but she had created a consistency with Bela, things were stable and she hadn't wanted to wreck that. But now—
"Charlie can mom paint with us to?" Bela asked, this weekend had been fun but she couldn't forget about Operation Praying Mantis."
Charlie flicked her eyes over to Santana who had been sitting on the couch, going in and out of sleep for most of the afternoon. "Well if she wants to?" Charlie said, hoping that it was enough to give Santana an out.
Santana adjusted on the couch pulling the blanket up, "That's okay Bela. I'm perfectly fine on the couch. If you two want to play in paint then go ahead," Santana said causing Bela to huff.
Charlie nods and rests a hand on Bela's shoulder. "Why don't we go find something to paint and you can tell me about this operation Praying Mantis?" Charlie offers and she is rewarded with a huge grin from Bela. "That's a weird operation name by the way, you know once the female Praying Mantis is finished mating, she bites the head off her mate." Charlie said informatively. She watched a lot of the Discovery Channel, when she couldn't sleep.
Bela smirked and glanced at her mom. "I know."
Santana frowned at the look and studied her daughter for a moment and then looked at Charlie. She would kill Bela if she tried to parent trap her. She's about to say something when the doorbell rings. She sighs and slowly gets up, feeling the ache in her joints. "I'll get it," she says and moves to answer the door. Her body feels like lead and she was glad that her anti-nausea pills were working barely as she moves to the door. She can see Charlie hovering in the corner of her eye but ignores her as she opens the door. "Dani." Santana said flatly. "What are you doing here?"
Dani put on a smile, trying to ignore her growing jealousy at the beat up old truck outside. She had been seeing that truck a lot lately. "Look, Santana I know things are weird between us, but you said we were still friends," Dani offers holding her hands up as Santana studies her. "And we haven't hung out in a while—look what I said the last time—it wasn't right and I'm sorry. I just—miss you. We had some good times right?"
Santana sighed inwardly, it wasn't as if she hadn't had fun with Dani, the beginning of their relationship had been fun. "We did," she says after a moment reluctantly, watching as Dani lights up. "But it just wasn't meant to be. Look Dani, I did say that we could be friends but I've got a lot going on in my life lately. My house just got flooded and I'm having construction done. So this just isn't the time."
"You know I'm pretty handy around the house Santana, why didn't you just call me if you were having trouble?" Dani offers.
"Because you're a cop, not a plumber or a contractor?" Santana points out bluntly. "Look you don't need to worry about it Charlie is taking care of it." Santana said with a shrug. "She's a contractor, a good one and as far I can see she got the work done quickly, and is now working on just fixing up some of the damage."
Dani frowned, "Look I get it, but let's face facts Santana. You're letting a drug addict—or maybe even a dealer into your home. Think about that for a moment. I get it she's Bela's other mother but you're just asking for trouble. I don't want to see Bela get hurt—I don't want to see you get hurt for that matter. "
Santana shook her head, "I'll deal with it. If it comes to that, I'll deal with it. If Charlie gets a record, or she does something that makes me think that even for a second that Bela is in any danger and Charlie is a terrible influence I will handle it then. So will you just leave it alone? I'm an adult, I know how to handle my shit and I don't need you attempting to protect me." Santana closed her eyes, feeling a wave of dizziness and exhaled. "Goodbye Dani. I'm going to make sure that my daughter isn't plotting against me." Santana closed the door in Dani's face. Well that was one problem solved, now how to deal with Bela. She needed to call Brittany and find out what she knew about this Operation Praying Mantis and then have her put a stop to it.
She shakes it off when she hears Bela's laughter fill the air, and she makes her way up the steps and follows the noise till she finds both Charlie and Bela in Bela's bathroom. She glances at Charlie who is trying to wash a huge paint stain off the front of her shirt while Bela laughs. She watches quietly for a moment just enjoying it. Charlie had a delighted look on her face and that familiar feeling of guilt is back, but she doesn't regret anything. She can't, there is nothing that can be done and what she did was for Bela's benefit.
Bela turns and looks at her mother for a moment and smiles widely at her, "Please mom, you have to join us. Charlie spilled paint all over herself!"
"You smacked me with the paint roller!" Charlie snaps playfully at Bela nudging her with her hips causing Bela to laugh even louder. Charlie glances at Santana for a moment and bites her lip seeing that she's up and holds the paint roller out for her. "It's really easy. We're just laying down the primer, then we're going to paint the trim and then we're just going to paint the walls again." Charlie explains.
Santana eyes the roller that is covered in white paint and flicks her attention to Charlie and then to Bela who is giving her that damn look. The one that Brittany taught her to get her way, Brittany was a horrible influence on Bela. "Alright but if either of you hit me with any damn paint I'm going to end you." Santana said giving them a withering look. She takes the roller from Charlie who smiles and motions to the spot that they were supposed to be painting.
Bela grins widely, Operation Praying Mantis was already going better than she expected. She doesn't even try to hide it when Charlie moves closer to her mom and helps her paint. So Charlie wasn't completely hopeless and she didn't need to coach her on how to win her mom over. Now it just needed time, and she had to be super discreet about this, or her mom would totally figure it out and ground her forever. With a small smile she moves and begins to help her mom and Charlie put the primer on the walls.
-0-
Charlie smiles as she hits her blinker and switches lanes, today had been a good day. Even if it was a bit touch and go from the start. She had helped Bela finish her project, she had spent some time with Santana who wasn't going to kill her and was going to let her have more time with Bela. She hadn't gotten much work done all together but—it had been fun. She hadn't had fun in a while. Not like this. After she had gotten out of rehab, it was like the world had lost just a bit of its vibrancy. Bela liked her, Santana was at least tolerating her existence. Life was good. She hums to herself as she sees a flash or red white and blue lights and hears a police siren behind her and she frowns adjusting her rear view mirror, she hadn't been speeding. Maybe she had a busted taillight or something, as she pulls over to the side of the highway and rolls down her window and turns down her music reaching for her wallet and opening the glove compartment so she can get her insurance out. "What seems to be the problem officer?"
"I'm going to need you to step out of the car," he said flashing a light into the car, and into Charlie's eyes causing her to immediately shield her eyes. It caused him to frown and he reached into the car window and grabbed her as if he was trying to pull her out of the truck through the window.
Charlie, blinked trying to clear the bright purple spots that were in her vision. "I'll step out of the car," she said not trying to resist. She manages to get her door open and slides out of the car when the police releases her and she's immediately grabbed and slammed against her truck door, the impact winding her. "Look—I don't know what this is about—" Charlie began grimacing in pain.
"Shut-up! Stop resisting!" He shouts at her as he radios for backup.
The reward for opening her mouth is her getting lifted up and slammed face first into the ground. Stars explode in her vision and she feels a warm sticky feeling around her chin as she immediately begins to squirm as something heavy is placed on the middle of her back and her arms are wrenched back, harshly and she feels a sharp pain in her shoulder. She's hauled up by the cop, and notices that there is a pool of blood where her face had been. "Why am I being arrested?" She manages to get out wincing as she is lead to the police car where her head slams against the door frame as he helps her into the car.
Charlie groaned as she watched as back up arrived, she didn't even know what was going on as they begin to tear apart her truck, sending her equipment to the ground and she hears it break. Suddenly one of the cops opens the passenger seat and quickly pulls back with a small bag of pills and he waves it around. Charlie stares at the officer as he waves it around and realizes that she's just been set up, and her good day had taken a terrible turn for the worse. She was never going to see her daughter again—no one was going to believe her. Even though she didn't do pills.
AN: See you tomorrow don't forget to review, I do so like reviews.
