1CHARLES

"Do you think you could find a suitable new chain for this?" I asked the jeweler, holding up the locket I had taken from Maddie's dormitory room. The man took a look at the old locket and winced.
"This thing looks like it's been to Hell and back." He exclaimed. I nodded, and he took it gently from me.
"I think we can find something. If you'd like, I think I have something that will shine this right up." He said, gesturing to the tiny charm.
"That would be great, just let me take the picture…" I said and removed the small photo from inside the locket. "When can I pick it up?" I asked him and he still examined it.
"I can have it ready by…Christmas Eve…I'll look for a similar chain. Also, I think I may touch up the engraving…it's a bit old." He gave me a price and I nodded, telling him I would return on Christmas Eve.

I was going to present it to Maddie for Christmas along with a drawing of her mother based on the small portrait from inside the necklace.
"Charles!" Someone called as I walked out of the store. I turned to find Daniel and Camille walking toward me, their arms full of things they had bought.
"What are you doing?" I asked them and Camille held the items in one arm up.
"Christmas shopping…getting away from precious little Genevieve…" She said, with a mocking tone and Daniel nudged her and laughed.
"Oh come on Millie, she's not that bad, she's just spoiled." I laughed. Genevieve was indeed a bit spoiled when it came to Uncle Garrett and Millie often felt as if her efforts to excel were a waste of time since Genevieve often overshadowed her.

"That's not the point. If I play a piece on the piano perfectly and she plays it with mistakes, she gets the praise. If I draw a picture of a flower and she scribbles on a Goddamn piece of paper, she's wonderful. I know Mama and Daddy love me, but it'd be nice to hear it sometimes, you know?" I nodded, although I had no siblings. Millie was the middle daughter, so Rosaline of course was the first girl and was adored, then Millie came and three years later, little Genevieve who was the baby through and through. Sometimes Millie just seemed to be forgotten in the midst of everything.

I put my arm around her.
"I think you're great Millie, and so do your parents. I promise…your mother does nothing but praise you." I said. It was true. Aunt Laney continuously talked about how proud she was of Millie in her musical talents and other talents. Rosie never showed any interest in the arts and Genevieve seemed to think you could get far in life without working at anything. Daniel was destined to be a businessman, he was studying to become a lawyer, but he could play piano quite well too. That's why he and Millie got along so well, their determination and their love of music bonded them as siblings.

"So…how is the new house?" I asked them and Millie shrugged.
"I like it…Paris is so much more…I don't know…" "Home?" Daniel finished for her and she nodded.
"Home." She repeated and turned to Daniel. "Well, we should be getting home shan't we Danny?" She asked him and he nodded.
"We'll see you in a few days for Christmas Eve dinner…" He said and I replied,
"I may be a little late that night, but I will see you there." Dan's eyebrow raised and I quickly replied.
"I just have to run to the jewelers and pick something up…" Millie giggled.
"Aw…Charles is in love…" She teased and I glared at her, trying not to smile, but not denying it.
"I am just doing a good deed for a good friend." I said and she laughed.
"A good friend named…Madeleine?" Dan was laughing a bit too.

"As a matter of fact Nosy Millie, yes, it's Maddie. I am having the jeweler fix up her mother's locket." The teasing look in Millie's eyes was replaced with affection.
"Charles…that's so sweet." Dan pulled gently on Camille's arm.
"Come on Millie, we've got to go…" He said, and grinned at me, "I've got to meet Deirdre in an hour." I must have looked surprised because he laughed.
"You're courting Didi?" I asked and he nodded.
"We've been trying to keep it a secret since your birthday…" He said and we waved our goodbyes as they turned to go home. I took the picture of Chloe Denton from my pocket. She was a tragically beautiful woman, with fair hair and skin, but her facial features were rather similar to that of Madeleine's. In fact, the woman looked oddly familiar…but I knew I'd never met her, I would have only been thirteen at the time she died.

When I arrived back at the house, Maddie was searching through the guest room a bit frantically. She looked up to see me, a bit flushed and frazzled.
"Oh Charles…did you happen to see my locket when you picked up the dress?" She asked and feeling a bit guilty and satisfied all at once I said,
"No I'm sorry I didn't. Can I help you look?" She stomped her foot, pulling her stray curls from her face.
"God damn it! I'll bet that scum Oliver Dorgan took it…bloody bastard." She cursed and I grinned.

"Well, he was definitely bloody the last time I saw him…" I said, remembering his nose. He'd started cursing Madeleine when they told him to get out, calling her a tramp and a no good tart. I'd lost all control and spun him around as he was walking out the door and punched him straight in the nose, breaking it. Instantly, he'd begun to cry like a little girl and Deirdre began laughing at him, the other ballerinas following suit. He'd run from the opera, holding his nose, as if his life depended on it. After that I'd gone to Maddie's room and picked up her gown, since Deirdre had told me the ballerinas liked to steal each others' things if they were jealous, and I knew damn well that half of them despised Madeleine because of her natural talent and beauty. I also didn't plan on her returning to live in the dormitories before New Years Eve.

"You are the devil…" Maddie said, laughing at me and throwing at pillow at me. I threw it back and lunged at her playfully as we collided and fell onto the floor on the far side of the bed. Somehow I ended up on top of her and stopped, staring into those sparkling hazel eyes. "Charles…you can get off of me now…I think we're done acting like children." I smiled at her, touching her cheek.
"You're right…we're done acting like children," I said and began to lower my head, unthinking, praying she wouldn't push me away. I'd waited so long to kiss her, to feel those silken full lips against mine. She looked a bit surprised but tilted her head up anyway, closing her eyes and bringing her hand up to my neck. Instantly, that part of me came to life that I had always been able to ignore before. I was so close…so close to her lips…

"Charles? Are you in here?" Therese's voice came from the doorway and my head snapped up as Maddie's eyes opened.
"Get off!" She whispered at me and pushed me to the side as I heard Therese come into the room and come around the bed. Think fast Charles…I spun onto my knees and picked up a pen which had fallen to the floor.
"Found it!" I cried, jumping to my feet, Madeleine was blushing horribly.
"Oh good…" she muttered and Therese stood with her arms crossed, looking at me suspiciously.
"Maddie dropped a pen and I was helping her find it…" I said, maybe a bit too quickly and she raised an eyebrow at me.
"Yes…the pen." She said dryly with a sly smile. Maddie buried her face in her hands and sat on the bed.

Therese winked at Madeleine and turned back to me.
"I made lunch for anyone who cares…" She said and pointed to her cheek, indicating that I give her a kiss on the cheek, which I did.
"Good boy…I still forget you're twenty-five sometimes Charles…your Mother would have been so proud of the man you've become. You're the light of your father's life you know…" I nodded, and smiled over at Maddie.
"Dad is great. He's so lonely though…" I said, thinking of the wistful way he looked at Mother's portrait every time he passed it. Sometimes, I could hear him talking to her before he went to sleep at night.
"He's a good man, and he loved your mother so much, it was almost as if he were afraid of losing her at the drop of a hat."

Maddie looked over at her and then to me again and I shrugged.
"But, she loved Dad…she would never have left him…" I said. I'd always thought I had been lucky to have parents who were so much in love.
"Oh there was no doubt she loved Raoul, anyone could see that, but sometimes there was such sadness in her eyes, my heart broke for her. There are secrets in everyone's pasts that it's better not to pry. Your parents were lucky to have each other, and they knew it." Therese sighed and started toward the door. "Food downstairs…" She reminded us and I nodded at her, sitting next to Madeleine on the bed.
"Hungry?" I asked, feeling a bit uncomfortable as I could tell she did too. She nodded and I took her hand and led her downstairs.