CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
CHARLIE
Pacing.
I have been reduced to pacing. What is wrong with me? My mind is going a mile a minute and the men in my life are fucking idiots.
Yuri and I still haven't made up. Could I just have a conversation with him and maybe set a boundary? Sure! Of course I could. I still haven’t spoken to Dominic after the car explosion situation. Is that even a situation? How does that even happen!? Instead of reaching out to either of them I am here fucking pacing in my apartment, I’m still fuming and making the situation so much worse by hyping it up in my head. Do I care?
Nope.
Yuri has been calling and texting. Trying to check in and see how I am. Not that he has any idea what happened with Dominic last night. Have I called him back? Nope. Will I? I have no idea. Rubbing my hands over my face lost in a never ending loop of thought, I stop pacing.
This is ridiculous. Charlie just call him and tell him you want to talk. Better yet, you want him to listen! If he wants this thing between the two of us to continue, we need complete honesty. I won’t let him boss me around! I already have a dad !
He’s my boyfriend! I think? We never really discussed what exactly we are. Damn it!
I start pacing… again.
I am surprised I haven’t heard from Dominic even though he was being a total ass last night, I expected some type of communication this morning. It isn't every day your friend's car just blows up at dinner! He was definitely shocked and overwhelmed with the situation, but I have no idea why he wouldn't talk to me about it. All he did was talk down to me like I was some kind of moron!
He didn’t seem all that surprised though which is a tad concerning. I really need to talk to him about that. The entire situation is a bit weird. I don’t know but the math isn’t mathing for me.
“Gahh!!” I throw myself on my couch lost in my endless monologue when I get a call from Yuri. I send him straight to voicemail. Again. I still can’t muster the courage to talk to him. I’m afraid I’ll cave.
“Ughh!!” I shove my face into one of my throw pillows and then sit up. I take a deep, measured breath, “Okay, you know what? No. I am not doing this. I’m calling Bill. I’ll work from home today and get my shit together.” I shoot a text to Bill and tell him I am working on a story, which isn't really a lie, and bolt to my bathroom. A shower will help me clear my thoughts, so I crank the heat on and wait for the bathroom to fill with a soft mist, give myself another horrible pep talk, and get in the shower.
I stand under the stream of hot water long enough that my entire body is pink when I get out, towel off and get ready for the day. I refuse to look at my phone, so I put the kettle on for some tea and turn on the news.
Grabbing my laptop I set to work, researching one of the stories Bill asked me to work on.
The kettle starts to whistle and now it's hot tea time.
After focusing on work for the day I finally check my phone and see that Yuri has called a handful of times in a row? Odd… I sigh and take a deep breath and listen to his voicemail.
“Charlie, it’s me, Yuri. Look, I know you’re mad at me, but I need you to call me back so I know you’re okay. Alek… Alek has been attacked and I just, I need to hear your voice. I need to know that you are okay. Please, just… Please call me back.”
Holy Hell! I hit the phone icon on my cell phone so fast, and the phone barely completes its first ring when Yuri frantically picks up.
“Charlie! Thank God! Are you okay? Are you home?” he exclaims frantically.
“Yuri, yes, yes I am home and I am fine. What the hell happened to Alek? Is he okay?!” I am trying to keep him calm so he realizes that I am fine so he can focus on his brother.
“He’s in the hospital, in a coma. Look, I am on my way and I need you to come with me. I need you to stay with me until we know who went after him…” he rushes like he is afraid I am going to hang up, which if he keeps asking me to move in. I might.
I sigh, “Yuri, I won’t do that.” Having this conversation over and over is getting exhausting.
“Listen to me!” raising his voice almost hysterically, “No one knows who he is. He is still in high school and we keep him out of everything. They found out who he is and attacked him. I can’t risk you too!”
Trying to understand and keep the peace I say, “Yuri, I am not doing this again. I am fine.” I say as calmly as possible. “I will stay in my apartment. I promise I am safe here. I can take care of myself. You stay with your family and focus on Alek. He needs you more than I do right now.”
“I know you believe that but there is more to this than you know. I will explain everything, but I need you to trust me and come to my place with me.”
“I’m done! I’m not having this conversation again! Especially now, not with everything your family is going through. I am hanging up now. I am home and I am safe, but we are not talking about this again.”
I hang up. Not sure if that was the smartest thing to do right now, but I am so frustrated! I know he’s emotional with Alek being hurt. I really hope he is okay. I understand why Yuri is worried. I mean, I can’t believe someone would go after Alek, but no one is out to get me. I am a nobody. I put the kettle on and begin to pace, again, and think.
I am finally settled into my couch sipping on my tea when a knock sounds on my door. Exhausted, I get up and look through the peephole.
“You have got to be fucking kidding me!”
I throw open the door and there he is, in my doorway, again.
Yuri.