Chapter 18
ONE WEEK LATER
Charlie
Opening my eyes, I stared at her as she slept on her side. I still hadn’t gotten used to the fact that she invaded my home the way she did. I’d never met anyone like her, and I knew the moment she sat down next to me in the Chicago airport I was screwed. And even more so the first time we’d slept together. I’d had sex with plenty of women in my life and had never felt the connection I did with Marley. I couldn’t explain it, nor did I want to.
The loss I’d felt when my parents died affected me in a way that I never knew it possibly could. To lose two people whom I deeply loved at such a young age nearly destroyed me. I should have sought therapy at some point, but what was the point? I saw firsthand how life could change in a split second—how the world could turn upside down, leaving you in a lonely place, both physically and in your mind. Grief was the price you pay for love, and I’d shut myself off from ever putting myself in that situation and experiencing it again. I knew what I needed to do. It was best for Marley and the twins.
Her eyes flew open. She stared at me momentarily, placed her hand over her mouth, and flew out of bed. This was every morning. Climbing out of bed, I turned on the shower in the bathroom as she leaned over the toilet. She didn’t listen to me when I asked her to use the other bathroom. She kept throwing up in the primary one every morning to spite me. Wiping her mouth with a tissue, she stood up and looked at me.
“God, I hate you.” She shook her head and walked out of the bathroom.
I let out a soft chuckle as I stepped into the shower. When I finished, I wrapped a towel around my waist and went into the bedroom.
“You know what, Marley?”
“What, Charlie?”
“You say you hate me, but it takes two people to make a baby. We both screwed up. We were drunk, and I forgot to use condoms. But you, you were irresponsible with your birth control. So, this pregnancy is also on you.”
“Shut up.” She pulled the covers over her head, and I smiled. “Don’t forget we’re going to my dad’s tonight to announce the pregnancy.”
“Marley, I don’t think?—”
She threw the covers back and sat up. “I don’t care what you think. I’m not going to my dad’s house and doing this alone. Do you really want him to know that you want nothing to do with your children? Do you not care what people think of you?”
“Fine. I’ll go.”
“Thank you. We’re going to dinner at my mom’s house tomorrow night to tell her.”
“Oh, come on, Marley.”
“My dad is one thing, but if you think you’re getting out of going with me to my mother’s house, you’re sadly mistaken, buddy. You know the issues I have with her.”
“Whatever,” I growled as I walked out of the room.
I left for the office and didn’t say goodbye to her. I was so angry that she was making me do this shit. Picking up my phone from my desk, I called my friend and realtor, Grant Roman.”
“Charlie, my friend. Don’t tell me you’re looking to move already.” He chuckled.
“No.” I laughed. “Actually, I wanted to know if you’re at the office. I need to stop by and talk to you about something.”
“I am. Are you on your way now?”
“Yeah. I can be there in about fifteen minutes.”
“Perfect. I’ll see you then.”
After Mateo dropped me off, I took the elevator to Grant’s office.
“It’s good to see you again, Charlie.” We lightly hugged.
“Good to see you too, Grant.”
“Have a seat. What can I do for you?”
“I need you to find an apartment for a woman I know.”
“Okay. What type of apartment are you looking for?”
“At least a three-bedroom,” I said.
“Buying or renting?”
“I’ll buy it.”
“May I ask who this woman is?”
I ran my hand down my face and sighed. “She’s a woman I got pregnant. She’s having twins.”
“I’m not sure if I should congratulate you or not by the sound of your voice.”
“You can save it. Anyway, she took it upon herself to move into my penthouse, and I can’t have her there.”
“Why?” His brows furrowed.
“It’s complicated, Grant.”
“Okay. I’ll start looking right away. Does she know you’re doing this?”
“No. I’ll tell her tonight.”
“Charlie, I?—”
“Don’t, Grant.” I held up my hand. “I get enough lectures from Chase.”
I had Mateo pick Marley up at the penthouse before picking me up from the office and heading to her father’s house. This was the last thing I wanted to do, but I had no choice.
“Hey,” I said, climbing into the backseat of the sedan.
“Hi.” Marley smiled. “How was your day?”
“It was okay.” I pulled out my phone and looked over some new emails.
“Aren’t you going to ask about my day?” she asked.
“No.”
“You’re very rude. I really hope our kids don’t inherit your rude genes.”
“Enough, Marley,” I snapped.
I glanced up at Mateo as he looked at me through the rearview mirror.
“Fine.” She put her hand up.
Mateo pulled up to her father’s building. Climbing out first, I extended my hand to her. She slapped it away and climbed out herself.
“Now, you want to be a gentleman. I don’t think so,” she huffed and walked into the building.
Shaking my head, I followed her to the elevator. I couldn’t believe I was meeting her father and stepmother. We stepped inside and took it up to the thirteenth floor. Marley knocked on the door, and an older woman with blonde hair answered.
“Marley, it’s good to see you.” She hugged her. “Miranda, Charlie. Charlie, Miranda.”
I smiled as I shook her hand.
“Is that my daughter?” I heard her father shout.
“Yeah, Dad,” Marley said.
We stepped inside, and her father walked toward us, stopping dead in his tracks when he saw me.
“Oh, hello.” He grinned, extending his hand. “I’m Jonathan Monroe.”
“It’s a pleasure, Mr. Monroe. I’m Charlie Stone.”
“Trust me, Charlie. The pleasure is all mine. Hello, sweetheart.” He kissed Marley’s cheek. “Let’s go into the living room, shall we? Charlie, you look like a scotch man.”
“I am.” A smile crossed my lips.
“Excellent. So am I.” He walked over to the mini bar in the corner of the room. “I have to say, Marley, when you called and asked if you could come over, I was thrilled. Is it because you wanted to introduce your boyfriend to us?” He winked.
“Dad, Charlie isn’t my boyfriend. He’s the father of my babies.”
Her father stood there frozen, holding a scotch in each hand.
“Excuse me?” he said.
“You’re pregnant, Marley?” Miranda asked.
“Yep. Did you not hear the word ‘babies’ in my sentence?”
“Babies?” Marley’s father cocked his head, handing me my glass of scotch.
“Yes, Dad. I’m having twins. I didn’t know twins ran on Mom’s side of the family,” Marley said.
“Your grandmother was a twin.”
“How did I not know that?” Her brows furrowed.
“Your grandmother’s twin sister died at birth. It was never talked about. I can’t believe my baby is having two babies, and I’m going to be a grandfather. Have you told your mother yet?”
“No.” Marley looked down. “We’re telling her tomorrow. “Okay. Now that you know, we really have to go.”
“Sweetheart, you just got here,” her father said.
“I know, but I’m tired and not feeling well.” She stood up and hugged him. “We’ll meet for lunch or dinner soon. Come on, Charlie.” She glanced at me.
She stared the whole ride home out the window and didn’t say a word. I could tell she was upset, and maybe tonight wasn’t a good time to tell her about Grant looking for an apartment for her. When we arrived home, I poured myself a scotch and took it into the bedroom, where Marley was changing into her nightshirt. I just needed to get it over with and tell her about Grant looking for an apartment for her.
“Marley, I need to talk to you about something.”
“What is it?” She turned her head, and a small smile crossed her lips.
I stared into her eyes momentarily, and I couldn’t do it. “I wanted to talk about your dad.”
“What about him?”
“He seems like a great guy. I know I don’t know him that well, but he didn’t deserve what your mother did to him.”
“I know.” She sighed. “And he is a good man. Did you see the look on his face when I told him about the twins?” She grinned.
“Yeah.” I chuckled. “His face lit up like a Christmas tree.”
She went into the bathroom and began brushing her teeth. I followed and grabbed my toothbrush. As soon as I squirted some toothpaste on it, Marley ran to the toilet and started vomiting. Setting my toothbrush down, I walked over, grabbed her hair from her hands, and held it back until she finished.
“All better now?” I asked.
“Some. Thanks.” A light smile framed her lips as she wiped her mouth with a tissue.
We pulled the covers back and climbed into bed.
“Night, Charlie,” Marley said, turning the other way.
“Night, Marley,” I said, placing my hands behind my head.
Glancing over at her, I thought about my parents and the one rule they always followed: No matter what happened during the day, we would never go to bed angry with each other. They made that promise to each other on their wedding day. And if they got into an argument, it was always resolved before bed. At first, I thought it was weird. I was a kid, and anything adult-related was strange to me back then. What they had was special. They were always laughing and dancing. My dad loved jazz music, and while my mother was cooking dinner, he’d put it on, take her hand, and they’d dance in the kitchen. Not a day went by when he’d tell her how special she was and how much he loved her. My life would have been so different if they were still alive, but their tragedy changed everything for me.