Chapter 6 - Porter
H er voice seems to echo in the small space as she practically yells that she doesn't want kids. My mind processes the sharp wave of relief washing over me. She eases away from me and starts rambling again. Talking about how it's completely alright for a modern woman to not want children and how we no longer live in caves.
Her arms are flailing, talking about the merits of being able to provide for herself and not being trapped because she has no power to leave. Her eyes start shining, her tears threatening to fall and I can tell she's thinking about Mila; one of the reasons she stayed in her abusive relationship for so long was that she was financially dependent on her ex.
Getting up from where I'm leaning, I take a few steps toward her and gently push her against the wall, holding her hands in front of her firmly. Her breath hitches as she stares at me, and I can't help but wonder if she's back in that basement with me all those months ago.
“Charlie,” I say slowly, as I move one of my hands to her face, gently dragging my thumb against her bottom lip. A faint moan escapes her, one that would be lost if there was the hum of other people around.
Tilting her head back to the wall, she closes her eyes and takes a deep breath as if collecting her thoughts before returning her gaze to me.
“This isn't how I thought the night was going to go,” she chuckles. My body still pressed against hers.
“Oh, and how was it supposed to go then?” Unable to stop the image of her spread bare for me flickering across my thoughts.
“I was going to ask you about the meals, maybe have a drink and catch up with a friend. I wasn't planning on giving you a TED Talk on the reasons I don't want to have children.”
“I guess that makes us even because I wasn't expecting to ever talk about why I don't want children either.”
A smile spreads across her face as she realises what I’ve just said.
“You don't?” she questions me.
“I don't,” I say as I grin back at her.
“Okay cool, so we're just a couple of friends that don’t want kids.”
“I guess we are.” Just two friends that don’t want kids. I can't help the scowl forming as I realise another chunk in the wall I've put up against Charlie comes crashing down.