Chapter 1
CHAPTER ONE
CHARLIE
At twenty-eight, you would think I'd have my life all figured out. You'd be so wrong. Okay, maybe you'd be half right. After all, I do have a plan. I've been working at The Brew Crew, a coffee shop in my hometown of Valdosta, Georgia, since I was sixteen. When I was twenty-two, I was promoted to manager. The bump in pay helped me save more for my dream.
What's my dream? Well, that’s simple…to own my own coffee shop. It may not seem like much to some, but to me it was everything.
Life hasn't always been easy, but there's always been one bright spot—my bestie, Caitronia, or Cait as I was allowed to call her. We've been best friends our entire lives. Our moms were best friends, so it just made sense we would be too.
When my phone rang and I saw it was a North Carolina number, I frowned. The only person I knew in North Carolina was my Uncle Henry, but I had his number saved in my phone.
Just before it switched over to voicemail, I answered. “Hello?”
“Hello. May I speak with Charlie Reid?” the voice on the other end asked.
“Speaking,” I replied.
“Oh. Um, Miss Reid. My name is Lois Reynolds. I'm calling from Mercy Community Hospital in Draycott, North Carolina. You are the emergency contact for Henry Reid.”
“Uncle Henry? Is he okay?” I asked, not able to contain the panic in my voice.
“Your uncle is very ill. I am not at liberty to discuss his medical information over the phone, but he is refusing to go to a rehab facility upon discharge. The only way he can safely go home is if he has someone there to take care of him when the caregiver is unavailable.”
I closed my eyes. As much as I hated it, I knew what I needed to do.
“When is he being discharged?”
“Next Thursday,” the woman replied.
So, I had a week and a half. “Okay. I'll be there next Thursday morning,” I told her and we hung up.
Sitting there staring at my phone, there was only one person I wanted to call—Cait.
Dialing her number, I waited for her to answer.
“Hey, Charlie. What's up? You don't usually call me this early in the day,” my bestie said when she answered.
"Hey, girl. Yeah, I know, but I have a bit of a problem. My Uncle Henry in North Carolina is really sick. He’s refusing to go to rehab, but he can't be home alone. So, I have to move to Grimsby to help take care of him."
"Oh girl, I'm so sorry. I'm still waiting to find out where my residency is going to be. As soon as I do and have time, I promise to come visit."
“This sucks. I just picked out a place to open my own coffee shop.” I sighed. “I knew you'd understand, though.”
“I know it does, but maybe you'll find a place there that'll be perfect for what you want,” she suggested.
“Maybe. Anyway, I better go. I have to let Todd know I'm leaving. I hate the short notice, but it is what it is. Talk to you later,” I said, ending the conversation.
Rubbing the area between my brows, I dialed my boss’ number.
“Charlie, to what do I owe the pleasure?” Todd asked when he answered.
“Hey, Todd. You're not going to think it's a pleasure in a minute.”
“I don't like the sound of that,” he replied.
“I hate to do this on such short notice, but I have to be in North Carolina next Thursday. I have to move there to take care of my uncle,” I told him.
“Damn it, Charlie! You're the manager. It's not like you're easy to replace.”
“I know. I'm sorry, but it can't be helped. He doesn't have anyone else.”
“Yeah, I get it. I'm sorry to see you go, but I get it.”
As soon as we hung up, I went to the store to get both boxes and plastic bins for packing. I had a little over a week to get my tiny apartment packed up and moved.