17. Charlotte
I’d spent most of Sunday sorting out the apartment, trying to make it feel slightly more homely. I didn’t have any money to spend on decorations yet, but I would as soon as I could. I was happy to have a shift on Monday, just to get out of the house. The tips didn’t hurt, either. If it meant I had some extra cash, I didn’t mind being friendly to a few patrons.
Daniel had been lingering for a while at the counter.
He was nice enough to me, but I wasn’t sure how I felt about him yet. He was hard to read. I was actually quite grateful when I noticed Elijah come through the door for his morning coffee. His bubbliness took me a second to adjust to. I don’t think I’d actually seen him smile before when he wasn’t being sarcastic or making a dig at me. The idea of going to a summer gala was exciting to me.
I made a mental note to message Alice about whether she would be going and for the dress code info. It seemed like a popular event from the way Daniel had described it, although that could have been a ruse to get me to come with him.
As we continued to discuss our attendance, I couldn’t help but sense a slight tension between the two of them. It wouldn’t massively surprise me considering Elijah didn’t seem to like most people. Just as I thought it couldn’t get any more awkward, Daniel asked me out. I felt myself panic, but quickly composed myself. Dating wasn’t exactly the top of my priority list right now. I was trying to build a new life, not get myself into another relationship. Honestly, I don’t know if I could trust a man like that again after Adam.
“Uh, maybe?” The hesitation was clear in my voice and made me feel pathetic. Was that really the best I could come up with? I had to give it to Daniel, he was brazen. I quickly followed it up with some excuse about childcare. Theo was quite good at getting me out of things I didn’t want to be at. If Daniel picked up on my hesitation and poor excuse, he didn’t give it away. He seemed to accept my answer with grace which made me feel a bit guilty. I might have the wrong impression of him. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to give him a chance.
The split from Adam was just so recent.
I have spent most of my adult life being in a relationship, it wouldn’t hurt me to be alone for a bit.
I could even date around a little, a small dinner with Daniel wouldn’t be so bad.
I had always dreamed of settling down, getting married, and finding that love my grandparents had, but that doesn’t seem to be my reality.
I already had the child, but Adam and I never married. Truthfully, I don’t think we ever would have. After Theo was born and I left my job to stay home, things had begun escalating with him.
He always seemed to be angry. Everything I did was wrong in his eyes and deserved punishment .
I ignored the lingering thoughts of the past and focused my attention back on the present, handing Elijah his coffee. Daniel may have been gone now, but the tension still clung in the air.
“Don’t date him.” His words made my eyes snap up to meet his.
“What?” I continued to hold his gaze, trying to read how he was feeling. The perkiness he was showing earlier had quickly faded. I wondered why he had decided to put that mask on today. It was obvious he hadn’t truly felt that was toward me.
“Don’t go on a date with him, he’s an asshole.” I suddenly felt myself become interested in going on this date.
His words left me speechless for a beat. At first, I was just confused, but then I couldn’t help but feel angry. It wasn’t his place to interfere in what I was doing and who I was seeing. He hardly even knew me, nor did he exactly have a track record in being nice to me himself.
“Who are you to tell me who I should go on a date with?” I could feel my tone sharpen as I spoke. The anger threatened to creep out. After everything that has happened, I wasn’t going to let yet another man tell me what I can and can’t do with my life. Not Adam, not Elijah, not anyone.
“I’m looking out for you. I’ve known Daniel a long time, you don’t want to get mixed up with him.”
I wished I could say I was flattered he was looking out for me, I guess a part of me was. Mostly though, I was angry. I was angry that he thought he knew me well enough to put himself into my business. To be a part of my choices. I was perfectly capable of taking care of myself and I wasn’t going to allow him to think of me as some weak, pathetic woman.
“I can protect myself; I don’t need you to look out for me.” The last person I trusted to look out for me was my grandpa. Since then, it had been just me looking out for both myself and Theo. I was happy with it that way.
“You say that like you have a choice as to whether I protect you or not. Spoiler alert, you don’t.”
Before I could even respond he was out the door. My eyes wandered over to the envelope on the counter, but I couldn’t bring my hands to pick it up.
I took a deep breath, replaying the argument in my head. I was trying to make sense of how we got here. That man seemed to be constantly giving my whiplash. After taking a minute to calm down, I placed the cash in the register, my hands still avoiding the envelope.
I waited a minute thinking he may return for it; I don’t know if he dropped it by accident or if it was meant for me. Tentatively I flipped it over and saw “Charlie and Theo” written on the front.
He’d left it on purpose, although I imagine throwing it down aggressively wasn’t how he intended to give it to me.
No new customers had walked in since Elijah left, so I decided it wouldn’t hurt to open it now. My fingers traced the edge, slowly opening the envelope. Inside was a new home themed card. As I pulled it out, a gift card fell out of it.
I opened up the card to read inside.
To Charlie and Theo,
Welcome to the neighbourhood.
Figured you could use this to help brighten up the new place.
From,
Officer Sunshine
I couldn’t help but smile at the words on the card and him signing it off with my nickname for him. It reminded me of how he was playing with Theo and Violet the other night. There was definitely a softer side to him, albeit his grumpy side tended to come out more often I wondered what it would take to break through to him, to truly see who Elijah really was underneath that.
As I picked up the gift card, I recognised the name from a homeware place Alice was telling me about. I had made a mental note to go once I had gotten my first pay check, but I guess now I’d have a reason to pop in there sooner. The card didn’t specify an amount, but I’m sure could get something small to make it feel a little bit more like home.
I couldn’t get the card off my mind. Well, truthfully, it was Elijah I couldn’t get off of my mind. I spent the rest of my shift thinking about it. He had definitely made up from our first meeting. I almost felt bad having a go at him about Daniel. Maybe he did have my best interests at heart.
After I finished, I grabbed my phone to text Alice for his number. I wanted to at least shoot him a thank you text for the card. Instead the message I read made my breath catch.
Adam: Lottie this is ridiculous now. You think you can run away with my son? Come home or I’m coming to you.
I felt like the wind had been knocked out of me as I read it. I was certain everyone around me could hear my heart beating. I told myself to calm down–he had no idea where we were, he was just trying to scare me. I felt like everything was happening all at once. Sighing, I did something I hoped I wouldn’t regret. I sent Daniel Taylor a message to arrange to meet for dinner.