Chapter 3 #2
My face scrunched up as I tried to put a finger to what could be the answer to Stephanie’s question. What did Charles want?
While he had not given up any obvious tips to what he wanted or why he was presented at the meeting, his intentions were clear as day.
“I can’t say exactly what it is but…”
“Tell me what happened again. This time, don’t leave out his contributions.”
I narrated the event again, focusing on my interactions with Charles this time while my friends listened. I could practically see the wheels turning in their heads and steam from shooting out their ears from all the mental workload.
When I was done narrating, I gave them a few minutes to take in all I had said before I added the part that has haunted me since I left Charlton & Co.
“The worst part is, there’s something off about the lawyer, Charlton.
I have this feeling he and Charles orchestrated the whole thing and have merely invited me for formalities.
Nothing made sense, not the will, not the demands, nothing. ”
Even as the words left my lips, a part of me doubted if it was true but it was the only probable reason I could come up with. Nothing would explain Charles’ magical appearance or the importance of his presence.
“This is a lot to digest on an empty stomach.” Tessa announced, waving towards the waitress, “I’d take the day’s special and a bottle of red please?”
“Coming right up.” She said as she pulled away hurriedly from our table.
“I have no way to prove it though, it’s just a feeling.” I explained further.
“Did he do anything to make you think so?” Steph asked, her expression serious.
My mind went back to our parting words after I’d said I would rather die than to let him take a drop of my father’s wealth. It was a bold statement but his reply was even more chilling.
“He asked me to bring it on.”
Stephanie raised a brow and Tessa’s eyes looked like they were about to jump out of her skull.
“Correct me if I’m wrong but doesn’t that translate into a war declaration?” Tessa voiced out what we already knew.
A beat passed before Stephanie asked if I could remember Charlton’s exact words as he read the will. I did my best to recall them and her face added a new wrinkle with every word I added to the growing sentence.
“That’s abnormally vague.” She noted as Tessa busied herself with pouring our drinks.
“Charles said the same thing.” I added, hating the taste his name left behind and it irritated me to have to agree with him on anything.
Stephanie nodded, “Well then, I’d look into it and see if I can dig up something to proof or debunk that feeling of yours.”
My eyes lit up with a smile as I reached for her hand, “I’d appreciate that.”
“I’d sniff around social media, you never know what you’d find just.” Tess offered with a light shrug.
“Thank you guys, it means a lot.”
The waiter returned not long after with Tessa’s order, then taking that of Steph and I before retreating into the kitchen.
“Charles and his shenanigans aside, how are you feeling? Are you eating? Are you okay?” Tessa asked, concern shimmering through her eyes.
“I just wish it were all some nasty nightmare." She reached to give my hand a gentle squeeze and I smiled in return.
It’s been the toughest part of my existence. My mom had died way before I knew what grief was about and I had grown incredibly close to my father as a result.
Grieving him was one thing, fighting all of these in the process was another. I wished I could just crawl into a hole and stay till I felt up for human interactions but sadly, the world didn’t work that way.
Your pain changed nothing and earth doesn’t stop to give you time to process and if you took much time to heal, you’ll pay for your time away, one way or another.
A man approached our table, his hair slightly disheveled as he locked eyes with me, a smile forming at the corner of his lips.
I looked away but from the corner of my eyes, I could see him approach, getting closer by the minute.
“Hey ladies, mind if I steal this one for a moment?” He asked, settling beside me, his smile a lot wider now as he looked towards my friends as if asking their permission first. They both conveniently looked away, busying themselves with every other thing.
“We’re in the middle of something, I don’t think I can manage a conversation right now.” I said, managing a smile.
“Come on, I just want to talk.” He pressed on, his smile faltering slightly as he perched beside me awkwardly.
“No, but thank you.” I said, my face already hurting from the plastered smile.
“Well, your loss then.” He said as he stood abruptly, his chair scraping loudly against the floor, drawing unwanted attention from nearby diners.
“You have ninety days, I don’t think you have the luxury of rejecting.” Stephanie said in between fits of laughter.
Tessa and I both joined in and in that moment, I realized just how special these women were to me.
We ate, drank and talked about everything that had been going on in our lives within the last few weeks as the sounds of our laughter echoed around us.
When it was finally time to go home, I felt a lot better, lighter even. We said our goodbyes eventually, and I drove home, collapsing on my couch the moment I got in.
The silence was deafening, but it was something I had gotten used to. I slipped my shoes off my feet, letting them clatter to the floor as I stretched wearily beneath the dim living room lights.
I undid the buttons of my shirt, letting it fall softly onto the couch before grabbing my phone to check for any new messages.
I scrolled mindlessly for a bit before packing up and heading inside, making my way into the shower after I had stripped.
The cold water glided off my skin, soothing the residual anxiety in my body as I tried to focus on nothing but the sensation itself.
I picked up the soap and scrubbed lightly, as if trying to rid myself of the unpleasantness of the day. I felt better afterwards, like I had somehow washed off Charles and any other inconvenience down the drain.
But the pain, the ache that ate deep and the lack of the soft baritone that always welcomed me home with the question “Anything interesting happen today?” Was one I couldn’t scrub away, and it didn’t matter how hard I scrubbed or how hot I turned the water, it didn’t numb the pain, not even the strangled sob that finally tore through me could fix it but I did feel a little lighter before I let myself fall into the waiting arms of oblivion.