Chapter 27
CHARLIE
After Mitchell leaves to go pick Bonnie up, we decide to leave the RV down by the river and walk over to the school. A decision I’m mildly regretting when we arrive way ahead of Bonnie and Mitchell.
Now we’re stuck off to the side of all the parents trying, and failing, to be subtle in their stares and whispers whilst we wait.
This is the downside to smalltowns, everybody knows everybody. So, when someone new shows up they stick out like a sore thumb, especially if they don’t fit the ‘norm.’
It’s unfortunately a lesson I learned when I was old enough to start school.
Before then, I didn’t think there was anything ‘not normal’ about my family.
Even more so given Gavin who lived across the road never so much as bat an eye at my parents relationship, neither did Kate or Jace when they moved in.
School was an eye-opening experience. The parents often stared at my mum and dads, much like what's happening right now. Not to mention, kids often parrot what they hear their parents saying. The things they repeated weren’t always mean, but they were ignorant.
And ignorant people, typically react in one of four ways when confronted with something new that they don’t understand or have never seen before.
One – they attack it. Thankfully, we never experienced anything physical. Though, I have heard of horror stories where others have, just not in my hometown. What we experienced was verbal.
Beyond the whispers between the other parents before and after school, Jackson used to constantly go sprouting that his mum said mine was a whore and that I’d grow up with ‘problems.’ A really nice thing to say in front of your child who then in turn told the entire class, too young to understand that those words were hurtful.
Two – they ignore it. For the longest time I couldn’t understand why whenever Sarah would have a sleepover, party or would invite everyone to the park to hangout, I was never invited.
It wasn’t until she did it right in front of me, that I asked her why I wasn’t invited.
She told me that she wasn’t allowed to talk to me, that her parents didn’t want the ‘likes of me and my parents’ around their daughter.
Try explaining to a six-year-old what that comment means. It’s a horrible feeling for everyone involved. For Sarah, for me and for my parents.
Three – they pretend like it isn’t new to them at all, usually referencing some friend of a friend or distant relative that fits the description.
Or in Jesse’s mum’s case, she would boast about how she reads why choose romance novels all the time, and thought it was so cool and progressive of my fathers to not make Mum choose between them. Funny, but also…awkward.
Jesse and I used to wait off to the side, snickering as she gushed to my mum who would force a smile, letting her get it all out of her system until Jesse would drag her away, rolling his eyes.
Or, four – they’re curious, and curious people ask a lot of questions. Anything ranging from “what’s it like to have four dads?”, and “do you know who your actual dad is?”, to “do you ever wish you had a normal family?”
I wish I could say that by the time my twin sisters started school, the town were used to our family dynamic. Don't get me wrong, some were very accepting of it, but others just geared up for round two, and later three when my youngest brother, Dylan, started school.
So, yeah there is definitely a downside to smalltowns.
I’m trying my best to ignore the stares and whispers, wondering who we are, if we’re ‘together together’, which child we’re picking up and more. They’re curious, I get it but its bringing back a lot of memories, not all particularly pleasant.
When two of them finally break away from the others, my eyes flick to the road, willing Mitchell’s car to hurry up and pull in.
“Hey there, I’m Karen. My son’s name is Trevor, but everyone calls him Trev.,” Karen introduces herself, pointing to her chest before gesturing to the woman beside her. “And this is Trish, her daughter is Lisa.”
“Hi, nice to meet you.” I smile, offering my hand for them to shake before Jace does the same.
“So, what’s your deal? Are you guys new to town? I’ve never seen you before,” Karen probes. It’s an innocent enough question, but her tone is a little standoffish.
“Um, sort of,” I answer, leaving it at that and offer them a polite smile. The sound of an approaching car has my head whipping to the road only to be disappointed when a blue commodore speeds passed. Jace, picking up on my discomfort, entwines his hand with mine and gives it a small squeeze.
“Aw, can I just say you two make an adorable couple,” Trish gushes. “You know my cousin is gay-” she turns to Karen, nodding her head. “Yeah. They’re looking at adopting because they can do that these days.”
And there it is. The ‘this is totally normal, and I can prove it by mentioning some distant someone or other who is also gay’ reaction. The two kind of gush over it for a moment, further validating one another.
My smile this time is more of a grimace. “Cool,” I grit out, squeezing Jace’s hand harder in an attempt to keep my composure. They’re not intentionally being rude, at least I don’t think they are, but it’s definitely awkward.
“So, which one’s yours?” Karen finally asks, turning back to Jace and I.
“Hm?” I hum at the same time I hear Jace go, “huh?” Honestly, if I wasn’t so uncomfortable right now, I’d laugh.
“Child. Which one are you here to pick up?”
“Oh, um…Charlotte,” Jace answers and both women freeze.
“Oh,” they say in unison, sharing a loaded look and I frown at their tone.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Jace questions, his back straightening subtly as he prepares to square off with them. If there’s one thing he can’t stand, it’s bullying in any form, be it intentional or not. And he’s never been one to hold his tongue about it.
For a second, I’m seven-years-old again, trying to ignore Jackson’s taunts when Jace walked up and shoved him into a puddle and shouted at him to shut up.
He didn’t stop there though; he straight up told Jackson that no one likes a bully and that’s all he’d ever be.
Jackson never bullied me again after that.
“Nothing.” The high pitch of Karen and Trish’s voices pull me from the memory and gives away their lie.
“No, seriously. Go ahead.” Jace waves in their direction and I whisper his name in warning.
“What? Now they’re uncomfortable?” He turns to me, nodding in their direction before refocusing on the two women.
“If you’re suddenly rethinking whether you can say whatever quip you were just thinking of, then you know it’s wrong to say because I’m guessing it’s mean.
” He scoffs and shakes his head. “You’re nothing but bullies. ”
The two rear back, shocked by Jace’s accusation. “I am not a bully,” Karen whispers, avoiding looking us in the eye. I don’t comment, no one wants to be confronted with the realisation that they are saying or doing is in fact harmful.
“Then say it. Say whatever it is that had you holding your tongue. It’s one thing to say something about someone behind their backs, but it’s entirely different to say it in front of someone not in on ‘the joke’ because then you’re forced to face reality.
It’s not a joke, it’s not harmless. Whether you’re intending it or not, it’s bullying. ”
My brows rise and I bite my tongue. He really doesn’t pull his punches when he gets a whiff of someone being mean. Both ladies stand there looking shocked and ashamed, their mouths opening and closing.
A car passes, parking down the road and I recognise the black SUV type four-wheel drive, and I let out a relieved breath. “Thank fuck,” I mutter under my breath. “Come on,” I say to Jace, pulling his hand gently and stepping in the car’s direction. “Please excuse us.”
“You were a little harsh, don’t you think?” I whisper to him as we close the distance between us and Mitchell’s car.
“Oh well, smalltowns often create bigoted minds, whether they mean it or not, or are even know what they’re doing. Now they have a chance for personal growth.” He shrugs, completely unrepentant and I roll my eyes.
“Still, the saying a bull in a China shop comes to mind.” We stop in front of Bonnie and Mitchell who are now leaning against the side of their car looking amused.
“Well, they look properly chastised.” Bonnie smirks, raising a brow and crossing her arms as she glances at the two women we left behind.
“I don’t like bullies,” Jace says in way of explanation, his foot kicking at the grass under his feet.
“I remember. What’d they say?”
“Don’t know. Jace didn’t exactly give them the chance,” I explain.
“Yeah, those two will comment on anything and everything. I once overheard them making guesses whether Mitch was Charlotte’s dad. They weren’t as quiet as they thought when they were trying to guess our ages and compare it to Charlotte’s.” In other words, they were judging the age gap between them.
I don’t know exactly how much older than us Mitchell is, but I’m guessing it’s about ten years give or take. Not really a big deal now, but I suppose six to seven years ago it might be a red flag to some.
But then again, those people also wouldn’t understand Jace and Bonnie’s relationship. To them I say, get the fuck over it. If they’re both adults, in a consensual relationship then who the fuck cares? It’s no skin off your back and not harming you, so mind your own business.
“They mean well but-”
“People say a lot of things when they ‘mean well’, doesn’t make ignorant words hurt any less,” Jace interrupts her excuse for them, and she sighs.
“You’re right. It doesn’t.”
Silence ensues as we wait for the bell to ring and when Bonnie meets my eye, a blush works its way up her cheeks, and I smile. “Hey.”
“Hi,” she whispers back. She’s a lot calmer today and there’s a light that wasn’t there yesterday which is completely understandable.
In hindsight, following then chasing after her yesterday probably wasn’t the best way to go about things.
I can’t imagine how scared she might have felt, which is the last thing I ever want.
The only explanation I have is my heart recognised her before my head did and my body just reacted without thinking.
The sound of the bell rings through the air, grabbing our attention seconds before I hear Jace’s name being shouted. We turn just as a tiny body jumps into the air, launching herself at Jace.
He stumbles but catches her as Charlotte wraps her arms around his neck and squeals. “You came!” Her smile is wide and infectious, and her eyes widen when they land on me. “Charlie!” she shouts, just as energetically. “Can we go to the park now?”
“Charlotte, honey, hop down. You’re too big to be carried everywhere.” The puppy dog eyes Charlotte gives Jace at her mother’s words has me laughing. Oh, she's good.
Sure enough, Jace looks at the young girl with wide almost panicked eyes before telling Bonnie, “It’s fine. How about a piggyback ride?”
“Yes!” Charlotte nods, jumping down so fast it’s a wonder she doesn’t trip and fall. Jace turns, crouching down and Charlotte quickly tosses her bag to Mitchell, who effortlessly snatches it out of the air, and leaps up onto Jace’s back. “To the park!”