Broken Truth (11 page)

Ten

Walking up to the entrance of the large sports and leisure centre, Charlie clasped her hands together and prayed that she would get through the next few hours unscathed. It was always difficult to call how things were going to go with her family. They were all loose cannons and had no problems in telling Charlie exactly what she was doing wrong in her life. Everyone that is, apart from her father.

“Hey,” Callum said, placing a reassuring hand on her arm. “I can see the cogs turning rapidly in your head already and we aren’t even through the door yet.” He looked at her reassuringly, “Stop it, ok? I will be right by your side. I promise you I am not going anywhere.”

Charlie nodded feeling relieved that at least she had Callum with her this afternoon. He knew how rocky her relationship was with her family and so he understood her need for support today.

She was extremely happy to have him by her side right now as things could have been very different. She had found out when she woke this morning that he had scheduled another telephone conference with Jared to discuss further developments that had happened overnight with the project.

 As was the case last weekend, the conference had lasted a lot longer than the hour estimate Callum had intimated. Fortunately for Charlie, he did manage to escape from the meeting about an hour before they were due to leave, so that he could shower and change.

“Right, let’s go in then,” he said, gesturing towards the door with his head.

Carrying Ben’s birthday present in one hand, Charlie was grateful that he held out his other for her to take. She gripped it tightly, entwining their fingers together so that he couldn’t let go easily. Her heartbeat increased with each nauseating step she made towards the entrance. She needed to go inside, but she was just too damn nervous. 

“Don’t forget,” Callum said softly. “You are doing this because it’s Ben’s birthday.”

At the mention of her little nephew’s name, a small smile tugged at her lips. She hadn’t seen Ben since she last visited her mother, over a month ago. Even then, things had been problematic when her sister and husband had unexpectedly turned up to pick up their son.

The bitchy looks and comments had started within a few minutes of them walking through the front door. At the time, Charlie had been oblivious to their presence, playing with Ben and his racing cars, helping him to build a ramp that extended from the sofa halfway across the living room floor.

“Charlie,” Callum called as he wiggled the hand he had a hold of.

Shaking her head she looked at him confused. “Huh?”

“I asked you if you knew where to go inside?”

“Oh right,” she laughed awkwardly. “It’s just over here,” she said heading towards the soft play area.

Shrieks and squeals greeted them both as Charlie pushed open the door to the large indoor play room. There were children of all ages running amok around the colourful and soft play equipment, screaming for each other at the top of their little lungs.

“Excuse me, please!”

Charlie smiled and moved to the side as a little blonde and curly haired boy ran between them towards the giant inflatable bouncy castle that sat in the centre of the room.

“Sorry about that,” a young woman smiled tiredly from behind as she tried to carry a small baby in a car seat along with a birthday present. “My son is a little impatient.”

“No problem,” she replied.

As she turned around to introduce herself, Charlie’s eyes snapped instantly to the struggling woman’s arms. “Oh gosh, let me help you,” she said, taking the car seat from her.

“Thank you,” the woman said relieved. “He’s getting heavier and heavier, so I shouldn’t have tried to carry this present at the same time as him.”

Charlie peeked inside the car seat at the sleeping baby boy. Secured safely in the seat, his small angelic face looked calm and peaceful as he dreamt away. His hair was blonde and curly like his older brother that had run past earlier. “He’s beautiful,” she gushed, placing the car seat on top of a long banquet table where a group of parents were huddled and seeking refuge on the far side. “How old is he?”

“He will be a year next month. I don’t know where the time has gone really, it has just flown by.” Charlie could hear the sadness in the young woman’s voice.

“If only they could stay cute and little forever hey?” she said. “By the way, I’m Charlie – Ben’s auntie.”

“Samantha,” she replied. “Mum to that little terror over there.” She pointed towards the boy that had run past them earlier who was now pushing a little girl over on the inflatable bouncy castle. “I’m sorry, but could you just watch him for a moment while I go and sort Ethan out?” she said hurrying across the room to where the little girl was now in tears.

“Ok...” She bit her lip nervously and stared at the sleeping child. “What if he wakes up?” she asked Callum who was taking a seat opposite her at the table.

He shrugged. “He probably won’t, he’s asleep.”

A piercing cry from the car seat startled them both. Charlie backed away at the sight of the crying baby. With his little fists clenched and a bright red face, he looked practically distraught and she had no idea what to do.

She looked across the room for Samantha, but could see that she was busy trying to get Ethan off the bouncy castle. “Shit, shit, shit,” she panicked, flapping her hands wildly in the air.

“Oh for God’s sake, Charlie,” Callum muttered as he rotated the car seat towards him. Unfastening the safety harness, he lifted the baby out of the seat and into his arms. Rubbing his back soothingly, he rose from his seat and started pacing backwards and forwards with the baby resting over his right shoulder.

Charlie stood open mouthed at how calm and responsive the baby was to Callum. Eventually the high pitched wailing changed into muffled sobs as the little boy cried softly onto Callum’s shoulder.

“That young man will make a wonderful father, Charlotte,” her mother spoke irritatingly beside her. “Look at how natural it comes to him,” she continued. “Just think. That could be your child he’s holding in a year’s time.”

“Mother...” she warned.

“What? I’m only telling you what you already know,” her mother admonished. “But anyway,” she said looking away from Callum so that she could focus on Charlie. “You look well, but where have you been, Charlotte?”

“Just busy, Mum,” she shrugged nonchalantly.

“And the fashion thing is still going well?”

“Yes.”

“How are things with you and that young man? Are they progressing well?”

“Yes.”

“Charlotte,” her mother snapped. “Are you just going to give me one word answers to everything?”

“Yes,” Charlie answered. She was feeling very uncomfortable in this conversation, so much so that she could feel her body temperature rising through the roof.

“I’m only trying to see how you are getting on. Why don’t you want to speak to me?” Her mother didn’t hide the hurt in her voice.

Charlie winced at the sound. She didn’t like to upset her purposely, but there wasn’t any other choice. If she didn’t stop her now then this tirade would just continue until Charlie was at the point of tears.

Tapping her foot repeatedly, she crossed her arms over her chest. “Because you will just start harassing me and trying to change my life like you’ve already done within the thirty seconds we have been talking,” she said, controlling her tone as much as possible.

Charlie looked for Callum hoping he was going to come to her rescue. Her face dropped when she realised he was still taking care of the baby. The realisation dawned that she was on her own for this one.

“I only want what is best for you,” her mother pleaded.

“Please, stop,” Charlie begged, wishing she was anywhere else but here right now.

“You never want to make me happy. All I want is for you to be married and taken care of like your sister.” She wiped a tear from her rapidly swelling eyes.

Charlie sucked in a ragged breath and threw both hands into the air. “You can’t just have a simple conversation with me, can you? You have to bring up all of this fucking drama all the time,” she spat, turning on her heel and heading for the door for some fresh air.

“Charlotte!” She heard her shriek from behind as she pushed open the fire escape.

Sitting on the small grass verge next to the leisure facility, Charlie plucked at the blades of grass by her feet. She had known all along that she was walking into a shit storm, although she had hoped that having Callum with her would have been enough to deflect the comments. It seemed that nothing would ever be enough to deter her mother’s brutal attack.

“Room for one more?”

Charlie nodded as Callum took a seat on the verge beside her. He placed an arm around her shoulder and pulled her body into his. She felt him start to rub her back reassuringly, and she smiled, remembering the way he had soothed the crying baby earlier.

There was no doubt in her mind that he would make a fantastic father one day. It was something she was most looking forward to – the start of their little family. It was a long way off for them at the moment, but she liked the idea that their time would eventually come.

“Did you see what happened?” she asked after a few minutes of silence between them.

“Yeah, I saw everything,” he replied, gently kissing the top of her hair and pulling her close.

Charlie nuzzled into the gap between his arm and chest, inhaling the fresh, yet rich smell of his usual aftershave. Fragranced with spiced vanilla and a hint of amber, his aroma was so intoxicating she could be high from it in minutes.

“You know if I could have stopped it, I would have right?” he said brushing a lock of her hair behind her ear.

A painful lump formed in Charlie’s throat, choking her words as she tried to speak. “W-W-Why can’t she just be happy for me? She doesn’t like my job and the fact that I’m not engaged or married yet. She is so old fashioned it drives me crazy.”

She felt Callum’s body stiffen beneath her. Lifting herself from his grasp she turned to look at him cautiously. “You okay?”

“What? Me? Of course, I’m fine.” He answered her quickly as he ran a hand through his hair. “Ummmm, do you want to go back inside now?” Getting to his feet before she could reply, he held out his hands to pull her upright.