Changed Since Texas / Post Malone

7.1

Charlie's POV

"You okay honey?" Doris's voice making me come out of my distracted gaze as I flashed her a very unconvincing smile accompanied by a head nod before focusing my gaze back on the plate of scrambled eggs she had made me, moving them around with no particular purpose, once again being plummeted back into my annoying thoughts.

"Charlie I may have been born at night but it wasn't last night" she smiled walking on the other side of the kitchen island—clearly not accepting my half assed attempt at a pleasant smile as a good enough answer—as she pulled out a chair sitting down next to me.

"Something is on your mind honey and you can tell me" she smiled tilting her head just slightly letting me know that she wasn't going to back away until I answered her. "Honey Austy has been sleeping later and later so it appears I have a lot of time to wait for you" she smirked.

"You're not going to leave until I answer you are you" I said, lifting my head with a small tilt as she smiled and shook her head at me. "Fine I'll spill" I said, pushing my plate away from me using the empty space where it sat to rest my elbow on placing my cheek delicately in my palm.

"You know that Austin asked me to marry him" I smiled, tilting my hand to look at the very expensive looking diamond that he had given to me just two weeks ago, part of me still contemplating if it actually happened or not.

"I do honey and I am so happy for the both of you" she smiled, grabbing my left hand as she gazed adoringly at the large diamond decorating my delicate finger.

"But something tells me you have a bad feeling about it," she said, dropping my hand giving me a knowing smile.

I let out a sigh dropping my hands on my lap as I felt the tears start to flow from my eyes. "I didn't at first, it felt perfect and right like our world was finally coming full circle. The both of us wanted this for so long, at least I thought" I said wiping the tears from under my eyes as I let out a laugh.

"So what's happening honey?" she asked, reaching out to rub my arm as I looked up at her with tear streaked cheeks.

"He's been very distant the last week and a half. He's been staying late at the studio almost every night saying that he has so much stuff to work on, he's been constantly on his phone hardly paying any attention to me or Austy on the off chance he is home while we're both awake" I said sobbing a little harder. "He was the model fiancé when I was on bed rest, but as soon as we got the all clear from the doctor that I could start doing things again it was like I started to matter less and less" I cried, Doris pulling me into her arms as she rubbed my back gently.

"Honey I'm sure he's just playing catch up. He did take two weeks off to spend with you. Maybe he has a lot to catch up on" she said quietly to me, her arms wrapped around me as she tried to continue to comfort me in the best way she knew how.

"I thought that, '' I said, shaking in her arms as a rather large sob shook through my body like the aftershocks of an earthquake that was still trying to wreak havoc on a city that was already destroyed."But it's him Doris. He comes home late and he gives me a kiss and goes to sleep. I haven't heard even the quietest utterance of an I love you leave his lips. He hasn't even asked about Tabi" I cried pulling away from her as I rested my hands on my baby bump, much larger at six months this time then it was with Austy.

"Have you tried talking to him about it honey?" she asked, reaching out to rub my arm, as I shook my head back and forth.

"No," I said, taking in a sharp breath. "I know it will cause a fight or if something is wrong he'll say something sweet to make me feel like everything is going to be fine" I said, my lip trembling as I looked up at her with tears pooling in my eyes. "I think he asked me to marry him with no intention of actually marrying me" the tears finally breaking free as they slid in heavy streams down my cheeks.