Way Forward (GirlxGirl) [E-book available on MEB]

I'm sorry it hurts

Charlie closes the front door of her mother's house behind her as she makes her way in on the Sunday afternoon. The family is going to the school picnic at the beach and Patricia is overly enthusiastic about it. As a parent who is very involved in all of her son's school activities, enthusiastic might be too little of a word to describe her. Patricia has always been like this since Charlie was in school and by the look of it, she is not going to stop any time soon. Different kinds of food are lined up on the kitchen counter while a few baskets are already ready on the dining table. Charlie is naturally drawn to those beautiful aromatic things that send her eyes to be greener and fresher.

"Hi, mom." Charlie greets her mom as she opens one of the baskets to take a peek of what is inside. She is now a food thief who will shamelessly take everything and anything she can.

"Hello, Charlotte." Patricia places her hands on her hips as she looks around the kitchen area; just to check if she misses anything or if she should be doing anything more. "Do you have any more baskets at your house? I'm going to need more for these cupcakes."

Charlie thinks for a second and realizes that she does have granny's basket in one of the cupboards at the house. However, she knows that if she says yes, more food will be cooked and more work will be shared to her way. "No. I don't think there is."

"We'll just have to stuff these into the ones we have and just take the whole tray of cupcakes." Patricia slowly gathers the food from the counter and takes them carefully to the dining table where Charlie has already opened the two baskets to welcome more stocks. Patricia watches Charlie helping her put the food into the baskets. Charlie is almost equally involved in Blake's school activities and she is beyond grateful for the love her daughter has for her half-brother. However, that love she has is about to be buried by the storm that she has been building every time Nicole is in sight. "Are you going to pull any stunts today?"

Charlie chuckles nervously as she is caught on. She doesn't blame her mom for the remark. She can't. "No."

"Blake loves hanging out with you. He loves doing things with you, Charlotte."

"Yeah."

"He looks up to you."

"I know, mom."

"If you want to talk about it—"

"I don't." Charlie closes the lid to one basket once it is full of sandwiches and fruit salads. "And I'm trying. Trust me, I really am."

"Alright." Patricia reaches over and caresses her daughter's cheek with all the love in the world. She knows Charlie is suffering. She hadn't got a chance to get over her granny's pass and she had to get through a breakup she thought she never had to have. As a mother, she is more than worried. As a mother, she wishes she could take the pain away.

"Charlie!" Blake greets as soon as he reaches the last step of the stairs. He is in his beach shorts and a t-shirt. He is so ready for any activities that will come his way. But first, the activity he wants to participate in now is hugging his big sister. The siblings don't see each other much during the week although they are not that far away from each other anymore. Charlie has been coming home rather late since she started working at the marketing agency in New Haven so she doesn't have time to spare for Blake who is in his summer break. Weekends are the only time. Weekends are their time until Blake reaches his teenage years.

"Blake." Charlie wraps her one arm around Blake's shoulder and leans down a bit to give him a proper hug. He is one of the loves that is certain and eternal and she would hate if it slips away from her. "Hey, look. I'm sorry about last weekend, alright?"