Broken and Together

Chapter Seven: Training for the Job

    Longer chapter ahead lol-

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    The next morning dawned bright and early, and Charlie was disappointed to find her clothes had not properly dried. However, Michael's washer and dryer did appear to work, so she stuck her clothing in the dryer for a good ten minutes or so. When she pulled them out, they didn't feel wet in the least. Content, she returned to the guest bedroom to change. She hummed to herself as she yanked her shirt over her head. She hadn't seen Michael since last night, but she remembered him saying that he didn't often wake up early. It was currently 7 a.m.

    As she left the guestroom, she threw his bedroom door a glance. It remained shut, and not a sound emanated from it. Shaking her head with a chuckle, she treaded to the living room where she sank onto the couch. The power was still out, so she couldn't watch television, nor could she see well in the dim light.

    "Guess I could open a window." She got up and went to the windows. Once she drew back the curtains, she gazed out at the neighborhood. Everything looked positively soaked, from the puddles covering the ground, to the water dripping off every object she beheld. She shuddered, turning away from the scenery. She didn't like rain, hadn't since she was about eleven years old. She wasn't entirely sure why, but it left her with an uneasy feeling. The car following her in the storm last night certainly hadn't helped with the unknown dislike and fear. She returned to the couch, where she lounged, thinking to herself and chilling in boredom. She hoped Michael woke up soon, for she knew she could use the company.

    He did, in fact, get up, but it was about an hour later when he did. She spotted him when he walked down the hall and past the living room. Promptly, she waved and called out 'good morning', but when that only got her a tired glare, she left him alone and went back to sitting in silent thought. She remembered him not being a morning person. Clearly, he needed a little time to wake up before he could properly interact with people.

    Charlie sighed deeply, drumming her fingers on the armrest of the couch. She thought a morning and night at Michael's house would be fun, but right now, she only felt boredom. Seeing as there was nothing else to do, she began to roam the living room and examine the place. She hadn't taken it in much when she first arrived, but now that she did, it appeared to be quite a charming room with old wallpaper, a television set, decent pieces of furniture, a few photos of Michael and his siblings, and a sun-shaped clock above the TV. She smiled to herself as she examined two pictures on a nearby decorative table. One was of Evan sitting on a swing at a playground, gazing up at the sky with a content expression. As for the other photo, it held an image of Elizabeth hugging Michael tightly. In the picture, Michael looked quite angry by the prospect of being hugged by his little sister, but when Charlie looked closer, she could clearly see the laughter and happiness in his eyes.

    With a wistful sigh, she turned back to the rest of the room. "Mike sure does have a nice place." She smiled to herself. She had honestly expected the entire house to be a mess, much like his bedroom when he was young. This was a clean and decent room though. However, she bet his bedroom still looked at least a little untidy.

    Her thoughts on all this ended when the lights of the room flickered, and to her delight, turned on. "The power's back." She sent the lights a content look. Immediately, it faded when she realized what she had to do. Call her father. He was probably worried sick about her, knowing that she'd been walking home in the rain, and she couldn't stand the thought of the words the two exchanged last night. She wandered off to find Michael, in hopes that he would be there for her when she called, but when she heard the sound of the shower running, she knew that wasn't possible.