What She's Doing Now (Sequel to The Great Pretenders)

Same Mistakes

By One Direction

Circles, we going in circles
Dizzy is all it makes us
We know where it takes us, we've been before
Closer, maybe looking closer
There's more to discover
Find that what went wrong without blaming each other

Think that we got more time
When we're falling behind
Gotta make up our minds

Or else we'll play, play, play all the same old games
And we wait, wait, wait for the interchange
And we take, take, take it for granted
That will be the same
But we're making all the same mistakes

Being at her little brother's 3rd birthday party was unreal. Like something she'd never imagined, especially when you don't share the same mother. Val was sweet enough giving her a hug and kiss on the cheek, pronouncing how glad she was to finally meet her, how beautiful she was and how much she looked like Matt. Charlie had to admit, she was a bit star struck to meet the one and only Valary Dibenedetto....someone she'd placed up there with rock star royalty before she found out Matt Sanders was her dad. But now...well now...she just seemed fake. It was almost as if she was being nice to her to impress her husband. Charlie smiled and put her best foot forward meeting all of her family but she was literally counting the minutes until her mom picked her up. Sitting in the living room watching 'The Lion King' with River snuggled up on her lap, she managed to avoid having to make conversation with curious observers.

Val and Matt together was something Charlie didn't want to think about. But there Val was touching him every chance she could. In his defense, he looked uncomfortable but still he didn't stop her. She didn't remember him looking so uncomfortable around her mother. Their interactions were easy and unforced. Almost like they were best friends...like her and Chris...well that was a bad analogy because Chris was mad at her. 

Something about the twins was off. She could see Michelle moving surreptitiously closer to Brian every chance she could. She was up to something. Charlie just couldn't guess what. Kate would know. She'd be able to see right through whatever Michelle's plan was. Damn her for not asking Matt if Kate could come. 

Ugh...this sucked. She hoped her mom hurried. She couldn't wait to go home.

=================== 

Michelle bided her time, watching Brian. Bringing him bottles of beer. Limiting food when she could. She knew him well enough to know how long it would take to get him plastered and he was near that point where he would be putty in her hand. Luckily the party guests were trickling down and she wouldn't make such a fool of herself if he flat out rejected her. When she suspected he was good and tipsy, she followed him into the empty kitchen where he was fiddling with the cordless phone. He didn't seem to notice she had approached.

"Brian," she called hoarsely and he turned stumbling a bit in surprise.

He sighed as he acknowledged her with a nod. This was the last thing he needed but since his wife hadn't turned up at the party, he was pretty much forced to interact with her without a buffer. He gave a forced smiled. "Chelle."

"How are you Brian?"

"Me?" he pointed to himself with the cordless phone and jabbed himself in the chest "I'm good. How about you?"

She chuckled and nodded "I'm doing well but it seems to me like you aren't."

He shook his head "I'm fine actually. Great. Never better."

"Really Brian?" she replied "I know you better than that."

He blinked rapidly and she couldn't tell if he was going to cry or if he was trying to focus on her face.