The Secret (Watty Award Winner) | ✔️

Fifteen - Charlie

Ch15 - Charlie

Charlie had been talking to a client on the phone when he heard Talia scream. He looked up just in time to watch her fall through the dock and into the murky water below.  He threw his cell phone down and took off toward the wooden platform, noticing the dark lump swimming deliberately through the water toward her.

"Talia!" he screamed, trying to get her attention.

She was flailing about and didn't look up. He raced to the dock and made his way toward the end, where Talia had fallen though.  Reaching over the side, he called out again, "Talia!"

She looked up at him with fear-filled eyes. He knew she'd seen the crocodile, too.

"Give me your hand," he continued, "I'll pull you up." He reached toward her outstretched arms and quickly plucked her to safety.

Talia slumped against the dock, wet and exhausted, once out of the water.

"Are you okay?"

Fighting to catch her breath, she looked down at her arms. They were already covered in angry, red welts from falling through the dock. When she lifted up the end of her wet dress, Charlie noticed her legs had actually caught the worst of it.

"I think so. Thank you, Charlie," she answered gratefully, looking up at him.

"We should get you to the hospital to get checked out. You may need a couple of stitches," he suggested.

Talia's eyes widened with a panic, "No!"

Charlie regarded her quizzically. Why wouldn't she want to get checked out by a doctor - just to be safe?

"I mean - I'll be fine," Talia tried again. "All I need to do is clean the cuts. Really..." she almost pleaded with him. "I promise, I'm alright."

He studied her carefully, assessing the damage. "Let me at least take you to my house - it's right next door. We can get you washed up and I can treat those wounds."

He frowned as he watched her struggle over what to do next. Why was she being so stubborn? She needed to clean the abrasions before they became infected. Hesitating for another moment, she finally agreed.

Helping her to her feet, Charlie guided Talia gently by the elbow toward land. They began to make their way back to his bike when suddenly he felt her shudder next to him. He glanced toward the water and together they watched the crocodile lazily crawl onto the shore.

Charlie walked close to Talia but let go of her elbow, sensing her discomfort. She really was a peculiar little thing. Glancing sideways, he noticed that she was walking with a slight limp. "Are you sure you're alright? When was the last time you had a tetanus shot?"

"I appreciate your concern, but I said I'm fine," she responded defensively.

He didn't argue, instead he helped her onto the back seat of the bike, not even bothering with the helmet. She put her hands firmly on his waist and they took off down the drive.

"You live next door?" she asked, over the hum of the wind.

"Yes," he said, glancing behind him, "It's right up here. I can see the rental property from my kitchen window." He wondered how interested she would be in the house now. Probably not very. Pulling into the long drive, he contemplated her next move.

Parking the bike, he carefully helped Talia off. The long scrapes on her arms now glistened with fresh blood. Vaguely, he wondered what kind of shape her legs were in.

Dammit! Why hadn't he fixed those rotten planks when he'd had the chance?

They made their way up the stairs and onto the front porch when all at once a ferocious bark pierced through the air.

"You have a dog?" Talia asked with raised eyebrows. Charlie chuckled softly when he saw the look of surprise on her face. Because of their quick departure, he had forgotten to mention it.

"That's Winston. But don't worry - his bark is worse than his bite." He noticed her grimace and decided to try a different phrase. "That is, he doesn't bite at all. Not people anyway. He's my hunting buddy. I know he sounds like a beast, but he's really just a big teddy bear. I promise," he added, noting her hesitation.

Charlie opened the front door and stepped inside. Holding up his hand in command, he said to the pale, blond Labrador, "Easy, boy."  Winston walked up to Charlie and sat obediently at his feet, his tail wagging happily behind him. He held the door open for Talia and she stepped inside.

Winston waited for permission before walking over to their guest and sniffing her hand. Regarding Talia with big, brown eyes, he gave her a lick, showing his approval. She ran her fingers over Winston's head and ruffled his ear gently.

"Winston - stop it! That's not very gentlemanly of you," Charlie scolded playfully. "See what I mean about being a big teddy bear?"

Talia let out a soft giggle, and it sounded like music to Charlie's ears. It had been a long while since he had felt intrigued by a member of the opposite sex. Reluctantly, he had to admit it wasn't an unpleasant sensation.

"Follow me," he suggested, and lead her through the house and into the bright, open kitchen. "Have a seat, I'll be right back."

Charlie pulled out a chair and Talia sat while he left to retrieve his first aide kit. As he walked back toward the kitchen, he studied her from afar. The cuts on her arms and legs had to hurt, yet she remained silent and stoic. He appreciated the fact that she was not panicking. A nervous female was often times an erratic one, and he wasn't quite sure how he would handle that. Luckily, his Emily had never acted hysterical. Talia sort of reminded him of Emily. They shared the same quiet intensity.

He set the supplies on the table and went to the sink to wash his hands. Then kneeling on the floor before her, he reached for the bottle of peroxide and a handful of cotton balls.

"I'm sorry," Talia began timidly. "Please, can you just use soap and water to clean the wound? Peroxide can damage healthy tissue if it comes into contact with it."

Charlie looked up at her in surprise, "That's a pretty knowledgeable statement. Are you a nurse, or do you just get hurt a lot?" he teased.

He expected her to laugh, but she didn't. Instead, she turned her head away and said nothing.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Thank you for reading! If you liked this chapter I ask that you kindly leave me a vote or comment to let me know what you think!

If you look over to the media section on the right side of your screen, you will find a picture of Winston. Isn't he cute? :)

I want to dedicate this chapter to my WP friend @SarahBensonBooks. She has a wonderful fantasy story that is currently being featured here on Wattpad and has also just been published! If you click on her picture at the top of this page near the dedication, it will take you to her profile and where you can learn all about her and her fantastic story!