The Bliss of Solitude

PROLOGUE.

song of the chapter:
let me down (ft. stormzy) // jorja smith.
please listen to the song in the multimedia to feel the vibe of the chapter. it will help set the mood much better.

"Mommy! Look at my picture!" A six year old Charlie, yells from the comfort of her pink bedroom. She digs the top of her teeth into her bottom lip as she adds finishing touches. She throws down her crayons and markers and sprints to her mother. "Mommyyy!" She drags out.

"Yes, baby? I'm coming." Her mother responds turning the corner, wiping the water on her hands on a kitchen towel. Charlie cheeses, hiding the paper behind her back.

"Mommy, I have a surprise for you." She rocks back and forth on the balls of her feet, giggling. Her mother  crouches down to her eye level, her hazel eyes glistening in the dim light of the living room.

"What is it?" She gasps dramatically. "Is it a unicorn? For me! Just for me!" She squeals, picking up Charlie in her arms and swinging her around. Charlie screams, the sound of innocence and excitement evident in her tiny voice.

"Silly, mommy! I want a unicorn. I drew something for you!" Charlie holds out her drawing as her mother takes it from her. The twinkle in her eye disappears, and her smile is replaced with a slight frown. "See, it's you, me, and daddy!" Charlie notices her mother's expression. "You don't like it?" She whispers.

"No, baby, no! Mommy loves it with all of her heart just like she loves you!" She reassures her, placing a kiss on her soft cheek.

"Then why you make that face?" She pouts.

"I just miss daddy, that's all." She replaces the frown on her face with a forced smile and swallows the lump in her throat.

"When will daddy be back from his business trip?" Charlie asks, perking up. Her mother coughs, sustaining the emotions she said she would never feel again.

"Soon, baby." She embraces Charlie. She wraps her free arm around her back, relaxing as she feels Charlie's tiny arms around her neck.

"I love you berry much, mommy." Charlie says from the crevasse of her mother's neck. A shaky chuckle comes from her mouth.

"Mommy loves you berry much too, princess." She sniffles and holds Charlie close as she walks into the kitchen. She sets her down on the counter and hands her the drawing. "Hold onto this, I'm gonna buy a picture frame to put this in so I can always think about you."

"Mommy, you know I'm not good at keeping stuff." She stretches out her arms to hand her the drawing. Her mother folds it three times and stuffs it in her back pocket. She goes back to washing the dishes in the sink.

"Do you still wanna go to get our mani-pedis tomorrow?" She glances over at Charlie as she washes, seeing the smile she loves to see.

"Yes! Then we can go eat pizza and-" her sentence is cut short by a banging on the door, "oh! That must be daddy! He's back!" She screeches. Her mother cocks an eyebrow and washes off her hands as the banging continues.

"I'm coming!" She yells walking to the door. She opens it.

"Mommy! Is it daddy?" Charlie squeaks, climbing down from the counter. For a moment, there is silence, then a loud scream belonging to her mother.

"Charlie!" She cries out. There sounds like a dozen of foot steps barreling towards Charlie.

"Daddy!" Charlie yells running toward the first figure she sees. She jumps in his arms and embraces him warmly. She pulls away and stares in horror at the man who holds her. "You're not my daddy." She says. She looks over at her mother, who is now in handcuffs. "What you doing to my mommy?" She whines.

"It's okay, we will put you with people who love you!" The man's voice booms. Charlie flinches, frowning up at his voice.

"Mommy! Stop it! You hurting her!" Charlie yells, kicking and screaming, watching her mother try to wriggle her way out of the policemen's grip.

"Charlie, baby! It'll be okay! I promise!" She yells across the room, tears welling in her eyes.

"I want my mommy!" Charlie cries, tears streaming down her soft cheeks. "Give me mommy!" She screams, weeping for her mother's gentle touch. She reaches for her mother over the man's shoulder. Her mother escapes their grip briefly, just long enough to kiss Charlie's cheek. They yank her back and slam her on the ground. "STOP!" Charlie screams from the top of her lungs, watching the graphic scene unfold in front of her. "LEAVE HER ALONE." She slaps the man in his face and wherever she can hit him at.

"Charlie, calm down for me. It will all be okay." He restrains her from hitting him. Tears stream down her cheek, one after the other, never seeming to stop.

"Put me down! I want my mommy!" She repeats, crying even louder; loud enough for her neighbors to hear. Charlie's scream is distinct and recognizable. Neighbors come out of the comfort of their own homes to watch the scene. They gasp at the sigh of Charlie's mother being dragged away from her home.

The last thing Charlie sees before she is put into a car, is the unfinished dishes her mother was washing.

Unfinished dishes, staring into her eyes. Penetrating her soul. Reminding her of the scent of her mother's favorite dish soap.

Reminding her of the drawing her mother stuffed into her pocket.