Achieving Heaven Through Hell Part 1: A Peaceful Afterlife

Chapter 11

Chapter 11 Honesty

Vaggie stormed into the main office with Charlie following closely after. She leaned up against the wall as Charlie slowly shut the door behind her, taking extra care to not slam it. Vaggie rolled her eye, whenever she was annoyed, Charlie would make every effort to seem calm; she even knew exactly how she'd start off this little chat.

''Kay, so...what was that all about?'

"'Kay, so," said Charlie, turning around with a tight smile on her face. "What was that all about?"

"Exactly what it sounded like," Vaggie said, calmly.

"Vaggie, that was unfair, insensitive, inappropriate and very unprofessional!" Charlie said. "That man–"

"Is a monster!" Vaggie interjected. "He's a murderer, Charlie! A killer! A hitman! He's–"

"He's our client!" Charlie interrupted, pointing at Vaggie and then then herself before gesturing at the room around them. "This is a rehab clinic in Hell! Who did you think we were going to rehabilitate?!"

Vaggie threw up her arms. "Prostitutes! Druggies! Thieves! Literally anyone but someone who kills for fun! How the fuck are we going to rehabilitate someone who'll kill us the second he feels like it?!"

"Maybe by not insulting him to his face, for starters!" Charlie said. "Maybe by showing a tiny bit of faith in me! In this hotel!"

"Wh–Charlie! No one in Hell or anywhere else has more faith in you than I do! Do you have any idea how hard I've worked to help you with this?!"

"And you still don't think I can do it! You think I didn't hear him confess to being a serial killer, to being Cleaner Guy or whatever? Of course I know he's dangerous, I'm not stupid! But he's a client, he wants to move on, to get out, that means he wants to be better!"

"Does it?" Vaggie leaned in. "Does it really? He wants out, sure, but how do you know he actually wants to be a better person? How do you even know he can be better?"

Charlie paused, her brow creasing. "Because I have to. Because I believe that everyone who walks through those doors wants to be better. Because I believe that everyone down here has something good about them. If I didn't believe that from the bottom of my heart, I'd be exactly what everyone thinks I am; a stupid, spoiled, naive princess in way over her head! So, yes, I believe that he wants to be better, I believe that he can be better, and I know that we can help him. Not me, 'we', us!" She reached out and grabbed Vaggie's hand, squeezing it tightly in both her hands. "I need you, Vaggie. I need you to be with me on this. I need you to be what I can't be, I need your skepticism, I need your realism, I need you. But I need you to work with me. I know you think you're right and I know you're just doing what you feel is best, but if you really want to help me then I need you to trust me! Do you trust me?"

Vaggie met her gaze. "Charlie, of course I trust you! If anyone can pull this whole thing off, it's you. I'm sorry, I know I haven't been the as helpful or... professional as I could have been, it's just... just..."

"Just what, Vaggie?" Charlie pressed, stepping in. "You need to tell me!"

Vaggie paused for a moment before hooking a hand around the back of Charlie's neck and pulling her in, pressing her lips against hers in a passionate kiss. Charlie's shoulders tensed fora moment before going slack, her hand reaching up tentatively settling on Vaggie's hip. Her lips were soft, warm, the taste of her was light and delicate, sweet in her mouth. Warmth passed between them, understanding, they lit up like a completed circuit, a surge of passion and energy flowed as they connected on this new, intimate level. They broke the kiss, Vaggie sighed dreamily, gazing half-lidded into Charlie's eyes. "Figured I should just show you."