The Other Sister

10

Even in the midst of all the hate that filled Stellas today, I still felt safe with Charles's presence. The jacket not only kept me warm, but it also made me feel like I mattered to Charles. That he wanted to make sure I was warm enough, or that I was ok. Of course I'm ok when I'm with him! It really feels good to have him around for a bit. I hope he stays a while longer!

We both sat down at the bar, and Stella came over. "It's nice to see you around again Beatrice!" She smiled and took my hands in hers. "It really is nice. It sure has been empty around here without you." She gave my hands a squeeze, and continued saying "Your regular?" I nodded happily and then looked to Charles. I wrote down 'Do you want anything? I can pay. I brought along a few coins.' He said "Ill get something but you are not paying for it. I have my own-" I put my hand on his chest to sh him, and looked to Stella. I wrote down 'What ever he gets, goes on my bill ok?' She smirked and said "On the house for you two." I gave her a look that says 'Are you sure?'. She nodded and said "Its ok Bea. I missed you. It's the least I can do after what happened. Ok? No protest!" I put my hands up in defense, and smiled. I mouthed a 'thank you' and looked down at my drawing from earlier.

I continued the drawing with adding more flowers, hidden pictures with in the bird, and some people. Charles peered over my shoulder to see what I was doing, and he said "You have a true talent Beatrice. True, true talent." I smiled up at him, and wrote down 'It was a habit ever since I came here. To get my mind of things, I would draw what was around me.' As I finished writing, Stella had put our coffees in front of us and said "Enjoy!" She smirked at me and looked down to the jacket. I blushed at the sight of the jacket once again and smiled eagerly back at her.

The bell rang, indicating somebody came into the diner. "That's a nice machine." Another voice said. A voice I know too well. Bobby...

Bobby chuckles and sits down on the other side of Charles. "Four-speed?" He paused as Charles nodded. "What's under the hood?" He continued in his raspy, choppy, intimidating voice. Charles smirked. "Six-cylinder." Bobby sighed in surprise and let out a quiet Ooh! His voice was ear splitting. I hated it! His voice continued on the other side of Charles "How do you get
a car like that?"

"Ace-high straight." Charles said in a mater of fact voice. Bobby said lazily "Not around here
you don't." They both took a sip of their coffee. Bobby takes another look at Charles and says "You look familiar."
"Do I?" Charles asks.
"Where from?"
"I'm from right up on the hill." The whole diner went silent and all eyes fell on me and Charles. Bobby let out a grunt and said "Ain't that a bite. That explains why you got one of em with you. Eh Beatrice? You here to bewitch him with your spells?" I kept my gaze down towards my coffee, and tried my best to ignore him. Another comment sounded from Bobbys loud mouth. "Well, I didn't know there were any more Blackwoods, eh, Ned?" Charles looked to me and put his hand on my thin thigh. It was comforting, but took me by surprise!

"Wonder how long before this one ends up in the boneyard." Bobby says in a threatening tone.

A voice came from behind us. "Another Blackwood to take our money. Just like their tyrant daddy and the rest of them!" I shuttered at his comment and fell lower in my slumped form.

"No, they should just throw those high and mighty girls to the woods for all the trouble they caused this town." Bobby said making his way behind me. Charles didn't notice. He was still sipping his coffee, and turning to look at the two other men in the corner.

Ned, ond of them in the back said "Those Blackwood girls... they're no different than their daddy. Sitting up in their castle. Rolling in their heaps of silver coins." Bobby was behind me now. He turned me around slowly and said "And the new addition to the castle just makes this town more infuriated. Right Ned?" I look up at him with fear in my eyes. I try to open my mouth to say something, but as usual, nothing comes out. "Ha! She can't even talk anymore. How about that?" Charles's full attention was on Bobby. "Leave her be. Her and her sisters never did anything to hurt this town." Bobby turned towards Charles and said in a low voice "She hurt this town the minute she said Constances name the day she came. She could have been fine living on her own. But being the Blackwood other sister, and rolling in the same piles of dirty money that family has, she did not only hurt this town, she brought a curse back to haunt us." Ned said agreeing "Yes. And she is just another Blackwood, like you boy, to take all of our money." I turned my head to see Merricat outside the window. I sent her a small smile and she returned it. She looked to Charles who noticed her too. She backed away from the window, and most likely went back home.

I looked back to Charles and he said quietly to me "Let's go." I nodded and we stood up. I pulled the jacket tighter to me again, and we started to walk out of the diner. I realized I didn't grab my book! I turned back around and saw bobby holding it up with a lighter to it. Tears were starting to appear in my eyes. Charles walked up to him, quickly took the book from his hands and said "You got to be faster if you want to steal things from people bud. And put that tighter away. You're going to burn this place down."

With that, we walked out of the diner, and went back to the car. We both saw what was on his car. We both saw the scratch that made its way from the beginning of the passenger side door, all the way to the beginning of the back seat door. Charles kneeled by it and sighed. He looked up to me and said "You ready to go home?" With one tear going down my cheek, I nodded. He opened the door and helped me get in. He handed me my book and said "Here. Bobby his name is?" I nodded. "He'll get whats coming to him." I gave a weak smile and chuckled lightly. He gently shut my door, and got in on the drivers side. With the car started, I was going to take off the jacket, but he stopped me. "You can wear it till we get up there. Its a bit cold on the way to the house." I smiled and shimmied back into the jacket and relaxed on the way up to the house.