Forgetting Charlotte

Michael the father

Chapter nineteen: Michael the father

“Oh my god Charlie, It’s true.” Michael stared at my belly with unblinking eyes.

“What’s true?”

“Is this our baby?” Michael reached out both hands for my midriff.

I pulled away before he touched me. “No, I ate a large lunch.” I spat in sarcasm.

“Charlie.” His voice changed and I could hear the strain in his tone. “You have every right to be angry with me. What I did was….”

“Mean, Stupid, fucked up…”

“Yeah, well what I meant to say is I acted …”

“Like an asshole, a douche, a jerk-off, did I say asshole?”

“You did, the point is…”  

“Is there a point Michael? I mean is their a point you are searching for that will somehow make me feel better about what you did?”

“I’m not looking to make excuses Charlie.”

“Good! Because I can’t think of an excuse for dumping your fiancée without the decency of actually informing her she was dumped? I mean you didn’t even leave a note Michael. I fell apart after you left.” I bit my lip, I had gone over this conversation hundreds of times in my head and every time I imagined it I told myself I would leave that part out. Why should he now how much he truly hurt me?

“I fell apart to Charlie, I was dying without you.”

“YOU left, remember? Without a trace, if you were DYING…” I spat out the last word with all the nastiness I could muster. “Without me then YOU could have come back, or called.”

“Charlie, I couldn’t come back.”

“Why? Were you pregnant?”

“What? No!”

“Oh then, did I jump off the planets radar to get away from you?”

“It wasn’t like that Charlie.”

“What was it like then Michael because I would really like to know why you felt you needed to run away from us?” I crossed my arms and gave Michael a steely glare.

Michael let out a big sigh and hung his head down, searching his hands for an answer. “The point is Charlie that as soon as I found out that you, I mean we, were pregnant I came back as quickly as I could.”

“Uh huh, and when did you find out?”

“Just a week ago, I…” Michael’s voice drifted off as I heard David voice coming closer, avidly arguing with someone.

“I don’t understand Alicia, why won’t you tell me why I have to go to Phillip’s office? Can’t you just tell Charlie I am here?” David turned into the wide open door frame and froze mid-step.

“Michael?” David looked back and forth at Michael and I, searching my face for an explanation.

Michael walked towards David and pulled him into a big bear hug.

“Dave! My man I missed you.” David stared at me as he stiffly stood there, allowing Michael to hug him.

Michael released David and David took a large step back.

“Mike, what are you doing here?”

“What do you mean bro? I’m here for Charlie of course.” Michael laughed as he put his hand on my shoulder. I ducked out from underneath his grip and moved behind Phillips desk. We all stood there awkwardly as Michael stared at me, I stared at David, and David stared back at Michael.