Double Trouble

Chapter 17

It had been about a week and Carrie and Charlotte have barely spoken a word to each other. It was hard on Charlotte as much as it was on Carrie. Carrie kept her word and she slowly started canceling appearances, meetings, recording sessions, etc. No one thought she would really go through with it at first. But when she started to make cancellations, the whole family grew concerned. Mike and MacKenzie came over for dinner Thursday which had become a tradition whenever both Carrie and Mike were in town at the same time. After dinner, Charlotte and Kenzie went up to Charlotte's room while Carrie and Mike laid out in the living room down in the basement.
"So you and your mom still aren't talking to each other?" Kenzie questioned.
Charlotte nodded.
"Charlotte, this is crazy," Kenzie told her best friend. "You can't let your mom quit on something she loves that much and has worked her ass off for. That's being flat out selfish. I know it's hard to be away from her. Trust me, my dad has to do it all the time. But that's what makes this whole family thing special. When we're apart, we miss each other and remember how much we really love each other and then when we see each other again that time together is really that much more special."
"I didn't know she was going to go that far honestly," Charlotte admitted. "I thought she was joking. Now, I kind of regret it."
"Well, you need to fix it and fast before she leaves for another show," Kenzie told her.
Meanwhile, Carrie and Mike discussed what had been going on while down in the basement.
"Char still giving you the silent treatment?" Mike asked.
"Yup," Carrie answered.
"What are you going to do?" Mike questioned.
"I don't know," Carrie shrugged.
"Well, I do know this, Mike spoke up. "You love to sing and you have a close relationship with it that no one else will ever truly understand. It's not something you want to give up on so easily. I can see it in your eyes that it's hurting you to think that you might not sing again. You've been amazing at being able to balance both singing career and raising a child for almost ten years. There's no reason that you shouldn't be able to do it for at least ten more."
"Mom," Charlotte interrupted. Carrie and Mike's heads turned over towards the bottom of the stairs to see Charlotte standing shyly.
"What's up," Carrie replied.
"Can I talk to you alone?" Charlotte asked.
Mike stood up off of the couch and quietly went upstairs. While he did so, Charlotte went over and sat on the couch an awkward few feet away from her mother.
"So I wanted to say that I'm sorry," Charlotte admitted. "I'm sorry for yelling at you and for running off and everything. I said some things I didn't mean. I guess my emotions just got the best of me."
"But is that how you really feel, sweetie?" Carrie asked. "Because I told you from day one that you will always be most important to me and I will do whatever it takes to make that feel true to you. If that means giving up some things, I will."
"But Mama, I don't want that," Charlotte confessed. "I want you to be by my side all the time but I want you to be the Mama I know so well. When you aren't singing, you aren't as happy. That's what I want more than anything in the world. Is for you to be happy."
Those words made Carrie smiled more than anything. "I love you sweet girl."
"I love you too, Mama," Charlotte grinned back sitting up off of her seat and heading over towards her mother to give her a loving hug.
"Now, something tells me you and Kenzie should get back to your cheer practices," Carrie said.
"Um...actually," Charlotte hesitated.
"What?" Carrie asked.
"I don't really want to do cheer," Charlotte said. "I kind of just wanted to do it to get a guy I liked."
"Charlotte Marie!" Carrie gasped dramatically on purpose followed by a giggled.
"It's really not my thing I figured out though," Charlotte replied.
"And you should also figure out that the best guys are the ones that love you for you," Carrie added kissing her daughter's cheek.
"Anyways, this means I get to go on the mission trip right?" Charlotte asked flipping the subject.
"Mission trip it is," Carrie smiled.