Charlie's Utopia

Marcus Meets The Neighbor.

"Wow, she came back? I didn't think I would ever see her again after what she did at your wedding reception." Silas chuckled as he bites into an apple. Marcus nodded his head as he looked at Silas munching on an apple while he closed his laptop. Silas decided to show up at Marcus's office after work, something he often does since Maria left.

Silas remembered Amelia, how could he not? She and Susan were Marcus's closest friends during high school. He remembered seeing her around the two all the time. She was even Susan's maid of honor. She seemed like a decent girl until she got drunk at Marcus and Susan's wedding reception and made a fool of herself. Silas knew her more as a girl with a huge crush on Marcus rather than Susan and Marcus's best friend. "There is something else," Marcus spoke slowly after a brief pause.

Silas didn't like the way he spoke. He instantly stopped chewing and sat straight. Something in Marcus's voice told him that something was wrong – very wrong. Silas brought his eyebrows together, "What?" He asked while Marcus kept his gaze fixed on his desk while his forehead creased. He had his hands rested over his desk while he fiddled his fingers – Silas got more and more anxious by his brother's long pause. "Please don't tell me something happened between you two," He spoke lowly. His voice almost came out as a whisper.

Marcus was quick to avert his gaze at his brother, "What? No? Wait – did you think I cheated on Charlie or something?" He asked his brother accusingly.

Silas defensively shrugged, "Hey! Don't get all wind up on me. What else was I suppose to perceive from your long-ass pause and from what I remember that woman had a hardcore crush on you." He spoke at bay.

Marcus rolled his eyes on his brother, "No, I did not cheat on Charlie. I would never!" He replied guardingly. Marcus is anything but a cheater. He always gives his hundred percent in a relationship – sometimes even more, and probably this was the exact reason why he sometimes gets hesitant around Charlie. Even when Susan is not around anymore, he often feels like he is cheating on her with Charlie – and this mere thought makes Marcus feel guilty towards Charlie. "Where I didn't cheat on her – nor did Amelia made any move, she thankfully moved on and got married – I didn't mention her either." Marcus guilty confessed.

Silas knitted her eyebrows. The half-eaten apple in his hand slowly turns brown, "What do you mean by that?" He asked. He wasn't sure what his brother was trying to tell him.

Marcus heaved a sigh and leaned back to his chair, "I didn't tell Amelia about Charlie. I didn't tell her that I moved on. I didn't tell her that I am in love with Charlie. I didn't tell her that I have a girlfriend," Guilt piled up on Marcus with each word he spoke. He huffed and looked up at the ceiling before he rubbed his face, "God, and it isn't like it didn't come up." He paused and looked at Silas – who intently listened to his brother, "I, on purpose, didn't tell her about Charlie." He added.

"Dude," Silas spoke lowly. He didn't approve of how Marcus decided to handle this situation. Silas understands his brother here. He knows how Marcus used to believe that he should never move on from Susan. He very firmly believed that no other person would ever take Susan's place in his life until Charlie came. She didn't exactly take Susan's place – no one could do that for Marcus, but she got into the barricaded part of his heart where no one was allowed except for his daughter and Susan. And Silas was happy for his brother, he was finally moving on – but the fact that he still feels hesitant towards his relationship with Charlie was a bit concerning for Silas.

"I know – and I feel horrible! I – God, I don't know what I am afraid of. Charlie is an amazing woman and I love her – I do! I don't know what is wrong with me." Marcus exclaimed as he stood on his feet hastily – leaving his chair to whirl with the impact. He placed his hands on his hipbones while stared out of the window – ashamed of himself.