Surviving in Harmony

Chapter Forty-One | Germany, March 2014

Chapter Forty-One

Germany, March 2014

 

            It was still early when Andrew had his bag in the living room, cloak on. A sleepy Maeve rested in his arms and Robin sat groggily on the carpet, Hester trying to stay awake on the couch.

"You guys listen to Uncle Charlie, okay?" he said, trying to detach Maeve's arms from around his neck.

"We will Papa." Robin and Hester chorused, Maeve just mumbled into his neck.

"Honey, I gotta go." Andrew whispered, attempting again to hand her over to Andrew.

Maeve shook her golden head, scrunching her eyes shut tight and holding onto Andrew. "No Papa! Stay!"

Hester slipped off the couch and took the three year old into her skinny arms. "We're going to play with Uncle Charlie for three whole days!" she told her little sister. "Want to go read a story?"

"Ya." Yawned Maeve. "Bye Papa."

"Bye honey." He kissed his daughters curls, one of gold, the other cinnamon, and picked Robin up for a hug goodbye. "Be good Robbie, 'kay?"

Robin nodded and kissed Andrew's scruffy cheek. "You gonna look at stars?"

"Yeah, I'll bring home something cool, too." He kissed Robin on the head and he followed his sisters up stairs, dragging a stuffed rabbit by its ear.

"Are you sure this is okay?" he asked Charlie, who had been rather quiet.

"Yeah, I had to take a few vacation days anyway." He shrugged. "I was saving them for – um – we were planning a trip in the spring."

Andrew felt horrible for his brother-in-law, almost responsible; how could he not have seen Sonia spiralling after Nora? He could have helped. "You could still take that trip, Charlie. You and Max, together!"

Shaking his head, Charlie stuck his hands in his pockets, looking as if he'd like to stuff all of him in with them. "I wanted to go for her, Andrew. I don't want to go anywhere without her, you understand...I find it hard to even be in my own house, my home...our home. She's everywhere."

"I know what you mean." Andrew didn't know what else to say, what he could do to help. Charlie just looked so lost. "I have to go, you enjoy the kids, yeah?"

"I will." He brightened a little, smiling through the obvious discomfort he felt in his own skin these days. He had described it a few days ago that he felt as if he had lost a limb. "Enjoy the conference."

Andrew almost didn't leave, but he nodded and stepped into the fireplace. Hester House disappeared quickly.

            The German Hotel for Wizard folk was nice, but Andrew felt out of place; his old partners weren't there, nor anyone else he knew very well. He wished Amara was with him so they could enjoy the beauty of Germany together.

So Andrew went to the bar.

He settled onto a stool, ordering in German. Hazel had said it would come in handy one day. "One scotch, please-"

"Make that two." Another voice with the same English lilt to her German came from behind him, and Andrew turned sharply. Sonia stood there, looking elegant in long, black robes, blue velvet on every trim.

"Hey." She said softly as he gawked. "It's been a little while, huh – hey!"

"How – could – you – be – so, so – STUPID?" Andrew cried, swatting her arm with each word. He wasn't doing it hard, and no one in the hotel bar even blinked.

"Hey, I came over here to apologize!"

"I'm not the one you should apologize to!" he shouted, then couldn't stand it; he hugged her tightly, crushing her to him. "I missed you." He whispered into her hair, somehow tamed into some sort of twisted up do.

"I missed you, too, but I had to go." She pulled away and sat on a bar stool, robes reaching the ground. She looked...healthy, for the first time in a year. "I know what I've done is wrong, but I couldn't stand one more day, one more night."

Andrew sat beside her, swirling the scotch the bartender brought. "What about Max and Charlie, couldn't you have talked to them first? They...it was pretty devastating, Sonia."

Staring into her drink, Sonia looked startlingly like Hazel, tired and worried, worn down and achingly beautiful. "I had to think of myself this time Andy. I know that's awful and not what mothers are supposed to do, but I'm a human being."

"You hurt them." He said quietly.

Sonia flinched. "I know I did. I...I'm flawed, we know that – I was selfish and I acted on those selfish thoughts and I hurt my son and my husband." Her posture melted, expression crumbling. "I wasn't a good daughter or sister, I'm a terrible wife and an even worse mother."

"Sonia, that's not entirely true –"

Standing swiftly, Sonia smiled tightly. "You don't have to lie to me, Andrew. I know what kind of person I am, and Charlie knew who I was when we got together." She pulled a letter out of her pocket and slid it across the bar. "Give that to him, will you?"

She walked off then, midnight robes trailing behind her. Andrew finished both their drinks quickly and returned to his room, sending Sonia's letter home.

            The Bowen children were asleep and Charlie was worn out. He had forgotten how tiring it was to have a young child, and he'd never had to deal with more than one for such an extended period of time; he had no idea how Andrew did it.

As he sat in the living room an letter came through the floo, shooting out and landing by his feet. Picking it up, Charlie froze.

I saw her tonight. She gave me this.

-A.S.W.B

Tearing open the envelope Charlie's heart beat quickly and his hands shook; a postcard fell out onto his lap, showing the mountaintops of Germany. It told Charlie cheerily: Wish you were here!

Turning it over delicately, he almost lost it just by seeing his name in her handwriting.

Charlie,

I've been travelling since I left. I wish I could say I'm enjoying myself but I'm not, not without you. As much as I miss you and Max, I can't come home. I need to figure this out. I'm sorry.

Please don't be cross.

Love, Sonia

Charlie wondered if he would ever be able to stay mad at Sonia.

A/N: Ooohhh Charlie boy, won't you ever learn?

Question: Do you think Charlie should still be mad at Sonia? I think I sure would be. Should Andrew have stopped Sonia before she could leave? 

Rose