Smoke and Bones (Smoke #4)

[ 45 ]

"Oh shit. Charlie. I wasn't expecting you to be here." I muttered, caught of guard by the curly haired boy's entrance. He stood at the side of the bed holding a tray of croissants and a cup of coffee. He also had an expression of embrassment on his face.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to catch you at a bad time. Although to be fair, it's not like I haven't seen you in that get-up before." He shrugged, gesturing to the lace bra and shorts I was wearing.

"I didn't have any choice. It was either this or wear the dress from last night." I admitted, suddenly feeling slightly awkward in his presence. It was an usual thing having to go from never seeing Charlie to recently crossing paths with him on multiple occasions. I flickered my eyes behind him to see Jordanah walking right past, acknowledging neither of us.

"It's not my buisness what you decide to wear. Wanted to say good morning. I just thought that yesterday would have been a full on day, so I bought you some breakfast for you. I mean, since you are a guest at my house and whatever." He mumbled as all I could do was slowly nod my head.

"Croissants?" I asked, in an attempt to lighten the mood. "Quite the choice for breakfast."

"I thought it would be. Spent all morning yesterday making the pastry whilst Jordanah was at her internship." He added quite glumly. I looked at the curly haired boy with sympathy as I took a seat on the edge of the bed.

"What happened?"

"She seemed more excited about going to the wedding. I'm not even sure why. She'd always complain about that Vanessa girl. But it's whatever. I mean, what would I know about women after all." Charlie scoffed before looking down at the ground, seeming deep in thought about something.

"How are you feeling after last night?" I asked, as Charlie wore a smile with his head bowed down.

"I'm still the same I guess. Jordanah hasn't really said much, she's pretending that things are normal. But I just gotta suck it up and deal with it, don't I?"

"I mean it doesn't have to be that way Charlie. Nobody is asking you to suck it up. You can speak up if there's something bothering you." I exclaimed, looking over at the boy who seemed hesitant about something. He shifted awkwardly in his step as Jordanah walked past once again, yet to acknowledge either of our presence whilst on the phone.

"Perhaps I do speak up, and it's everybody else that isn't listening." He cryptically added as he shot me a look that I struggled to read. Just as I was about to question the boy on his response, the blonde hair mother raced inwith a wide smile upon her face.

"Hey girl, hopefully you had a good sleep and rested up in time to go back to Andrew today." Jordanah gleamed as she bounced Ryder in her arms.

"Still a little tired actually." I admitted, pondering if I was in the right mind space to see my fiancé again - it still hasn't felt right that I call him that.

"Great!" Jordanah added, brushing off what I had just said completely. She turned over to face Charlie with the smile upon her expression failing to leave anytime soon. "Ryder wanted to see his papa, said he wanted to show you something."

Charlie stayed silent, looking over at the blonde woman in suspicion before calling over his son.

"Come here Ryder, let's go have a look at what this surprise is yeah?" He added before looking over at me. "It was good seeing you again Scarlett."

"It was good seeing you too Charlie." I said, watching the curly hair boy shoot me a sympathetic smile before heading out the door with Ryder in his arms.

"Oh he is just so adorable with Ryder, isn't he?" Jordanah finally spoke, still keeping her eyes on the doorway.

"He seems like a good dad." I shrugged, genuielly unsure of what to say. After the countless hours and false hopes of being a parent alongside Andrew, the idea right now seemed nothing more than a simulation - one that not even the greatest conspiracy theorist could conspire.