Luciano

The price of forgiveness

Maybelle paid the driver as she got out the yellow cab. She looked at the card in her hand making sure she was at the right address before she walked into the brownstone building. As soon as she walked in she was hit with a strong smell of cigarettes and cheap alcohol and she scrunched up her nose in disgust. She looked around for Charles but didn't see him anywhere. She walked up a blonde woman who was barely dressed and stood near the counter which served alcohol.

"Excuse me, miss, would you please tell me where Charles Luciano is". She asked scrunching her nose and squinting her eyes because of the smoke emitted by the woman's cigarette. She hoped the woman would tell her that she had never heard of that name.

"What are ya gonna do for me". The woman asked eying Maybelle up and down. She was shocked that a woman dressed like her would be in this place and what shocked her more was that a Negro woman was dressed in high-class designer wear.

"Excuse me?". She squinted her eyes.

"If I'm gonna disclose that kind of information I need some form of payment". The blonde said rolling her eyes.

"So you know of a Charles Luciano". Her heart began beating fast it could not be true.

"Are ya gonna pay me or nah". The blonde coldly stated. Maybelle took a hundred dollar bill handing it over to the blonde who smirked in return.

"Room thirty-two". The blonde said grabbing the money. Maybelle walked off and made her way towards the room grimacing at the women who flung themselves at the men at the tables.

Some women have no respect for themselves.

She thought to herself, she felt disgusted with herself for being in this environment. She finally found a door with the number thirty-two. She knocked twice but there was no answer. She knocked again putting her ear on the door trying to listen to what was going on inside which was difficult to hear since loud music was playing. She knocked again.

"What I'm fuckin busy here". She would recognize that deep angry voice anywhere, she felt a pang in her heart. Before knocking again and no answer she knocked on the door a few more times and the door was angrily flung open. Charles was about to scream at the person but when he realized who it was all the blood rushed from his face. She pushed the door further open so she could see inside the room, and what she saw crushed her. A naked woman laid on the bed, the sheets were ruffled and Charles was only dressed in his pants it didn't take much for her to figure out what was going on. She stood there glaring at the man she loved with no words.

"It ain't what ya think it is". He said softly and she wanted to laugh at that, it was the only way she could avoid crying, something she has been doing a lot recently. She turned around to leave and felt someone grip her arm spinning her around. She fought his grip but he wouldn'. let her go.

"Let me go, Charles". She stated calmly.

"Let's talk about this". he whispered and she continued fighting his grip.

"stop it f*cking hell stop it!". He yelled shaking her roughly before pulling her into the room.

"Get the f*ck out". He told the woman who wrapped a sheet around her body before bolting out the room, he closed the door behind the woman still having a tight grip on Maybelle's arm.

"You are hurting me". She said and he loosened the grip but still did not let her go.

"Talk, I want to leave". She said coldly maintaining her composure but all she wanted to do was break down and cry.

"Ya seriously want to throw everything away because of some broad". He asked with a strained look on his face, he needed to figure his way out of this situation.

"I am not the one who was sleeping with other people Charles". She said exasperatedly.

"That's questionable". He scoffed.

"What do you mean?". She asked confused by his statement. He bent down bringing his mouth close to her ear and she could smell the alcohol on his breath.

"I know about ya little date with William, ya lied to me and said ya weren't going. Ya f*cking betrayed me". He whispered and her heart dropped to her stomach.

"William is my friend nothing happened between us". She could feel the tears brimming in her eyes.

"Than why did you f*cking need to lie to me huh!". He yelled tightening his grip and shaking her roughly, she gasped attempting to move back, his outburst scared her. She noticed that his pupils were dilated and his eyes glossy and she suspected he took something more than just the alcohol. He let her go and turned around grabbing a vase and throwing it against the wall watching it shatter into pieces.

"Sh*t!" He yelled loudly and she covered her mouth trying to stop the sobs coming out. She feared this side of him.

"I'm sorry baby". He said softly moving towards her, his demeanor changed so fast she could have sworn it was a different person. She moved back in fear hugging herself.

"Please forgive me". He said breaking down in tears moving towards before he knelt on the floor, hugging her knees. She was shocked by his behavior.

"Ya all have I please". He continued crying and she recalled him telling her that he didn't have much of a relationship with his family though he never stated why. She felt bad for him.

"Ya forgive me?". He asked looking up to her with tears in his eyes. He was willing to play any role in order to save his relationship. She nodded not being able to form words and he got up and held in a tight hug.

"Thank you". He said kissing her as he held her close. He breathed a sigh of relief, his acting skills had worked she would not leave him. He took her face in hands gently.

"Tell me ya love me". He said as he looked at her still holding her face.

"I love you, Charles". She whispered softly still sniffling from her crying, he smiled at her as he kissed her teary face.

"I love you too angel and I forgive about the William thing. That's what relationships are about my love, forgiveness yes?. He said and she nodded her head softly.

"Thank you for forgiving me I promise I will never lie to you again". She said softly and he placed a delicate kiss on her forehead.

"It's okay sweetheart, we gonna move on from this". He said as he gave her another kiss before hugging her again. Maybelle snuggled closer to Charles completely emotionally exhausted, she didn't know if she completely forgave him, her heart was still in pieces but another part of her felt guilty for not being able to forgive Charles when he easily forgave about the William situation, she had betrayed him and was grateful he forgave her. She would need to learn to ignore her feelings if she wanted to keep her relationship, Charles had clearly demonstrated that he can have any woman he wanted and Maybelle wanted to be that woman, this was a learning experience for her she would need to work harder on her relationship if she wanted it to last

I'm really starting to dislike Charles and I am the one writing the character and I think Maybelle has a self-esteem problem or Charles' manipulation tactics are too good after all he is twice her age. *sigh*. My characters are basically writing themselves. Anyway thoughts? please vote, comment and share. peace out peeps😘😘😘