Autophobia

Chapter 26: Endings

Henry had taken Michael to the workshop at exactly 12:09. Charlie knew this because she'd glanced at the digital clock on the stove as they'd walked out the back door. It was 6:15 now, and no news was good news. At least, that was what she told herself. She picked at the TV dinner in front of her, pondering what could possibly be done. Her phone chimed. John.

I heard a rumor that you were back.

She sighed as she typed.

Yeah. I'm home.

Can I see you? I'm home for the weekend.

Charlie was taken aback.

You want to see me?

Yeah. I've been really worried.

She stood up and glanced out the kitchen window- the light was still on in the workshop, meaning that her father was still hard at work.

Yeah, you can come over.

Great. See you in 10.

She sighed and threw her uneaten dinner in the trash. Aunt Jen walked in and shook her head disapprovingly.

"Charlotte Marie, you've got to eat something."

"I'm not hungry. Besides, John's coming over."

Her aunt looked just as startled as she'd been upon reading the text.

"Really?"

"Yeah, but..." She'd talked to her aunt earlier in the afternoon, filling her in on everything that had happened since she'd run away. "I'm scared to see him."

Aunt Jen nodded slowly.

"What about Marla and Jessica?"

"I don't think they want anything to do with me anymore." Charlie said miserably, turning around and walking into the living room. She turned the TV on, wanting to numb her anxiety. There was a commercial for Freddy Fazbear's that featured a cartoon Freddy dancing around the screen. She smiled a little, wondering how the older location was doing. Those animatronics were essentially updated versions of the diner models that sat in the backroom of Freddy and Friends'. She had a feeling that she'd see Freddy Fazbear's again quite soon, but it wasn't necessarily a good feeling.

The doorbell rang just as some kid's show came on. Charlie jumped up and ran to the door. Her enthusiasm tanked when she opened it, however. John sulked, his hands buried deep in his coat pockets.

"...Hey."

"Hey."

They just stared at each other. Charlie tried a smile but it wasn't returned.

"...Come in." She said finally, stepping aside. John didn't take his coat off before sitting on the couch, indicating a short visit. Charlie sat next to him and stared at the TV.

"Didn't know you were a Squirrel Tales Fan." She got a small smile out of John at last.

"It was just on and I was bored." She turned the TV off and both shifted uncomfortably.

"So..."

"So..." She repeated. Aunt Jen was pretending to clean the kitchen- Charlie knew that she was actually listening in on her conversation.

"Is it really over?" Damn. She picked at a loose thread on the couch.

"I don't know."

"You don't know?"

She looked away, not wanting him to see the tears in her eyes. Yes, it's over. I love him. That was all she needed to say to be done with the whole debacle, but she couldn't.