Anderson Means A

Chapter 3 - We're a classy family

Two months had passed since she'd met the handsome stranger at Evelyn's birthday party. She had been thinking about their conversation for weeks, repeating his words in her head, remembering the sound of his voice. She regretted not asking more about his family. Maybe he would have felt as relieved as she did if he could have told her about it. Or maybe he would not. She didn't know him, how could she know? She almost felt silly for enjoying the conversation as much as she did. Who would go drink coffee at a gas station with some boy in the middle of the night and tell him about her deepest insecurities? She shouldn't have done that.

It was the last week of the summer and school would start next Monday. Charlotte would be in her last year and she looked forward to it, although she had no idea what she wanted to study after that. Her family expected her to study pharmaceutics, medicine or law. And she did not like those options. They were difficult. And sounded like a lot of work.

She stared at the fresh cup of coffee in front of her, remembering once again the night at the gas station. The coffee had been awful, it had tasted like bitter dishwater. She hadn't even cared.

"Charlotte, your dreaming again", she heard the voice of her mother complain: "Dreaming won't get you anywhere."

"Daydreaming empties the mind", Charlotte answered. "It recharges your brain, I've read it somewhere."

Her mother didn't know what to answer on that and took the small pillbox she always carried with her. She put one pill in the palm of her hand and swallowed it with a sip of water.

They called the pills her Happy-pills, just because her little brother wouldn't ask too much about it. Charlotte didn't even know what they were, but her mom said they helped her cope with the stress she experienced. She also took Sleepy-pills. It was probably something all owners of big pharmaceutic companies did. You had to use your own products, right?

Charlotte's sister came down the stairs with perfectly curled hair and elegant clothes: a white blouse with a black blazer and black pants, made of the same fabric. "What do you think?", she asked with a bright smile, knowing her mother would approve.

"You look astonishing!", her mother said, while she gave her a cup of coffee.

"I'm going to the office today", she explained to Charlotte, as if she didn't know already. Elizabeth had mentioned her internship at the prominent law firm at least forty times. And Charlotte wasn't exaggerating. "Maybe, if I work there, you could do your internship at our firm, sis."

"Yes, that would be an opportunity", Charlotte said, trying not to sound sarcastic. Her sister meant well. "Good luck, you're going to do great. They will love you." She smiled at Elizabeth.

"You're too sweet", Elizabeth said. She hugged Charlotte and gave her a kiss on her forehead, but didn't really touch her skin. It was something weird they all did in her family: they never really kissed each other, they kissed the small amount of air in between them. "I love you. I'm going now."

"Aren't you going to finish your coffee?", their mother asked.

"No, I'm not hungry."

Her sister disappeared through the door.

"Coffee is food, apparently", Charlotte said mockingly. Her mother laughed.

"Aren't you going to Liam's party tonight, honey?"

"Mm", Charlotte said, meaning yes.

"I thought so. You should wear the black bathing suit, it's much classier than a bikini. Your father agrees. Liam's parents wouldn't want to see you wearing some slutty bikini."

"I know", Charlotte answered. "And I will stay over at Liam's, but Evelyn and Amanda are also there, so you don't have to worry I will lose my virginity without knowing for sure he will marry me."

"Charlotte, we just want what's best for you. We don't want him to use you."

"You don't trust Liam?", Charlotte asked.

Her mother sighed. "I don't trust boys."

"I'm a boy", they heard someone say across the room. Charlottes little brother, James, watched them in his pajamas. He was always very quiet when he moved around the house and they had no idea how long he had been standing there.

"But you're a good boy", Charlotte said in a silly voice. "And mommy doesn't know if the other boys are also good boys."

"What do bad boys do?", James asked. He was only eight, but asked more questions in the course of one week than Charlotte had asked in her whole life.

"Bad things", she said in a mysterious voice: "They don't do their homework and say dirty words. They sneak around the house after bedtime too. Very bad things."

"Is Liam a bad boy?"

"No, Liam does his homework and always listens to his parents. Mommy was just confused." Charlotte gave her mother a warning look, but ended with a smile.

"I was", her mother confirmed. "And Charlotte is a good girl, because she will wear a classy bathing suit and the blue dress I put on her bad. And she won't drink too much, just enough to be accepted by her friends. O, and she will take the Thank-You basket I made for her future mother-in-law."

James frowned, not understanding what his mother was talking about. Charlotte rolled her eyes: "I will."