Ch9 - Charlie
Charlie reached his arms high above his head, enjoying the way his muscles felt as they stretched as far as their limits would allow. The tension that tightened his neck and shoulders slowly released and he silently reminded himself to stop by the pharmacy to pick up his sleeping pills, hating the thought of going another night without them. He'd dropped the prescription off the day before, but they hadn't been ready for pick up before they'd closed for the evening, which meant his sleep would be marred by the nightmares he'd been plagued with for the past three years. He hated depending on the tiny white pills, but if he wanted to escape the images that waited for him in his dreams he knew he'd need to take one every single night before bed.
The early morning sun sliced through the curtains, allowing rays of sunlight to enter the room. The sheer material gently swayed as a light breeze blew in through the window, causing a myriad of patterns to dance across the bedroom walls. It was supposed to be a beautiful day. Sunny, breezy and not quite as humid as it had been. How nice it would be to drop everything and take Talia and Carter to the park for a picnic, but his agenda was full for the day, that much he knew. So much still needed to be done at the house next door before the renter arrived from Louisiana.
But first things first. He turned onto his hip, swiveling his lean body toward Talia's side of the bed only to find her spot empty. He ran his hand over the cool material of the sheet as his lips turned up into a slow smile. No doubt Carter had already summoned her for the day.
His eyes moved toward the clock that sat on the bedside table and discovered it was only going on 6 am. Carter's waking habits were getting to be ridiculous. He knew he shouldn't have let his mother rock her to sleep on the porch the previous afternoon, but what could he do? He loved watching the two of them together and the last thing he wanted to do was deprive them of spending time with one another. Carter could learn a lot from her silly, eccentric grandmother and he had every intention of making sure his daughter grew up with the loving woman by her side, experiencing the quick wit and wisdom she had to offer. The strong bond that was forming between the two of them now would last a lifetime, and far be it from to withhold their cuddle time - even if that meant his daughter would be rising earlier than normal the following day. Just a small price to pay in the name of love.
Sitting up in bed, Charlie swung his long legs over the side, resting his bare feet on the plush carpet below. With his elbows resting on his thighs, he bent his head, holding it between his hands, and closed his tired eyes. He needed a quick moment to himself before he began his day. The last thing he wanted to do was worry his wife with his persistent insomnia. She'd been so concerned about his mental health, encouraging him to find a doctor to talk to and get things off his chest, but he knew there was no need for that. He was handling things just fine - better than fine, really. The only time the images of Steven consumed his thoughts was at night when he was trying to sleep...and every time he set foot in that house next door . . . or even glanced in its direction.
Okay, maybe he wasn't handling things as well as he could be, but that didn't mean he needed to see a doctor. Eventually, as more time passed by, he would get over the fact that he had killed another man. Besides, it's not as if he'd done it in cold blood. He'd shot that monster in order to save Talia's life. Charlie couldn't stand the thought of what would have happened if he'd arrived even a moment later that night. Would she still be alive? Or would Steven have sucked the life from her with his bare hands?
Charlie shook his head, chasing away the ugly thoughts. He couldn't think that way . . . he wouldn't. Talia was alive and well, and that's all that mattered. Plus they were married now, starting a new life and family together. Every single time he looked into their baby girl's eyes he felt his heart swell with a love he never knew he was capable of. And he had Talia to thank for that. He stood up from the bed, slipping on faded jeans and pulling a soft, black t-shirt over his head. Running hands through wavy, brown hair, Charlie went through his morning routine before making his way toward the living room. His approach was quiet, not wanting to disturb the interaction taking place before him. He leaned silently against the door frame, his eyes taking in the sight of his wife, cradling their sleeping daughter in her arms. They swayed back and forth on the wooden rocker he'd made for Talia when she was pregnant with Carter, and listened as she hummed a soft lullaby. In a million years, he would never understand what he'd done to deserve those two girls in his life.
A floorboard creaked as he shifted his weight and Talia glanced up, her sapphire gaze meeting his. Her full lips rose at the corners and her smile reached her eyes, illuminating a warmth he saw every time she looked at him. "Good morning," she said, speaking in a hushed whisper. "I hope I didn't wake you."
Charlie returned her smile as he crossed the room, making his way toward the rocker. He let his fingers curl around the arm rest and bent his head, brushing his lips against hers. His stomach dipped in that intoxicating way he'd come to expect, the same reaction his body experienced every time he shared an intimate moment with his wife, no matter how brief. "You didn't wake me," he whispered back, moving his lips over her cheek to her ear. He felt Talia shiver slightly at his touch and his grin widened, spreading across his face. Oh, the feelings they stirred up in one another! He had a difficult time keeping his hands to himself when she was nearby.
"How did you sleep?" she asked after he stepped back, her eyes revealing the concern he knew she felt.
"Good. I slept good," he lied uneasily, wanting to spare her additional anxiety. He knew his restlessness weighed on her, and that she believed her past and the trouble that followed her was the cause. "What about you?"
Talia shrugged. "Pretty good, I suppose." She planted a soft kiss on top of Carter's blonde head. "This little one's been awake since before five. She was bound to crash sooner than later. I think it may have been that catnap she took yesterday before we left your mom's. I had a feeling she would be up extra early this morning."
"Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. But you know my mom, it's hard to pry sweet pea out of her arms!"
Talia nodded her head, but he could tell her thoughts were somewhere else. "Charlie," she began, worry settling across her features. "Are you sure you slept okay? I noticed you didn't come to bed until after three and now you're up before six."
Charlie let out a quiet sigh as he looked down and fumbled with the hem of his shirt, avoiding her gaze. "It's nothing to worry about. I just ran out of sleeping pills, is all. I have to pick them up today." He intentionally left out the part about the nightmares that began the moment he closed his eyes. It was past four the last time he looked at the clock before finally falling into a deeper sleep, and here he was awake by six. Thank goodness he was normally able to squeeze in a couple more hours when he took his medication, yet he knew even that wasn't close to the recommended amount of sleep a person was supposed to get.
Talia tried to conceal her skeptical expression, she'd never been very good at hiding her true feelings, and didn't say a word. She went back to rocking Carter as her gaze drifted outside the window, watching the Cyprus leaves bounce in the breeze. Suddenly, Charlie felt something moist nuzzle his hand and he looked down.
"Winston," he greeted, his face lighting up at the sight of his long-time companion. "How're you this morning, buddy?"
The yellow Labrador Retriever wagged his tail, his bottom shaking back and forth with enthusiasm. "Has he been outside yet?"
Talia looked back toward him, her face relaxing as she watched Winston prance around his feet. "I let him out back earlier, but wasn't able to stay outside with him for long. He'd probably appreciate more time to explore. I know how much he likes to be outside."
A small giggle escaped from her as Winston's excitement increased. Talia made it a habit to watch their dog very carefully every time he went outside, not allowing him to be alone for even a minute. Her apprehension stemmed back from the scare they'd had while Talia watched over Winston a few years before. He'd gone out of town unexpectedly, leaving Winston with Talia, and that's when Steven had made his appearance in their small Florida town. Somehow, he'd discovered where Talia had been hiding out and he'd poisoned Winston, hoping to kill him off so he could get to her. Luckily, his plan hadn't worked. Talia and his mother were able to get Winston to the vet in time, saving his life. Even though it was unlikely Winston would get hurt again, Talia could never be too careful.
"I'm going to run next door and open the house up. I closed all the windows yesterday before we left. I'd like to let the breeze in so I don't melt when I go back to paint the bedrooms. Plus, I'm sure the carpenters would appreciate it as well. I'll take Winston along with me, let him run a few laps around the yard." Charlie dropped his hand, rubbing Winston affectionately on the back of the neck. "How about when I get back I make some breakfast?"
Talia's eyes lit up like it was Christmas morning and she nodded her head. "That sounds great, I'm starving."
She always did love it when he cooked for her, and he had to admit it made him feel pretty good. It was the least he could do for her after all she'd done for him. He leaned down, softly kissing the top of Carter's head and then Talia's. "We'll be right back then. Come on, boy," he said, motioning to Winston.
The dog ran to the door, his tail sweeping back and forth in exaggerated waves. Talia blew him a kiss as they headed out the door.
Charlie began the trek over to the rental property, taking long strides across the spacious lawn that separated the two homes. He'd always loved that house, all the blood, sweat and tears he'd put into remodeling it. It had been his pride and joy, and was quite a bit larger than the house they were living in now. But no way would he ever be able to sleep inside of it again, not after what had happened there. And he could never ask Talia to, either. It's not that he believed in ghosts or anything, but the air inside felt different now, heavy, suffocating.
He picked up a stick and threw it for Winston, watching as the Lab happily chased after it. He'd have to take Winston hunting sometime soon, it had been quite awhile since they'd last gone out, and he knew his dog was missing it. Yes, that was a good plan. Sometime within the next couple of weeks, he would take Winston out. It would be good for the both of them.
When Charlie climbed the stairs to the porch, he retrieved the key from his pocket and opened the door. An eerie silence greeted him, along with the shadows that danced around the room, created by the light filtering in through the plywood that covered the windows.
I should remove those today. I'm sure the renter would like to see the sunlight and not a bunch of boards.
Reluctantly, he stepped inside the house, holding the door open for Winston and a familiar chill made it's way down his spine. No matter how illogical he knew it was, sometimes he just felt as if there was someone there, hiding in the shadows watching him. He should take the boards down now, that way when he came back to let the carpenters in the house would be filled with light and not darkness.
Come on, let's get this over with.
Charlie let out an embarrassed chuckle as he made his way over to a boarded window. It was no coincidence that he'd waited to finish up the painting until the carpet guys would be there. That way, he wouldn't have to be inside the house alone.
Charlie Wilson, he sighed, shaking his head in disgust. When did you turn into such a coward?
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