"Enough! I've had enough of it all! There's a limit to fiction." I seethed in increasing anger and indignation. "How can you speak so ill of him? Charlie's a good man, you haven't met him before!"
Carter rolled his eyes. "Oh Carlie, he may have stolen your heart but not your head too. Think, we both look alike. We've got the same forehead."
"Is this the real reason you came to my closet? To turn me against him? To take advantage of my sympathy? How long have you been doing this? Who else did you tell?!"
"You. Only you. Which goes a long way in showing that I could trust someone. I don't mean to turn you two against each other," he scooted the photograph closer, cradling it up in his arms like a baby. He looked disappointed. "The sole reason is far from that. I just told you this to let you know the type of man you choose to love. He'd been a jerk once, but you can make him turn a new leaf."
"Oh shut it," I sneered, folding my arms across my chest. "There's no new leaf to turn, you're a liar. I know Charlie might be homophobic, slightly of course. But there's no damn fucking way he'd go out of his way to hurt his blood. How am I even sure you're who you portend to be?"
He shrugged his frail shoulders in a delicate motion. "Maybe I am, maybe I'm not. But all I've just told you is nothing but the truth."
"And you expect me to pay you of course," I reached out for my checkbook on the Lucite coffee table at the farthest corner. "Fine, I'll deal. Take this cheque and go get yourself a life. Far away from me, probably Charlie too but I don't care. I don't expect this favor to be repaid."
"I don't want your money, you've got to believe me. He was a jerk, he ruined my life."
"Maybe I should call him up then," I took my cell out. "He has a story to tell too."
"What! no!" Carter squealed, hurling a bag at me. I ducked but it hit the lantern at my back. It crashed headlong. "No, Charlie! No one needs to know I'm here. No one should know I still exist, please." he pleaded firmly.
"Then tell me you're lying, tell me whatever crap you've just said is nothing but false," I dangled.
"I've spent a long time running from myself. But I never told a lie before."
I sighed, partly annoyed. Seriously was there no way to intimidate this guy at all? Why are you saying these things?? It makes no sense."
"You love him, don't you? You feel empty when you see him with Sidney, or when he's not near. You feel stuck because you can do nothing about it. You want to reach out to him, to caress his face. To show him how much you truly care, how much you're willing to share the rest of your life with him. These aren't mistaken Carl, they're real. And you damn need to get them out of your mind."
I snorted, moisture already pooling in my eyes. It hurt to have the truth spat right in your face. "Charlie would never have those sorts of feelings for me. How many times must I tell you he doesn't see me any different from a younger brother."
Carter scoffed. "You've never even asked him out,"
"No!" Charlie would have a conniption if he ever found out that I was crushing on him real bad. "I can't stand you right now, maybe going downstairs for tea would help." I only made it halfway through the door when Carter ruefully called out.
"And oh, tell him I forgive him, for you. That sniff deserves the least out of my pity."
G I N
Gin hated having to wait for hours before dialing Oscar. With each sale and swirl of her head back to the cell that sat on the table directly behind her, she silently hoped he wouldn't call. She wouldn't have to hear his throaty voice that spelled doom at every turn. He was one of her many mistakes she'd found hard to purge herself off.
At four o'clock, she closed her stall early.
Dumping her coat and chair on the sofa, she wandered into the tiny kitchen. It was so dark she just had to pull the blinds open once again, then she set some water on the microwave to boil. She took the cup back to the sitting room, reaching out for her phone amidst a bitter sip. The first number on her contact list was Freddie and alas, the tears came slowly. Her heart ached as she contemplated pushing the dial button. It'd make her feel better, to hear his raspy baritone. To have him reassure her that she'd be okay. It was a time like this she began regretting her life decisions.
She sat up instead and dialed Oscar.
"Hello?" She held her breath back.
"Gin sweetheart, I've been waiting to hear from you."
She let out her breath at last, in one piece then said naively. "W-what do you want?"
His laughter rang out from the other end; the devil's cackle. He found pleasure in her fright. "Oh, how still you've become. I expected otherwise."
"Tell me what you want?" she queried more demandingly, surprised by how courageous she sounded.
"I want you," he whispered and she imagined the corner of his lips pulling tightly at their ends into a beautiful smile. He even sounded more sexual on the line. "But of course you've made up your mind to be with that asshole."
"Freddie isn't an - "
"You still love him, after all, he's done to you." he cut her off quite nicely. "He wants you to kill the child doesn't he?"
She remained calm, unfazed by how much he knew. Of course, she hadn't expected the pregnancy to remain a hidden affair for long. Somewhere, somehow, someone must have noticed. "Where do you want me to meet you?"
"Well, my usual hangout zone is down at Chip-vines but they don't have room quality."
"I'll be there," she muttered hoarsely.
"It's not a choice," he replied sharply. "If I don't see you around.. you know the drill. Your stall gets razed to the ground."
It took her only a minute to process this while he hung up. Dazed, she slumped back onto the sofa, feeling like a trapped mouse. It didn't help much either that Freddie wasn't in Bald Slope yet. But even at that what would he do to help her at this point? He'd been betrayed, he wouldn't be willing to hear her out.
She sought her brain for something, or rather someone to deliver her from it. She remembered Carlie. He'd given her his number a few days back in case she needed anything.
At the fourth ring he picked up, but he rather said. "Look, I'm not gonna do this with you anymore. It's clear you've been sent, and get out of my closet this minute! I don't want you here anymore."
"Carlie?" She said, puzzled. He pressed the phone to his ear. "I'm so sorry you had to hear all that. I'm in the middle of something -"
"Carl, I need your help."
Silence ensured as she felt her heart pump like never before. What if Carlie refused? That'd mean she'd have to confront Oscar alone. Which was bad.
"Alright. I'll help but you have to tell me - "
"Can you accompany me to Chip-vines tonight?" She said quickly.
"Chip-vines? What for??"
"There's someone I'd need to patch a few things up with."
"Does Freddie know?" he sounded alarmed now.
"He doesn't have to. I'm doing this for myself," Desperation took the best of her. "It's important."
He expelled a careful sigh. "Okay. Be there by eight."