Violence of Summer

The tension in the room was so high that Charlie was afraid it was about to crack any second. She couldn’t even look at Tre…she knew his mind was probably swarming with thoughts of what the fuck was going on. Instead she looked straight ahead at her husband who was standing in her bedroom doorway.

“What’s going on?” Ricky said after a couple of moments of silence. Charlie’s breath hitched in her throat as her mouth dried up. She couldn’t say anything.

Ashleigh’s eyes widened as she looked at all three adults in the room. She wondered why everything had suddenly gone so tense when it had all been so relaxed only a few moments ago.

“You tell me.” Tre whispered as he stood up slowly.

“Ashleigh you go play for a bit okay?” Ricky said not taking his eyes off Tre as his face clenched up with anger.

“But…” Ashleigh paused looking at her mother for assurance.

“Just for a few minutes okay? While us adults talk for a bit.” Ricky said taking hold of his daughter’s shoulders.

“Okay…” Ashleigh whispered. She took one last look at the adults in the room before walking out slowly. Ricky took a step further into the room closing the door behind him looking down at Charlie.

“What the fuck is going on?” Ricky asked as Charlie stood up quickly.

“Ricky what- “ Charlie started but Ricky cut her off by moving forward still glaring at Tre.

“What the fuck is he doing here.” He asked pointing at Tre.

Tre laughed at him sarcastically as Charlie went forward quickly standing in front of Ricky putting her hands on his chest. “What am I doing here? Shouldn’t you be asking yourself that question?” Tre said trying to control his anger.

The sight of seeing Ricky’s face again reminded of him of why he hated him so damn much. Just seeing his face, reminded him of how angry he was when he left Charlie on the doorstep when she was nine months pregnant. He wanted to take a pop at him so bad. He wanted to lay him down on the floor right there and then but he tried to control himself.

“Get the fuck out of my house.” Ricky sneered.

“Ricky please…” Charlie said shaking slightly.

“Shut up.” Ricky shot sharply. That was it for Tre…he snapped right there and then. He went forward quickly but Charlie stopped him by putting a hand on his chest.

“Have you got a fucking problem buddy!?” Ricky said loudly. “Yeah come on you’re a tough guy right? Hit me. I dare you. She’ll really think highly of you then.”

“Ricky, stop it.” Charlie said sharply turning her head to look at him.

“Have you been fucking him? Did you fuck him again under our own roof huh? Tell me you dirty little slut!” Ricky spat grabbing hold of Charlie’s shoulders turning her to face him.

Tre was fuming. He didn’t care anymore he just wanted to kill him. He went forward grabbing Ricky pushing him back with all his force so he let go of Charlie. “Don’t you ever speak to her like that again.” Tre said as his hands clasped onto Ricky’s collar.

Ricky pushed Tre off him grabbing hold of him slamming him into the sideboard with all his force. “Ricky!” Charlie screamed. “Stop it now!”

Ricky ignored her, going towards Tre. “I told you once if you ever went near her again I’d fucking kill you. It seems you didn’t quite understand the warning did you Tre? Do I have to show you how it’s done?” Ricky shouted in his face.

“Fuck you!” Tre shouted pushing Ricky away from him. “You left her when she was nine months pregnant you cunt! You call yourself a man? You’re a fucking coward! You make me sick. ”

Ricky pounced on Tre as the two men fell onto the floor ready to rip each others faces off. This was well over due…

Charlie, in a state of panic, went forward grabbing Ricky’s arms pulling him away from Tre. “Ricky please just stop it!” she pleaded. Ricky got up off the floor turning around grabbing hold of her arms so she was defenseless.

“You’ve got some explaining to do.” Ricky seethed as Charlie tried to squirm out of his grasp.

“Let go of me…”

“What the hell is he doing here Charlie?”

Tre watched Ricky’s fingers dig into the side of Charlie’s arms as he picked himself up off the floor.

“Ricky your hurting me let go!” Charlie said loudly as Ricky tightened his grasp on her arms.

Tre went forward pulling Ricky off her as he raised his fist punching Ricky in the face with all the strength he could muster. Charlie gasped slightly as Ricky went flying back from the force of it and his body slammed into the bedside table.

Tre felt a wave of triumph run throughout his body as he smirked opening his fist hearing his knuckles crack. “Oh yeah and I’m not finished yet PAL!” Tre said as his blue eyes flashed with anger and he pointed a finger at Ricky.

Ricky stood up straight wiping the blood away that had started trickling from his nose. He went forward but Charlie quickly stepped in between them putting her hands out solidly stopping the two men from killing each other.

“Both stop NOW!” Charlie shouted. “There’s a four year old little girl down the corridor and I don’t want her walking in on a blood bath! Have some fucking common sense!”

“Then I suggest you tell that bastard to get the fuck out! What are you doing fucking around with this prick!?” Ricky shouted back at her.

“I’m not fucking around with him Ricky!” Charlie said loudly.

“Explain what the fuck is going on.” Tre breathed heavily still staring at Ricky angrily.

“He lives here okay!” Charlie burst turning to look at him.

Tre’s anger sub sided as he looked down at Charlie and his shoulders dropped slightly. “You’re still married aren’t you?” he whispered.

Ricky started laughing loudly as they both looked up at him. “You thought-…you thought that me and Charlie…” he laughed shaking his head as Tre looked at Charlie and she turned her head to look at him biting her lip. “You thought we weren’t still married!?” Ricky laughed. “Babe you told him we weren’t married? Did you tell him we divorced?” Ricky smiled looking down at Charlie. The hurt in Tre’s eyes obviously got him. Ricky was getting a kick out of this one. “Oh what else didn’t you tell him sweetie?” Ricky smirked. Charlie was staring at the floor as Tre rose his head swallowing hard as he glanced at Ricky who obviously found this all quite amusing. “Did you tell him I paid for this house honey? Did you tell him why you came to New York?”

Charlie looked up at Tre as he glared back down at her mascara stained face from where the tears had rolled down her cheeks. “I’m sorry…” Charlie whispered.

“Don’t be sorry Charlie.” Ricky said grabbing hold of her pulling her closer to him. “You don’t have to apologize to him…”

“Yeah don’t be sorry.” Tre said bitterly.

“I think you should leave now.” Ricky said pulling Charlie away from him.

“Ricky.” Charlie said closing her eyes tightly before opening them again looking at Tre. “Tre-”

“It’s okay I’m gone.” Tre said through gritted teeth. He turned around going over to the door opening it slowly. He didn’t even look back at the two of them he was so angry. Instead he slammed the door shut behind him leaving Charlie and Ricky on their own. Ricky still had his grasp on Charlie as she stood, her back facing his front.

Once Ricky heard the front door open then shut he spun her round so she was facing him. Instead of saying anything he lifted his hand slapping her round the face forcefully with the back of his hand. He watched her stumble and break down as he stood in front of her scowling. Ricky went forward grabbing her waist forcefully pulling her into him, taking his other hand and placing it underneath her chin making her look at him.

“You got something to say?” he asked coldly.

“You bastard.” She managed to say between the tears.

“Is that all baby?”

“Get off me.” She grumbled attempting to push him off her. “Just get off me.”

“You want him don’t you?” Ricky said pulling her closer to him. “Don’t you Charlie? Go on admit it! You’ve always wanted him right?”

Charlie avoided his gaze as she cried more heavily turning her head to the side looking at the floor nodding silently.

Ricky sighed pursing his lips together. “After all I’ve done for you and Ashleigh…you do this to me. The things I do for you baby.”

“You’re never around.” Charlie said quietly.

“What?” Ricky frowned.

“You’re never around Ricky! You think it matters if you buy us all this. Ashleigh needs a father. Not a fucking gift provider.” She attempted to get out of his grasp again but Ricky held onto her tighter.

“But I’m still her father Chaz. And I’m still your husband! You do know that changes nothing right? If you wanted him so badly you wouldn’t have come to New York would you?” he said. He lifted her head again pressing his forehead against hers so his green eyes glared into hers. “Would you?”

Charlie shook her head slowly. “I didn’t come for you.”

Ricky merely raised an eyebrow. “No?”

“I came for Ashleigh. Only now have I realized the mistake I’ve made.” She breathed.

“Whose words are these hmm? Yours or drummer boys’?” Ricky sneered.

“Mine.” Charlie answered simply. She managed to wean her way out of his grasp pushing Ricky off her as she took a step away from him. “I think you should leave.”

“You know I’ll be back.” Ricky smirked.

***

At around midnight there was a loud knock on Tre’s hotel room door. He went over opening the door slowly seeing Charlie stood on the other side. For a long time they stared at each other in silence as Charlie played with her fingers nervously watching Tre’s face. She could tell he was still pissed off with her…

“Can I come in?” she whispered breaking the silence. Tre said nothing just opened the door wider for her to step inside. He watched her walk into the middle of the room as he slammed the door shut behind her. Tre turned around leaning against the wall to face Charlie as she looked back at him.

“Please say something.” She said.

Tre shrugged his shoulders stuffing his hands in his pockets. “What do you expect me to say? That I knew? That I expected him to turn up?”

“He is Ashleigh’s father Tre.” Charlie stated.

“And he left you when you were nine months pregnant Chaz!” Tre snapped. “Doesn’t that mean anything to you!? Do you really think he gives a shit about you, or Ashleigh!?” Tre pushed himself of the wall walking around Charlie as he continued. “So tell me, tell me why you moved to New York. Did he, did he tell you it was all gonna be alright? Did he tell you, you’d all be one big happy family!?” Tre spun round to look at her going forward. “I’m a sucker for ever falling for the shit you told me about moving here because it would be for the best. I’m a sucker for ever falling for you.” Tre turned around again so his back was facing Charlie.

“Tre…” Charlie whispered. “I’m sorry…”

“What for?” Tre turned around so he was facing her again. “For manipulating me into believing that Ricky wasn’t in your life anymore? For lying to me about leaving California?”

“Would you calm down for a second?” Charlie frowned. “Let me explain okay?”

“Forget it Chaz, I’m going home. It was a mistake to ever come here.”

“Jesus Christ Tre, be a man and stop acting like a teenager for one second.”

Tre widened his eyes at her holding his hands up in defense. “Oh I’m sorry honey did I miss something here?” he said sarcastically. “I must’ve missed the point where you lied to me all along. I apologize for being just a tiny bit angry!”

“Why can’t you just be a little bit more understanding!? I was a fucking state Tre! I had a one year old baby I was trying to bring up on my own, don’t you have any idea how torn I was? Are you suggesting I’d have stayed with you in California!?”

“Yes!” Tre shouted. “Yes I am! You’d be way better off there than here with that ‘fucking prick I can’t even say his name I hate him so much’ asshole!”

Charlie shook her head going forward. “Back then he was still my husband. He was and is the father of my baby and that’s something I can’t take back. I was vulnerable, he was here, I fell for it.”

“He’s still your husband now though isn’t he Charlotte? You never got divorced did you? Fucking hell.” Tre turned around and sat on the end of his bed. “I’m such an idiot…” he grumbled. Charlie stood still watching Tre shake his head as she breathed in shakily trying to push back the water developing in her eyes. “This was a mistake. I should never have come here.” He whispered. “Charlie you tore my heart out when you married him, you tore my heart out when you moved here and I thought coming back here I could get it back but you just tore it right out again.”

“You think you’re the only one that suffered.” Charlie finally said getting her voice back. Tre turned around to look at her as she looked down at him. “It was hard for me to. I just up and left my home because I thought I could make things better, not just for me but for everyone else to. When Ricky left, I…I just couldn’t even think straight.” The tears started falling from Charlie’s eyes as she tried hard to contain herself from bursting out into tears. “I was about to give birth any day and he just went… I had never felt so alone in all my life. I felt as if the world had drifted away and left me behind just standing there on my own.” Tre watched her, listening carefully to every word that came out of her mouth as she sat down on the bed opposite him facing her back to him. “And then he called…” she breathed. “He told me how much he loved me, and how much he loved Ashleigh and how much he wanted for us to be happy, and to be a family. Do you think I’m stupid!?” Charlie turned her head to look at Tre as tears fell frantically onto her cheeks as she turned back around so she didn’t have to look at him.

“Of course I knew it was bullshit. I know what he’s like but I kept telling myself everything he said was true. I manipulated myself into believing every word that came out of his mouth and there was nothing I could do about it because I was just too vulnerable and too naïve to see anything else.”

Tre sat silently as the pit of his stomach churned with sickness. He couldn’t explain to himself why this sudden feeling of sickness had struck him but he kept still and silent.

“So I left my home, I left my friends, I left you, because I thought I would be better off here….” There was a long pause between the two adults as they sat on the bed opposite each other with their backs turned. “I never expected you to understand.” Charlie finally whispered breaking the silence. “That’s why I never told you.”

Tre breathed in heavily rubbing both hands over his face. “I understand now.” He said after a while. Charlie turned around to look at him. “There was one big reason why I didn’t like Ricky Chaz. And that was because he had the one thing I could never have. You.” He stood up going over to where she was sat looking down at her. “I’m sorry.”

Charlie stood up facing him as she went forward embracing him tightly. He swallowed the lump in his throat taking her shoulders shifting her off him slowly.

“I should just go.” Tre said turning around but before he could walk away from her Charlie grabbed his wrist making him stay put. He turned around slowly to face her again as she held tightly onto his hand.

“Don’t go…” she whispered.

Tre went forward taking his free hand bringing it up to Charlie, wrapping it around the back of her neck pulling her head towards his. She looked up at him feeling herself tremble under his touch. She could feel his breath on her face they were centimeters apart. She could sense the heat of his body as he brought his head closer to hers.

“Promise me something.” Tre breathed. Charlie said nothing just waited for him to continue. “Just…say you’ll be mine.”

Charlie swallowed the huge lump that had formed in her throat un-able to say anything. She just nodded her head slowly as Tre brought his head so close their lips touched. In one swift movement Tre took her breath pressing his mouth against hers pulling her towards him. Charlie wrapped her arms around Tre’s waist as he ran the hand that was on her neck past her collarbone down to her breast then onto her waist. She raised her hands up past his chest wrapping her hands around his neck as Tre took her waist in his arms and their kisses started getting deeper. They kissed harder, harder than ever before.

They started going crazy for each other. Charlie’s head was spinning Tre was going so fast. His hands were running up and down her back as she tried to keep up with his hungry desperate kisses. They slowly moved towards the bed.

With each step they took they just paused again to catch their breath and kiss heavily. Charlie finally felt her body hit the bedside table gently. She leaned her body against it as Tre leaned into her letting himself taste her. He pushed himself against her as their hips gyrated in motion. He took one arm from around her, placing his hand on her thigh lifting her up onto the table.

For the first time in the last five minutes Tre pulled back to take a look at her as she breathed in heavily. She ran her hands through his hair studying his face as he licked his lips.

He was sweating profusely, probably from the heat between the two of them. His eyes were burning with desire for her…both of them knew this was it…it was finally the time for them to give in to each other.

Charlie pulled herself off the bedside table moving around Tre still staying in close contact with his body. Her back was now facing the side of the bed as Tre placed his hand at the bottom of her back pulling her into him. She bit her bottom lip taking the rim of his t-shirt pulling it up over his head as Tre raised his arms in the air allowing her to slip of his t-shirt easily. He went into kiss her again as they exchanged deep, wet kisses between one another. Tre easily slipped his hands underneath her top letting his fingers explore her soft skin for a moment or two before bringing the top over her head. Once it was off Tre ran his fingers down Charlie’s arms softly making her skin have goose bumps. He pressed his forehead against hers smiling down at her licking his lips.

“I think you’ve done this one too many times Mr Edwin Wright…” Charlie whispered as Tre began placing kisses on her neck as she leaned her head back.

“Mmm…” he groaned against her skin feeling Charlie’s hands reach for the flies on his trousers.

Charlie finally got his trousers un-done as he wriggled out of them revealing his full blown erection beneath his boxer shorts. He went forward again burying his head in her shoulder as Charlie began licking his ear lobe.

She continued to lick and bite at Tre’s ear lobe as he un-did the zip at the back of her denim skirt as it fell off with ease. Tre pulled his head away from Charlie nibbling at his ear, as he guided her to the bed next to them. She crawled under the covers as Tre quickly followed her placing his hands on her shoulders laying her down beneath him. He let his body weight fall on top of her slightly before leaning his head down to kiss her chest while running his hands along the side of her body. Charlie raised herself slightly as Tre brought his head back up to face hers. He wrapped an arm around her back fiddling with her bra strap. She smiled at him going into kiss him again as he finally got the bra off. He let the bra fall off slowly feeling her breasts press against his chest sighing against her lips.

He brought his hands up slowly to run over her breasts as she moaned at the feel of Tre’s cold hands against her warm chest.

“I’ve waited for this moment too long…” Tre breathed. Charlie just watched him as he lay her back down so he could place himself on top of her again. She watched him remove his boxers before letting his hands take off her underwear. For a second or two he admired her naked body beneath him before looking back up into her eyes.

She took his head in her hands running her fingers through the short bits of hair on the back of his neck that were wet with his sweat.

“I love you…” she whispered. Tre felt himself tremble with weakness hearing the words that had just escaped her lips. “I think I always kinda did. Now I know for sure…” she smiled.

Tre pressed his forehead against Charlie’s smiling weakly, closing his eyes. “Every single bit of pain I’ve ever been through in my life was worth just to hear you say those words.”

“Don’t speak…” Charlie said placing a finger on Tre’s lips as he opened his eyes and looked at her. “Just make love to me…”