Another Thing About a Girl I Know

Seven Years Later

Standing in the kitchen Charley laughed as Abrianna danced around the kitchen singing her favorite song; What Makes You Beautiful by One Direction. She couldn’t believe how grown up she had gotten in just a few short years; she had stared school, looked just like her momma, but she had her Daddy’s eyes. Charley had tried to leave all of Brian behind; she never thought that the small child that would become her world would be so much like him. Coming up with a name was one of the hardest things she had to do alone; all she wanted to do was call up one of the girls and ask them what they thought. It wasn’t until two days after her due date that she had a dream; she dreamt of a smiling toothless girl running around with deep chocolate eyes; that she called Abrianna. Doing some research it didn’t take her long to find that Abrianna came from Abbie and Brianna; Abbie meaning ‘Joy of the Father’ and Brianna, the female version of Brian, meaning noble. She knew whole heartedly that, that was going to be the name of her child.

“Momma, what’s for dinner?” Abrianna asked as the song finished and Charley turned the radio down.

“What do you have in mind, Abri?” she knew what was on the small child’s mind; greasy, no good, delicious, diner food.

“Johnny’s? Momma please! Isn’t Bubby working? He’s always working.” Abrianna put on the puppy dog face.

“I don’t know, Abri…”

Johnny’s was not in fact a diner, but a bar; and Bubby was Charley’s new best friend. She had met Bubby, Bernard, after she moved to the small city of Batavia, NY. He had helped her get out of her rundown apartment she was in to a little house on the outside of the city, right next to his, and right down the road from Johnny’s. Johnny’s wasn’t a city bar, it was small and it was nice. Charley had always felt comfortable with taking Abrianna there; when Bubby was there. Everyone knew who they were and they were now their family.

“Momma! Come on, Please!” Abrianna begged.

Laughing Charley gave in, “Call Bubby and find out if he is working.”

“Thank you!” Abrianna cheered as she ran for the house phone to call the number Charley made her memorize as soon as she was old enough to know numbers. “Bubby!---Are you working today?---Awe man!---Because I wanted Johnny’s for dinner…you will?!---Thank You, Bubby!---I love you too.” Hanging up Abrianna ran and jumped on her mom, “He said he’d be over in five minutes. Can I go pick what I wear?”

Holding on to her daughter for dear life she laughed knowing she loved to wear whatever she wanted, and changed as many times as Charley would let her a day. “Go ahead, baby girl.”

“I love you, Momma.” Abrianna planted a sloppy kiss on Charley’s cheek before running off to her room.

“I love you, too!” Charley yelled after her.

She never thought that things would end up this way when she left all her everyone she had ever known, to move to a town that was small enough to know many people, but big enough to get lost in if someone were to find her. She regretted leaving everyone, but she knew it was for her daughter she shared with Brian. The only person from her past that she remained in contact with was her dad; she could never take herself away from the man who had raised her after her mother died when she was three. He knew that he was not to tell anyone where she was, no matter whom they were and how much they begged to know about her. By now Charley felt she could assume that Brian had moved on, and her friends had wonderful lives in the world of rocks stars and riches. She didn’t know if Zacky or Cassidy had ever told Brian about their child, and honestly she didn’t want to know. Charley had been through hell trying to get herself settled into a new life before the baby was born, and she managed to do so. She had been due the 22nd of April and ended up having her the 27th of April at 4:25pm; 21 inches, 6.14 oz. She was so beautiful and she knew that this little girl deserved better than anything she could ever give her. She had driven herself to the hospital and got herself in a room before calling a very concerned Bubby.

“Charley?” Bubby called opening the front door.

“”Kitchen, Bub.” Charley called back walking to meet him half way and in gulf him in a hug.

“Woah, what’s this for?” Bubby would never push her away, he couldn’t. When she walked into his Dad’s bar drenched and six months pregnant, he knew she was perfect.

“Just because. And you didn’t have to come over, you could have said no.” Charley didn’t want to let go, she felt safe in his arms, and that’s all she needed.

“You’re my girls; I’d do anything for you.” Kissing the top of her head he sighed, he really would do anything for the two of them.

“Momma is Bu—Bubby!” Abrianna yelled running and jumping on the surprised man.

“Hey, baby girl. You ready?” Bubby asked hugging her tightly to his chest.

“Uh-huh. Thank you for coming and getting us, Bubby.” The little girl cuddled into his chest, wrapping her arms around his neck.

“Of course, baby girl. You got your shoes on? Let’s get going. My truck is out front.” He spun around grabbing Charley’s hand before walking out to his beat up blue Chevy truck.

The drive was silent and quick, they only lived a few miles out from the bar. Abrianna sat comfortably in the middle of the two of them singing to the songs that were on the radio.

“Momma, what are you gonna be for Halloween this year? I think I wanna be a kitty, or maybe a unicorn. Ohh! I got it! Momma, I wanna be a rock star! Like those boys in the picture frame under your pillow!” she smiled up at her mom with pride in the idea of an original costume.

Charley’s hand went up to her mouth as her breath caught in her chest. Her face fell as she began to panic.

“Uh-oh, I wasn’t supposed to find that was I? Who are those boys anyway? There were some girls there too, and you.” Abrianna had no idea the dam that she had just cracked. “I’m sorry, Momma. I can pretend that I never found it…”

“No baby, it’s okay. They’re just some old friends from when I was a trouble maker.” Charley has all she could do not to cover her face and cry. It had been forever since she even looked at that picture but knowing that it was there always kept her calm.

“You sure, Momma ‘cause I can….”

“We’re here ladies, come on ya’ll.” Bubby interrupted them while pulling into the little gravel driveway.

“Well what a nice surprise, come here baby girl.” John said from behind the bar holding out his arms.

“Pappy!” Abrianna ran behind the bar and jumped on the owner of the bar and Bubby’s dad.

“How are my two favorite girls today?” John set the little girl up on the bar.

“Good, Pop. Can we have our usual?” Charley said sitting at the bar with a forced smile on her face.

“Anything for you two.” Pop smiled ruffling Abrianna’s hair softly. “I love what you’re wearing today, baby girl.”

Pop set her down on the floor and spun her around, admiring her hot pink leggings, neon green tutu and bright orange tank top; topped off with muddy cow boy girls boots and her sparkly pink Yankees hat.

“Thanks, Pappy!” the little girl was proud of her choice of clothes, and loved it when others noticed.

“Sure thing, baby girl. Let me go get your food.” John said ruffling her hair.

That little girl had those two men wrapped around her finger and they wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Hey Charley, are you ever going to tell Abrianna about the picture?” Bub asked.

“Oh Bub, I don’t know… Its not something that I really want to talk about.” Charley said looking away,
playing with her hands.

“Okay, babe, but its something you need to think about.” Bub said taking her hand in his, calming her.

“Momma, do you have a quarter for the music box?” Abrianna asked hopping over to them.

“Why only a quarter?” She asked pulling it out of her purse.

“I already got two and Bub, do you have a quarter?” Abrianna asked taking the quarter, “People are more likely to give me money if I only ask for a little bit. Thanks, Momma. Thanks, Bub.”

The two laughed as they watched the young girl dance away.

“That little girl has a way with getting what she wants, just like her Momma.” Bub laughed.

“Hey Bub, why have we never…”

“Foods up!” John called carrying out a tray with their food.

“Mmm, looks good, Pop.” Bub said setting the food down on the bar as Charley went to fetch Abrianna.

Charley ate her food in silence, she couldn’t shake the thought of her old friends memory. It had been seven years since she heard her best friend’s voices, seven years since she had saw all their faces, seven years since she had, had her daughter and seven years since she had seen Brian. She knew that Cassidy had tried contacted her father and tried to get him to tell her where Charley had vanished off to, but he never broke. She never heard from any of the guys, but she never expected to, they had bigger things to worry about besides Brian’s groupie girl friend running off anyway. She had read online that Jenny and Johnny had gotten married along with Ade and Matt with a baby Sanders soon to follow. She wished more than anything to be there for them. Charley was reaching her breaking point; she didn’t know how much longer she could take. She needed her family. She loved the people here, and she wouldn’t trade them for the world but she needed her family.

“Bub, I’ll be right back.” She rushed grabbed her phone and rushed outside.

She scrolled through her contact list quickly finding the one she was looking for. Cassidy. She took a deep breath praying that she hadn’t changed her number she pushed send. Charley listened as in rang in her ear.

“Hello?” The voice was like music to her ears, the sound almost made tears instantly fall from her eyes.

“Cas…is that really you?”