Age Is But a Number

Charlotte woke up and looked around, the familiar scene of a hospital room around her. She was confused and tired, but then she remembered that she fainted yesterday from overworking her heart during softball.

She felt something warm in her hand and saw Kevin’s hand holding hers. He was laying his head against her hospital bed, sleeping. She smiled and liked the way his hand felt in hers, feeling some calluses from years of playing the guitar. It felt nice.

“Kevin?” she whispered; her voice was unable to go louder. Her throat was dry and she wanted water.

Kevin moved slightly and squeezed her hand tighter, but he didn’t wake up.

“Mr. Rich and Famous?” she said a little louder, her voice cracking.

Kevin opened his eyes, blinking a couple times as he processed what was going on. He let go of Charlotte’s hand and rubbed his eyes, yawning.

“Come on Kevin, there ya go,” Charlotte giggled.

“Charlie?” he asked groggily. “Charlie. Hey. You‘re awake, finally.”

“Finally? How long was I . . . ?”

“Since you passed out on me yesterday. It‘s . . .” He pulled out his phone and checked his phone for the time. “It‘s eight in the morning. I stayed awake most of the night waiting for you to wake up, but I passed out around five.”

“Oh.”

Kevin stretched and sat up, remembering the doctor asked him to do something. He looked at the cart with the tray of water, cups and pills for Charlotte. He got up just as Charlotte asked for some water. He grinned and pointed at the tray. Charlotte pursed her lips, wondering why she did not notice the pitcher of water in the first place. She could have at least looked that way. Lazy.

“Doctor asked me to make sure you took these,” he told her, handing her a cup of water and a few pills.

She nodded, recognizing her usual medication. She popped more than one pill in and took a swig of water. After taking medication for so long, she was able to save time by putting in two pills at a time.

They both sipped their waters in silence. Charlotte tried to ignore Kevin’s adoring gaze and tried so hard not to blush.

“You have to stop doing this to me,” Kevin said after a moment’s silence. “I hate seeing you like this.”

“Dirty, stinky, and downing pills?”

Kevin chuckled. “You don‘t look dirty, you look beautiful; you don‘t stink either so I don‘t know where you got that idea; and as for the pills: They‘re important.” Charlotte blinked a couple times. “What I mean is: You need to stop worrying me like this! I don‘t like seeing you in a hospital bed.”

“You didn‘t have to stay then,” Charlotte snapped. “I am completely fine by myself, without anyone around.”

Kevin was used to her snapping and rubbed it off, reaching for her hand hesitantly. “I don‘t mind staying here with you. I would rather be here knowing you‘re okay, seeing for myself that you‘re fine, than at home worrying my butt off.”

Charlotte did not ignore his hand as he intertwined his fingers with hers. It felt nice. She liked it too much.

“Charlie, I care a lot about you - more than I planned to.”

Charlotte looked at a random spot on the ceiling, trying to ignore the burning in her cheeks and the need to tell him that she felt the same. But she did not like it.
-~-
The next day the three brothers called Charlotte and Caitlyn to complain about being bored - well, Joe complained, the others were just wanting to talk with the girls. They decided to meet up at the golf course near the Jonases home to hang out and talk. Kevin and Nick wanted to play anyway.

When the girls met up at the golf course near the boys’ house in Wisteria Charlotte was still admiring everything. It was different to her old neighborhood. And she thought Caitlyn’s house was nice and clean and beautiful, but it had nothing on this whole neighborhood, this golf course.

“Thanks Charlotte,” says Caitlyn sarcastically.

Charlotte shrugged and smiled when she saw the two golf carts awaiting them. Kevin sat in the driver’s seat next to Nick. There was their golf clubs and such strapped in the back, only two, and left no room for the two girls.

“Well, actually one of you could sit in the back and make sure the equipment doesn‘t fall off, like it usually does when Nick handles it,” Kevin said, a teasing smile on his face. Nick rolled his eyes.

Joe drove up and shouted for Charlotte to join him. He had plenty of room in his golf cart, but Caitlyn insisted that she go with Nick. Charlotte understood why as she watched Nick smile as Caitlyn came over, and went off to Joe’s cart.

“You look nice,” Joe complimented.

Charlotte straightened her dress. “Caitlyn said that today was a perfect dress day and chose this dress for me.”

“She has good tastes.”

It was silent for a few seconds and Joe remembered that she was the silent one and wasn’t going to talk unless he talked.

He put his arm around the back of the seat, almost around Charlotte‘s shoulder, casually. “You look excited,” he pointed out. “Like golf?”

“Never really watch it,” she answered. “I‘m really enjoying this golf cart, though. I‘m going to name him Jeff if that‘s all right.”

Joe laughed. “That‘s fine; Jeff is perfect. Why do you seem to name random things? When we went out to dinner that one night you named my fork with the gimpy prong, um, what was his name?”

“Her name was Josephine,” she corrected him. He just laughed again. “I name things because I just do. I don‘t even know why myself.”

“So how do you like Jeff?” Joe asked.

“I like him a lot. I‘ve never ridden in a golf cart before.”

“Really? Well, you poor golf cart deprived child. Maybe you should have gone with Kevin to make the ride more enjoyable.”

Charlotte’s smile turned into a frown and she folded her arms across her chest, keeping her eyes on what was in front of her.

“Why do you guys assume I like Kevin?” she asks.

Joe gasped. “You don‘t?” he asked in fake surprise.

“No and I wish you guys would stop teasing me about it. I think it leads Kevin on.”

“So you know he likes you.”

“Now I do,” Charlotte said, smiling. She had a feeling, but she knew Joe would confirm it when she said that last statement.

“Dang it, Kevin is going to hit me,” Joe sighed. Charlotte giggled. “You laugh at that? How could you?!”

“Because it‘s funny.”

Joe stopped the cart as they arrived at the first hole. Charlotte hugged Joe, apologized and gave him a smile before she got off the cart. Joe stuck his tongue out at her when she smiled and got out laughing. He knew the two were going to be good friends, even if they did have completely opposite personalities.

When the group got to the third hole Joe was talking about the beach and how much he wanted to go. Nick was agreeing, but only because Caitlyn was; he was objecting at first. Kevin and Charlotte were objecting.

“Guys, you do know the beach is past Houston, which is hours away as it is,” Charlotte told them. “And you want to go to Padre Island National Seashore.”

“That‘s seven and a half hours away,” Kevin added, grabbing a club and getting ready to hit the ball. “We would have to stay in a hotel to really enjoy the beach.” He hit the golf ball and watched it fly towards the hole.

“We can do it,” Joe said. “We have a lot of time in our hands, and I think Mom and Dad wouldn‘t mind going.”

“Dad is busy all week,” Nick said.

“And Mom does not feel like going anywhere,” Kevin added. “She says she wants to spend as much time as she can at home before our schedule picks up again.”

“Which is a long time away!” Joe shouted. “We should go down to the beach for a few days, stay in the hotel, have fun in the sun!”

Nick hit the golf ball, satisfied with how it went, and turned around. “That sounds good, but we‘d have to get permission from all our parents.”

“Which are only three people,” Charlotte points out. “My parents have no say in anything I do.”

“Why is that?” Kevin asked curiously. “Wouldn‘t your mom like to know?”

“Usually she’s too high, along with my dad, to be aware of anything around them,” Charlotte admitted. “Plus, I don‘t even live with them anymore. I‘ve been living with Caitlyn since I met you guys.”

Charlotte was surprised that the guys did not know this. Surely Caitlyn would have explained the way her dad acted when he attacked her and Kevin that day at the mall. She lifted her eyebrows at their confused expressions.

“What?” she questioned.

“What do you mean too high?” Nick asked.

“Like in an airplane high?” Joe asked. “Zoom. . . . ?”

Nick gave him a look. “We could have gone without the sound affect.” Joe shrugged.

“No, they wouldn‘t be able to get onto an airplane with all the crank, heroine, and speed they would have stuffed in their luggage,” Charlotte explained. “Caitlyn, I thought you would have . . .”

“No,” Caitlyn answered. “Not my story to tell.”

Charlotte pursed her lips and looked at the shocked faces of her three newest friends. She sighed, knowing she had to tell her story. She didn’t like explaining to people that her parents are drug addicts, that she’s been beaten by her dad right along with her mother, that her dad sells drugs. Maybe she could edit. But there was too much to edit.

“When I was eight, my parents discovered how ‘good’ meth, heroine, and ecstasy can be,” Charlotte began, putting quotes around “good.” As Charlotte explained how her dad changed from someone she once admired to someone she could not stand, the boys listened intently. Kevin knew how horrible her dad could be: He was almost killed by him. He had seen how her father had no problem hurting her and now he knew why: He did it frequently.

“And after I knocked over that coffee table they used to put all those drugs on, I ran up to my room and packed. I called Caitlyn and asked if I could stay with her, and as you can see, she said I could,” Charlotte finished. “My dad doesn‘t know I have friends, so I knew it would be safe for Caitlyn if I stayed with her.”

“What about your teammates?” Joe asked. “Won‘t he go looking for you through them?”

“He doesn‘t know I play,” says Charlotte. “He just thinks I‘m wandering around or something. He hardly notices me unless he asks me to come down when he‘s selling drugs or he‘s beating me.” Charlotte realized she was heading into deep waters when she mentioned her dad selling drugs to those guys.

“Why does he ask you to come down when he‘s selling drugs?” Nick asked.

Charlotte looked down at her sandaled feet, avoiding their gazes, trying not to reveal too much in her emerald eyes. She couldn’t help but think of the baby she lost because of her dad. How he only got mad about her being raped because the man did not ask if he could. She wasn’t ready to tell them about that part of her past.

“Sorry,” Nick muttered, hopping into the cart.

“Joe you ride with Nick,” Kevin ordered. “I‘ll drive with Charlotte down to the hole. All right?”

Joe just nodded and came over to Charlotte. He opened his arms but put them back down, second guessing himself. Maybe she doesn’t want a hug from him or maybe she doesn’t want a hug at all. He just puts his hand on her shoulder and walks over to the cart and sits next to Nick. Caitlyn hops in with them.

Charlotte hurries into the cart and sits down, not looking at Kevin but at the ocean of green in front of her, to the side of her, all around. Such green grass that looks so comfortable she could lie in it, sitting out in the sun, forgetting her old life, embracing the new. . . .

“Sorry you had to hear all that,” Charlotte whispered to Kevin.

“Oh don‘t even apologize,” Kevin scolded.

“But I wasted time in your game.”

“We don‘t care. We live here; we can come anytime we want.” Charlotte smiled, and Kevin felt accomplished. “Yes, I got you to smile.”

“I suppose you did.”

They came closer to the hole, the small golf balls becoming more visible.

“Charlotte,” Kevin said. Charlotte looked at him. “Thank you for trusting us, for trusting me.”

“I do trust you,” Charlotte admitted. “And so quickly. It took me a year to open up to Caitlyn, and we‘re like sisters.”

“But you don‘t trust us enough to answer the question Nick asked,” Kevin assumed. He saw her eyebrows furrow and he apologized.

“Don‘t say you‘re sorry,” Charlotte snapped. “It‘s just that I‘m ashamed.”

“Of what? We‘re not judging you if that‘s what you‘re thinking and we won‘t judge you at all.” She stayed silent, contemplating. “If you don‘t want to -”

“But I do,” she whispered. “I want to trust you guys - you especially.” Kevin sat, waiting for her to start talking.

The others came and he held up a finger to them, drove off farther away from them so they could have privacy. Charlotte mentally thanked him, but felt a bit sorry that Nick and Joe might be feeling left out.

“Go back. It‘s okay,” she mumbled.

Kevin listened and turned around, feeling a bit upset that he was not going to get the alone time with her.

He gestured the others to come over. Charlotte looked up at Nick and began to talk: “My dad always wanted me around him when he was selling drugs because when I was there, he would get better sales.” She took a deep breath. “The guys that would come over to buy drugs liked seeing me. That‘s one of the reasons they came: To stare at me and try to . . . touch me.”

Caitlyn came over to Charlotte and hugged her, comforting her. Kevin grabbed her hand, and was surprised when she did not hesitate to hold his.

“I - I‘m sorry,” Nick said. “You didn‘t have to tell me. I -”

“No, it‘s fine,” Charlotte interrupted, sniffling. “I trust you guys. Plus, I needed to get it off my chest. After what happened at the mall . . . it‘s been bugging me.”

“It‘s a good thing you left before something worse happened,” Joe said. He didn’t understand how a man could be so cruel to his daughter, who was this sweet, funny, caring person that he was glad he knew.

Charlotte snapped, pushed Caitlyn off, ripped her hand away from Kevin’s, and walked away. She could not let them know about her miscarriage. If she stayed, she thought it would spill out of her mouth. She walked way out of hearing distance of them.

.:-:.

“Was it something I said?” Joe asked.

“No, she‘s just sensitive when it comes to this,” Caitlyn answered.

“Should we go -?”

“Just leave her to get her bearings,” Caitlyn interrupted Nick. “She‘ll come back when she‘s ready.”

Kevin couldn’t help but worry for Charlotte. He watched as a light breeze came, hitting her face and sending her hair flowing gently. She was beautiful. He did not intend to fall for someone again for a while, not after Laura called that day he met Charlotte, but he could not help himself with her. All he wanted to do was see her smile right now.

He and Nick hit the balls into the hole. Nick was cheering when he won and laughed at Kevin’s scowl. Charlotte was starting to walk back and Caitlyn asked them to act like she did not just say anything about her old home, and to definitely not act sympathetic towards her. Charlotte hates it when people get like that. She gets it enough with her heart condition.

“Sorry,” Charlotte mumbled when she came back.

“The only thing you need to be sorry for is objecting to my beach plan,” Joe replied. Charlotte let out a laugh. “It‘s what we all need! Come on, wouldn‘t you like to go to the beach?”

Charlotte grinned and nodded, laughing when Joe became really excited and asked Caitlyn, Nick and Kevin if they wanted to go as well.

“My brother can be a bit dramatic at times,” Kevin explained.

“So can Caitlyn,” Charlotte said.

“I like dramatic,” Nick says right away. Caitlyn blushes and Charlotte nudges her with her elbow.

“Let‘s get home and ask if the five of us can go to the beach next week!” Joe shouted, hopping into the cart. He floored it and the cart jerked forward, Joe shouting and hollering.

“I don‘t get that dramatic, at least,” Caitlyn announced, pointing at Joe.

“Thank goodness,” Charlotte added.