So Long and Goodnight...

You had unpacked your things from your weekend at Gerard and Mikey's and now you sat on your bed in the glow of your single light, trying to focus on the manga in your lap but not succeeding at all. You sighed, closed the book, and laid it on your nightstand.

The house was as silent as death. It sounded like everyone had gone to bed. You figured that your uncle had forgotten about the fact that you wanted to talk to him as soon as the coast was clear. With a heavy heart, you started to reach for your light to turn it off. You decided that you might as well just go to sleep. There was no sense in waiting for someone who wasn’t going to come.

Just then there was a soft tap on your door. It opened and Charlie poked his head in.

“You still awake?” He whispered.

“Yeah,” you replied in a hushed tone as your father and Jessica’s room wasn’t that far away. “Come in.”

“So how’d you know about that?” Charlie asked, sitting on the edge of your bed.

“About what?”

“The code your mother and I had. How did you know about that.”

“Oh,” You said lowering your eyes. You hoped he wasn’t mad that you had used it. That was something that he and your mother had probably shared all through their lives. Who were you to but in where you didn’t belong? “I …well me and April we …kinda figured it out when we came down to the ranch two years ago. I hope you’re not mad.”

“No,” Charlie said a little shocked. “I’m not mad at all, darlin’. Why would I be?”

“Well that was always you and mom’s thing.”

“Hey, that doesn’t matter. If you need to talk to me, you tell me anyway you can and you did just fine.” He smiled as he said this but then his smile faded slightly and his eyes lost a bit of their shine. “And here was, starting to think that I was wrong about my assumptions.”

“Your assumptions?” you repeated, only half questioning what it meant.

There was silence. You figured you’d cut straight to the chase.

“Uncle Charlie?” You inquired somewhat timidly. “How much did you and mom talk?”

That seemed to snap him out of the minor trance he was in and he looked at you and had to smile a bit. You grown up more than he had thought was possible in two years. You were smart …very smart.

“We talked a lot, squirt,” he said solemnly using the nickname he had given you when you were just a baby. “And we talked about a lot of things …things that kill me to imagine.”

“So …you know?”

He paused.

“I know a lot more than you think. I know that your dad drinks more than a bar full of sailors on a Saturday night. I know that he gave your mom some pretty nasty bruises. I know that he cheated on her with that blonde haired tramp in the next room. Oh! Excuse my French,” he added, looking a bit embarrassed. “And I also have a hunch that her and Aprils “accident” wasn’t as accidental as everyone in these parts seems to want to believe.”

You were speechless. Your mom had told him pretty much everything. Is that why he was here? To rescue you from the same fate? …But if that was true then why had he waited almost a year after your mother and sisters death?

You had to know.

“Is that why you’re here,” You asked gingerly. “To find out what really happened to them?”

“No.” He said with a force that surprised you. “I know what happened to them. I think a lot of people know what really happened to them but they’re too scared to open their mouths about it.” He took a deep breath and seemed to calm down a degree or two. “I’m here, Helena,” He said much more gently. “…to see about you.”

“What do you mean?” Your first response kicked in automatically.

“You know exactly what I mean. I know for damn sure that whatever little scene that was downstairs with the hospitality and the small talk is not how things usually run around here and just between you and me …your dad’s a piss poor actor.” He crossed his arms in front of his chest to let you know that he meant business. “Now tell me the truth. Is your father abusing you?”

Fuck. You did not want to answer this question.

“What did mom tell you?” you tried to avoid his gaze but could not.

“That wasn’t part of the question,” Charlie said gently.

You were silent.

“Helena?” He prodded.

“Uncle Charlie,” You said, burying your head in your hands. “I’m really tired. We should talk about this some other time.”

He was silent for a while but he wasn’t about to make you talk about something that you weren’t ready to. After all, he had all week.

“You,” He said, a bit of a playful tone entering his voice. “Are just like your mother. Stubborn as a mule and sly as a fox …and it’s annoying as Hell.”

You laughed as he ruffled your hair.

“Thanks for the compliment,” you said.

“Yeah sure, kid,” he chuckled as he got up and made his way to the door. “I’ll see you tomorrow, okay? You can show me around town or something.”

“Okay, Uncle Charlie. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, Kiddo.”

He stepped into the hallway and closed the door behind him and a few seconds later you heard the door to the guest room down the hall open and shut …then all was silent again. You turned off your light and laid awake in the dark. This week was going to be interesting.