So Long and Goodnight...

Your week with Uncle Charlie flew by a lot quicker than you would’ve hoped. Actually, if it were up to you, you’d have made him stay forever. The poor guy needed a vacation to recover from his vacation though. You had worn him out by the end of the week.

He had somehow gotten you out of the entire week of school so he could spend as much time with you as he could before he had to go back on Friday.

Monday you showed him the town that you lived in and all your favorite spots to go: the park, the beach, and you drove by all your friends houses so he could see where they lived. You specifically avoided the cemetery for obvious reasons.

Tuesday you convinced him to spend a day at the mall with you, Brooke, Autumn, and Raven. It was hilarious to say the least; your poor, defenseless uncle surrounded by four teenage girls. Oh the horror.

Wednesday you and Charlie dug April’s car out of the garage, washed it and took it for a test drive. Charlie had insisted on this. You had no idea why but you were excited to drive it and were surprised to discover that it still ran perfectly. The two of you then went out to eat at Olive Garden and to a late horror movie. You were proud of him for keeping his breadsticks down and he’d even enjoyed the movie way more than you thought he would.

Thursday he surprised you and took you and your girl friends into New York where you saw ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ on Broadway. Needless to say, your friends were officially jealous of you and your awesome uncle that they had never even met before now.

Friday you woke up early and, with a heavy heart, helped him pack his things and load them into his truck so he’d be ready to go. You spent the day reminiscing about old times while you sat on the beach and watched the waves roll endlessly in their never ending rhythm. Later you went to the cemetery and paid a visit to your mom and sister. It was very comforting to have Charlie there as you cried. He cried with you and you were reminded how even very strong looking people could be just as fragile as glass under the right circumstances. When it got late, you headed back home and sat on the porch, watching the day turn into night. He didn’t have long before he had to leave and two very important things were nagging at you.

1) You and him hadn’t talked about anything that he had wanted to as you had been too scared to confront the chaos that was your life and
2) …you hadn’t seen the guys all week and you missed them so bad it actually hurt.

As Charlie expertly steered the conversation, you realized that number one was about to be taken care of quite quickly.

“Well this week has been the most fun your old uncle’s seen in a long time, my dear but I have to leave soon and we still haven’t talked. Now if you want me to get in my truck, drive away and head back to the ranch without ever knowing that I could have helped you, then that’s up to you.” He looked at you solemnly. “…But it would kill me not to know the truth. Now here we go, okay. One simple answer is all I need and an honest one would be mightily appreciated.” You could almost slice the air with a knife but you prepared yourself for the question you knew was coming. “Is your father …doing the same thing to you …that he did to my little baby sister and my sweet little niece? Is he hurting you, Helena? Please tell me the truth.”

On the last word, his voice cracked and you looked up at him, shocked to see the tears in his eyes. You took a deep breath and closed your eyes. You couldn’t avoid it any longer. Your world stood still for what seemed like an eternity and with one simple word that rang out as loud as a gunshot, you shattered the silence.

“…Yes.”

Charlie closed his eyes and soaked in the truth he had wanted so badly, not at all happy about the answer but happy that he finally knew the truth. Now what was he going to do about it?

Blinking the tears out of his eyes, trying to steady his voice, he said: “Will you come with me? Back to the ranch, the horses? Helena, please.” He was pleading now. “Will you let me take you away from here?”

You were shocked beyond words, confused, rushed. You didn’t know what to do or say. You were so lost.

“Uncle Charlie,” you choked out in a daze, on the verge of tears. “I-I can’t …you can’t expect me…” words failed you. Right before you broke down, you recited the one painful word always on your mind like it was a sacred prayer that would save you from all of this. “Gerard…”

Charlie closed his eyes and lowered his head. “Your friends.”

You nodded through your tears and tried to control yours sobs with no luck.

“I can’t leave them. I won’t! I-I need them …I need him.”

Charlie was crying now too.

“Helena, what do you think is going to happen as soon as I drive away? Your dad isn’t home right now, no doubt avoiding my fist, but what about when he gets back? You think that he’s gonna have an epiphany and realize that he’s been wrong about you all this time and change his life over night? I doubt it! Helena,” he raged, putting extreme emphasis on the last four words: “he… will… KILL… you!”

You swallowed hard and lowered your gaze to the weathered wood beneath your bare feet. “Uncle Charlie,” you said, the tears still going strong. “I know you want the best for me and that you just want to help me but …what you’re asking me to do… I just… I… can’t.” You reluctantly met his eyes. “I’m sorry.”

Through, hurt, tear stained eyes, he nodded and returned your gaze. “I’m sorry too. Sorry that I thought I could change a damn thing, sorry that I waited so long to come here, sorry that I didn’t kill that bastard before he ever got a chance to touch my sister, sorry that I couldn’t save them …and sorry that you’re choosing to go out the same way. But “sorry” doesn’t mean shit these days does it?”

“Uncle Charlie,” you sobbed.

“Don’t.” he said flatly, getting up from his seat. “I tried to save you from him before, all of you …but your mom said that it would be ok. Now she’s DEAD, Helena, buried in the ground next to your sister. If you’re foolish enough to think like her and believe that everything’s gonna be alright, then I’m a damn fool for wasting my breath a second time.”

The sobs rocked you so bad that you thought you would pass out from the pain or the lack of air… or both.

“I’m going home,” Charlie said, the note of sadness clear in his voice. “This is for if you ever decide to listen to any kind of reason.” He shoved a sealed envelope into your limp hand, turned on his heel and headed for his truck.

“Uncle Charlie”, you barely managed to choke out through your sobs. “I love you!”

He regarded you with something that looked like sympathy and sadness but could’ve also been pure pity.

“I love you too, Helena. And I hope to Hell you realize that… before it’s too late.”

With that, he left you to your tears and your emptiness, got in his truck, and drove toward his home in Montana, his horses, his blue skies, his sparkling streams, his wide open spaces …the very place where all your dreams took wing.

It was all you could do not to chase after him.

You forced yourself to stop crying and look down at the envelope in your hand. It was quite thick and had a bit of weight to it. You tore a slit in the top and peered in at the contents. Your brain had a huge problem processing what was in it but Charlie had helped you out. It was wrapped in a paper band on which he had scrawled the amount: $2,000.

As you lifted it, dumbfounded, out of the envelope, a folded piece of notebook paper fell to the ground and would’ve been carried away by the wind had it not been for your cat-like reflexes.

Putting the money back (after flipping through it with your thumb several times) you unfolded the paper and read your Uncles scrawled words. Then you read them again, and again, and three times more, tears blurring your vision all the while. You folded it back up, slid it into the envelope and clutched it like it was your life line. You were shivering but the wind had nothing to do with that.

You swallowed hard, closed your eyes, took a deep, calming breath, and went inside. You didn’t figure you had too much time before your father got back …but you might have enough.

But could you really do what was being asked of you? You didn’t have an answer for that.