Unbound

Six Years Later...

“Jo I told you,” Charlie said into the phone’s receiver. “Gerard and I will be there tomorrow morning for Christmas.”

She paused for a moment, and balanced the phone on her shoulder to listen as she finished packing her suitcase.

“Well of course she’s coming too,” She said rolling her eyes as she zipped the suitcase. “you didn’t think we’d just leave her behind did you?”

Charlie paused again as she listened into the phone then smiled. “Yeah she’s excited to see you guys too. “Alright, see you tomorrow. Bye Jo.”

Charlie slid the phone off her shoulder and caught it in her hand. She snapped it shut and then tossed it on the bed next to her suitcase.

“Done.” She sighed before walking out of the bedroom down the hall.

She had only walked a few steps into the hallway when the sound of a little girl’s and a man’s laughter met her ears, coming from the room at the end of the hall. She smiled to herself and pushed the door open a few inches to peer inside.

“No daddy,” The small girl giggled. “Pwince Ken doesn’t have a wight saber.” She was sitting Indian style on the floor of her room with a Barbie doll in her small hands. Across from her, was Gerard, sitting in the same position with a Ken doll in his hand.

“But why not?” Gerard pouted.

“Becawse,” The girl said rolling her hazel eyes. “Pwince Ken is Pwincess Bawbie’s knight in shining awmor.”

“Well can’t he be a Jedi knight too?” He asked.

The little girl paused for a moment, thinking it over, then smiled. “Okay daddy,” She said. “he can be a jett-I too.”

“You guys having fun?” Charlie laughed, pushing the door open all the way.

“Mommy!” The girl exclaimed happily, dropping the doll in her hands, and running into Charlie’s arms. Her long brown curls fanned out behind her as she ran.

“I thought you two were supposed to be packing.” Charlie said, looking overtop of her daughter’s head at Gerard.

He gave her an impish smile and shrugged. “I’m all packed. What about you Maggie?”

“I’m pwacked too!” Maggie said proudly as she pulled out of Charlie’s arms. “Come wook mommy come wook!”

Maggie pulled Charlie by the hand over to her bed where a bright pink backpack was stuffed to the zipper with Barbie dolls and other toys.

“Very good honey,” Charlie laughed. “but don’t you think you might want some clothes with you when we go to Aunt Jo’s and Uncle Ray’s?”

“Oh yeah!” Maggie exclaimed, pulling the bag off the bed and emptying all of its contents on the floor. “Could you help me mommy?” She asked, holding out the empty bag to her.

“Of course.” Charlie laughed taking the bag from her.

“You’re all packed then?” Gerard asked, brushing himself off as he stood up from the floor.

“Yep.” Charlie replied as she started putting clothes for Maggie in her bag for her.

***

“Daddy are we there yet?” Maggie asked from the backseat of the car an hour later.

Gerard laughed and looked at her in his rearview mirror. “No honey, not yet. We won’t be there for a while.”

“Oh…” She said quietly. “How wong is a while?”

“I’ll tell you what,” He said glancing at the road and then back to her. “How about you go to sleep and when you wake up we’ll be there.”

“Pwomise?” She asked.

“Yes I promise.” He said smiling as he reached over and squeezed Charlie’s hand.

Charlie smiled and looked out the window at the snow-covered scenery passing by as the car sped down the road. It had been a little over six years now that she had given up pageantry for good and needless to say, her life had defiantly changed for the better. She hadn’t seen and or spoken to her mother since a few days after the pageant in a courtroom. Lisa had been charged with counts of physical abuse and denying Charlie rights to her own money. Unbeknownst to Charlie, she had actually been able to access to her money since her eighteenth birthday. Needless to say, she had taken advantage of that factor and emptied that account the next day. Lisa was sentenced to a year in prison and was to be stripped of her Miss titles. But she never served a day in prison. She had put the barrel of a 42 caliber gun in her mouth before they could take her away.
Charlie and Gerard began dating shortly after and not to anyone’s surprise, they were married the following year.

“Hey.” Gerard said quietly, dragging her from her thoughts. “What’s on your mind?”

“Just…things.” Charlie sighed, turning away from the window to look at him.

“What about?” He asked looking at the road, and then back at her.

“My mom…the pageants…you.” She said smiling.

Gerard returned the smile and turned back to face the road. “How’s the munchkin?”

Charlie turned in her seat to see Maggie laying curled up on the backseat fast asleep. Her hair was covering her face and gently fluttered as she breathed in and out.

“Out like a light.” She said, turning back around in her seat. “Do you want me to drive for a while?”

“No you get some sleep.” He said. “I’ll wake you when we get there.”

“Thanks.” She said, turning around in her seat. Within five minutes, she was fast asleep as well.

***

“You’re here!” Jo shrieked, nearly knocking Charlie to the ground as she hugged her the next morning.

“Choking…not…breathing.” Charlie gasped in Jo’s tight embrace.

“Oh, sorry.” Jo said releasing her. “Well come in! God it’s freezing out here. Merry Christmas you guys!”

“Auntie Jo Jo!” Maggie exclaimed from behind Charlie as the three of them walked into the house.

“Maggie!” Jo exclaimed, bending down to her level to hug her. “My God look how big you got! How old are you now, twelve?”

“Auntie Jo Jo you’re silly.” Maggie giggled. “I’m only fowr!”

“Yes but somebody has a birthday coming up, am I right?” Jo asked.

“Next month.” Charlie said as she kicked off her shoes by the door.

“Where’s Uncle Ray Ray?” Maggie asked looking around.

“Present.” Ray said, poking his head out the doorway of the living room.

“Uncle Ray Ray!” Maggie exclaimed, running down the hall and into his outstretched arms.

“Hey!” Ray said, lifting her up in the air and spinning around.

“Is that my niece I hear?” Mikey asked, poking his head out of the living room, into the hallway.

“Uncle Mikey!” Maggie squealed, jumping down from Ray’s arms and running into Mikey’s.”

“Is Bob here too?” Charlie asked looking around.

“No he’s still on his honeymoon.” Jo said. “But he wished he could be here.”

“Hello Gerard, Merry Christmas, oh yeah I’m great, thanks for asking.” Gerard said sarcastically as he kicked off his shoes.

“Hey Gee.” Jo laughed, pulling him into a hug.

“Are you ready to open presents little lady?” Mikey asked Maggie as he put her back down on her feet.

“She better be or I’m keeping all the presents I got her.” Frank said from the front door as he and Jamia walked in heavily laden with presents.

“Hey guys.” Gerard said.

“I get pwesents?” Maggie asked looking at the large stacks in Frank and Jamia’s arms.

“Well of course you do, it’s Christmas isn’t it?” A very pregnant Alicia asked entering the hallway.

“Woah! Auntie Licia you got bigger!” Maggie said turning around to see Alicia’s stomach.

“That’s because I’m having a baby sweetheart.” Alicia laughed.

“Hey it’s kinda cold out here.” Frank said. He and Jamia were still halfway out the front door.

“Well come on then, let’s open presents.” Ray said leading them all into the large living room where an enormous Christmas tree stood against the back wall.

“So, Maggie what do you want to be when you grow up?” Alicia asked an hour later from one of the couches as the eight adults sat in various places around the room watching her dig into her presents.

Maggie stopped ripping the paper off of a box as she thought about it.

“You gonna be a beauty queen like your mom and Jo?” Frank asked.

“NO!” Charlie and Gerard shouted in unison.

Maggie looked up from her spot on the floor with a confused expression on her face.

“Well…” Charlie started. “I guess only if you really wanted to sweetheart.”

“That’s okay mommy.” Maggie giggled. “But I awwedy know what I’m gonna be.”

“What’s that?” Gerard asked.

“A vampire!” Maggie said excitedly.

The whole room exploded into laughter as Maggie just looked at them with a curious expression on her face.

“That’s Gee’s kid alright.” Ray laughed.

The end.