Page 42 of What are the Chances

Alma leaves Charlotte and me standing in the kitchen, sitting at the small white breakfast table, eyeing us over her cup of tea.

“Spend some time with your laddie, my dear. I’m not going anywhere. Just be sure to set aside a wee bit of time for your old great-aunt over here.”

“Alma,” Charlotte replies, laughing under her breath. “I wouldn’t dream of not spending another moment of my trip with you. Of course, I’ll come back.”

“Perfect,” Alma grins. “Now, you both get out of here and have your fun.”

Four hours later, we’re sitting outside the Ennis Friary, an abandoned church dating back to the sixteenth century. Our stomachs are filled with the best fish and chips and whiskey Ennis has to offer. After taking her to my favorite pub in town, I almost took her back to the Cliffs. Charlotte had requested I take her to my favorite places I felt she must see during her time here in Ireland, and despite having gone there before, I couldn’t argue the Cliffs were definitely my favorite place. But seeing as we had been there only two days before, I felt I should take her to my second favorite spot, Ennis Friary. We’re walking through the abandoned hallways of the church, Charlotte continually looking around in fascination.

“Thank you for taking me here, Mase,” she beams.

I clutch onto her hand, her fingers threaded through mine.

“Next to the Cliffs, this is my favorite place. It’s so peaceful. I love its history.”

We reach the courtyard, and Charlotte slowly releases my hand. She spots a statue carved into one of the stone walls and walks over, studying it from several feet away.

I stay back, allowing her the time she needs to take it all in. This is what Ireland is all about, and deep inside, I can feel myself missing this place. The feeling soon passes when Charlotte’s voice fills the wide, open space between us.

“I can’t get over the beauty of this place.” She continues to circle the courtyard, stopping to read and examine each plaque lining the yard.

I watch her in silence, thinking about the kind of person she is—strong, resilient, and irritatingly stubborn. Ever since the moment I met her, I’ve seen the fire in her spirit. She carries it with her, wearing her heart on her sleeve.

These thoughts lead me to Kyle. Fucking Kyle, again. There are still so many unanswered questions, and it makes me realize I never asked her how the break-up with him went, only asked if she still loved him. The longer I watch Charlotte circle the courtyard, the more I realize how much it’s bothering me. It’s as if I can feel it rising in my throat like acid boiling up, searing the lining of my esophagus. It’s a nagging, irritating pain I can no longer ignore. If we’re going to take steps toward figuring out whatever this is between us, I need to know.

“Charlotte?”

“Hmmm?” Breaking her eyes away from one of the plaques, she glances over her shoulder before turning completely around.

“I need to ask you about something that’s been on my mind.”

“Okay.” Briskly crossing the space between us, she plants a kiss on my lips, then takes a step back.

I hold on to her hand and squeeze it.

“This is probably not the time to ask, but I have to know.” I release a heavy, resolving sigh and rake my fingers through my hair.

“What is it?” Her expectant waiting face stares up at me with worry.

“Well,” I sigh again, forcing myself to speak the words. “You never told me how the conversation went with Kyle.”

“What?”

“I know you told me you don’t love him anymore, but I just wanted to know how he took you leaving him. How did he take you breaking up with him?” I think back to the picture Sam sent me, the image still burned and etched into my brain like a tattoo. I know I haven’t told Charlotte about it, keeping my word to Sam I wouldn’t, but I can’t bring myself to tell her he was seeing the same woman as before. I guess I’m a glutton for punishment.

“Really, Mason?” Her eyes narrow, staring at me with a thousand daggers. “You want to talk about this now?” Tilting her head up to the open sky, she takes a deep breath and backs away from me. “I really don’t want to talk about this right now. You’re ruining a perfectly good day.”

“I know, I know.” I tug on the ends of my hair, already regretting bringing it up. “I don’t know. I was just thinking about us and where this might go when I realized you never told me how it went.”

Covering her face with her hands, her shoulders fall. Slowly, she removes them and stares at me with vacant eyes. My heart sinks, and I hold my breath anxious for what she might say.

“He didn’t answer his phone, so I left him a voicemail telling him it’s over. Does that make you feel better? I didn’t think there needed to be more said about it.”

Balling my hands into fists, I think about her words. She didn’t even speak to Kyle. Something about it feels wrong. For some reason, like a prickle underneath the surface of my skin, her explanation angers me.

“So, let me get this straight, you didn’t even talk to him?”

“No,” she says, confused by my reaction. “I haven’t spoken to him since I left. He won’t answer or return my calls as usual. And to be honest, I don’t really care whether he does or not. Why do you?” The anger is quickly growing between us.

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