Page 48 of Shadowing Charlotte
I always hated hospitals, even before my mother died. The sterile smell, the uncomfortably quiet atmosphere as nurses bustled about. It all unsettled me. When I was seven, my nana passed away. My parents were grieving and all I could think about was how grateful I was to go home and get out of that hospital room.
Lex held my hand as we entered the psychiatric hospital, giving my fingers a reassuring squeeze. He signed in and handed me a clipboard as the receptionist went over the rules and explained that all guests had to register for visits. I sank into one of the ugly vinyl chairs to fill out the form, attaching my license to the clipboard for them to copy.
The longer we waited, the more anxious I became. I watched the seconds tick by on the clock above the reception desk, and wiped my clammy palms on the hem of my dress.
"Alright, Mr. Roberts, everything is all set. You know where to go; I'll buzz you in." The receptionist smiled politely at us. I trailed behind Alexander, who had gone oddly silent, his posture stiff as he pulled open the door.
Although I'd never seen a picture of her, I recognized Alexander's mother immediately. She looked like him. Dark hair and blue eyes. She was sitting at a table in the corner of the recreation room, toying with a deck of cards. Her eyes lit up, shining with joy as she caught sight of her son.
"Alexander," she greeted, breaking into a wide smile. "It's good to see you, honey."
"You too, mom," he replied, reaching for her hand and giving it a squeeze. I remained behind him. His entire demeanor had changed, his expression shuttered, like he was burying all of his emotions somewhere deep inside him. "I have someone I want you to meet." Lex turned to me expectantly, and I finally inched out from behind him. "This isCharlotte… my girlfriend."
"Hello," I whispered anxiously, straining to offer her a genuine smile. She was clad in a matching set of loose cotton clothing, and her hair was tangled and neglected. How could anyone want to live in such a state?
"Oh, Charlotte." She sighed happily, pulling me into a tight embrace.
"Emily! You know the rules!" one of the orderly's barked, making us both jolt. His mother's hands fell limply to her sides.
"That's alright," I assured her in a whisper. "It's nice to meet you Mrs. Roberts."
"Taylor."
"I'm sorry?" I blinked at her in confusion.
"William's last name is Roberts. I go by Taylor now," she explained.
"Oh. Of course," I replied, my cheeks flushing. I hadn't meant to bring up anything from her past that might upset her.
"Well, you're very pretty, aren't you?" She smiled at me again, moving on from the topic.
"Thank you. So are you," I replied. It wasn't a lie. While she looked like she hadn't combed her hair in days, and the circles beneath her eyes were prominent, I could tell she had once been a great beauty. Alexander sank into the empty chair at the table, watching us with a small frown, as if he was waiting for one of us to set the other off. But I had no intention of doing anything of the sort.
Glancing around the room, I turned and grabbed one of the empty chairs. It scraped along the floor as I pulled it up to the table. "Emily? I-is it okay if I call you Emily?" I asked anxiously, letting out a shaky breath. She nodded, retaking her seat and shuffling the cards. "I was wondering if I could do your hair?" I asked gently. "It's really pretty… I could braid it for you?" I offered.
"I would like that." Her response came in a reserved whisper, but a soft smile graced her lips.
Chapter forty-two
Alexander
Ismiled as I rearranged my hand of cards, watching Charlotte carefully brush the knots from my mother's long hair. She whispered something over in my mom's ear, and I watched as her blue eyes lit up and a giggle spilled from her lips.
My mouth dropped open. It had been a long time since I'd seen my mother truly laugh. When I was little, my father would say something funny, and her laugh would warm the entire room. It was a rare occurrence that happened less and less over the years, especially once she'd been admitted.
Charlotte smiled over mom's shoulder as she worked on her hair, her honey eyes full of warmth when our gazes met. "A pair," I declared, laying my cards down.
"Told you," Charlotte smiled victoriously as my mother laid down a flush.
"Damn," I muttered under my breath, grinning. Charlotte continued to work, humming softly as she untangled the mess of hair before her. Mom leaned back in her chair, closing her eyes serenely. When her dark locks were smooth and shining, Charlie braided it away from her face.
"So, have you met Bill yet?" Mom asked. Charlie's fingers stilled.
"No. From what I gather, your son and him don't get along very well," Charlie answered carefully.
"He has all of Alexander's baby pictures…" Mom replied.
"Well, those are something I would love to see."
