Page 29 of Behind the Cascades
Feeling more confused than when I went in there, I went back to my room to call my mom. I've gotten enough lectures over the years to know when one is coming, and today will be no different. She tried to talk to me about Charlie when it first happened, but I wouldn’t listen. Shut down every time she brought her up, then she stopped mentioning her at all.
She answers on the first ring and I do my best at small talk, even though it’s killing me inside.
"Hey ma, I miss ya. How's home?"
"It’s good. Hotter than Georgia asphalt, and not even June." She sounds like she’s in a good mood at least.
"Yeah, it's pretty hot here too." Iraq isn't terrible in May, but when you add on the gear, it adds another layer of heat.
"You two staying safe?" Concern drips from her voice.
"We are. Not much going on right now. Wait and see. Feels like a lot of babysitting adults, making sure diplomats and their staff are safe." That’s not exactly true, but I’m not allowed to go into details and I wouldn’t want to worry my mom even if I could.
"I know how that goes."
"Anything else new with you? Talk to Ev or Odessa lately?" I'm fishing for information right now, hoping she may throw me a scrap.
"Yeah, Ev is back home already. Love's flying those birds, although he always has, so nothing new there. Dess is gallivanting around the world, from job to job. This modeling thing is keeping her busy but she keeps me updated on where she's staying.”
"That's good, and…"
"And? And, what?" Her no nonsense tone has me cringing. She's always been able to read my mind.
I relent, knowing it’s about to bite me in the ass. "How ‘bout Charlie?"
"She's fine." My eyebrows pinch together, knowing that is exactly what she told Drew. There’s absolutely more going on than she’s telling us.
"Alright. Just fine? Drew mentioned she hasn't responded to him in a while."
"Yep. Fine." She drawls out the word “fine” like it is anything but “fine.”
"Mom…" She's not usually this tight-lipped about anything unless she’s keeping a secret.
"Don't you 'mom’ me! You two boys get my goose. Blowin’ her off like that and then leavin’! Charlie isfine. I talked to her today and wished her a happy birthday.”
Clenching my teeth together is the only thing keeping me from losing my cool at her vagueness. I know it won’t help, though, my mother is nothing if not stubborn. If she's upset, there's no way she's going to let it go easily.
I take a deep breath through my nose and let it out. "Ok. I was worried. I didn't know Drew wasn't talking to her either. He told me today and said she wasn’t responding.”
An audible huff of air comes out of her nose. "We'll talk about it when you get home.”
Shit. "Alright, I love ya."
"Love you too, Hayes. Stay safe over there, stay diligent."
Our call ends, and I'm left with even more anxiety than I had before.
I don't know if Charlie is pissed at me or if she even has a reason to be pissed at me. It sounds like she’s pissed at Drew, too. Shutting him out like we did to her. The strangest part about everything, though, is that she’s cut off social media for this long. She went from posting nearly every day to nothing since we left.
My resolve gives in and I send her an email, praying she will respond with at least proof of life.
"Happy Birthday, Charlie."
It takes all of me to not call her Sunshine. The old nickname wants to slip out like it always did. She was the sunniest part of my life, and then she was gone, taking the sunshine with her.
Chapter Nineteen
Charlie
