Page 34 of Behind the Cascades
He laughs and shakes his head. "I will devour it all, single-handedly if I have to. Where's Char at though?"
Just hearing her name sends chills through my body. Neither of us have heard back from her and I’ve sent more than one message on her birthday. The fact she hasn’t responded yet only made us try harder. We even tried to go around my mom, but Everett said he hadn’t talked to her since her twenty-first birthday and Odessa was taking a similar route as my mom, avoiding the topic all together.
"Let's start eating and then we will talk." She makes a beeline for the kitchen without looking our way.
My hackles instantly raise and Drew must have the same feeling because he looks at me with a familiar sense of unease.
We grab a plate, fill it up high, and then say grace.
As soon as mom is done with the prayer, I start my inquisition.
"Where's Charlie?"
Mom squares her shoulders and lifts her chin, meeting my gaze with determination.
"Charlie decided that she needed a break and a fresh start somewhere new. She borrowed the motorhome at first, but when she found a place she wanted to stay, she brought it back." The fork I was holding slips from my hand and lands on the glass plate with a loud clatter.
Drew's says, "What the fuck?” At the same time, I’m saying, “Why the fuck didn't you tell us?"
"I’ll excuse your language toward me this time, but don’t you boys let it happen again.” She scolds us like we are fifteen instead of twenty-seven.
“Charlotte asked me not to tell you until you were home safely.Shewas worried about youtwo. She calls once amonth through an app, like clockwork. I spoke to her yesterday."
Drew’s thumbs begin their rhythmic tapping on the table as he asks, "Why an app?"
"She doesn’t want anyone to know where she is. It’s one of those untraceable data scrambling ones. She gave me permission to tell you what happened, but I need you both to promise you will not fly off the handle. You will sit, eat, and listen."
My eyes instantly snapped to Drew’s; neither of us prepared for what’s coming.
"Charlie was attacked by her neighbor, Carter Burch. He developed an obsession with her and then broke into her home. Twice." She gives me a pointed look, while my stomach rolls with nausea.
"You were there for the first break-in. The second time, she was in the shower. He was standing in her bathroom when she got out. She, well, to be frank, beat the shit out of him."
All the emotions hit me like a ton of bricks as my brain churns over the details my mom continues to share. I got it so wrong. I left my girlfriend, the love of my life, in danger because I was poisoned to believe that she would cheat on me. That's what everyone around you tells you. There are no faithful women. They all cheat while you're deployed, training, or doing whatever the hell the Navy tells you to be doing.
I've hated her. I've missed her like crazy. I've spent the last eighteen months going over every detail of that night. The look of betrayal she gave me. The sadness when I didn't believe her. The memory mixes with the sight of that guy in her bed, the flowers everywhere, and her scared look. I thought it was just because she'd been caught. But, no. It was because some man had broken into her apartment and violated her space. And then, to top it all off, I left her there with him.
Drews thumbs up the pace, but he hasn’t said anything. Neither of ushas eaten a single bite as we stare at the food. The guilt and shame we both suddenly possess hover between us in the air, heavy and suffocating.
"The police found him knocked out in her bathroom. He was taken to the hospital and then booked. She left a few days after that and hasn't wanted anyone to know where she is. She came home for the trial and testified but flew back out the day after.”
"He in jail now?" Drew looks up, and I know exactly what he’s thinking and why he’s asking.If he's out, he's dead.
Mom nods her head and says, "Prison. Because of his previous offense, they gave him five years, but he could be out sooner."
“Previous offense?” I growl out.
“A similar thing happened before. He was obsessed with a girl but they were minors. He got away with a slap on the wrist. Although, Harvard did revoke his admission and scholarship. He’s as smart as he is evil, a dangerous combination.”
“For fuck’s sake!” Drew slams his palms on the table and stands up.
My mom arches one eyebrow but doesn’t say anything. He sits back down and takes a deep breath, puffing his cheeks out and shaking his head while he huffs.
When he looks calm again, I say to my mom, "I need to talk to her."
"No.”
My jaw clenched so hard that it tickled, but I waited for her to continue.
