Page 55 of Wesley

Chapter Nineteen

Charlotte

The last two days had been a haze. I’d been walking around stuck in a bad dream ever since I’d left the hospital on Wednesday.

Mrs. Becker kept Marisol Thursday night after I told her I had to work an extra shift. I didn’t, I just needed a little time to myself. A little time to figure out if there was any way to fix this.

His name was Tom. It was like a gong going off inside my brain—over and over. Tom—Tom—Tom—

For hours on Thursday night, I had racked my brain for any memories that I had of that night. Slowly a few came back, snippets of time, sounds, faces, and I did remember a younger version of the guy I’d seen at the hospital. I remembered being at a party, and we were all talking. He was flirting with me, and I had flirted back.

Would I have slept with him? No. I’d had two boyfriends previously, one in high school, one in my first year of college, and those were the only two men I’d slept with and only because they had been long term. Maybe Tom had realized that he wasn’t going to get lucky and that’s why he had slipped something into my drink.

I grew angry when I realized that he had admitted as much, and Wes must have heard it. Did he really think that I had slept my way through college? Did he think I did drugs? I’d never even smoked marijuana, and I’d never taken any medication not prescribed for me, except for over the counter cold and pain medication.

My heart felt shredded as I stood in my kitchen on Friday afternoon wanting to cry. I should be with him right now. He would be with his family, and that’s where Marisol and I were supposed to be. Instead, Marisol was two doors down playing with a little girl who was a year younger than her.

I poured myself a glass of water and was heading back to the couch when there was a knock on the door. I guess Marisol was done playing. I opened the door without looking through the peephole and startled back.

“Brad? What are you doing here?”

“Hi, Charlotte. I’m sorry to barge in on you, but I’d like to talk to you for a minute.”

I chewed my bottom lip and then held the door open. Was Wes so angry with me that he had to send his brother here to make sure I knew it was over?

“Have a seat. Can I get you something?”

“No, but I’d like to know if I can get you something.”

I turned to study him as he took a seat. “Excuse me?”

“How would you like another chance with Wes?”

I turned slowly and sank into the chair beside him. “What are you talking about, Brad? Wes made it very clear that he didn’t want anything to do with me.”

“Charlotte, you might think this is none of my business, and normally it wouldn’t be, but seeing my brother hurting, makes me need to help him.” He paused, watching me carefully, “Tell me what happened. Tell me about Marisol’s father.”

My shoulders deflated, and hung my head, clenching my eyes. What had he told his brother?

“If you want a life with my brother, if you love him even the slightest bit, and I think you do, then I need to know the truth. He needs to be told the truth.”

Was there a chance? Did I want that chance? Yes, I did. I wanted any chance that I could have to be with Wes.

I took a deep breath and then started to talk. “I was at a party in college. Of course, I was drinking, but someone slipped something into my beer. I woke up the next morning, sick as a dog and in a hotel room alone. I had no idea who I’d been with, or what had happened. A few weeks later, I found out I was pregnant. I never knew who the father was, not until this last Wednesday when this guy named Tom accosted me in the hospital and admitted to having dosed me and then demanded to know if Marisol was his daughter.”

“Is that the truth?” He asked softly.

I stared him right in the eye, “Every single word of it, Brad. I have no reason to lie. I know your brother thinks that I slept with a ton of guys and just didn’t know which one of them was the father, but I swear, that is what really happened. I am proud to admit that I have only been with four men in my life, Tom that night he raped me, your brother last week and two boyfriends from high school and college. I don’t sleep around, and I never have.”

He nodded and thought for a moment, then he stood abruptly. “Okay, where is Marisol?”

I frowned, “She’s down the hall playing with a friend.”

“Well, you better go get her. You two have a party to attend.”

I stared at him, “What?”

“If that is the truth, Charlotte, and I believe you. Then you need a chance to tell Wes the truth. Why didn’t you tell him?”

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