Finally Free - Charlie Gillespie

Chapter Seventy-five

Charlie
"I don't know, Mads. She hasn't gotten out of bed in days. She won't tell me what happened either."

"But she talks, right? And she's eating?"

"She talks a little bit. She mainly just writes or watches TikTok. She eats when I bring her food. I think she just forgets to eat sometimes."

"Do you want me to talk to Sofia?"

"Have you seen her recently? How is she doing?" She sighs. I don't know if that should make me feel better or worse.

"I've seen some things on her snapchat story."

"Things like?"

"Things like getting drunk off her ass alone. She posted a best friend application. She seems happy most of the time, but you can tell she's hurting."

"How long has this been happening?"

"Ever since that night."

"It's been happening almost a week and you never felt like saying anything?!"

"I didn't know if this is what was going on!! She has a lot going on, Charlie. She still miscarried not too long ago and she and Owen are still trying to work on their relationship."

"According to Owen, they're doing great."

"What does that mean?"

"I don't feel like spending the next two hours telling you about those two kinky fucks like he did with me last night."

"Oh my god! Ew!"

"But that reminds me of something else."

"Yeah?"

"I know you and Kenedi talk about that kind of stuff."

"That doesn't weird you out, does it?" I laugh pouring the rice in the pot. I'm making Kenedi dinner - broccoli rice casserole. It's her favorite.

"No. Sometimes it's actually helpful."

"Okay ew."

"Anyways. Has she ever said something about...darkness?"

"Like fucking in the dark?"

"Yeah."

"I mean she said she's not opposed to it, but she likes being able to see you sweat and other gross stuff. Why?"

"Because she wants the lights off whenever we do it now. She never wants the lights on and she stays underneath the sheets. And she won't let me go down on her." The silence on the other end of the line makes me feeling bad. "Sorry sorry. Too much information."

"No no. It's not that."

"Then what is it?" I can hear the hesitation in her breath.

"Did she relapse?" I drop my phone piecing it all together. How did I not see the signs sooner? "Charlie?"

"Sorry sorry. I-I-I dropped my phone." She sighs clearly upset.

"I know you don't want to think about it, Char, but maybe she did. Neither one of us knows what happened between her and Sofia, but whatever it was, it was bad. Bad enough for them to both be this upset."

"She hasn't been going to therapy."

"I really, really hate to think this and I pray to god that I'm wrong, but it seriously sounds like she relapsed and she's trying to pretend like it didn't happen."

"How do I get her to talk to me about it?"

"Don't just blurt it out. I don't really know how you should bring it up, but don't just straight up ask her. Maybe...maybe if you're in the middle of fucking, you can try to like...feel around for something and if you feel it, tell her you love her no matter what. Maybe she'll open up about it then."