Our Time Will Come - An After Story

64

Hardin

"This isn't mine" Charlie's eyes widen at the certificate before him. What does he mean it isn't his? "Charles, it has your name on it" Melanie huffs and Charlie begins to stutter. "Yes, but it doesn't have my parents names on there. Who the fuck are these people?" He scoffs. Christ, it gets weirder every time I hear this child curse. "Charles, you and I need to talk. Privately" Jenny chimes in. Fuck, she knows something, doesn't she?

Charles, fuck, I mean Charlie, ignores the young woman and continues to demand answers from his Aunt. "I said.. who the fuck are these people?" He mutters. "Your parents wanted to tell you Charles. But they wanted to wait until you turned sixteen!" Melanie is now sobbing and I sort of feel for the woman. "Tell me what!" Charlie's lips form in a straight line as his breathing staggers. "Charlie, please. Come with me and I will explain everything to you" his social worker attempts to reason with the boy but he completely blanks her.

"These are not my parents! My parents were Geoffrey and Lara Travers!" The kid tares the paper into many, tiny pieces and into the air, then stamps on the shredded pieces when they land to the ground. Both Jenny, and I cringe in anguish. "I'm so sorry, honey" Melanie whispers. "So what? I'm adopted?" Charlie tugs at his hair, tears are now streaming down his cheeks. "You are, sweetheart" Melanie reveals. Fuck. I sort of knew where this was going, but I'm still gobsmacked at the revelation. I'm forced to chase after Charlie, when he races down the stairs and out of the door.

I shouldn't be this out of breath, shit I'm unfit. The kid is stood in the middle of the driveway, pacing back and forth and pulling at his hair, yet again.

"Charlie!" I catch him up. He is breathing heavily and clearly freaking out. "Charlie you need to calm down, man" I tell him. I probably shouldn't be telling him to calm down, like this is nothing. The kid probably feels like his whole life has been a lie. "It all makes sense" the kid makes eye contact with me, they're bloodshot and wary looking. "What does?" I ask. "They never showed me any love, any affection. That because I wasn't theirs to love. I wasn't their own" he falls to his knees and I have no idea how to comfort the kid. Do I call Tessa? Fuck. I'm not good in situations like this, hell I'd usually just make a sarcastic comment, but that would be highly inappropriate right now.

"Dude, that's not true" I place a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "It is, and you can't deny it" he whispers. "I can't believe that that witch knew about this, and never told me" he huffs, I'm guessing he's talking about his Aunt Melanie. "Charles" speak of the devil. The woman appears from behind us and I turn to face her. "Just go, Seriously" Charlie barks. "But I can explain!" she grovels. "I said, go! I don't want to look at you" Charlie sobs. This is like something out of a damn soap opera. I'm surprised when the woman leaves, empty handed. She forgot all of her fancy diamonds and her sisters belongings. She climbs into her burned out Ford Focus, and drives off rather hastily. It's clear that she is frightened, of being caught showing emotion.

"Charlie" Jenny appears at the door. "Let's go inside. I need you to tell me everything that you know" Charlie tells his social worker, as his eyes focus on his Aunt, driving away. Jenny nods and I join her and Charlie inside. The three of us take a seat at the dining room table. "Do you want me to give you some privacy while you discuss this?" I ask. They might think that I'm asking this to be polite, but I'm actually asking because I'm uncomfortable as shit and there has been far too much drama for one day. "No, please stay" Charlie looks at me, his eyes full of desperation. I nod in agreement, but curse him in my head.

"I can only tell you what I know, I don't have the answers to everything, only what it is documented in your records" Jenny explains and Charlie nods, encouraging her to continue. "What you saw, was your original birth certificate. Usually when adopted, you get an adoption certificate as a replacement, but Your parents had a copy of your birth certificate because you moved states" Jenny reveals. "You know you were born in Washington, right?" She adds and Charlie nods. "My parents told me that they lived in Washington and we moved when I was two weeks told" Charlie shrugs. "That's not one hundred percent correct. You were born in Washington, by your birth parents" she explains. No shit Sherlock, of course he was born by his birth parents, my subconscious chimes.