"Henry, please honey, get dressed. Mommy will be here any minute now." Charlie pleads, letting out a frustrated sigh.
Charlie hated mornings like these.
Ever since the divorce, Henry had changed. Maybe he was just registering his parents behaviour, but he came more restless, more stubborn. Charlie and Nicole knew the divorce took a toll on Henry too.
Nonetheless, Charlie still struggled from time to time with Henry. Both of them were equally stubborn by soul and sometimes they just butt heads.
Henry stood at the foot of his bed, backpack of clothing by his feet as he was still dressed in his little superhero pyjamas, looking up at Charlie with a pout.
"I don't want to change, why can't I just wear my pyjamas." Henry whines, falling to the floor in a tantrum.
Charlie clenched his fists at his side, letting out a sharp exhale. He opened and closed his mouth, the sound of the doorbell ringing cutting him off.
He let a small growl, storming out of Henry's room and across the living room, swinging the door open aggressively.
He came face to face with Nicole, seeing her just setting him off even more. He urged her inside, slamming the door shut.
Nicole looked somewhat concerned and frightened, eyes wide. "What's wrong? Why are you so angry?" She questions Charlie.
Charlie's hands rest on his hips, an exasperated scoff leaving him. "I'm angry because your son won't get dressed!" He half-shouts.
Nicole's brows furrow, her face wincing slightly when he raises his voice. She takes a step back, shaking her head slightly.
"My son? He's your son too." She hisses, pushing past him and making her way into Henry's room.
She finds her son sitting on the floor, arms crossed over his chest as he was still dressed in his pyjamas. She lets out a small sigh, crouching to his height.
Henry looks up at her, eyes lighting up. She could instantly see him calming down. Henry always was a mammas boy. Nicole was his comfort when he most upset.
"Hi sweetie, can you get dressed for me? We're going to see the cousins today, remember?" Nicole says softly, reaching out brush Henry's hair out of his eyes.
There was a moment of silence before he nods, slowly picking himself up off the floor. Nicole murmurs a small thank you, stepping out of his room to give him privacy.
As she makes her way back into the living room she finds Charlie sitting on the couch, angrily drinking beer out of a green stained glass bottle.
She just looks at him, lump in her throat. Charlie notices her stare, eyes flickering over to her.
"What." He spits angrily, taking another sip of his beer.
Seeing her made his anger much worse. He didn't mind when Henry had little tantrums— he was a kid, he couldn't help it- but seeing Nicole reminded him just why Henry had tantrums like those.
It made Charlie angry that Henry secretly liked Nicole more. He probably couldn't help it, she was his mother, but it still angered Charlie greatly.
During the whole divorce Charlie was painted as the bad guy, the half-absent father was trying hard enough. He was never given credit for all he did for Nicole and Henry.
And now, he was stuck with the hard reality of it all. His son secretly hated him and he had lost the love of his life. It felt like he had nobody.
YOU ARE READING
PUT ME IN A MOVIE - Charlie Barber.
Fanfiction" Lights, camera, action....he didn't know he'd have this much fun..." Recovering from his divorce, Charlie had fallen into bad habits - smoking again, drinking again, and not prioritizing his time with his son, Henry. Charlie was desperate for a...
