Nothing In This World (BWWM) ✅

Chapter Twenty

A/N
I did some major revision to my story outline because I honestly didn't like the whole ending between Lance and Charlene. Guess I had a swift mood change. So here is the updated half of the story that I spent all of anatomy lab writing.

"Lance?" Charlene looked up at the man who's arm she was resting her head on. He looked down at her and smiled. "I love you. I ain't never been in love before but I love you." Lance gave her a kiss on the forehead then used his other arm to pull her closer to him. "But we can't stay here forever. I really do have to go."

They both sat up and started applying their rightful clothes to their body. "How often do we get to do this? We sneak around but we don't ever get to hold each other the way we are. Now we never will. You're going to walk out of that shed and who knows when I'll see you again."

She turned around so he could tie up the string to her dress. Charlene knew she didn't have time to have anymore conversations leading back to drastic decisions. She's been gone too long and people would start to grow worried.

"I have to go, Lance. We can talk tomorrow. Maybe. I'm not sure." Using a rusty pot in the dim shed as a mirror, Charlene flattened out her hair and stood up from the dirty ground. Lance was right on her tail and even grabbed her arm to slow her down. "I don't know what else you want me to say-"

"Come with me!" He blurted. Charlene quickly turned to look at his desperate face. "I meant what I said and I'll say it again. Run away with me, Char. There's a million places we can go and be with each other. I can't live this life without you or any other life given to me."

Her eyes softened the more she realized he wasn't thinking on impulse. He's had this idea for a while. "I can't just leave my mama with these white folks. I have responsibilities."

"And you aren't the only one. My old man's almost dead. Mom can barely walk. She won't see a penny of his money until he clocks out. I'll be leaving her behind to live for her own and you know how much it kills me to think about it. Charlene..." He let go of her arm and softly pressed his thumb to her cheek bone and massaged it. "I'll leave all my worries right here right now. I'll leave behind the money and the hate and choose you and love. Right here. Right now."

A tear slipped from her eye and collided with his thumb. He quickly wiped it away seconds before planting a soft kiss on her head. "I-"

"I'll go the rest of my life hating myself because I couldn't figure out the right words to say to make you come. So please, tell me what I could scream to the sky to get you to change your mind?"

The smile crept on to her face and she wrapped her hands around his wrist to pull them away from her. "You already said it." Lance broke into a joyous laughter while taking Charlene into a hug. His actions were quick and swift as he placed her back on to the ground and quickly dug in his pocket for something. "What are you doing now?" She giggled.

Lance pulled out the ring that she saw only two days prior to now. The poor thing still didn't have a home and her mouth dropped at the thought of it finally finding one. Lance wrapped his hand in hers while dropping down to one knee in the cramped space. "Charlene... I want you to marry me. I know we can't get married anywhere 'round here but we don't need no piece of paper to tell us what we can be. I want you to put this ring on and call yourself my wife. I'll call myself your husband."

"Lance, shut up and give me that." She took the ring from his hand and put it in her dress pocket. "Of course I'm gone be with you." Lance chuckled at her flustered face. "I'm gone be your wife and everything that comes with it."

He lifted himself off the ground and rested his hands on her waist. "We gotta go tonight. The roads are less crowded on a week night and wandering eyes is the last thing we need. You gotta be ready to go the second that moon comes out."