Nothing In This World (BWWM) ✅

Chapter Thirty

The next morning, Charlene watched Lance go off to work like nothing happened. She and Darla did their daily routine and Ricky assisted them as best as he could which mean he played in his pin while they did the work. Lance and Charlene figured it was best to not mention last nights events to anyone in case they lecture them or worse.

"Can you warm up his bottle, Char. It's feeding time." Charlene nodded and went to the kitchen while Darla rushed to answer the phone that was ringing off the hook. "Hello. Charles, it's not often you call me from work." Charlene turned around to see that Darla's face dropped. "He what?!" In a rush, Charlene placed the bottle on the kitchen table to run to Darla. "Lance just got arrested. Apparently he assaulted someone last night. Did you know he wasn't home?"

"I-" Charlene ran to grab her purse instead of coming face to face with the specifics. "I'm going to the station!"

Darla hung up the phone and removed her apron. "Let me out clothes on Ricky and we're going too!"

A thirty minute bus ride later and Charlene was where she needed to be. Going to the police station and asking to see a white man didn't phase the officers like she thought it would. She actually got to speak to him from his holding cell within ten minutes of being there.

"What the hell happened, Lance?"

He stood up from his hard bed to approach her and hold her hand that was clinging on to the bars. "Someone from the job is friends with that asshat. They turned me in and I was arrested in front of everyone. Even the boss. I could lose my job. If he pressed charges then this is going on my record."

"You shouldn't have hit him!" She yelled frantically. "You always resort to violence the moment someone gets out of line with you!"

"What happened to a simple thank you?! He was talking out the side of his mouth, Charlene! I had to do something! I bet he'll never do it again!"

She sucked in a deep breath to avoid raising her voice again at him. "You lost. You didn't win, Lance." She took a step back which disconnected their hands. "They say you have to stay a night in here. You'll spend your eighteenth birthday behind bars for who knows how long."

"Do I still get a gift although I've been a bad boy?" She jerked her head at him. "What? I still want a cake. You need to calm down, Charlene. I've gotten away with worse. The little shit won't press charges and he probably doesn't even remember what I look like. It was someone else who turned me in. Not him." Charlene's anger didn't suppress. "Please, Char. I don't want you to go to bed mad at me tonight."

She went from angry to worried in a split second. "I knew this was a bad idea. You need to start listening to me or this isn't going to work. You live on impulse and it's going to get you hurt. You could have broken your wrist or gotten killed."

"By who? The police? You must have forgotten who I am, Char."

Those words made her blood boil. "I have not, Lance. I'm reminded of that every time you do what you want and I can't. Every time."

"That's enough back here. Ma'am. Go home. Get some rest. His wife will be very grateful that you came in to check on him when she couldn't." Lance sent her a confused expression when the police guided her away. Charlene had to lie or she would have never got to make sure he was okay.

Outside, Darla waited out front of the station with Ricky wide awake in his stroller. She watched Charlene leave the building but before she could ask any questions, the young girl broke down in tears. Darla caught her when her knees gave out and desperately tried to wipe her wet face dry.

"Oh, I feel like I just don't know him anymore!" She cried. "I used to be able to look in his eyes and everything seemed so genuine. Now... I don't even know who I'm looking at."

She hugged onto Charlene with one arm and used the other to pull Ricky's stroller closer to them. "You saying he's never hit a guy before? He's getting violent or something."

"No, he has stuck up for me before. There was just a difference. I feel different about it, Darla. I'm scared beyond belief. All those people saw it. I was in the middle of a dangerous situation and he doesn't care!"

"Charlene..." Darla forced her to look into her eyes. "You're telling me that Lance has done this before?" Charlene nodded. "And you're acting like this? I don't think Lance is the problem. You've got to understand that you've been sheltered all your life. Charles told me how life on that farm out in no where can do you. In the city, we move at a speed that I don't think either one of y'all are ready for."

Charlene wiped her tears and let out a little sniffle. "Do you think I should go home?"

A loud buzzer went off that jolted Lance out of a deep sleep. As he sat up and opened his eyes, he could see a police officer opening the gate to his cell. Right next to him was a man holding a briefcase.

"Hello, Lance Skinner. I'm Gerald Tran, your case worker. Just wanted to go over a few things before they release you." He stepped in and took a seat next to Lance. "You were arrested for the assault of Robert Myers. Mr. Myers has agreed not to press charges but only under one condition."

"And what on earth is that?"

"You pay for your crimes by working on his family's farm further north. He says that'll give him time to recuperate from his concussion and pay for medical bills. If you agree, you'll get all the information in the mail. If not, you can face some serious charges that will go on your record."

Lance dropped his head in his hands as the first person he thought about was Charlene. What would she tell him to do? How would she respond to either options? "Can I talk it out with my family first?"

"Can't let you leave without an answer. Jail time or a couple weeks on a farm? You choose."

"Well got Damn it! I just ran away from a stupid old farm! I wasn't tryna go back." The man sat there indifferent. "Oh, God. The farm. Jesus, fuck!" The case worker nodded once then gave Lance a handshake.

"Your paperwork has been filed. Have a beautiful day. And also... happy birthday."

Lance was out of the station a few moments later. The morning sun warmed him up a bit since all he had on was his thin work shirt and the pants they give all their shipyard workers. He wandered the streets in lost thought mainly scared to go home but he knew he had to.

He dreaded every second but it was the only place he felt attracted to. Charlene was there. He knew he could hold onto her as tight as he needed to and his entire body would reset itself. Love was always in her heart. In her words too.

He went to work to pick up his truck then headed straight back to Darla and Charles house. He decided to take the main road so he could pass by Joanne's house for a reason he couldn't quite come up with. He didn't miss her or like her. Only thought about how he hurt both Charlene and Joanne. Even if Charlene didn't know it yet.

Charles's truck wasn't in the driveway and Lance hoped no one was home. When he opened the door, his dreams came true to find himself alone. He ran to the basement and pulled his suitcase out the closet. In a haste, he emptied his drawers and shoved them into his luggage. He couldn't let Charlene see what he was doing before he could explain it to her. So he pushed his suitcase under the couch only for it to bump into something else.

Lance reached under and pulled out what was blocking him only to see that it was Charlene's suitcase. He opened it and found it full of her neatly folded clothes. In complete disbelief, he left both of the suitcases out in the open and took a seat on the edge of the couch. The front door could be heard closing soon after.