Uncharted

Chapter Three

Trigger Warnings: Child abuse, drug use, homophobia

3

May 2017

Conrad Dublin Hotel / Dublin, Ireland

CJ stood by the entryway of the hotel room, unsure of what to say or do as Axl beamed at her. His red hair was cut short, compared to the long straight hairstyle she had seen him with as a child. He looked casual in a pair of torn blue jeans and a graphic T-shirt, which helped her relax about her own laidback appearance. The room was a large suite and looked to have multiple rooms. She had walked into the living room area. She felt very put on the spot and smiled shyly back. He stood up and moved to hug her. As awkward as she was feeling, she readily accepted the hug, looking for some sense of familiarity in a foreign environment. He smelled lightly of cologne. When he pulled away, he said,

"It's so good to see you CJ, it's been so many years. Come sit, let's talk." He offered her the second armchair, opposite the one he had been sitting in. "Do you want anything? Water, tea, coffee? How was your flight? Any issues?" CJ opened her mouth and closed it again, unsure which question to answer first.

"I'm uh- I'll just take some water, thanks."

"Sparkling, or no?" She had to think for a moment to process what he had said. She didn't think she had ever had sparkling water.

"Regular is fine." He reached into a mini fridge and pulled out a water bottle and handed it to her. Beta had disappeared into another room, leaving them space and time to talk. She remembered the second part of his question and said "The flight was good, no issues. Just a quick layover in JFK." He had taken a seat in the second armchair, sipping on a cup of coffee.

"And your pick up at the airport went well?" He looked at her with genuine concern. Other than her aunt and her aunt's girlfriend, CJ had never had someone act so concerned over her.

"Ya, it went well."

"Good, I'm excited you are here." He took another sip of his coffee. "You may not know this, but your aunt was a great help to me back in the day." CJ smirked at the thought of some of the stories her aunt had told her and said,

"I know a little bit."

"Your aunt has kept me up to date on you and your studies. I know you've been thinking about going back to school." CJ had not expected him to ask about her schooling.

"Ya, I'm just not sure about it. Graduate school is such a commitment and I've been trying to weigh the pros and cons. I've been out of school for a few years now and I feel like I need to decide. I've wanted to work in the mental health field for most of my life and most of those positions require a master's degree." He smiled at her with that familiar bright white smile that she remembered from so many years ago.

"Well, you can spend at least the summer working with us and think about it, make some money, I want this arrangement to be perfect." He put his drink down and laced his fingers together, leaning back thoughtfully. "Ever since your aunt gained custody of you, and even before that time, we spoke frequently about you. Time and different circumstances have kept me from visiting in person, but I feel like I've watched you grow up from afar. Mindy is family to me, which means you are family." He paused for a moment before continuing. "You and I are very alike in our history and the fact that you are wanting to help others means a lot to me." She sat in silence and did not dare interrupt him. "I'm not sure what you know about me or the others." It wasn't until he gave her a questioning look that she realized he wanted her to respond.

"Oh, uh, not much to be honest. I mean I've heard your music growing up with my aunt obviously and I love it." CJ was somewhat more aware than she was letting on, not wanting to seem eager. She was not comfortable enough to tell him that as a child, she had spent her nights lying in a cold van or a roach infested bed listening to Guns N' Roses on a CD player on repeat at a high volume, either to drown out screaming or to try to feel some connection to the aunt she desperately wished she could go live with on the other side of the country.