Neighbors

Part 15: Out of Town

"Well here is the thing... I don't really give a shit Ben" I yelled across the kitchen.

"Why are you being difficult? Can you just do what I say, for once, do what I say" He yelled back.

"For once? You better be fucking kidding me? I do everything you ask of me!"

"Oh you are going to play the martyr again? I'm sorry Saint Charlotte for asking you to do your job as a wife and mother" Had I not been seeing red this might have killed me, but I was fueled up and I was ready to go. I calmed my voice

"Ben, this is not a debate. I am not going to your parents. You can take the girls but you will only be staying one night, otherwise I will come and collect them. Now I am going to go over to Mia's because I have decided that you are not the person who decides who my friends are. You can cut them out, but I like them" I started to gather my things.

"Charlotte. I swear to god. If you walk out that door"

"You'll do what? Reprimand me? Scream at me? You already do that'' This was now a staring contest "Tell me Ben, what are you going to do to me that is worse than being confined to your home alone taking care of your kids with no support. No friends. No family" I could see him close his fist. He wouldn't hit me, would he? I walked out the door.

The door opened, Mia looked surprised and maybe a little worried.

"Hi" I smiled.

"Char, what are you doing here?" She was looking around probably for Ben.

"I'm here to see my friend. Can I come in?" I asked and she looked stunned. She moved out of the way. "Do you have time to hangout?"

"Ehm, yeah. I am not doing anything..." She looked as if she remembered something. "Char, I have to make a call. Can you just wait by the pool? I'll bring you something to drink"

"Do you have any wine?" I asked as I made my way to the pool. I could hear her on the phone, she tried to speak quietly but I could tell she was canceling plans. Oh... Mia joined me with two glasses of wine just a couple of minutes later.

"Mia, did you just cancel your plans for the day?"

"I don't know what you mean?"

"Amelia!" She blushed a little. I hadn't called her that since that first day in her bathroom when she was putting sunscreen on me.

"Yeah, but it wasn't really anything too exciting. Not as exciting as you being on the run" She was trying to deflect from what her real plans were and I was going to let her get away with it. Sometimes you shouldn't think about things too much.

"I told Ben that we were friends, and that I don't really give a shit what he thinks about it" I felt so proud and Mia looked so happy and so soft.

"Wow, you really are brave"

"I don't think anyone has ever described me as brave before" I giggled. Mia looked really serious.

"Char, don't do that. Don't make fun of yourself. You are brave, you always have been" That was nice of her to say, I wasn't brave, I knew that but it was nice to hear. "So tell me about Ben"

"He wanted us to go to his parents, but I didn't, so I wont. Then I kind of left" Oh, I left the kids too...

"You're thinking about the kids?" How does she know? I nod. She gave me her phone. Call them. We will give them an ice cream and then you can say bye. They won't say no to ice cream and it will annoy Ben" I love her mind. She was right and we did.

The kids left happy, Ben did not and I didn't care. When they finally left I asked Mia for another glass of wine, she paused but then agreed. What was that about?