An Arrangement was Made

Chapter 12: Missing

Charlie started to regret the way she spoke to Adam within only a few minutes. She hadn't meant to be so rude to him, she just hadn't mentally been up to having that kind of fight yet. When she thought about it more, he might actually have a bit of a point.

She and Adam needed to talk about the terms of their arrangement. She went into expecting that they would be married in name only, clearly he thought differently. Did he think that she expected him to be loyal to her? That wouldn't be fair at all. She thought that since they weren't actually in a relationship, it would be fine to have different partners. She hadn't communicated that well in the slightest.

30 minutes after their fight when she had calmed down, she went back to his room to talk about him. They had already both agreed to the paper terms, now it was time to communicate the personal ones. They could still salvage this. They just both had to be willing to compromise. She knocked on his door. No answer.

"Adam? Hey, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have spoken to you like that. I'm ready to talk now."

No answer.

"Maybe he's asleep." She whispered to herself. "I'll come back later."

-

Charlie returned the next morning with an offering of pancakes for him. She knocked on the door.

"Good morning Adam. I brought you some breakfast. We don't have to talk yet if you don't want to. I'd like to talk to you today. Maybe we could later today?"

No answer. He must be really mad at her.

"Okay. I'll leave your food outside the door."

-

Charlie returned again at around lunchtime to check on him again. The plate she had left for him had only been touched by bugs. Ew. Time to throw that away. She knocked on the door again.

"Hey Adam? We're going to have lunch now. Would you like to join us?" Again, no answer. "Alright. The offer is still open if you change your mind."

-

"I'm worried about him." Charlie confided to Vaggie after lunch. "He hasn't come out of his room all day."

"Oh screw him. He wants to be a whiny piss baby, let him." Vaggie had zero sympathy for him. He had just watched when Lute ripped off her wings and left her down there. He was sadistic, had zero empathy, he fucking sucked.

"But last night, I said some things to him that maybe weren't so nice. I think I might have hurt his feelings."

"Adam doesn't have feelings! You are not responsible for his happiness Charlie."

"But-"

"No!" She grabbed Charlie's face and squished it. "Not responsible for anyone else's happiness."

"Vaggie-"

"Not! Responsible! For anyone else's happiness!"

"He's my husband."

"But he's not your partner."

"I'm not sure if that matters right now."

"Doll," Angel chimed in, "You're doing the best you can. The ball's in his court now to meet you halfway. If he can't do that, then I'm with Vaggie. Screw him."

"Maybe you're right." She drew circles on the table with her finger.

"Need something to get your mind off it?" Angel offered her a joint.