A Blue Sky Existence

Chapter Thirteen

Thirteen

James’s Story

 He would have to face her at some point. Charlie couldn’t very well sit propped against the birch tree forever, uprooting blades of grass and halving them with his fingernails. It occurred to him that they’d stopped growing, which got him wondering if his hair would also stay the same for the rest of his earthly existence. At least it would never go grey, and he’d never have to worry about baldness - silver linings all around.

    Eventually Charlie summoned the willpower to spring onto his feet, softly brushing the grass. He hoped his lack of physicality wouldn’t amplify any further; otherwise he could end up floating away into the sky like a lost balloon.

     Had he run, it would have taken him a mere five minutes to get back to Wheat Sheaf Lane. But he took his time, trying half-heartedly to devise and rehearse a suitably groveling excuse for his outburst.

     ‘Victoria, forgive me…’

     ‘Forgive me, Victoria - no…’

     ‘Hey, Vic, let’s make up…what am I saying? That won’t go down well.’

     ‘Look, I wasn’t thinking, clearly, and…why is this so difficult…’

     He was still muttering under his breath as he stepped over the threshold to the Room.

     ‘I know you probably don’t even want to breathe the same air as me right now, but I just wanted to say - ’

     ‘Save it, Charlie,’ said Douglas from behind his chair. ‘She’s not here.’

     ‘Oh.’ He went red. Douglas, Bobby and Julia were together in the Room. Bobby quickly looked his way before turning back to the coffee table, where he and Julia had somehow got ahold of a pack of cards: they were playing Snap.

     ‘Hey man,’ said Bobby neutrally as Charlie joined his side.

     ‘Hey,’ he replied, rocking back and forth on his heels as he pretended to take an interest in their game. After a minute of repetitive card shuffling and restrained “snaps”, Charlie couldn’t take it anymore.

     ‘I’m gonna take a wild guess that Victoria told you about our fight.’

    ‘We were spared no details,’ said Douglas wryly, casually flicking through the crumpled pages of a free weekly paper, The Compass Report.

     ‘Did I get off lightly at all?’

     Silence. Charlie winced.

    ‘Don’t worry, Charlie,’ said Julia as she straightened up from the table. ‘Victoria always makes things sound more dramatic than they actually were. Just say sorry the next time you see her, give her some space, and it will all blow over.’

     ‘Well I’m glad someone in here’s an optimist.’

     ‘I know, I don’t seem to have corrupted her yet,’ said Douglas. ‘I’ll just have to try harder.’

     ‘I’ll admit I could have been a lot calmer,’ said Charlie to no one in particular. ‘But I stand by pretty much everything I said: this hasn’t been easy for me, and she just doesn’t seem to get that.’

    ‘Give her a break, Pounce,’ came a voice from the other side of the Room. Charlie grimaced without having to turn to see who it was.

    ‘You witnessed the most painful moment of Victoria’s life,’ said James as he got off his sofa and sauntered towards the others. ‘I don’t think you’re in a position to say she doesn’t understand hardship. It just so happens that she can’t understand everything you’ve been going through.’