A la Carte

Chapter 13

" Charlie?" He hadn't changed a bit.

"That's not my name anymore." Charlotte said, he flinched.

"What would you gentlemen like to drink? " Charlotte asked .The men who had watched the exchange with earnest quickly piped up. Charlotte wrote all the orders down, avoided eye contact with Benjamin and hurried away from the table. She quickly placed the order, made the drinks and then begged Perry to take over the table.

"Are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost." Perry asked concerned.

"Just not feeling great." Charlotte lied. As the evening wore on Charlotte forced herself not to look over to the table, she continued to work until it was closing time, she was so busy wiping down one of the tables she didn't hear him approaching him.

"Charlotte is it?" Benjamin said. She sighed, shoulders slumping she turned to face him.

He sat at the table and motioned for her to do the same. He still had the same haircut, but his brown hair had become lighter.

"It's been a while hasn't it?" He asked.

"Are you going to tell him where I am?"

"Charlie, I mean Charlotte..." He sighed, " I am your brother, why would I do that to you?" Tears brimmed in her eyes.

"I just thought that you felt the same way as he did, about me."

"Dad is an asshole. After you left, I started to really see how he treated others especially you."

"You did nothing to stop him then." Charlotte said low.

" I didn't want to believe it at first."

"That's no excuse."

"It isn't, but he was still the man I looked up, my father, my hero,but I didn't notice his flaws until you showed me."

" And now?"

" Dad signed the company over to me when he retired, but he still keeps a watchful eye on it."

"That's great for you." Charlotte said.

" And you?" Ben asked.

"Jobs here and there, until I came here, now I work at the Bistro and at a bookshop."

"And where are you living?"

"My friend and I are house sitting for her cousin while he travels for a year, but no apartment at the moment."

"And before that." Benjamin asked sternly.

"It was a dump."

" Charlie, if you ever need anything I can figure out away to get you the money that is yours, without Dad knowing."

"Ben, why do you think I left?" Charlotte asked angrily, " I don't want his money, I wanted to pave my own way in the world not just have everything handed to me by some man who just want to use it as leverage against me!"

"I want to help you." Ben pleaded, Charlotte's gaze softened.

"Look Ben, I'm okay, I survived this far by myself, without the money."

"You always were stubborn."

" Look whenever you're in New York you can come and visit, okay?" Charlotte comprised.

" Take care of yourself, and if you ever need anything..." Ben said as he stood up to give her a hug.

"I know who to call." She said. He kissed her forehead.

"It was good to see you little sis." He said and turned to walk away.

" You too Ben, and Ben?" He turned, " Tell mom I'm okay."

He smiled sadly and nodded, giving her a last wave before leaving the Bistro. Charlie slumped into the chair again. She really needed to have a good cry. She finished up and as she walked out she saw that Derek was waiting for her.

"Hey!" She plastered a smile to her face and walked up to him to greet him, but he turned away from her, not looking at her.

" Derek what's wrong?" She asked sternly.

"Who was the guy that was hugging you and that you had a very deep and meaningful conversation with, while your boyfriend waited outside for you."

"I didn't know you were coming to fetch me."

" It was a surprise, but instead I find my girlfriend in the arms of another man."

" Derek you have nothing to be jealous about, do you really think I would do that to you?" Charlotte asked shocked.

"Anything is possible." Derek sneered.

"He's my brother!" She shouted, hurt that Derek thought so little of her. Derek went quiet.

"At least now I know what you truly think about me and if you can't trust me, we can't be together."

"No, Charlotte please." Derek pleaded, hurt lacing his tone, " I need you."

"Call me when you've pulled yourself together." Charlotte said and marched off to the subway entrance. It really had been an emotional night and all Charlotte wanted was to curl up with a good book, hot chocolate and sleep forever.

*A/N*
So Charlotte has a brother.....well it's short and sweet, but still a Chapter, been much busier this holiday than I expected. Comment and vote! I love to hear from you guys, feedback on the story is always nice to read! Thanks for reading and I hope that 2016 is an epic year for all of you!! K ♡