The Preacher's Girl

Chapter 30

She walked in through the back door as I told her to. She was all grown up. Her hair long auburn hair was blown in different directions because of the wind. As soon as the producers saw her they dragged her towards dressing. I hadn’t even gotten the chance to say hello.
She walked out of dressing and makeup with but a minute to spare. She looked gorgeous. She was wearing a beautiful white gown that stopped below her knees with a black belt on her waist to add colour, which was a good change from her tank top and jeans that she arrived in earlier. Her hair was curled and hung over her shoulder. Her makeup was perfect; it wasn’t to out there nor was it to plain. And her shoes were beautiful metallic black heels. She looked like an angel.
“Nice finally meeting you in Preacher’s Girl,” I smiled tapping her on the shoulder. She turned around, she was enough to turn a gay man straight, but don’t tell my partner that. “Your shorter than I imagined,” She smiled and hugged me. In my defence she was wearing three inch heels, and was already 5ft 9 without the heels. “Okay, Charlie all you have to do is be you, it’s that easy,” I told her.
I felt like a proud father as I watched her walk on to be greeted by Maria. They hugged. Sat down. And got down to the interview. “So first thing is first, thank you very much for being here Charlie. Now let’s get down to business.” Charlie nodded. “Ask away,” She smiled. “Very well. In your first email you said you had a great life, but to the reader it did not seem like such a great life. Could you please explain to us why you thought so highly of your life?” Charlie didn’t hold back or delay, she answered the question straight away. “I thought it was great because when I was younger that was the life I imagined for myself. It wasn’t all bad though, there were some good moments like homecoming, summer and so much, I just didn’t write about those good times because they had nothing to do with Alex and me. The whole point of me emailing Rolland was to tell my story, and Alex wasn’t in those moments so there was no need to tell them.”
The interview was going quite well, Charlie had answered questions on her first kiss, when she decided to email me and even getting in NYU, then Maria moved onto the hard questions. “Why were you so angry with Martha and Jessie, when you didn’t even love him? You were leading him on making him think he had a future with you when you didn’t even love him. So I just want to know why you were so hurt by them?” Charlie took a deep breath and exhaled, then she spoke. “Jessie and Martha were my best friends, we had been friends since we were babies, so to see my best friend and my boyfriend betray me like that hurt. Imagine your best friend kissed a boy you just started dating, or a boy that you cared about. It would hurt. I didn’t matter that I was not in love with Jessie I did love him I just wasn’t in love with him, but it did hurt. It hurt a lot.” Maria nodded and handed Charlie a tissue, I hadn’t even realised she was crying.
“Can we talk about your father please?” Maria asked be respectful of her boundaries. “Of course we can, I don’t want you to hold back,” Charlie smiled. “Why do you think your father reacted in such a harsh way?” “I think he reacted the way he did because he honestly was in shock. He had spent his entire life believing I was straight, and then to see Alex and I was a shock. I’m his only living child and he wants me to have the best of everything, and he knows that me liking girls was going to hold me back especially in my town. I know it was harsh and at the time I hated him for it, but I am older now and understand that my father just needed time to modern his views up a bit. He was raised to believe the only true love is between man and woman, but now he is starting to see love is love.”
“Okay, we have talked about your father, why you wrote to Rolland in the first place, Martha and Jessie. I think it is finally time to talk about the person your story has been about. Let’s talk about Alex.” “What do you want to know?” Charlie asked. “I don’t want to Alex anything we already know. We know why and how you fell for her. We know how much you trusted her. We know how you ended. But we don’t know what your life was life after you and Alex said goodbye.” “Life was difficult,” Charlie sighed. “Everyone in my town knew about us now, and they all judged me. I literally had no one. I would walk down the street and people would scream hurtful names at me and throw stuff at me. There were days when I didn’t want to get up out of bed I felt that bad. There were days when I just wanted to give up. And there were days when I just wanted to run away. But I kept going on. I didn’t want to give up. I wanted Alex and my story to mean something. I didn’t want it to end like this. I wanted a happy ending.” Charlie wiped her eyes, and if I’m being honest I wiped mine to.
“Okay, we have time for one last question, but I want be the person asking it. Today we did a little test for your fans and the person who was ultimately declared your biggest fan gets to ask the final question. Everyone Sydney is on line one,” Maria announced. Charlie’s face lit up. “So Preacher’s Girl I did as you asked, but before I reveal myself I want to know if Alex was here what would you say?” Charlie stood up, and began walking towards the front exit of the studio, where the mob of angry protesters was. Everyone was quite confused, especially Maria. “I would say Alex I am so sorry.” The camera crew and Maria began to follow Charlie, who looked like a woman on a mission. “I never meant to hurt you, I was just afraid. Afraid of losing my father, but I never wanted to lose you.” Charlie went through the final door. She was standing in front of the crowd, who were not happy to see her. I was right behind Maria and her. “I can’t imagine a life without you by my side. You are my soulmate Alex and I will always love you. You know things about me that I have never told anyone, and I know things about you that you have never told anyone. We trust each other. We love each other. We are meant to be.” Charlie yelled to be heard amongst the crowd. The caller had not replied. “Sydney hung up,” Maria said. Charlie looked around the crowd then stopped. “Alex if you are there please come out. Please I need you.”
The crowd had begun to scream vulgar names at Charlie. I put my arm around her and we were ready to go back inside when something unpredictable happened, at least it was to me. “Don’t you dare turn your back on me Preacher’s Girl,” A girl screamed from behind us. She emerged from the crowd, she looked just like Charlie had described. Charlie wiped the tears away from her eyes, and ran toward Alex. Then she stopped. She was right in front of her. “What no hello kiss?” Alex laughed holding in tears. Charlie smiled and kissed her. The crowd just watched, they didn’t even make a noise. Everyone watched them kiss, and when I say everyone I mean everyone globally watched. “Alex it’s really you,” Charlie sobbed. “Yeah it’s me and I just want to say I forgive you. I understood why you did it I just had to go I didn’t want to be the wedge in your family. I love you Charlie.” Then something I don’t think Charlie even expected happened.
“Charlotte Jessica O’Conner I have been in love with you what seems like forever, and though I never imagined we would get this close, I can’t deny that we have. Every day that I have spent without you has been a day full of regret and sorrow. The only thing that helped me when you were gone was reading our story, seeing how much you missed me and how sorry you were was all I had. Then reading wasn’t enough, so I emailed you and you gave some great points and if you don’t mind I plan on stealing one of the things you said you would do.” Alex got down on one knee and took out a box, everyone gasped. “I never want to spend another day without you Charlie. You and me are soulmates, and if you’d like I want to spent the rest of my life with you. So what do you say Preacher’s Girl, will you marry me?” Alex opened the box which held a gorgeous diamond ring. Charlie gasped. “Yes,” She finally said and kissed Alex. Everyone including the crowd applauded them.
I am sorry that it has been a couple of weeks since I last wrote on the blog, but I have been very busy helping organise the wedding of the year, and since I have to go to Charlie and Alex’s wedding very soon I thought that it was only fitting that I post the story of the day they got engaged.
I hope the love of the Preacher’s Girl is proof enough that love is love. Now goodbye for now, I have a wedding to get to.
Love, Rolland Marks