Onward Journey (Broken Descent Sequel)

Distant

Madison and Aaron watched as Charlotte packed the last of her things for the international tour, including some books and her laptop for school.

"I hope that's everything," Charlotte said.

"I can't believe Mom won't let me go," Madison replied. "Hey MAYBE if you talk to Dad you can convince him to let me come too."

"It's too late. Kim won't let you go..." Charlotte said, smiling. "...and Dad never wins anyway...I hate how they treat us differently."

Madison furrowed her eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

"Well like...shouldn't everything be like the same...like all the kids go or none of the kids go? I don't understand why it's different for me...like why is it so important for you and the boys to stay but it doesn't matter for me?"

Madison just shrugged and Charlotte's expression dimmed, until Bruno's head popped in through the door. Her smile came back as she put a few last-minute things into her backpack.

"Hey kiddos," Bruno said in a short breath before entering Charlotte's room. "Is everything coming together, Charlotte? How's everything?"

"It's fine," Charlotte sighed. "I think...I think I have everything...maybe just last minute things."

Madison pursed her lips, ducked her head down, and left the bedroom. Charlotte continued going through her toiletries, making sure everything on the nearby checklist was marked. She moved the same five items in and out of the box. Bruno stood beside her, looking at all her belongings. Picking up one of her brushes and a bottle of shampoo, he made a slight noise to grab her attention.

"Hey, remember when I used to wash and brush your hair for you? I'd give you mohawks with the bubbles?"

"Yeah," Charlotte chuckled and mocked slightly, "...and then you would try to brush the knots out and hurt my head."

"And THEN..." Bruno said dramatically, "...and then I would say I was sorry and you would forgive me...and then tell me every single detail of your day."

"I still do," Charlotte replied quietly, switching those same remaining items in and out of the box. "I still do, Dad."

"Alright," Bruno said, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and pulling her toward her bed. "If you say so. Let's talk, then."

"No, no," Charlotte snapped, returning back to where she'd been organizing. "I have to put this stuff away."

Her expression grew even more frantic as she sifted through the big box which was now completely cluttered. Charlotte then ran to her suitcase sitting on her bed and began to rifle through her clothes.

"Charlotte...relax. You've probably got everything. What else do you have to do? C'mon...let me help you."

Charlotte ignored his offer and continued to pick up the and put back the same pile of clothes.

"C'mon..." Bruno pleaded, grabbing her arm. "We're going out to dinner. I'll help you when we get back...and if you forget anything we can buy whatever we need again. Alright?"

Charlotte picked up her math textbook, placing it into her backpack. Even though her schoolwork was online, she preferred the physical books too, for studying. Bruno began to pull her away from her bed. She snapped, swinging her arm at him and striking him in the chest.

"Dad will you just LEAVE ME ALONE ALREADY?!" Charlotte yelled.

Taken aback, Bruno took a backward step toward the door. When he lingered with one foot in the hallway and one in her bedroom, she turned her head slightly to glare at him for just a few seconds before he decided he shouldn't bother her anymore.

"Okay," he said. "We're leaving at six thirty."

With her head tilted down, Charlotte nodded just enough for Bruno to see. He'd expected to have to come back over to her room to get her, but Charlotte and the rest of the family were all ready and gathered in the kitchen at six thirty. At the restaurant, the family sat at a table with the end pushed up against a wall. It had more chairs than they needed. The chairs were fairly squeezed in together. Charlotte positioned herself in the corner, cramped between the swinging door behind and the wall. She grabbed the place setting to the right of her since that seat hadn't been set up, and smoothed it over. She put the napkin in her lap. To her surprise, Bruno sat to the right of her, grabbing a place setting for himself too. With her head still partially down, she averted her eyes slightly, staring at him through the corner.

After drinks were ordered, their "usual" waitress asked if anyone wanted appetizers. Bruno gave a wink to Charlotte, but she didn't respond as happily as usual. Bruno looked up at the waitress, gesturing toward Charlotte and himself.

"We'll have our usual to start," he said.

"No thanks," Charlotte said quietly, with just enough volume for others to hear.

Bruno quickly tilted his head to her direction.

"Seriously," Bruno said, a bit sternly. "You don't want mozzarella sticks?"

"Nope."

"Okay...fine." Bruno replied, turning his back to her and facing Madison. "Do you wanna share with me?"

Looking at them both, Madison nodded her head with a slight smile. Charlotte leaned an elbow on the table and swirled the straw around in her water. When the mozzarella sticks came, Bruno slid the bowl toward her, and she shook her head again. Bruno bit his lip and then moved the plate back to the center of the table. Throughout the entire dinner, Bruno took occasional glances at Charlotte. While driving home, he took more casual glances through the rear-view mirror.

"Tomorrow's the day," Kim said to Bruno as he pulled into the garage. "Are you excited?"

"Absolutely," Bruno replied, shutting his car door and turning around. "How about you, Char?"

When he turned around, Charlotte was already at the door leading to the house. Bruno and Kim looked at each other and then talked about what had happened later that night in their bedroom.

"I don't know what's going on with her," Bruno said. "She's been so off lately...and then tomorrow we leave...not the best way to start a tour."

"Maybe it's something she'll snap out of," Kim replied. "Maybe you could try talking to her now?"

Bruno looked at the clock to see that it was almost time for the girls to go to bed. He'd tried earlier to talk to her, but she didn't respond. First, Bruno checked to see that the twins were still sleeping; they were. Then, he went to check on Madison, and she was sleeping too. When he got to Charlotte's door, he noticed that the light still peering underneath the door-frame. He knocked once, very softly. Bruno heard no movement and the light remained on.

"Charlotte, can we talk before you go to bed?"

Seconds later, the light went off and he heard her shuffle around on her mattress. With his hand resting flat on her door, he let out a sigh and tilted his head down.

"Love you Peanut," he said so quietly that no one would be able to hear.

Charlotte sat on her bed, tears falling on top of the notes she'd written to herself. The sticky notes sat on top of the books and the tests with the red marks. When she thought that Bruno had left the door, she turned the light back on. It still hurt to read what the tests said, and to read again what she found out.

A/N: Hey everyone! Hopefully my updating picks up. My new laptop is making me write and feel very inspired... something about the pretty and shiny silver color :).