Little Girl Don't Grow Up Too Fast

She Knows

 "I cannot believe I'm hanging out with THE Carrie Underwood. You've been my idol since I was basically born," Charlotte ranted as the two girls drove to Carrie's house late at night.

Everything that Charlotte would say would cast flashbacks into Carrie's head about those very few months that she had with Charlotte that the young girl had no idea about. She already felt bad enough for leaving her motherless for so many years, a big part of her regretted it, and now, she was being forced to pretend it never happened. She was basically supposed to play babysitter or friend for the night.

"Have you eaten dinner? I know I'm starved," Carrie said, trying to make conversation.

"No, we didn't have time between the meet and greet and then the concert," Charlotte answered.

"I can pick something up if you want. You probably wouldn't like anything that's at my house. It's all vegan."

"I'm vegetarian actually so anything you have should be fine," the teen replied.

"Okay, I this stir fry stuff that doesn't take long to make so I'll probably just do that."

Of course Charlotte would be vegetarian. Not that it was a genetic trait or anything, but it was much too like her mother and she didn't even realize it.

As the night went on, Carrie started to finally move past the fact that she was with her daughter. They enjoyed their stir fry together, watched some movies, even chatted about normal girl things. The more they talked, the more they were able to talk to each other like they were just friends or something. They even exchanged a few laughs.

It was getting super late in the night to the point where both were about to pass out on the couch. Mike would be by soon to pick Charlotte up. Before he arrived though, the teen finally built up the courage to ask Carrie something that she had been dying to ask her since they met.

"Carrie," the young blonde grabbed Carrie's attention.

"Hm?"

"You went to college with Mark and Ivey and my dad right?"

Carrie tried to swallow the lump that had just formed in her throat, "Mmhm."

"So you and my dad were friends?"

"Sort of, in one way or another," Carrie replied.

"I was born around the time when my dad was in college and I've asked my dad and Ivey and Mark before and they've never given me answers. Did you ever know my mom?"

She didn't know how to respond. Her skin had gone completely pale as if all of the life had been sucked out of her. The walls were closing in and she didn't know how to get out. "I don't know if I should be the one telling you about your mom."

"Oh, come on," Charlotte huffed. "I've thought of it all. I've thought that she was addicted to drugs or she died in some car accident, anything. I can handle it."

Carrie knew if she told Charlotte the truth, she very well might not be able to handle it, so she just sheepishly replied, "I guess you could say I knew her."

Carrie could't even keep eye contact with her. All of the guilt and regret was oozing out. Her hands started to become shaky and sweaty, and she tried fidgeting with them to help her relax but it definitely wasn't doing any help. Tears started to well in her eyes and they were threatening to fall.

"Carrie?"

Charlotte had no idea what was happening. She grew up listening to this woman sing, she had watched her perform on TV, and saw her accept award after award, yet she had never seen her start to crumble like she was in front of her. She didn't understand why Carrie was being like this.

Finally, the truth came out.

Almost everything bursted out of Carrie's mouth as she told Charlotte the truth. She was sobbing uncontrollably, and it was difficult for Charlotte to fully understand, but it was clear enough that she picked up the message.

It was a lot for a fourteen year old to comprehend. All this time, she always wondered what ever happened to her mother. She thought she had died, maybe was an alcoholic, or a drug addict. At the moment, she almost felt as if any of those would be better than what it actually was. Instead, her mother happened to be her idol for years and had abandoned her and left her motherless. Charlotte felt unwanted. She felt unloved. She felt betrayed. Hurt.

At that point, Charlotte was crying too. Not as excessively as Carrie, but still pretty heavily. Minutes later, Mike had arrived and Charlotte was quick to gather her things and open up the front door. She didn't bother to look at her father who had lied to her all these years. Instead, she brushed past him and practically ran to the truck.

"What happened?" he asked Carrie, noticing that Carrie was sobbing more than his daughter even was. After all those years, watching his love be so vulnerable and broken made him weak inside.

"Sh-she knows," Carrie cried. "I'm so-orry."

She didn't have to say anything else. Mike knew. He knew this was all to happen eventually, but he thought it was too soon. Plus, he wasn't even there. Instead, Carrie was the one to ruin everything. Just like she ruined their lives so many years ago.

Mike and Charlotte left Carrie's that night silently. All three lied on the earth in brokenness, and they were going to need a long time to repair and recover.