The Sea Turtle

Chapter 6

A few hours later Charly was suppose to be asleep in bed. Ben was downstairs with Luke and Jack.

"What the hell now?" asked Ben, "I didn't know he was suppose to be there. He never told me that, he never told he thought it was his fault. If he did..."

"Would things really be different?" asked Jack.

"I don't know. But what Charly said should've made him, I don't know, do something different then just leave" said Ben, "This is my fault. I never tried with him. He left and I never forgave him for it."

"Ben, what has happened is no one faults, your mom's death, Brian leaving then and now" said Luke, "Sure maybe things could've been said, things done differently. But you can't change the past. You can only make things better for the future" said Luke.

"Maybe I should go after him?" asked Ben.

Jack nodded at him "Yes"

"Okay, I'm going to check on Charly first" said Ben running up the steps. When he got to her room. She wasn't there in Bed. He quickly looked around the room. "Charly?" There was no answer. He then looked in the bathroom "Charly?" she wasn't there. He searched the other rooms, she wasn't there. So he ran down the steps. "I can't find her!"

"What?" asked Luke.

"She's not upstairs!" yelled Ben.

"She has to be here somewhere, how would she leave?" said Jack.

"I don't know! But she isn't here" said Ben.

"Okay, we will find her.  Everyone look in carefully. She might be hiding" said Jack.

Everyone spread out around the house looking for her, calling her name. They looked in closets and hidden places. But no one found her. But the Luke was upstairs in Ben's room.

"Guys!" he yelled. Ben and Jack went running in. Luke pointed at the open window. Jack and Ben ran over and looked out. She could've easily jumped out the window on to the porch roof and then jump from there. They shot each other a look.

Meanwhile Charly made her way to rescue center. When she got there, she got the hidden key from under a rock and unlocked the door. She started to walk towards the turtle how was now just in baby pool barely able to swim. She stopped though as she saw Brian sitting there. He turned around when he heard something. He turned back around to watching the turtle. Charly went up and sat down next to him.

"Mom's favorite animal was a sea turtle, you know" said Charly.

Brian nodded. They were silent for awhile.

"Brian?" she asked.

"Ya?"

"It wasn't your fault"

Brian didn't respond.

"It really sucks, but sometimes things happen in life for a reason. Things that really suck and you think why does this have to happen to me? But for some reason it does and we might not know why right now, we might never know. I know one thing for sure though is that mom wouldn't want you to think this way. I know she wouldn't want me to sad and scared like I am. But I just can't help it. It just happens. I wish it wouldn't though" 

Brian looked down at her. "I don't deserve you." he said "I'm sorry Charly, sorry for everything. Everything I did, I said and didn't do. And you're right mom wouldn't want this. Things are going to change. I promise. I'm going to make everything better" 

Charly now had tears in her eyes. Brian pulled her to him and held her close. He held her tightly for the first time in a long while. He cried too. Just then Ben, Jack and Luke came running in the door. Brian and Charly looked up. They all sighed in relief. Jack motioned at Luke, they left. Ben went over to them and knelt down next to Charly.

"I'm sorry for running away" said Charly.

"No, its okay" he said pulling her into a hug, "I'm just glad you're okay"  He looked up to Brian and mouthed the words "Thank you" Brian nodded. Ben then sat down next to Charly. 

"Brian I'm sorry. I didn't know" 

"Ben, its okay. I should've said something. I should've never left" said Brian, "But I want to put the past in the past and start over. Would you allow me to do that?"

"You're my brother, of course" said Ben.

Brian smiled, Ben smiled back. Charly rested her head on Ben. Brian rubbed her back. She was so happy.