City Of Dreams

Eighteen

A few hours later, Marcus shakes me awake.

"Come on. It's getting dark."

I haul myself up, careful to take in the view for a few moments longer before walking behind him.

"Is this your car?"

I nod and he slips into the passenger seat.

"Hey, Acorn! Come on we have work to do."

I groan and get in the car.

"What do you mean by work?"

His jaw drops.

"Do you know what day it is?"

I shake my head.

"Charlotte everyone down here is talking about it!"

I shake my head again.

"Your opening day is tomorrow, dumbass. Or should I say Addie's opening night."

I scowl.

"Oh yeah."

He raises an eyebrow, but realizes I'm not going to talk about it.

He faces the front and I turn the key.

I call Addie.

She answers but doesn't speak.

In fact, I hear one of her many kids talking.

I shush Marcus to hear what he's saying.

"Will you sing to me mom?"

I smile, my foot about to hit the gas.

"Of course."

She mumbles.

She must have butt-answered me.

I mute my side so she can't hear us.

I slap Marcus on his arm.

He is silenced.

"Something has changed within me. Something is not the same. I'm through with playing by the rules of someone else's game..."

My heart stops.

"Charlotte?"

I pull my foot away from the gas pedal.

"I can't go back."

I mutter.

He cocks his head.

"Too late for second guessing. Too late to go back to sleep. It's time to trust my instincts. Close my eyes...and leap."

I cover my face with my hand and gently hang up the phone.

It drops to the floorboard of the car, beeping.

I groan, throwing my forehead into the steering wheel, causing the horn to honk.

"Ah! Charlotte what the hell are you doing?! We need to go!"

I shake my head, pulling it up from the steering wheel.

That's her part.

You heard it here.

She's so much better.

I can't  take it from her.

I can't go back.
"I can't go back, Marcus."

"Look who's still not listening to me. You have to, Charlotte. They need you."

I roll my eyes.

"Why not, Charlotte?"

I put my face in my hands, leaning on the window.

"I messed up, Marcus. I messed up really bad."

He shakes his head.

"You're not making any sense."

I get an idea.

"I hope you brought your stuff."

He sighs, shaking his head.

"What are you talking about?"

I settled back into a driving position.

"Marcus my boy, I'm taking you home. I'm taking us both home."

I put the car in reverse and go the direction my brain tells me to.

"Where are we going?"

I spare a second to look over at him.

"I'm taking you back to your wife."

His eyes grew wide.

"Charlotte, there's a legitimate reason I left you know?"

I nod, facing the road again.

"I know. And I'm going to fix it."

I take a deep breath.

"I'm gonna fix all of it."