Chapter thirty is dedicated to my never ending spiral of procrastination that always loves to remind me it exists. And that's why this took so long to write. Thanks xx
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Before Rhett could even think about leaving to see Charlotte, he needed to make sure Link was going to be safe whilst he was gone. Rhett would have brought him out, but in case he was seen, or he was injured, it would only make the already ridiculous situation ten times worse. If anything happened to him.... he'd probably break.
Rhett disappeared back into the kitchen and stared around the off-white wall cabinets surrounding him. There had to be nothing accessible there that Link could... use... and that thought alone made Rhett feel sick to his stomach. Because he knew if it was there, Link might find it, and then who knows what.
He didn't let himself leave the room until every knife, or any type of sharp object lying around was in a high enough cabinet that Link wouldn't bother to look up at. He made extra sure his loosely nicknamed 'head pills' were out of sight, as they were so strong. So strong that after a maybe too large dose some days, Rhett didn't want to leave his bed.
He even contemplated locking the kitchen completely, but he somehow found a little faith that Link would be fine.. and he was overreacting too much. He needed to be able to get a drink, or yet another bowl of cereal at least.
"I'll only be an hour or two," Rhett kept repeating as he turned around to leave, but stopped abruptly in his tracks. Link was standing in the doorframe with his eyelashes fluttering, and a lopsided smile.
"Oh Link," Rhett sighed, and saw he'd spilled a whole drink down his sweater. Link airily laughed at his clumsiness, and Rhett took him down to his room to find something clean.
"Good job, buddy."
***
Changed into a new pale lime sweatshirt that hung low on his slim body, Link happily skipped down the corridor and back to the sofa where all the blankets from the day before remained. Rhett couldn't believe the transformation Link had from only one night, but it was the best thing he'd ever seen. His attitude was quite different than 'usual', but as his brain had changed so much in the months, the innocence was very raw. What didn't change though, was his voice, which stayed very low, and raspy.
"You said you wanted to leave at eleven," Link said, as Rhett followed behind him to the room. Rhett responded with a nod and received a text soon after from Charlotte, saying she was ready and waiting at the place she chose. Link wasn't too interested by who Rhett was seeing anymore, as Mocha entered the room once again and took all his attention.
Her dark fur was soaking wet and muddy from the outdoors, making Rhett slightly angry about the new state of the floor. The storm was still present and the rain didn't look like it was calming down, so Rhett decided against wearing his expensive new shoes and stuck to some old ones instead. Link helped clean Mocha and she loved the attention, and rubbed herself against his leg meowing loudly.
"I love her, s'much," Link told Rhett, as he was dashing around to get his backpack and making sure nothing dangerous was around. Ridiculous, really, but he couldn't check enough.
"Me too," Rhett exhaled.
It was at last eleven o'clock, and Rhett was ready to finally leave. Link had settled with Mocha, and was waving at Rhett as he opened the front door to greet the lovely, pleasant weather. A strong gust of wind forced it to swing open too far, and Rhett just managed to push it back.
"Don't leave, please," he reiterated. Link smiled in his sweet usual way, and ran his hand lightly through his recently washed hair.
"I promise."
Rhett checked the door had locked three times.
***
Four Seasons Cafe. Rhett knew the name rang a bell when Charlotte sent him the address, and when he approached the entrance it clicked. Him and Jessie would sometimes have brunch dates together there, and always sat at the very same window table. It was almost as if it was reserved for them, as it was free whenever they turned up. When Rhett walked in, soaked head to toe from the rain, Charlotte was sitting at the same table.
"Rhett, I need answers," she said with urgency whilst Rhett took his seat and dropped his bag onto the floor. It was definitely the same table they always used, and it was nothing short of unsettling. He hadn't visited back since she passed.
"Yes, yes okay," he spoke. Rhett barely knew where to begin. Charlotte had already brought drinks, and Rhett took his black coffee he so desperately needed and took gulps from it, racking his brain on where to start.
"Just... tell me why you took Link-" Charlotte helped. She had a hot chocolate topped with cream in her hands and tapped the side of the mug with her nails. Her nerves were creeping in, and she couldn't stop them. "- And about Scott."
Rhett cleared his throat, and started from the second he realised in the hospital, she was nowhere to be found.
***
"- I just walked in, try'na find you," Rhett's voice hitched. The same sight was being played over and over like a dirty movie on a cinema screen in his head.
"Scott was on the bed, all over'im. Makin' out. Scott was reachin' down... I don't know-"
Charlotte leaned over to place a finger on his struggling lips, and looking deeply into his eyes.
"I get the idea, Rhett."
He leaned back into his seat and watched Charlotte take her finger back, so relived he didn't have to continue talking about... that.
"I... I couldn't help it. I just sprinted over an' ripped him off Link, punching him, doing anything... it was a mess. I turned back to see lil' Link staring up at me and I just had to get him out've there. I had to."
Charlotte sensed Rhett's pain. Every one of his feelings was coming through his thick, tired voice, and she wondered how he had the mental power to get up, shower and look pretty decent that morning.
"So you took Link out, an' then that's... it," Charlotte said. Rhett nodded, and drank the remainder of his coffee from the cup. Thankfully the cafe was so busy that nobody would be able to hear their conversation.
"But Rhett, I don't get, what did you need to do urgently tell me?"
Rhett froze half way from putting his empty cup down, and turned towards Charlotte. He sighed out with a long breath, and has the urge to say it.
"I- I saw someone."
