Next to Me

Chapter Twelve: Growing Closer

“So what do you want for breakfast?” Sergio asked as he looked at Charlotte as she sat at the dining table; it had been a week since she had woken up and she was improving every day after what had happened for her, sadly Sergio had been forced to go back to work and he wasn’t able to look after her very often.

“Muesli, fresh fruit and low-fat yoghurt,” Charlotte replied knowing that the Sevillian wanted her to eat healthy it was something that they had touched upon when he had lived with her in Madrid and now she was with him in Seville, he was pushing for it more now.

Sergio nodded his head as he headed into the kitchen so that he could prepare some breakfast for them, he was glad that she was recovering and he knew that it would take a while longer before she was fully recovered from what had happened.

“So how are you feeling?” Sergio asked as he placed breakfast in front of her and sat down next to her; he was glad that he could join her for breakfast and dinner while she recovered, they had grown closer of the last week and Sergio was glad that he hadn’t lost her.

“I’m feeling better… my leg doesn’t ache as much,” Charlotte said with a smile as she tucked into her breakfast, she was starving and she still didn’t know much about Sergio and she knew he’d tell her when he was ready.

The Sevillian quietly ate his breakfast as he watched her, he knew that his father was starting to get suspicious about what was going on; his mother had also noticed the change in him since he had returned to Seville from Madrid.

“I’ve left you some carrot, red lentil & cumin soup and there is some seeded brown batch bread rolls in the cupboard,” Sergio said as he watched Charlotte knowing that he would do anything for her while she was recovering from her injuries.

***

Sergio sighed as he stepped back into his apartment and closed the door behind him, the day had been long and he was glad to be getting home to Charlotte; he looked forward to their time together.

“I was thinking that we have skinless chicken fillet with tinned cannellini beans, leeks, chicken stock, fresh thyme and serve with roasted butternut squash,” Sergio said as he looked at her, the blonde was resting in the living room watching a movie; she nodded at him knowing that he would do anything for her just as she would do anything for him.

The Sevillian quickly kissed her lips as he brushed a hand through her hair in the seven weeks that he had known her; his feelings had grown stronger since he had first met her and he knew that she was the one for him.

Charlotte rested her good hand on Sergio’s neck bringing him closer, she missed him even if she knew that he couldn’t stay with her at all times; she smiled into the kiss as Sergio carefully drew her a little closer before he pulled away.

“I better start dinner… I was thinking that we could have a baked apple filled with dried fruit serve with a scoop of ice-cream for desert,” Sergio said as he headed towards the kitchen, he loved cooking for her and he knew that he would do anything for her; he just hoped that if he ever got around to marrying her that his family would consent.

Charlotte chewed on her lip as she thought about what was going on between them, they had been growing closer and she loved him ever if she knew that he was keeping something from her.

The blonde turned her attention back to the television as she listened to Sergio preparing dinner, a smile graced her lips as she listened to the Sevillian singing in the kitchen.

It didn’t take long before Sergio was handing her, her dinner as he sat down next to her; he smiled as he watched her tuck into her dinner, he was pleased that she was taking to the new diet that he had her on.

“So are you going to be cooking for us all the time then?” Charlotte asked as she grinned at him, she was thrilled at the fact that things between them were only getting better but she worried because of the secrets that he was keeping from her.

Sergio chuckled and nodded his head, he didn’t want Charlotte doing too much while she recovered and he hoped that he would be able to look after her until she was fully recovered.

“I’ve been thinking… I know that you don’t have a life to go back to but Stefan is looking for someone to help him,” Sergio said as he tried to ignore the guilt.

He felt responsible for what had happened to her and he knew that he would give anything for her to continue with some sort of life; it was the reason he had approached his friend so that Charlotte could continue being a doctor.

The blonde looked at him surprised, she knew that Stefan was a private doctor but she didn’t know much else about what he did and she knew it was related to what Sergio did for a living.

“I’m meant to be dead… now can I continue working?” Charlotte asked curiously, she had nothing to her name anymore and she felt horrible about it; she wasn’t even sure how she would cope without Sergio at this moment in time.

“Charlotte Perez is dead… however Charlotte Montez isn’t,” Sergio said as he set down his plate and moved to get the new identification for the blonde; he’d asked his brother for a little help since he wasn’t that good a forging documents and Charlotte needed some right now so she could start over.

“You didn’t have to do all of this,” the blonde whispered as Sergio handed her a new passport, driver’s licence, birth certificate and bank details that were linked to her new identity; she swallowed wondering how her boyfriend had pulled this off.

Sergio shrugged as he started to eat his dinner, he knew that he would have to tell her what he did but he didn’t want to ruin anything between them just yet; he was risking everything for her but she made his heart flutter just by being close to him.

“Sergio… what is it you do?” Charlotte asked curious as she started to eat her dinner again, she watched him knowing that nothing that he could say that could surprise her; she had a feeling that she already knew and she just wanted to confirm it for her.

The Sevillian paused as he wondered what to tell her, his brown eyes looked at her as she waited for an answer; he didn’t want to frighten her away not after everything that she had been through.

Charlotte sighed as she pressed a kiss to his lips and shook her head, she could see that he didn’t want to tell her and she didn’t wish to force him to but she knew that it was going to be important that she knew.

“I promise to tell you Charlie… but can we wait until you are fully recovered before I do so?” Sergio said as he took her hand, his eyes lingered on the injuries that she had sustained and he wished that he hadn’t left her alone; he cursed himself for not being able to protect her.

The blonde nodded her head as she watched him, she just hoped that whatever it was, wasn’t going to be too much for her to handle; she loved the Sevillian and she knew that if she were to lose him in anyway then she would be all alone in a world that she knew nothing about.