A Day at a Time / G-Eazy

Twenty Five

"Can you come over?" Charlie mumbles into the phone. She had just gotten home from a day shift, the evening rapidly approaching. She presses her phone to her shoulder, as she shrugs off her shoes and before falling sloppily backwards on her bed.

"I'm in the studio, Charlie," Gerald sighs on the other end of the line, coming across as irritated through the phone.

"Oh," Charlie replied quietly, "You're right, I'm sorry."

"I can't just drop everything and be there for you all the time, " Gerald continues, "And where have you been? It's been weeks."

"I haven't really talked to anyone," Charlie admits, reflecting briefly upon the last two weeks in which she went to work and spent her free time in bed. "I've just been exhausted."

"What's wrong?" Gerald questions. In the background, she can hear chatter slowly fading followed by a door closing.

"I don't really want to talk," She sighs, rolling onto her side to observe the balcony. The sun has set, casting a purple glow upon the sky.

"You called me, Charlie," Gerald responds, emphasizing the 'you' and 'me'. Charlie can picture him on the other end of the phone. Hair slicked back, leather jacket, shoulder pressed leaning against a wall and rolling his eyes at her.

"I miss you," She quietly admits.

There's a pause on the other end of the phone and for a second she thinks that he had hung up.

"Come to Paris with me," He demands softly over the phone.

"What?" Charlie asks sitting up, "Have you lost your mind?"

"No, come to Paris with me." When she doesn't respond he continues, "It'll be good for you, take some time to yourself, getaway. It wouldn't be until Thursday, just a few days."

Charlie lets out a breath she didn't notice she was holding. "I can't just go to Paris with you, that's insane."

"Is it that crazy? Think about it. I'll call you back, okay?" Gerald responds before hanging up.

Charlie drops back down on her bed, sighing. Her mind is messy, debating the possibility of disobeying her instinct and leaving with Gerald. Technically, she could get all the time off she needs considering her temporary position at the hospital but how could she ask so much of Gerald when he's done so much for her already?

Charlie makes her way to her closet, changing into something more comfortable before she exits her apartment and makes her way down the hall.

"I thought you were dead," Alex laughs after she opens her door, pulling Charlie into a hug. She grimaces as she pulls back, "Poor joke, I'm sorry. Come in."

Charlie removes her Toms and follows Alex into the apartment, plopping down on Alex's soft red sofa. She tucks her legs under her while she sits and leans into the throw pillow, getting comfortable.

"What brings you here, lady? It's been a minute," Alex asks, sitting opposite of her.

"I need advice."

&&&

"I'm in."

"Come here," Gerald replies lazily into his phone. It's 3AM Thursday morning. Normally, rational Charlie would not be up nonetheless, making a call at this time but ration has left the building and she's ready for something, anything.

"Where?" Charlie asks, getting up to pace the room. She's been up all night at this point, knowing that if she were going to do this the decision had to be made.

"I'm at my apartment, pack your shit and come, yeah? Flight leaves at noon, let's nap." Gerald speaks quietly in the phone and Charlie feels a pang of regret waking him so early.

"Right, sorry. Thanks," she mutters before hanging up the phone. A moment later her phone pings with Geralds location.