close your eyes and feel me

4

-"Charlotte, dear, you've received a letter from London!" Exclaimed her mother with excitement. 

Charlotte took the letter from her mother's hand and smiled as she saw the name written on the envelope. News from her friend Susan: exactly what she needed! 

-"It's from Lady Susan!" Softly said Charlotte.

Her family showed excitement when they heard the name of Lady Susan. It wasn't every day that someone in the Heywood's house would receive a letter from someone this important. Charlotte's father wasn't as much impressed, but the fact that she had befriended a lady this high society seemed so incredible to her mother and sisters. Especially Allison, who suspected something had happened in Sanditon and was actively the only member of the family trying to make Charlotte talk. 

-"Charlotte, you do have a lot of letters coming in since being back from Sanditon. It does make you wonder what type of adventure you went through, no?" Openly asked  Allison.

No one seemed to listen to her comment, but both parents gave Allison a meaningful look. She was playing with fire, but she knew something was off, that something went wrong, and she could simply not let it go. She loved her sister too much. 

While the rest of the family opted to give Charlotte some time and space in order for her to get over whatever had happened, Allison was the only one who wanted to confront her sister about it. She thought that her parent stating that what had happened to Charlotte back in Sanditon could not have been this tragical because if so, the Parkers would've already told the Heywood. No, nothing truly bad happened. Charlotte was only young and missed the excitement of Sanditon. 

Allison didn't buy that theory. She could feel it, inside of her. Her intuition told her that she needed to find out what had really happened to Charlotte. Not because she was angry. or jealous, or even simply curious. Allison had to know because she loved her sister and she could clearly see that her big sister had been hurt, and badly. What, or who was responsible for the sadness in Charlotte's eyes? 

Charlotte left her family, the letter in hand, and went outside all smiling. She opened the envelope with excitement, wondering what her friend had to say. 

My dear friend,

It had been months now since the last time we have seen each other, and I shall ask of you that you forgive myself as I haven't written to you until now.  I first thought she needed time for yourself and to spend time with your family and loved one. But I know you, and I know your heart, my dear Charlotte. A woman like you, with her heartbroken, needs a distraction. 

It is with this intention that I write to you now, wondering how you are, if the pain you felt has left since Sanditon. If the answer is no, then I dare to ask you if there anything I could personally do to ease it? See, Charlotte, I had the most marvellous idea: you must come to me, in London, for the winter. I know that you are sadly not fond of the city, but I shall show you all of its glory and excitement. You could see how wonderful London can be in the wintertime, and I would take you with me to every diner, balls and parties. You would truly have the time of your life, with all of the dancing and meeting of intellectuals and gentlemen. 

Oh, how an experience like this would be for you. We could spend so much time together, Charlotte! I have one marvellous library, one of the biggest in the country. It is at my disposition, and it would be to yours as well. Please, my dear friend, accept this invitation. 

No need to hurt your heart more than necessary, Charlotte. But please, if you consider your time in Sanditon as an adventure, I can guarantee you that your time with me in London would be another one.

I know how much you love new discoveries and knowledge, and we both know that you are destined for much more than what the countryside can give you. It may suffice to some, but not to you, not to someone of your nature, and it would be a great waste not to take this opportunity.

My friend, please consider my invitation, and write to me as soon as possible with an answer.

Susan

Charlotte was perplexed. She had expected that news from her friend Susan would've made her feel at least better, but while she was glad she had written, Charlotte couldn't lie to herself, her emotional state had not changed at all.

Without her knowing, her sister Allison had been watching her by the porch, waiting for her to finish reading. When her sister's let go of a sigh, Allison went sitting next to Charlotte. She took her hand, without saying a word, and looked at the horizon.

-"Not what you expected?" Asked Allison after a moment, squizzing her sister's fingers affectionately.

Charlotte finally looked at her baby sister. The two of them used to be so close before...

-"She's inviting me to London for the winter",  whispered Charlotte.

Allison let go of a sigh and put her head on Charlotte's shoulder.

-" You've been hurt, you shouldn't go back to them." 

Charlotte can't stop a soft laugh from leaving her mouth. 

-" I was hurt, yes, but not by them. Besides, my time in Sanditon was... worthy.", said the young girl to her sister before saying: " You have no idea of the reality of life, not until you leave the walls of this house. Me being hurt, it is all part of the game. Everyone gets hurt every once in a while." 

-"Whatever happened, you do not need to go back to", answered Allison while looking up.

-"I know you worry",  smiled Charlotte," I know everyone is worrying", she adds, "but you must know that I do not regret my time in Sanditon, not one moment, not a single one, hadn't thought me something in order to make me sharper, more vigilante, smarter and stronger." 

-"You were already all of those things", affirmed Alli

-"I left home with so much naivety, Allison. Oh, how naive I was! "She laughs and looks to the sky. "My experience sharpened me into a new woman, and so will you, you'll see yourself when you leave this house."

-"Oh, I mustn't", quickly said her young sister. "You seem so sad all the time, so changed! Why on earth would I want to risk my happiness for the real world?"

Confused, Charlotte frowned. She turned to her sister, taking both her hands between hers. Looking right into her eyes, Charlotte took a very serious voice and said :

-"You will go into this world, one day, and explore and discovers the ups and downs of it. You'll meet people that will change your life, find love, lose it or whatever, but you will experience it, at a level or another. Allison, you must trust me when I say that life outside of what we know is so exciting, so much more thrilling and challenging than anything you could ever imagine." 

Lost of words, Allison shuttered only this as a response :

-"Then I guess you must go to London."