Becoming a DeMarlo

38: "Deal."

a/n: not to be that annoying author but y'allll, i need comments for the sake of my self-esteem pls n thanks <3 

Chapter 38: "Deal."

Charlie came into my room about half an hour after Elijah left.

The furniture was still strewn around the room, and I had my face shoved in a pillow as I sprawled across my bed. 

Poor Benji had no idea what was going on, and was furiously pawing at my head. 

"Hey, pumpkin. Are you okay?" Charlie quietly asked, popping his head inside the room.

I looked up for a brief second to meet his concerned gaze and then dove my head back into my pillow. 

"Peachy," I mumbled, mostly into the pillow. 

"Can we chat?" he asked, still at the door.

I sighed and moved my head out the pillow once again to ask, "Did Elijah send you?"

"Nope. I had a brotherly instinct that you could use someone to vent to. Am I right?"

I nodded, and Charlie came in, taking a seat beside me on the bed.

"Did you know that he paid my siblings not talk to me?" I asked.

Charlie averted his gaze and let out a deep sigh. My heart sank at this. 

"I..did. Yes, I knew."

"And you let him?" I gasped, truly not expecting this.

Charlie was supposed to be the one with morals that somewhat matched mine! 

"I thought it was for the best," he admitted, glancing up from my duvet to look at me. "I'm sorry, although I'm sure those words don't help much."

"You thought completely isolating me from my old life and making it seem like my old family never really cared for me would help me?"

Charlie seemed to be at a loss for words.

"I thought...I thought it would help with having a fresh start," he finally spoke, only making me sigh and turn away.

The truth was, I wasn't sure if Elijah's interference changed things dramatically.

Would my ex-siblings have tried to contact me even if he hadn't paid them not to?

I doubted it. 

"I'm sorry, Maya," Charlie repeated, making me look back at him.

I knew he was being genuine. I also didn't have much in me to be angry at the one brother that I could at least tolerate. 

"There's nothing else, right? Nothing else Elijah paid for like this?"

Charlie took a moment to think.

"Not that I know of," he answered, making me feel a little relieved. 

Charlie wrapped an arm around me and pulled me closer.

"Elijah means well, you know. He's just crazy at times when it comes to protecting you."

"Super crazy," I corrected, resting my head on Charlie's chest.

There was silence for a few moments before my brother spoke again.

"Do you want to try contacting them? Your...other siblings?" 

"I don't think they're interested," I confessed, only making Charlie pull me in tighter.

"Their loss," he responded.