Evangiline

Chapter Twentyfour- Stone Cold

"We leave in an hour. Is that okay with you?" My mom asked him.

I knew that Charles did not want to see his dad but he was doing it for my moms sake. I could tell that he was trying to get on her good side before she croaked.

"Yes ma'am.", He said.

"Is Benny driving?" I asked.

"Yes." My mom said.

Then I smelt the hot, sweet tea enter the living room, accompanied by my bitter tea too of course. I hadn't drank tea in almost two months and was caffeine deficient. I remembered the last time that I drank tea with Charles, my tongue was scorched and I could barely make out words. I silently laughed at the memory.

"What have you been up to? We've missed you for almost a year. Your father would not stop asking me if I knew where you were." She said. I knew that the last part was a lie.

Charles cleared his throat. "I was just sightseeing. There's so much out there that I haven't seen yet. It's all so beautiful." I felt him looking at me.

"Oh... Evangiline has been missing you. I could barely get her to come out of her room."

Did she really just say that?

"Mom!" I moaned and slapped my forehead.

"What?" She acted innocent.
I was glad that Charles did not say anything and make the moment even more awkward. It was my fault that I was depressed because I pushed him away, didn't I?

Brinnnnggg. Brinnnnggg. Brinnnnggg.

My moms cell phone wrung violently. In two seconds she bounded to the sound and stopped the annoying noise. I followed her.

She answered "Hello?"

I heard a jumbled and frantic voice on the other end.

"Alright. Hold on one moment." She said and pushed us away from her office.

I felt her bony fingers wrap around my shoulder and push me forward. I let Charles lead me through the door. Before the heavy door was shut behind me I spun around on my heels and asked "Who is it?"

"Official business." She said.
I was quite used to being ignored and pushed aside. I don't know why I even asked her because she only closed the doors when her work became more important than me.

Charles led me to the lounge chair by the door and sat beside me.

"Why did you leave?" I asked him.

"I-" he stopped when my mom screamed.

A split second later, she busted through the doors behind us. I jumped up, knocking the metal cane to the floor. I held Charles arm and squeezed it.

"Mom! What's wrong?"

"Oh, baby! Oh no no no no! Charles, your father... He's.... He's dead. Oh, baby! I am so sorry!" She pulled him away from me. When her voice became muffled, I assumed she hugged him.
Charles hadn't spoke. Neither had I. We were all in shock.

"What? How? Why? Who? Mom!" I yelled. Tylid could not be dead.

"He was shot! Just as he was getting out of the limousine. Ten minutes ago. Oh my God. I'm so sorry, Charles." She answered.

"Tylid? No, mom. Your wrong or something. Not the senator. No way." I mumbled to myself.

I didn't really know the man, I only met him a few times and even then I didn't really have a full conversation with him. I was not about to get all depressed about him, but I wanted them to think that I cared so I kept pushing questions.

"Who did it?"

"I don't know baby. Oh my goodness." She said.

I was getting a little uncomfortable with her still hugging him so I cut in. I pushed my arms under hers and wrapped them around his back tightly. She didn't object and let me hold him. I felt something wet fall onto my neck, but I knew what it was. I held him tighter.
So after all these years of him saying that he hated his father, he really did love him? I guess you kinda have to love the man who made you.

His body got heavy and I felt all his weight on me. "Charles?"

No reply. I heard my mom gasp.

"Charles?" I yelled again, this time against his ear.

"He passed out." She said.
I lowered his warm body onto the fluffy rug beneath us, then embraced my mother.

He is so dramatic. My whole fucking life is dramatic.