HEY GUYS! I'm so sorry this update has taken so long, I've been really busy with auditions for my school's musical (I GOT IN BTW) and my Sweet 16. Now updates may still be a little later than a once a week, maybe once every week and a half or less, because now I have rehearsals for the musical (Beauty and the Beast) LOVE YOU GUYS!
(Demi's POV)
I kissed Charlie's head as she lay asleep, her head leaning on my shoulder. I couldn't help but wonder if Charlie would ever come back, or if I'd have Charlotte for the rest of my life. Part of me wasn't sure if I wanted all of Charlie to come back. If I could somehow save her from the reminders of Sandra, Mr. Doyle, and those stupid damn bullies, I would, and if keeping her memory away from it is the only way, maybe it's best.
I missed my Charlie though. The sarcasm, the sass, the curse words and sex jokes. It was all a part of who she was and what we bonded with. It was what made Charlie's personality, and what made her so lovable. I miss that side of her. I will always love her, whether she is my attitude filled Charlie or innocent, sweet Charlotte. She is my daughter and I know she can regain her memory somehow, someday.
I felt her move and watched as she sat upright, waking up. "Hey Demi..."
"Are you okay sweetheart?" I asked, noting her odd demeanor. "Did you have a nice nap?"
"I had a dream... never mind it doesn't matter." Charlie shook her head and got up.
I grabbed Charlie and pulled her to sit on my lap "If it's troubling you, it matters, what happened baby?"
"I was in a room. There was this man and he, he... I kept telling him to get off of me and leave me alone, but he just kept..." Charlie was crying now, and I held her closely as tears fell down my face. "I feel like this has actually happened, this isn't the first time I've had this dream."
I hesitated "Charlotte..."
"No! Do not give me some bullshit reason. I looked up those white lines on our wrists... We cut ourselves! Why? What the hell would- why would we do that? Why am I having dreams of a man raping me! What the hell is going on!" Charlie growled as she climbed off of my lap and stood in front of me. "Just tell me the truth."
"Charlie Demetria Lovato. You were raised by a woman named Sandra Aviles, who was a drug addict and a hooker. When she needed extra money she would... Let the men she entertained come into your room... and..." I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to give her the information she wanted. "They would rape you." Charlie shook her head and cried out, she sunk to the floor and held her knees to her chest and stared at me, waiting for more. "You became very depressed, and you developed an eating disorder and became depressed. You started taking your pain out on youself and you cut yourself."
"What happened to her? Sandra?" Charlie whimpered.
I got down on the floor and pulled her into my arms. "She was arrested and died in prison. You have been in my car for a year now, and you've gone through therapy and rehab to try and get over your mental illness'."
"Did it work?" Charlie wouldn't look at me, she kept staring off into space, avoiding eye contact as much as possible. "Did I get better?
I nodded. "You stopped cutting, and your eating went back for the most part. But then something triggered you and you became very depressed again, and I tried getting you help, but you just refused. You just wanted... You just wanted to die. Then you got hit by the car, outside of a therapists office. You stormed out because you were pissed I would even bring you there after you clearly said you didn't want treatment. I'm sorry... I should have just listened to you..."
Charlie shook her head again. "You just wanted to help. I'm sorry I was being so difficult. You were just being a mom." Charlie wrapped her arms around my neck, this was the second time she had hugged me since a while before the accident. I held her tightly, thankful for the gesture and the connection between my daughter and I. "It's not your fault I was being such a bitch- Sorry, I mean I was being rude."
"No, you're okay. You cussed all the time, you use to be very sarcastic and 'fuck' was your favorite word." I laughed.
Charlie furrowed her brow and giggled slightly. "You mean you don't care that I use bad language?" I shrugged. "My life is pretty fucked up isn't it?"
"Oh yeah. You've brought all the shit into my life and now we're both fucked." I sighed. Charlie was about to apologize but I didn't need her to "I wouldn't want my life any other way, you are my life now, and all I want is for you to be happy."
"Mom?" Charlie said one word and I broke, I started sobbing and I couldn't help myself. Charlie and I sat on the living room floor having a sob-fest, like we have so many times before. I heard my front door open and I wasn't surprised when I saw Wilmer stand in the entryway of the living room.
"Hermosa? What happened?" Wilmer got on the floor with us and held us both in his arms. "Are you two okay?"
"We just had a little heart to heart, a much needed heart to heart." I kissed Wilmer and he relaxed. "I love you."
"I love you too. I love both of you, very much." Wilmer stood up and pulled both of us with him. There was a knock at the door and that confused me, my family, Wilmer, and Marissa are usually the only ones who come to my house and they all have keys. I got up and walked down the hall, leaving Charlie and Wilmer to talk.
I opened the door and saw Mrs. Doyle and her children standing outside the door. "Hello Ms. Lovato, I just wanted to stop by and say hello, see how things were going with Charlie, and maybe spend a little time with her. I know we don't legally have the right to do this, but I miss her. Can you blame me?" Mrs. Doyle had filled in her figure, she no longer had bruises on her arms, and she seemed a lot more confident, so did her kids.
"No, I can't blame you. I miss Charlie myself." Mrs. Doyle looked at me confused. "Charlie, isn't here, she went on a camping trip with some friends. I can tell her you stopped by next time she calls." I lied. How am I supposed to explain what happened to this poor woman?
"Oh... Alright. Well please let me know the next time she is here, I would love to take her out for dinner one night." The Doyle's began walking away, and as I shut the door and turned around Charlie was in the hallway staring at me.
No, not me. The door.
Charlie's breathing was heavy and she whispered "I think I know her,,,"
