One Day, Maybe. #NewAdult

Ch.28:The World Stood Still

*barely edited*

          Charlotte's POV

       I couldn't sleep.

      The events that took place in the morning left me raw and antsy. I had so much on my mind that I thought my brain was on fire; that I thought it would be impossible to even close my eyes as I tried to do so, so many times already throughout the night. I found myself unable to not replay the way Chris had looked at me or the way he had found pleasure walking away from me.

        Was that how it had felt for him when I left him? Was the pain and frustration this intense or is my being pregnant  and hormonal had something to do with the fact that I was so close, so very close to let those tears come out and soak my pillow.

        Then there was James. James who was there and witnessed it all go down and just kept quiet because he knew that's what I needed. I knew there were so many things he could have said; so many things he wanted to say, but seeing how upset I already was probably was enough.

       Seeing Chris had put a damper on what should have had been a happy day. Not only for myself, but for James. And now, all I could think about was him. Thoughts of Chris were occupying every minute spent in this conscious state. It shouldn't be this way. Seeing him after all these years shouldn't affect me the way it was. And yet, well here I was, unable to keep him out of my mind long enough to concentrate on literally anything else. And as it seemed, the harder I tried to rid my mind of thoughts of him, the deeper they were clawing at my brain.

        I had to do something or I was scared this would drive me insane one way or another. Maybe I could go see his sister and apologize to her so that in turn she could pass that on to him because I knew he wouldn't ever want to see me. I got up and off the bed, the urge to have a glass of wine hitting me harder the closer I got to the kitchen, remembering the nonalcoholic wine James had purchased for me after learning of the baby.

      I silently thanked the heavens when I was finally able to locate the bottle which I  did not waste time opening the second it was safely seated on the counter, and poured myself a much deserved glass. Nothing could ever replace the taste of actual wine but this, this was as good as it could get, minus the alcohol.

      I took a sip and moaned as it traveled down my throat. I could almost will myself and trick my mind to think that this was actual wine....almost.

       And while I stood there in my kitchen, a glass of fake wine in hand, already trying to remember if I still had Chris's sister's number in my cell, the home phone started ringing. I frowned and looked at the time displayed on the clock while wondering what was so important that anyone would call this late in the night because 12:45 a.m definitely was too late.

          "Hello?" I answered when I finally reached the phone.

         "Ma'am, there's a gentleman named Christian Kane who's here to see you."

       And just like that, the world stood still.

___________

       "Ma'am? Are you still there?"

      I shook my head. The fogginess escaping as I tried to bring myself back, noticing how tight my grip was on the phone. I could have sworn that I heard him wrong. I must have have heard him wrong.

      "I'm sorry," I chuckled nervously. "What?"

       "I was saying that there is a gentleman down here in the lobby asking for you?" Well at least that part was right. I cleared out my throat, this doing nothing to remove the massive ball that was closing my throat.