Pride and Hate with Benefits [COMPLETED]

Chapter 23 - Family reunion

Ellie

"We're way too early," Lydia says and yawns.

"No, we're not. She'll be here any moment." I peer at the door, hoping to get a glimpse of my aunt.

"What do you think she wants?"

"I don't know. She didn't say. Just that she was stopping by. I guess maybe she wants to check in on us."

"Right." Lydia takes a sip of the coffee in front of her. "We're still early. You could have let me sleep longer."

I ignore her complaining and light up as I see my aunt coming through the door.

"Charlie." I wave her over.

Charlotte Gardiner is my mother's younger sister. Growing up, she was the flaky one. The one who ran off with boys to parties and chained herself to trees to stop new developments. Everyone thought she would amount to nothing and end up living in a yurt with a boyfriend who was a guru of questionable morals.

That didn't happen. Charlie realized money makes the world go round, and she decided to get rich so she could make the world a better place. She went to college, started her own tech business, and became filthy rich.

"My favorite nieces," she says as she wraps me into a hug.

She's been called a hippie by most business magazines, and it's easy to see why. Her clothes are flowery and loose, and her hair is long and a little unkempt. She's in her early forties and beautiful. She may look like a pushover, a flower loving peacemaker. But I have seen her eviscerate a boardroom. She's smart and fun and the perfect mixture of hardworking and impulsive.

"We're your only nieces," I say as I sit down.

Lydia hugs her tightly. "I missed you Charlie."

"I missed you too. Tell me, how have you been? Do you need anything?"

"We've been good," I say.

Lydia nods but looks down at her coffee.

"Hold on," Charlie looks around. "Let me get some tea and then we can get into it."

I watch her cross the crowded coffee shop. Everyone notices her. She commands the room when she enters. I don't know if it's her confidence or the way she doesn't actually care about the attention. But it's impossible to ignore her.

When she returns, she also has a yogurt bowl.

She places a gift card in front of each of us. "Here you go. I take it you come here often enough to make use of these."

I shake my head. "You don't have to."

Charlie shrugs. "If I lived closer, I'd take you out for coffee more often. I feel bad that I can't. This way, it's almost like I'm here with you. Besides, it's only five hundred on each."

"Thank you." I take the card and put it away. She does things like this, gives us things she thinks we need or can use. And we let her, because we know she feels guilty about not being more involved in our lives.

"So, have you been seeing the therapist?"

I shake my head. "A few times, but I don't know if he's right for us."

"Oh? Do you want to see someone else? I know a woman who works with crystals. I could set you up with her." She holds up a hand to me. "I know you don't believe in them, but maybe it would help."

I smile. "I'm actually doing pretty good."

Charlie turns to Lydia. "Is that true?"

"Yeah, she's studying day and night. Barely ever gets out."