Charlotte McCartney When I woke up this morning, the only thing on my mind was confronting Josh. I had been postponing this confrontation for days now. Since we came back from the conference. Apart from the fact that Josh has been avoiding communication with everyone by staying locked in, I have not been able to see him because I have also been reluctant about seeing and talking to anyone.But after that conversation with the one person I cannot avoid talking to, my baby girl, Kelcie, I knew it was time to confront the situation. Kelcie’s birthday was fast approaching and I knew that if I didn't do or say anything I may have needed to explain myself to my baby on her special day and I was not about to do that. She had looked forward to this birthday party. It would have been cruel of me to use my emotion as well as Josh's as an excuse for ruining my baby's birthday celebration.“I will talk to Josh today. I have to”, I told myself as I sat up for the first time that morning. “I have
Josh Xavier It all died that day to be resurrected at a later time. I had quietly planned it all. The stylist, the dress, the diamond she wore on her neck. Everything. Like hell I even cut my beard, I had not worn a clean shave in over twenty years and yet for that occasion for that day, I did because I wanted everything to be perfect even when I ought to have known that it was impossible.“You're a fool”, that bitch Meredith often told me.And I would call her a fool and reject it.“You don't even want to know why”, she said one day.“I don't care”, that's what I remember saying. “I never cared for what that woman ever had to say. But she used to talk about my folly with so much intensity and seriousness. One would think she wasn't just being irrational and abusive but now I realize she was barely stating a fact, the truth I never listened to”, I said to myself sinking deep into thoughts about my lifeIt wasn't until that day, that event, that I felt this close to believing the tru
Josh Xavier The first step of my recovery was accepting who I had become. A crippled old man. “But it's only my legs that are crippled not the whole of me. I can't let these crippled legs stop me from being me”. That's what I told myself before I closed my eyes to rest for the night. These past few days since the conference have been the most difficult time of my life as crippled old Josh Xavier. It's funny because, I personally would have sworn that the most difficult period was the four to five months I spent in that damn hospital bed. But on the contrary all those months of lying in a hospital bed didn't count. “For the first month or so I was in a coma, the rest of the period, I spent lying in bed like some useless vegetable. How could those have counted for anything?” I asked myself in my moment of truth. “Yes, that's what these past five days have been for me, my moment of truth”. ****So when I slept last night I was determined to wake up a new man. “I may have lost these l
Josh Xavier “Hi Josh”, Kelcie said to me as I wheeled my way into the living room, as though she was seeing me for the first time.“Hi Kelcie, how are you doing?” I asked, joining the act.“I'm doing well Josh. Good morning Josh”, she answered smiling. “Good morning Kelcie”, I responded, and smiled back at her. “Are you my friend now Josh?” She asked, looking up at me with round pleading eyes.“Yes you are my friend Kelcie again”, I said, pinching her cheek softly.“Ms Lydia!” Kelcie screamed as she turned. “Hi Kelcie. How are you this morning?” Lydia asked, smiling at Kelcie. From the look of things, she had been in the kitchen all this while, when I was talking to Kelcie. “Good morning Sir”, she added, turning to me. “Good morning Lydia”, I replied with a neutral face. “It's a good thing you're here Lydia I would like some coffee this morning”, I added, maintaining my neutral facial expression.“Alright sir, I will go prepare your coffee now”, she said and turned towards the k
Josh Xavier “Everything I want for my birthday?” she asked, with her eyes open wide in surprise. “Like everything, everything?”she added, as she switched from her previous chair to the one closest to me.“Yes dear. Everything, everything”, I replied, smiling back at her.“Oh Josh I want so many things”, she answered and came to embrace with her little hands.“Well you have my undivided attention. Tell me everything. And I also want to hear about your last birthday celebration”, I responded prodding her on.“My last birthday celebration?” she asked, looking confused. “I did not have a celebration on my last birthday”, she said pouting. “Is that so?” I asked inquisitively.“Yes Josh it is”, she answered, nodding. “But mommy and uncle Ron bought me presents. Aunt Whitney also”, she added smiling. “But I will have a birthday celebration this time. That's what mommy said and I'm super excited. Yay!”, she said, jumping in excitement.“Yes Princess, you will have your birthday celebration
Charlotte McCartney After my brief meeting with Josh, concerning Kelcie's birthday celebration I still could not feel relaxed about the whole thing. “I have it under control”, that's all Josh said to me. I stood there waiting for him to say more. For him to tell me how he had it all under control. “It is my daughter's birthday celebration for crying out loud. Am I supposed to sit down and do nothing? And also have no clue? What will I tell my baby if nothing happens? How would my little girl feel if her mommy fails her?” All these questions kept bothering me for the rest of the night. But not this morning. This morning it was settled. This morning I was not going take just that vague reply. “It's not like I can't do this without him anyway. It's just that he said he wanted to take care of it, that's why I'm really asking. Plus this is his house it would be rude to not involve him. But today is the last day before Kelcie's birthday and I promised my daughter a special celebration
Charlotte McCartney For almost one week, I had been waking up later than usual. But today I did not. Today I woke up earlier than usual. “My baby has a habit of waking up before everyone else. So today I tasked myself to wake up earlier than I would on a normal day. Because today is my baby's birthday. Back home, this day was mainly a day for my baby and I because no one really seemed to care what day it was. Yes, mom had once hosted a party to celebrate Kelcie's birthday and Whitney may have given Kelcie a present or two, that was mostly all. “They both didn't care so much for Kelcie. Grandfather is the only one who would have truly cared for my baby. But here, in Josh Xavier's home, I know my baby has met people who care for her genuinely”, I said to myself as I sat, thinking.“Josh has promised Kelcie the best birthday celebration she can imagine. I also can't wait to see what he has planned out for her. But I can't let anyone wish my baby a happy birthday before I do. I cannot
Charlotte McCartney The door swung open before we even knocked and we were greeted by Lydia's familiar face and smile.“Ms Lydia!” Kelcie screamed, surprised to see Lydia. I was too but unlike my daughter, I expressed mine quietly.“Happy birthday baby Kelcie”, Lydia answered smiling.“Yes Ms Lydia. Today is my birthday. Thank you Ms Lydia”, Kelcie responded excitedly. “Mommy is organising a party for me. And Josh said my birthday party is going to be a really big one”, she announced. “Is that so? That is lovely. You're going to have a lot of fun today Kelcie”, Lydia replied, feigning surprise. “Yes Ms Lydia I will”, Kelcie said, beaming with joy. “You have to come also Ms Lydia. Promise you'll attend my party”, Kelcie said, with pleading eyes.“Definitely dear", she said, assuringly. “But before then,we do have some plans for your morning by the way”, she added, as though she was trying to not leave the important things out.“yay!!! I'm so happy”, Kelcie said at the top of her voi
Josh Xavier I lay in bed wide awake for what seemed like hours just doing nothing, uncertain on what to do and how to go about it, the zeal just wasn't there. Lots of days were like this,it made no difference if it was my birthday or not. Birthdays weren't so much of a thing especially after I lost my mom but it wasn't a completely terrible day because that was when I rode the horses. I'd get off very early from work and spend a good amount of time to myself riding through the estate. It was during these rides I'd have one of the most retrospective moments. So usually birthdays weren't days when I celebrated life as much as I celebrated new levels of discoveries , as well as certain aspects of self revelation. They weren't necessarily on a positive basis but they were enough distraction as opposed to my rigid work life .“Get up you old fuck”, I told myself a thousand times but my body refused to respond, to succumb to the day-to-day pain of living of surviving especially like this
Josh Xavier“Hey Happy birthday Josh”, Oliver, my class buddy, shook my hands and slapped my shoulder playfully. He was always that playful and funny and was my best friend at the time. “Thanks man”, I said, rubbing the place he slapped me. It was a really bright afternoon that day and people kept trooping in. I sat on the playground to wish myself well.My school had bested the entire region in the sports of lacrosse and today being the final game was marked by loud screams and jubilation. I had led the Victorious teams as its fearless captain and was also named the most valuable player of the entire gaming season. What made that day memorable was that on this final game, I was marking my seventeenth birthday, so the celebration only got better when it was announced that not only had I won the most valuable player, but that on this day and on this very game was also my birthday.“Happy birthday Josh”, Marcy, a very pretty girl at the time whom I secretly admired and desired came to
Charlotte McCartney We were standing at the same spot when they arrived. Their car drove slowly towards us until it took a short turn to the left and parked. Next thing all four doors opened and there was my family, the whole of them; Father, Mother, Whitney and Ron.“Good afternoon or is it evening?” mother said, taking charge of the entire interaction as she always did.“I don't remember asking you to bring this asshole here”, Josh said, looking immediately annoyed by Ron's presence.“You asked for the family Josh and I brought you the family”, mom said, nonchalantly.“Plus I don't think it's proper to insult an obvious member of the family”, Whitney said with a serious face.“I don't remember when exactly your family took him in, please remind me when”, he asked Whitney roughly.“And please remind me when it is you took in this wife of yours”, Whitney said, gesturing to me and I snarled in return.“Come on, is this what we came here for Josh?” Father asked this. “For you to let ou
Charlotte McCartney “Oh no you didn't Josh”, I said, agitated. “How could he even decide to ruin what had started out so beautifully. Was this intentional?” I asked myself. “Or is it just a deed, one pulled out of ignorance”, I wondered again. “But no. There's no way it was a hidden fact that these two people were the least people Kelcie needed and at least not in this party”, I thought angrily.“Yes I did”, he replied. “I sent out an envoy to them as well. And though they did agree to come around, my boys reported that they sensed a negative reception of the message they carried. It was as though they both did not seem happy about that and that's where I would like you to come in and explain to me. Why?” He asked as he gazed at me.“You don't know why? It's because they hate us, they hate her. They might act as though they're cool and do not have a problem with us but it's all lies. That's why I don't want my daughter around them. I can't even imagine you invited them Josh. Thought
Charlotte McCartney We both sat looking like items picked out of an aristocratic box. Kelcie looked all dazzling and adorable in her dress while I on the other hand looked well like the wife of a billionaire. Right after the makeover everyone we passed became instantly attentive on more than two instances, I caught two sets of wealthy customers whispering to one another as we passed through, I even over what the other set said.One asked, who are these glamorous people ? Seems like they're from some billionaire family of something of that sort”.The other responded, “they're always waltzing around acting as though they run the world. Well they don't run my world, they'll never run my world”.Even the Chauffeur seemed a little confused when we got outside though he did a great job concealing it and was quick to respond as soon as sighted us but his contemplation was very apparent all the same.“Mommy are the horses going to be at my birthday?” Kelcie asked, as we headed home. “The ho
Charlotte McCartney Maudere was like a god in our city, he was a former religious leader, a former politician, one of the senators of our republic. At a time he was the most renowned psycho physician in the whole continent during his era. Till this date, his clinic still stands amongst the most prominent in our city. As of these days, he opened a small massage agency as a retirement settlement, one that he takes around the world to offer massage and mental therapeutic services to the richest men in these cities. “Looks like Josh had booked this exclusive service for me and Kelcie on this occasion of her birthday. This would have cost much more than a fortune for a regular working class man”, I mused.“Good afternoon ma”, a very attractive woman of about my age or thereabout greeted me. She was also very elegantly and richly dressed. “Please follow me”, she said to me and Kelcie. “Mr Maudere does not like to be kept waiting”.Maudere was an equally elegantly dressed man in his sixti
Charlotte McCartney We stood in front of a huge building with the words “Majesty's Care” largely inscribed at its front.“Mommy what is this place?” Kelcie asked, as curious as I was or maybe a little more for at least I could read the sign board.“I think it's a salon”, I said, not entirely certain. Most salons around had similar names but this particularly looked different, way bigger to be precise.“Mommy is it for my birthday?” She asked, seeming more excited than curious now.“I guess there's only one way to find out”, I said, flashing a smile.The journey to this place had not exactly been exciting to me. It was true that Lydia had stated a valid point and I had taken it to heart to at least chill out just a little bit. But that couldn't change the fact that I was really anxious. It was even a little more different now we were being taken out of the house. “To where exactly?”, I asked myself worriedly.Ever since we moved to Josh Xavier’s country home, Kelcie had not gone out
Charlotte McCartney The door swung open before we even knocked and we were greeted by Lydia's familiar face and smile.“Ms Lydia!” Kelcie screamed, surprised to see Lydia. I was too but unlike my daughter, I expressed mine quietly.“Happy birthday baby Kelcie”, Lydia answered smiling.“Yes Ms Lydia. Today is my birthday. Thank you Ms Lydia”, Kelcie responded excitedly. “Mommy is organising a party for me. And Josh said my birthday party is going to be a really big one”, she announced. “Is that so? That is lovely. You're going to have a lot of fun today Kelcie”, Lydia replied, feigning surprise. “Yes Ms Lydia I will”, Kelcie said, beaming with joy. “You have to come also Ms Lydia. Promise you'll attend my party”, Kelcie said, with pleading eyes.“Definitely dear", she said, assuringly. “But before then,we do have some plans for your morning by the way”, she added, as though she was trying to not leave the important things out.“yay!!! I'm so happy”, Kelcie said at the top of her voi
Charlotte McCartney For almost one week, I had been waking up later than usual. But today I did not. Today I woke up earlier than usual. “My baby has a habit of waking up before everyone else. So today I tasked myself to wake up earlier than I would on a normal day. Because today is my baby's birthday. Back home, this day was mainly a day for my baby and I because no one really seemed to care what day it was. Yes, mom had once hosted a party to celebrate Kelcie's birthday and Whitney may have given Kelcie a present or two, that was mostly all. “They both didn't care so much for Kelcie. Grandfather is the only one who would have truly cared for my baby. But here, in Josh Xavier's home, I know my baby has met people who care for her genuinely”, I said to myself as I sat, thinking.“Josh has promised Kelcie the best birthday celebration she can imagine. I also can't wait to see what he has planned out for her. But I can't let anyone wish my baby a happy birthday before I do. I cannot