Charlotte McCartney Zzzt! Zzzt!I dialed Maddie's number. “Charlotte my friend”, Maddie said, sounding excited. “Hey Maddie”, I said, flatly.“Why do you sound so excited, Maddie?” I questioned, suspiciously. “Surely you know I am always excited. But since you're asking, I'm in a good mood actually and I'm happy and my friend called me. So yes I'm excited”, Maddie said in a jovial manner. “How did you remember me today, my friend? Did you dream of me?” she asked, playfully. “You can't be serious. You know I always remember you Maddie. You are my only friend. Why won't I remember you?” I responded, defensively.“Oh please”, she laughed. “Like you don't know what I'm talking about. Since you moved into that house, you've been paying little attention to me”, she complained.“You know that's not true Maddie. You and I know that it is only a miracle that I am able to reach you right now. I know you're just trying to guilt trip me because you've been having so much fun and have not cal
Charlotte McCartneyI woke up early in the morning, not as early as my baby though, because she was already out by the time I woke up. But I was earlier than other days . My wedding day is fast approaching. Preparations are already in place. Yesterday the invitation cards arrived and I need to start giving them out this morning. Last night before going to bed, I planned to wake up early so I can start my day on time. Knock! Knock!“Come in”, I said and the swung“Mommy you're up”, she said. “Yes baby I have a busy day planned today”, I responded. “Really mom?” Kelcie asked. “What's going to be keeping you busy mom? Can I get busy with you too mommy?” She asked again.“Baby you know mommy's wedding is in a week's time, mommy has a lot of things to do before then”, I explained.“Things like what mommy?” Tell me Mommy, I would like to help”, Kelcie said, pleading. “There's so much I have to do, my baby. First of all, today I will have to go and distribute invitation cards. I'll be g
Charlotte McCartney The store Josh directed us to was in the High Rise part of town where all the toys in the store were expensive luxury toys. “Mom, look at this. Wow mom look at this”, Kelcie said, pointing at a toy car. “Yes baby it's beautiful, but that's not what we came for. We're looking for toys for grandfather, remember”, I told her.“Yes mommy, yes I remember she said grandpa is going to like this”, she pointed at a white teddy bear. “Look mommy this is beautiful too”, she pointed again.“Yes baby it's beautiful”, I said, in agreement and we continued our search“This is beautiful can we buy this mommy Okay can we takeThis one alsoShe asked is for Josh mummyhe said explaining okay baby you can take that for Josh in the end she picked four toys this one is for grandfather his own is for Josh is one is for you Mommy and this one's for me.Visiting Grandpa has always been something I enjoyed doing personally because he is the only person I felt very comfortable talking to. H
Charlotte McCartney “We still got time baby, we will stop at Grandma's house so we can give Grandma and Aunt Whitney my wedding invitation card”, I said, as we left Grandfather's room.“Yayy! I haven't seen grandma since my birthday and aunt Whitney too”, Kelcie responded with childish excitement. She didn't know how difficult going home was for me.“You will see them today baby”, I replied with a straight face.“Mommy can we buy gifts for Grandma and Aunt Whitney also. I don't have any gifts for them but I gave grandfather his own gift. Can I buy chocolates for them?” She asked. “Please mommy, please”, she added.“Okay baby we'll stop somewhere you can buy chocolates for Aunt Whitney and Grandma. So you get chocolate for them”, I answered, nodding. “Jason please stop by a supermarket so we can get some things before going to my family house”, I said, speaking to the chauffeur.“Okay ma’am”, he replied without taking his eyes off the road. At the supermarket, Kelcie picked chocolat
Charlotte McCartneyMother came to join us while we spoke, “what is this that I'm hearing, Charlotte?” Mother asked as she walked in.“You found a way to convince Josh Xavier to marry you and throw a wedding ceremony for you?” She asked in disbelief.I was a little confused and wondering what she was driving at as well as her intentions.“Come on, don't act like you don't know what you did. I'm very impressed you've made your mother proud. You really made Josh Xavier, the almighty Josh Xavier ask you to marry him. Come, you have to tell your mother all about it”, Mother said, impressed.“Mother she didn't… Charlotte didn't do anything Josh is obviously just a broken man who will accept anyone no matter how she comes”, Whitney said, filled with envy.“Will you shut up!”, Mother said to Whitney, sounding angry. “I'm talking. Your mother is talking. Do not talk when I am talking. I didn't ask for your opinion and I wasn't speaking to you so shut your dirty mouth up!” Mother said “Mother,
Charlotte McCartney“This is what I have been looking for! This is what I've been trying to get out of one of my daughters! That at least one of them is going to make me proud, one of them is going to make me feel like a real woman, like a successful woman”, mother said with joy. “Charlotte, you have made me proud. What you have done has shown me that my life was not a waste. You have proven to me that I did not bring useless people to this world. One of my daughter's at least was watching me and decided to follow in my footsteps”, mother said , looking more happy than I had seen her in years. I beamed with pride as she spoke, even though I did not think I was following in my mother's footsteps.“Sadly, the other one decided to be stupid. I am so proud of you Charlotte. I am very happy. You don't know how proud you have made your mother today, with this news that you have brought”, Mother said, making me swell with pride.“Kelcie has told me everything. She told me how Josh has been
Chapter 105Charlotte McCartneyBy the time Kelsey and I were leaving it was already evening. We had spent a longer time than I planned on spending. I had expected that going home would be overwhelming, especially because of the last time Whitney and Mom visited with Ron. It turned out to be overwhelming as I thought but not in a bad way like I expected. Mom was totally different to me today. The way she embraced me still feels unbelievable and strange. As Jason drove us home I could not take my mind off what had just happened. “Who knew that Mom could be so loving?” I asked myself. “She said that all she wanted was for one of her children to make her proud, to follow in her footsteps and be able to reach for the best type of men. If I had known that that's all she was looking for I wouldn't have felt like she hated me all this time. She could have just said it but I guess it's because I got pregnant”, I thought.“It's a good thing I've been able to prove myself to her and make her b
Charlotte McCartney Josh was wheeling his chair from the farm as we drove in mom look look that's Josh over there Kelsey said pointing through yes baby I responded. Jason parked his car near the entrance of the mansion and waited till we were completely away from the road before driving off.“Josh!” Kelcie screamed as she ran to meet him.“Your back princess? Just replied smiling broadly “Yes Josh we are back”, she answered, returning his smile. “Did you go somewhere,Josh?” Kelcie asked.“Nowhere in particular. I just took a stroll to the farm to see the farmers and the crops they planted, then I went to see some of the animals. That's all”, Josh said.“Did you visit the ponies and the horses?” She asked curiously.“Yes, I visited them”, Josh answered.“Are they alright? I have not visited them since yesterday,”Kelcie said with a look of concern.“Yes Princess, the horses and ponies are fine. But they miss you. So you should go visit them when you can”, Josh told her.“Okay, I think
Whitney McCartney “Hi mother”, I said, as I approached her. “Whitney”, Mother replied simply, without taking her eyes off the magazine she seemed to be engrossed in. For some reason though, I did not think she was really interested in the magazine. It felt like she was only acting to be interested in it just so she would avoid talking to me. I know this because I know Mother. If there was anything really intriguing about that magazine she would have been happy to talk about it.“Or maybe there is something intriguing in it and she is just too angry at me to want to tell me about it”, I thought. The thought of this cut me deeply. “This is all because of that stupid Charlotte that just refused to stay where she was supposed to be. I still don't know what was the need to do a wedding to solidify their stupid marriage in the first place. Talk more of making a big deal out of it so much as to come all the way here, to this mansion to inform Mother and try to rub his love for her in eve
Charlotte McCartneyMr Peter Masketov himself along with a chain of assistants were outside waiting by the time we got there. “Mommy is that for us?” Kelcie inquired as soon as we got to where the small crowd of people converged.“I don't know Kelcie, let's see”, I replied, “let's see”, I repeated in my heart. “Alright, let's do this”, I said out loud, as the car revved to a halt, talking to myself much more than I was even telling her. We got out of the car. And set to head on to meet with the small crowd that was already smiling at us, a gesture of goodwill and show of an anticipated presence.“Ma'am”, the driver called back as we were about to join the convergence. “What time will be convenient for me to come back? I already have a time set to return but the boss signified that I inquire if you may want to take out some more time to do some other things before I return to take you to your destination” he said, speaking politely.“The boss, Josh” I thought. Up till now, I had not s
Whitney McCartney For the first time in my life I feel so insignificant. This house, this mansion where I was born, where I have always called home feels like a strange land to me. “What is this?” I asked rhetorically, noticing a fading drawing on a small part of the mansion’s entrance. I walked closer to see what it was. “What is this? Why am I just seeing this?” I asked myself as I stared at the fading image of a lion. “Oh it's probably Grandfather's lion painting, the one mother was planning to have redrawn. So this is where it was?” I thought. I had not noticed it in all the years I had walked past that entrance.“Everything feels so unfamiliar. This unusual silence that is screaming so loudly only began after Charlotte’s uninvited and unwelcome visitation. Why did she have to come here anyway? Why could she not stay where she was? Why did she come here? She should have stayed there, where she belongs, with that broken piece of shit that calls himself Josh”, I thought, angrily.
Charlotte McCartney“Weeeeeeee! That's how the plane goes mommy, weeeee!” Kelcie said completely ecstatic. I wondered how it was possible to not have been infected by this cheerfulness. Evidently Josh had made it happen. Her dream of flying was finally coming through and yet I couldn't find it in me to be happy because I knew what happened and certainly what lay ahead may only have looked good but was not at all. “Before I forget, your friend Maddie will be joining you two at the resort”, Lydia informed me. “She will be coming with a couple visitors”, she added.“Which visitors?” I asked, a little worried. I did not mind Maddie joining us at all. She would even be good companion. “But who else would she bring?” I asked myself, not wanting strangers. “It would be easy to face my embarrassment with Maddie and Kelcie alone. Maddie could even defend me if the need arises” I thought.“Don't worry, it's not too many people. She will be coming along with her sister and her sister's daughter
Charlotte McCartney“Mommy! mommy! Get off the bed, we are already late”, Kelcie said, shaking me from my sleep.“I must have fallen asleep again”, I thought, recalling I wanted to shower earlier.“Late for what?” I asked, still very much asleep. Apparently, her shakes were courtesy of the fact that her baby strength had very little impact in doing what she had intended to do.“Come on now Charlotte, you can't still be this sleepy”, Lydia said. I hadn't even noticed she was also here too.“I'm really having a hard time knowing what I'll be late for”, I answered her.“Oh so you really have forgotten then?” she replied even in my daze I could hear the mild surprise in her voice.“Mommy, we're supposed to go and see the dressers today”, Kelcie replied this time.“Oh yes Charlotte”, Lydia joined in,”Your appointment was set for this date, today”.“Oh that”, I recalled loudly. “Is that even still happening?" I thought to myself. Today I was supposed to go to check out my wedding dress, fin
Charlotte McCartney By the time I came out of the bathroom my baby was no longer sleeping. She had turned on the bedroom light and was already out of the room as she usually did in the mornings. I looked up at the antique wall clock in our bedroom, “7:41am”, I said. “Kelcie must be having her milkshakes by now or just talking to Lydia”, I thought, then it hit me like a blow.“Lydia knows”, I said out loud. “She knows. There is no way she doesn't know. She was the one who called Josh to come and conduct the wine tasting. We were supposed to do it together but she excused herself. I'm sure she would have expected me to do the same as soon as Josh arrived but I stayed, foolishly”, I thought.“That's what mother always talked about. This is the same thing mother always said about me, the same reason she's always complaining. I'm so stupid. I never think before I act. I'm just so stupid. I could have left. There was nothing stopping me from leaving. But I stayed. Why? I could have left it
Charlotte McCartney “Baby”, I said as I stretched my hand to reach my baby. “Oh she's out already”, I concluded to myself as my outstretched hand met an empty bed. “She's probably watching the sunrise now”, I added, as I tried to sit up in bed. “There is something hard about this bed”, I thought, rubbing my eyes with the back of my hand. “Did someone replace the bed when I was out?” I asked myself.I yawned and laid back down to sleep but my eyes flew open almost immediately and I sat up at about the same instance. “Where am I?” I asked myself, looking round to check my surroundings. “Where am…” I was going to repeat the question again, when realization dawned me. “This is Josh's room. How did I get here?” I questioned, quite confused.“Oh my God! No! No! It did not happen again”, I said, wrapping my hand around my naked body, as I realized I was lying naked under Josh's sheets. My clothes were folded neatly at the foot of the bed.“Oh God please! This did not happen. How could I ha
Charlotte McCartneyThe sound of his name had butterflies swimming around my stomach all of a sudden. I had deliberately avoided talking about him all morning and had tried my best to not spend my whole day thinking as well as talking about him but he was everywhere nonetheless.“What Is that?” Lydia teased. “You think I'm going to be carrying you around afterwards?” She asked, pausing dramatically. “No young lady, not when you have a loving husband”.I bowed my head feeling slightly embarrassed and mildly amused. “Lydia and her mean little humour could somehow take one off guard like that. But it's alright the lady means no harm”, I said to myself.“Don't you worry though? I'll go call him for you. I bet he's still in his room but definitely awake by now. Come on I bet it'll be fun too”, she said assuringly.As she hurried off, thoughts of the last night we were together filled my mind. I yearned so much for his presence but yet was still shy and scared to admit it. It just felt too
Charlotte McCartney “The sugar is literally making me drunk”, Lydia exclaimed “It's too much don't you think?” she asked. “I love it Mommy”, Kelcie said to me. “Ms Lydia, why do you not like it?” Kelcie asked, turning to Lydia. Then, she chattered on and on as though the sugar was really getting her excited as Lydia had complained.“Too much sugar like this baby will have me living in the toilet for a couple days or weeks maybe”, she said, squinting her face. A proper look at the lady and you'd know that she had been a beauty in her youthful days and still, till this day gave off the impression of a beautiful aged lady.Kelcie laughed, “Ms Lydia you're saying the cake is going to make you poo poo?” She asked, amused. “Oh lots of poo poo I'm afraid”, she said, still squinting up her face.“But they do taste creamy as well”, I said. I personally thought it tasted quite good, heavenly to be exact, everything felt heavenly right now.“Yeah there's cream but there's sugar as well but p