The night wind blew and whistles into the night. No clouds were in sight, only the twinkling stars and the bright moon that illuminates the night.
Charlotte was in her bedroom, alone just as she likes it. Her room was messy, but not messy in terms of clothes on the floor and the sorts of rubbish; instead her room was messy of books. Books on the floor, books on the bed, books in boxes, well she can’t help it to keep her room from being flooded with books. Her cabinet was full of it and not one more book could fit in. She asked her parents if she could have bookshelves. She was still waiting for the answer and so to cooperate with the books that she already has, not to mention the books she wanted to buy; Charlotte keeps her other books in stacks on the floor, on her study table, underneath furniture and at the corner of her bed. Books are Charlotte’s one way ticket to get away from the chaos in her house.
“Do you know what time it is now?!” a man exclaimed. The voice could be heard inside Charlotte’s room, the voice was muffled but still audible. The man’s voice belonged to Charlotte’s father.
“Looks like Mum’s home late. They’re going to fight again.” Charlotte mumbled under her breath, letting out a heavy sigh.
Charlotte was not new to the quarreling that seems to echo through the whole house. Although the house looked so friendly and happy from outside. It must have been the paint, because inside the house was far from being called happy. Charlotte would come home from school everyday having her smile turned upside down by the time she reaches home. She knows the routine and she knows she won’t like it one bit.
“I had work okay!” a woman exclaimed. The woman’s voice belonged to Charlotte’s mother
“Working hours stops at 5 in the afternoon and you’re back at 9?!” replied Dad.
Charlotte rolled her eyes and stuck in a pair of earphones from her iPod with some of her favorite country rock songs playing. She rest on her bed, turned her position towards her window and stared at the night sky with the moon in its fullest. While her parents were still arguing outside her bedroom, she begins to reminisce of how all of this had started.
3 years ago
The house was quiet; there was not a sound of laughter or a conversation. Dad was always in the extra bedroom, not in the bedroom with Mum. He looked miserable every time Charlotte sees him. Charlotte could hear sobbing from Dad when she was getting ready for tuition. She wanted to ask what was wrong, but she didn’t dare, yet she was still curious.
One afternoon, Dad picked her up from school which was shocking for Charlotte as this opportunity was seldom. In the car it was deadly quiet, only the revving of the engines was heard and nothing else. Soon, Dad broke the silence.
“Charlotte dear, you know I love you right?” Dad asked.
“Of course Dad, I know. What’s going on Dad?” Charlotte answered
“Charlotte, I want you to know, whatever happens, me and your Mum loves you.”
Charlotte’s head swam. Her mind was filled with the worse scenarios she could think of. Death? Illness? Adopted? Her heart was thumping against her chest. She was waiting for the answer for the whole week but yet she was afraid to hear it.
“Your Mum is…with another man” Dad said.
The world suddenly stopped for Charlotte. Dad was still talking, she listens but kept quiet. Her heart begins to beat slower. Her head throbs as she takes in everything that she heard from Dad. Their whole journey home, Charlotte sat still and kept quiet and in her head the word DIVORCE kept showing in bold letters. When they reached home, Charlotte walked straight into her bedroom and finally cried. A kind of news like that was a shock and the journey from school to back home was long enough for Charlotte to hold in. She cried into her pillow, thinking that such a thing couldn’t be true. But then she looked back at the events that happened the whole week, it was all coming together to point out one answer, scandal and to think to what it leads which is divorce, Charlotte would cry again. After a few minutes, Charlotte sat up and tried to stop crying. She kept telling herself that everything would be alright, but it was silly and impossible. As she reached for a tissue, a flashback of the past she had, her childhood life when her parents were always happy, always smiling and never fought and to think it won't happen again. That was it, her weakness. Charlotte cried even more.
Then, there was a knock on the door. Charlotte was sure not to make her sobbing audible. She sat up, went to a mirror and wiped her tears away, rubbing her face to make sure her face was not tear-stained. She calmed down and opened the door. Dad was there.
“Are you okay?” Dad asked calmly, knowing that she had been crying as he could see her eyes and nose were red, although no tears were visible.
“Yes...” her voice choked. Charlotte couldn’t hold it much longer, tears started to roll down her cheeks. Dad opens his arm and gave a hug. She cried in Dad’s arms. Dad explained to her that she needed to know the truth earlier before things get worse as he comfort her. Charlotte understood but she just couldn’t believe it.
Present day
Charlotte opened her eyes. Still gazing at the night sky and her list of country rock songs were about to end, a tear rolled on the side of her cheeks. It was half past ten and the quarreling had stopped with a slam of a door. She let out a sigh knowing, that day when she knew what was the cause of all that was happening was when things had never been the same again. It was also from that day on, Dad was more suspicious of Mum where ever she goes or what ever she does and the relationship between father and daughter became stronger from then on.
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