by Audrina Lane
Leaving the pool car park I turned and looked back at the point where James used to stand and wave when we had first met. Smiling I headed back home to change and head into work, suddenly feeling that life was not too bad after all. I had the whole day ahead of me, a couple of hours doing the Saturday Request Fest on Love Shack Radio and then out to the local Chinese with Jack, Paul and Ian who I worked with now at the station. It was always a good night out with the lads. I quickly grabbed my phone and dropped Charlie a text asking if she was ok and what time would she be home on Sunday. I put the phone away in my bag knowing that I would be lucky to get a reply until this evening at the earliest but somehow I knew that she was going to be fine. There was definitely something about Mitchell that was so familiar and safe. Perhaps it was because he reminded me of James so much.
After my radio show I arranged to meet the guys outside the restaurant at seven and then headed home to get changed. I quickly checked my phone and saw a text from Charlie “Hi Mum, all great thanks off to do more dancing will text tomorrow and let you know when I am heading home. Later x” I dropped her a quick text back and then jumped in the shower. The meal was fantastic and the company even better as we laughed about all the strange requests that found their way to air. We discussed the ‘Rock on the River’ event at length and surrounded by my friends I suddenly felt that life was worth living again.
This project was just what I needed and perhaps if I could move on then I could find happiness again. Jack kissed me goodbye before I headed home.
“Are you ok?” he asked, before we parted “You seemed a little quiet tonight”
“Yeah, think so it’s just been strange in the house without Charlie around”
“Where is she?” Jack asked.
“Up in Warwickshire with her new boyfriend Mitchell”
“Don’t you like him? Or trust her?” he asked.
“No it’s not that he’s a lovely guy but he really reminds me of James, you remember James don’t you?” I asked.
“Yeah, that hot guy you were dating when we worked together” Jack replied
“Is that a bad thing then?”
“No, but it’s bringing back all these memories that I thought I had left behind” I sighed, as Jack pulled me in for a hug.
“It will be ok, you’re a great woman and if I wasn’t gay I’d fancy you myself, you should get back on the dating scene again you shouldn’t be alone” Jack said, as I hugged him back.
“Well, maybe I will” I replied, “but the main thing is working on our fundraising event it’s going to be huge” I finished.
“Sure will” Jack replied “Now get going and I’ll see you soon, you should pop in the hospital sometime” he finished
“Yeah, definately” I said, realising that I hadn’t been back there since Mark was stabbed in the car park. That was another ghost I had to lay to rest in order to move on with my life.
I watched as Jack headed off as I turned towards my driveway and my home. The diary would be back in Charlotte’s room tonight as it was not going to bring me anymore nightmares and I hoped that once my daughter had read the final entries we could move on with our lives.
Chapter 32
In the studio Mitchell put the stereo on and they started to stretch and warm up.
“How are we going to practice the lift?” Charlie asked as she remembered that the last time they had tried she had been stood on a park bench.
“I’m not sure, we may have to bring a mattress down here for any unforced landings” he replied, arching his eyebrows “Although my Dad might wonder what it’s for” he finished.
“We need a lake like they had in the film” she replied.
“Well, the duck pond is in the next park but its only two inches deep” Mitch laughed.
“Bit cold and shallow for that” Charlie responded “I will just have to get it right first time then” she finished.
“Yes, you will otherwise we might both be out of the competition if we break anything trying” Mitch said “But that’s not going to happen so we had best get started”
“Can we also do a few practices of the fall from my routine” Charlie asked “I spotted a table in the garden so we can use that” she finished.
As the music flowed around the room they danced and danced, every time they moved through the routine they got a bit farther and a bit surer of the steps and the way they worked together. Once or twice Mitch shouted when Charlie went wrong but it was all in good fun and eventually they sank to the floor, just the lift left to perfect.
“Shall we grab a drink?” Mitch asked. He threw her a towel so she could wipe off all the sweat that was dripping from her hot body.
“Yeah, great” she breathed as they headed back into the kitchen. They noticed it was already two in the afternoon and Charlie’s stomach let out a small rumble as she gulped down a pint of water.
“I’m hungry” she said “Is there any food around” she asked.
Mitchell checked the fridge and found a couple of slices of cold pizza and handed her a slice.
“Mmmmmh that’s great” she said. She finished off the slice and gave her crust to the ever ready Jester who had sat down next to her. Then they headed back to the studio, leaving a dejected looking dog lying on the kitchen floor as they shut the door on him.
As they started work on the lift Charlie knew that it was up to her to launch herself at Mitch with both power and control and then trust him to lift her up high so she could float above him. After a few half attempts they managed to nail the first full lift and as she slid down his body their emotions were so high that she pulled his lips down to met hers. Although they were both breathless they were even more so when they finally pulled their lips apart and slouched back against the wall.
“Come on lets do that again” Mitch said as he pulled her back towards the centre of the studio. Charlie wiped her brow and retied her hair, determined that this time it was going to be perfect. As she leapt and rose into the air above Mitch, his strong hands held her solid as her arms stretched out to the side and for those few seconds she closed her eyes and believed that she was Baby. But in reality she didn’t want to be Baby she wanted to be exactly who she was Charlotte Eden in complete and utter love with Mitchell Cooke.
Deciding to finish with the routine on a high note and go back to it for a final run through in the morning Charlie quickly grabbed her Take my Breath Away cd and inserted it into the music system. Mitch stood aside and watched as Charlie flowed with the music as it carried her to that deserted airfield from the video. He studied the emotions that crossed her face, perfectly in line with the poignant lyrics of the song. The girls had sorted out their costumes and apart from the fall at the end they were almost perfect. Mitchell was amazed by her fluidity and style as he watched her bend and leap until the end part.
While they had been dancing James had returned from the shops and ended up stopped in his tracks as he recognised instantly the music that was bleeding out from the studio next door. He leaned against the counter and allowed the familiar melody to wash over him. Closing his eyes he was a young man again and in his arms he held the love of his life once more, Stephanie. This was an omen if ever he needed one, it was the wake up call he needed to move forward. He also needed to speak to Mitchell and ask him the all important question about his new girlfriend and her family. It was time to open up about the past in order to move into the future.
James was startled when the studio door opened and after a quick Hi from both of them he watched them head through the patio doors and into the garden. He crossed to the sink so that he could look out over the ground and watched as they danced across the lawn together towards the garden table. He wondered what they were up to as Charlotte climbed onto the table and then launched herself backwards into Mitchell’s outstretched arms as he moved her down to finish with her outstretched across his knee. She climbed off and they went through the whole thing again and again until on the last one he bent down at the en
d and his lips brushed her throat and crept up until they captured her lips. James watched as his son laid his girlfriend out on the grass and her hands scraped through his hair and kept him held close against her. He looked away not wanting to spoil their moment as at the same time he blinked back the memory of a moonlit night in the very same garden, the stars shining brightly in the velvet darkness. The glow from the moon lighting up the sun kissed skin of her slender body as they came together. He wondered how she had spent her twenty first birthday who had she held in her arms and he felt a stab of jealousy in his chest.
Quickly he shook his head of the memories and emotions and started to prepare tea. Darren appeared to say that he was off to see Sophie and wouldn’t need tea so it would just be himself, Mitch and Charlie and some all important questions that were burning inside him. Part of him wanted to wait until he could just talk to Mitch but another part wanted to know from Charlotte directly, she would know all the answers but would he want to hear them?
Charlie and Mitch eventually walked back into the kitchen; Mitchell brushed the grass from Charlotte’s back as she picked some out of her hair and re-tied it in a pony tail.
“Hope you are hungry I’m doing Spaghetti Bolognese for tea” James said.
“Oh yes” Charlotte responded “I’m starving”
“Me too” echoed Mitchell as he poured them both a drink and they sat down at the kitchen table their breath ragged from the exertions of both dancing and kissing.
“Should be ready in about an hour” James finished, as he poured himself a glass of red wine and looked at the two of them.
“Good practice?” he asked “I recognised the last song that was playing when I came in, it was one of my favourites from the film Top Gun”
Charlotte started as she heard this, did he know? Had he already guessed who she was?
“Its my groups entry song for the dance final” she responded “Mum helped me choose the song and Mitch is helping at the end as we don’t have any guys in our group” she finished. Smiling as Mitchell reached out and squeezed her hand in his over the table.
“Charlie’s group are probably going to win in a couple of week’s time” Mitchell said
“No, Mitchell’s group will and I can’t wait to see his take on Thriller” she enthused as she smiled over at him; their eyes locked and betrayed the strength of their true feelings.
“We’re going to head up and have a shower now before dinner” Mitch said, as he stood up and headed for the stairs, his hand still firmly in Charlotte’s.
“Ok, don’t be too long” James replied watching the two of them head for the stairs as once again he was plunged back into past memories too strong to deny.
At the top of the stairs Mitchell pulled Charlotte towards him as she wrapped her arms around his neck and their lips came together in a long, slow and sensuous kiss that had her body tingling in places she never knew she had nerve endings before. Eventually they broke apart and Charlie headed for the shower and peeled off yet more sweaty clothes and let the warm trickle of water from the shower head wipe it from her body. Her hands ran down over her breasts and then hips and closing her eyes she imagined it was Mitchell instead. Tonight she wouldn’t fall asleep again; tonight she wanted his hands on her body, his lips on hers.
They passed on the landing and Mitch tried to grab her towel and pull it free but she held on and shook her head mouthing later at his departing backside. In the bedroom she dried off and pulled on her favourite red underwear and floral print dress that she had worn when she had met Mitchell in Birmingham. When Mitch stepped into the room she was just towel drying her hair. Mitch looked gorgeous and smelled divine from the shower and she couldn’t stop herself from crossing the small space that separated them and slipping into his arms again.
“You smell lush” she proclaimed as she ran her fingers over his smooth chest.
“You do too, good enough to eat” he breathed, his eyes glinted with mischief and a hint of danger “You look fabulous in that dress it reminds me of our first date”
“That was the best first date ever” Charlie breathed as she watched his lips come down and closing her eyes she surrendered to his expert touch.
“We should go back there soon” Mitch murmured as he planted kisses down her throat and then spinning her around took in the nape of her neck. He was far too good at this Charlie thought as he spun her back round to close the circle of kisses.
“Tea’s ready” James shouted from downstairs which meant that they had to reluctantly part with a final kiss. As they headed downstairs Mitchell couldn’t believe how lucky he had been to find Charlotte out of all the people at the dance competition and how strangely their lives were linked by the past shared by their parents.
James had laid the table in the dining room and as they entered he passed Mitch a bottle of beer and then turned to Charlotte
“Wine or beer?” he asked
“White wine and lemonade if you have it” Charlie replied as she realised that the music on the stereo was from the film Top Gun. Mitchell hadn’t noticed as he helped his Dad to carry their plates of food to the table and they all sat down together. The food was excellent and the three of them just sat and ate to start with until Take my Breath Away flowed from the speakers and Mitchell knowing the song looked up and across at his Dad
“I didn’t know you had a copy of this song?” Mitch exclaimed, as his Dad reached over and turned the stereo up slightly.
“Yes, it was a favourite of mine back in the day when I was very much in love with a girl called Stephanie March” James replied as he turned his gaze to watch Charlotte’s reaction “I think you might know her?” he finished, as he watched the blush spread over her face. Charlie glanced quickly at Mitchell but he just nodded as she replied
“Yes, she’s my Mum”
The three of them sat in a moment’s silence that seemed to stretch a lifetime. Charlie and Mitch cast anxious glances at each other and then at James who had visibly turned pale and had closed his eyes, his hands gripped the edge of the table, the knuckles white.
Chapter 33
It was Mitchell who broke the silence
“I was going to tell you who Charlie was; I was just waiting for the right moment” he finished.
“Well, it was not hard to guess when I saw Charlotte for the first time yesterday” James replied, as he opened his eyes and shook his head slowly.
“It was only the eye colour that had me puzzled, but the hair colour and skin tone and build” James continued “It’s pretty remarkable that the two of you happened to meet” he finished.
“Yes, we didn’t know until the weekend that Mitch came to visit me and I was showing him the sites of Ross and he told me that you had worked at the Swimming Pool and I said that my Mum had met her first boyfriend at the same place and we were hit by this realisation”
“Yes then Charlie had a photo back at her place of the two of you at that time and I recognised you instantly Dad” Mitch responded, joining in with the story.
“You looked very handsome in your suit” Charlie said, smiling at James across the table. There was no mistaking that her smile was the mirror image of her Stephanie’s that James just could not forget. How could a smile just spark off so many emotions within him that he felt the butterflies in his stomach the same way he used too whenever he had been with her.
“How is Steph…your Mum?” James finally said, his words catching on the lump that had formed in his throat.
“She’s well thanks” Charlie replied, not sure how much further she should go, knowing how much her Mum had fallen for him all those years ago. Also she still didn’t know how it had all ended either but from the look on James face she could still see the love there in his eyes. How would her Mum look if she told her who Mitchell was? Probably the same she guessed.
Under the table Mitch reached for her hand and she realised that she was trembling as he enfolded it in his and held it tightly. They both waited as they looked
at each other again and then back at James.
“And your Dad?” James finally managed to say.
“My Dad died when I was a baby” Charlie replied “I never really knew him but Mum is always telling me that I have his eyes so it’s just the two of us” she finished. She squeezed Mitch’s hand tight as a small tear formed under her eyelid, as it always did when she shared this information with anyone. James watched as it slipped down her cheek and his son moved across and gently wiped it away with his spare hand, at the same time he realised the heat of her skin on his.
“I’m sorry” James said softly, as he stood up and headed for the kitchen to regain his composure and to give Charlotte some space and time.
Once alone he leaned against the kitchen counter and just breathed in and out a few times as he considered this information. Most importantly was the knowledge that Stephanie was single and so was he. Could he dare hope that he might win her back? Would she want him after the way he had finished things? How would this affect Mitchell and Charlotte’s relationship? He had so many things to consider his mind awash with all the possibilities. However the most important one was the slim chance that Stephanie would forgive him and would end up back in his arms again.
Mitch walked into the kitchen and found his Dad leaning against the work top, tears clouded his normally clear eyes.
“Are you alright Dad?” he asked, unsure of how to proceed in a situation where he only knew part of the story.
“Yes, thanks Mitch I just need a moment” James responded as he turned to rinse his face in the sink and to try to clear the jumble of thoughts in his mind.
