Charlie Cradle's Wonderful Existence: A Novella

by Scott J. Callaway

  Chapter 9

  That evening, standing in the cool autumn air, Charlie found Rowan exactly where he said he’d be waiting. There beneath the streetlamp in front of the local flower shop, Rowan stood dressed in black dress pants, a white shirt with thin purple stripes with a long black coat that reached just about to his knees, and held a single red rose in one hand. He looked as dashing as ever – like one of those romantic types from out of a movie that never seem to actually exist in real life. Charlie was glad she opted to wearing one of her nicer-looking dresses, even if it still was a bit casual, or else she would have felt totally under dressed.

  Looking at Rowan now, the way he stood there expectantly waiting for her arrival, this was exactly what Charlie had always dreamed about. All her life, despite her social awkwardness and interest in everything geeky, she always wished for someone to ride up on a white horse and sweep her off her feet. Maybe Rowan hadn’t ridden up on a white horse, but those spells in the park with the flower and leaves definitely made up for it. That was a moment of true magic of both the heart and sight. The way Rowan manipulated things with his powers to amaze excited her visually, but it also touched her heart in a way she had never felt before because he did all that for her. Just to prove that he cared for her.

  When Rowan finally noticed Charlie approaching, he stood up a little straighter and smiled.

  “Wow,” said Rowan, “You look great.”

  “Thanks,” said Charlie, blushing. “I don’t own a lot of nice dresses, so I was hoping this one would do. Is that for me?”

  Rowan looked at the flower in his hand and offered it to her. “I hope you like it.”

  “That’s really sweet. No one’s ever given me a flower before. Well, besides that time as kid when my cousin tricked me into eating a dandelion.”

  “How did he do that?”

  “He told me he saw a fairy sprinkle some sparkles over it and that it would give me magical powers. I’m kind of a sucker for that stuff, as you’ve probably noticed.”

  “Clever of him,” said Rowan, laughing. “Except faeries don’t actually sprinkle sparkles.”

  “Why do you say that?” asked Charlie, raising an eyebrow curiously. “Is that another part of your wizard knowledge?”

  Rowan nodded his head, smiled and placed his hand within hers. “Something like that. So, are you ready to eat?”

  “Would it be rude to say that I’m starving? Where did you have in mind?”

  “If it’s all right with you, I’d rather go to a place that’s somewhat casual. I’ve been to enough fancy dinners in my lifetime.”

  “That’s perfect, actually. To be honest, no one’s ever taken me out to dinner before either. Somewhere casual would be a good place to start. And if you don’t mind my asking, where do you come from that you had to go to so many fancy dinners?”

  “Not any place near here, thank the stars. People from where I’m from think a lot of themselves. That’s why I began my travels so I could escape that kind of life. But I know I can’t keep it up forever.”

  “That’s because Roxy is after you, isn’t it? God! If people are anything like her from where you’re from, then no wonder you left. She’s awful!”

  “A lot of them can be a pain in the neck, but she’s in a league of her own. Now back to where we’re going to eat! Have you ever been to The Fisherman’s Corner?”

  “I’m not a big fan of seafood, to be honest…” admitted Charlie.

  “Then we’re in luck!” said Rowan, leaping up onto the lamppost and posing like a sailor looking off from the mast of a ship. “Because across these here dark and treacherous streets lies an establishment selling the finest of burger and fries! Yarr!”

  “I was so hoping for burger and fries!”

  Rowan hopped down from the lamppost and landed by Charlie’s side, the pirate within him melting away. “I know that the name of the place makes it sound a little too casual, but it’s actually got some spunk.”

  “I think it sounds great.”

  Charlie thought Rowan’s plans were perfect. She had been afraid that if things got too fancy, she’d be even more out of her element than she already was. Dating and the messy interaction of getting to know people without the barrier of an LED computer monitor didn’t come easily to her. If she were with any other guy besides Rowan, she was positive that her geek lifestyle, awkwardness, and social anxiety would have driven him off. But Rowan was different. His easygoing down-to-earth personality made her feel comfortable and like he never judged her for being the person that she was. Because all things put aside, she liked being who she was. She didn’t like all the little quirks that made her so socially handicapped, but she liked sleeping in late, wearing her Star Wars pajamas, reading comic books and fantasy novels, and most of all, she liked being a gamer. And the fact that Rowan seemed fine with it made her heart flutter in a way she hadn’t felt since Nicholas Greene had given her a Valentine’s Day card in the fourth grade.

  Rowan and Charlie joked and held hands together during the walk over to The Fisherman’s Corner, and just as they rounded a street corner and it came into view, she remembered an important question that she had been meaning to ask him.

  “Oh!” said Charlie, “I just remembered I’ve been meaning to ask you about something.”

  “Oh?” said Rowan, waiting for her question.

  “Yeah, it’s about what Roxy said to me at my apartment. I meant to bring it up yesterday in the park, but I got so caught up in all of your magic that all my other questions just seemed to vanish.”

  Rowan began chewing on the inside of his lip and his expression changed from having-a-good-time to oh-boy-this-isn’t-going-to-end-well. Charlie picked up on the slight shift in demeanor but was eager to get an answer, so she asked him anyway.

  “When Roxy was looking around my apartment for clues on where to find you,” she said, “she made fun of me for being mortal. What did she mean by that?”

  Charlie stepped back in surprise when Rowan suddenly looked like he was literally trying to dodge the question. He quickly hopped behind a mailbox that was anchored into the street on the other side of the road from the restaurant. Charlie thought he was just trying to be funny again while trying to avoid answering her question. It would have been cute if she wasn’t trying to be serious.

  “Rowan,” she said, “seriously!”

  “Shh!” said Rowan, reaching for her arms and pulling her down beside him behind the mailbox. “Look! On the other side of the street!”

  Charlie rolled her eyes and no longer found his behavior funny. “Stop trying to avoid my question!”

  “Please, not so loud!” he pleaded. “Or else she’ll notice us!”

  “Huh?”

  His expression of alarm had finally gotten through to her, and then looking across the street to where Rowan was staring, Charlie’s heart also jumped up into her throat.

  It was Roxy. She wore her leather jacket over the same outfit from before, and was standing by the side of the restaurant, leaning against the building and speaking into a cell phone. As people passed her by, she occasionally looked over her shoulder as if she were expecting someone to arrive. Were they the ones she was waiting for? How could she have known where they were going that night? Charlie guessed that she also had a few magic spells up her sleeve and somehow divined their next destination. Thankfully Rowan had caught sight of her on time, or else who knew what would have happened if they crossed that street? And who was she speaking to on the phone? Was it a possible employer? If that were so, perhaps whoever it was had somehow been able to tip her off to where they were going. Ultimately, Charlie had no idea. But what she did know was that their night was suddenly going to become a lot more interesting. Exactly the way she preferred it not to be.

  “What is she doing here?” whispered Charlie, discreetly peering over the side of the mailbox.

  “Unless she’s placing an order for fish and chips,” said Rowan, “I’d say it’s pretty obvious that some
one gave her a heads up about our plans tonight. There’s no other reason she would be using a cell phone. It’s got to be them.”

  “Who are you talking about? For god sakes, just tell me already!”

  “No time! I think she’s spotted us!”

  And sure enough, when Charlie looked over, Roxy had her sights locked tight on them and was quickly walking across the street, her every stride commanding grace and confidence. But it was her expression that said it all. She wasn’t going to let them get away.

  Charlie was frozen with fear, still kneeling and glued behind the mailbox with growing apprehension. Although, thankfully, Rowan’s cool, steady mind launched him into action and, as Roxy reached the middle of the street, he jumped out and stopped her where she stood.

  “Roxy,” said Rowan, spreading both arms out in an open gesture of welcome to his bounty hunter, “what a fine evening it is to run into an old friend. How long has it been, eh? It feels like several lifetimes have come and gone since you’ve graced me with your presence.”

  “Enough with the theatrics, Rowan,” said Roxy, narrowing her eyes. “I’m done playing games. How about you make this easy on the both of us and come willingly. We both know my employer will take it easier on you if you do.”

  “I’m sure you’d like that. But you see, tonight’s just not a good night. If you haven’t noticed,” he said, motioning toward Charlie who still remained hiding behind the mailbox, “I have a previous engagement tonight.”

  Roxy laughed out loud. “Don’t tell me you’re still leading that nerd around on a leash? Come on, Rowan! Oh, how your standards have changed.”

  “It sounds like you’re a little jealous.”

  Rowan’s words slapped Roxy across the face and her scowl deepened beyond what Charlie believed was possible. Then, in a quick motion, she reached for something hidden within her leather jacket, but Rowan had already gotten the jump on her. Apparently, he had anticipated her move and in an equally quick gesture he stretched a hand toward her and shouted an incomprehensible word. Suddenly, Charlie’s eyes were momentarily blinded as a blue flash struck Roxy where she stood.

  When Charlie’s eyes recovered from the sudden brilliance, she discovered that Roxy was frozen in time, posing like an angry statue standing in the middle of the street. Rowan’s spell caught her just as she was pulling whatever it was she reached for in her coat. At this point, Charlie didn’t care. She just wanted to get of there before the spell wore off.

  “I’m guessing this would be a good time to run?” said Charlie.

  “Couldn’t have put it better myself,” said Rowan. “Come this way, the spell won’t last for long.”

  Rowan grabbed Charlie’s hand and led her down a series of backstreets and alleyways, putting as much distance between them and the psychotic bounty hunter as possible. The whole running for her life thing really brought to Charlie’s attention how out of shape she was. A stitch was beginning to grow in her side and she tried without success to regulate her breathing so as to not pass out in the alley for the homeless to pillage her unconscious body. She was really going to have to cut back on how many bags of chips she eats a week. But not bacon. Never bacon.

  Finally, Rowan slowed down at the end of an alley and gave her a moment of reprieve, where Charlie bent in half, placing her hands on her knees and sucking back lungfuls of air.

  “I think this might be a good place to hide out for a while,” said Rowan, while Charlie was catching her breath. “How does that saying go? Hide where she least expects it?”

  As the burning sensation in Charlie’s lungs began to subside, she peered up to where Rowan was looking at across the street. It was a red brick building with red neon lights in the shape of provocative dancing women and right above it sat the solitary name of the shady-looking nightclub.

  Red’s.