Six Months To Love: Charlotte's Redemption

by Leija, Christina

  “Stop fucking around and do it already, dammit.” Alex’s voice was fierce and commanding.

  “You never let me have any fun.” Alex leaned down and gave Victoria a hot kiss before turning on Charlotte and mouthing the word “Mine.” Just then, something pierced Charlotte’s chest and everything went black.

  Ms. Nelson’s heart stopped as she saw the apartment door open and blood on the floor. She ran through the house and called out to anyone there, looking for Charlotte. As she rounded the corner she saw Charlotte’s foot poking out of the bathroom door. She came to an abrupt stop when she saw John cradling her lifeless body, sobbing uncontrollably with his cell phone open and left unattended. Life flashed, all their happiness taken from them. She knelt next to John slowly, unsure of what to think and grabbed his phone. She looked at the text message that was open, a picture from an anonymous number. There was Charlotte naked and bound on the floor. Immediately, Ms. Nelson clicked over to the phone application and dialed 911 and she and John sat as tears fell uncontrollably. Ms. Nelson couldn’t believe what happened, who could do such a thing. Her rage mounted as one person came to mind and Ms. Nelson was done playing nice guy.

  The doctor had just come in to speak with Ms. Nelson. She braced herself for the worst news. Deep in her heart she was hoping that Charlotte wasn’t truly dead, paramedics surprised them all with the discovery of a faint heartbeat, hope as Ms. Nelson called it. Hope that she would hold onto with her last breath.

  They had to sedate John when he refused to calm down, not that she blamed him. He wasn’t family in the eyes of the law so he had no right to privatized information. The doctor also was being a bit of a pompous asshole, remembering his earlier interactions with Charlotte concerning his cancer treatments. John had bothered and bugged him for four days straight on finding a cure. Persistent one he was, though in this moment of agony he was more of a hindrance than a help.

  “Ms. Nelson, we’ve gotten the bleeding to stop, however we are not out of the dark yet. The police were able to speak with us concerning the injuries Charlotte had sustained. It is a miracle she was alive. I know being personally attached to a patient is never a good thing, but as my best employee I wouldn’t trust her care with anyone else.”

  “So she’s alive? When can I see her?” Ms. Nelson couldn’t hide her anxiety and excitedness at the news she had just gotten.

  “I’m sorry but she’s not stable enough for guests yet, though I have set up and arranged a foldout sofa chair, our finest, for you in Mr. John Ranger’s room for comfort. Andrew can stay too. The police were able to pull DNA and fibers off Charlotte for testing, though I’m afraid these things take time and we won’t know anything, if anything at all, for some time.”

  “Thank you very much Sir, though Andrew is with his father, and right now were unable to get him. That is another case all its own and were fearful for him, but Mr. Black is beginning the paperwork for that. If anything changes I’ll let you know right away.” Ms. Nelson fell silent. She was saddened and fearful for Andrew. She was sure that Alex, his mother and that dreadful slut were involved somehow in the attack on Charlotte. An attack that almost left a poor child alone in this world and now that monster had his hands on the boy and she was unable to help in anyway. Putting on a smile for show, Ms. Nelson followed Dr. Jacobs to the rooms.

  Charlotte woke to find ventilators and wires attached to her bed and herself. Unable to move she panicked. “Whoa calm down love, you’re ok, I’m here.” That sweet sound she treasured so much. Why couldn’t she talk? Sensing her frustration and fear John spoke again. His voice was calming and soothing. “You gave everyone a scare; you have been slipping in and out for consciousness for almost a week now. You’re healing well and should be expected to make a full recovery. Don’t ever leave me, I couldn’t bear it. You’re my one true heart and soul mate and you and Andrew are my life.”

  Charlotte closed her eyes in an attempt to digest everything. What happened? Why was she here? Charlotte could feel the tears of her frustration falling as she tried to stay calm. As she opened her eyes Dr. Jacobs came in, “Young lady sometimes I wonder if you’re more trouble than your worth. The good news is we were able to administer your cancer treatment while you were sedated. Your body is responding wonderfully and the test results are amazing. However, as a result of the attack, I’m afraid you lost a lot of blood and we had to do an emergency transfusion. I also had to sedate your boyfriend as he was more hysterical than a teenager girl at a One Direction concert.” The doctor paused to give John and backwards glance. John hung his head in shame. That motion made Charlotte smile, even though her body was in severe pain.

  “I’m going to remove the tubes and ventilator now. Do not try to talk and it will feel funny to breathe for a few minutes or so, just bear with us, ok?” Charlotte nodded and braced herself for the annoyance yet to come.

  Later that night, Charlotte was finally able to intake enough water to soothe her dry throat. It still hurt to talk and breathe as her throat felt scratchy and tender. John had attempted to feed her hospital special lime Jell-O. The taste was rancid but welcome as her stomach growled in agony at the hunger. She was beyond blessed with John and couldn’t believe her luck. Had John not come home when he did, surely she would have been dead.

  A knock at the door startled her and Charlotte briefly flashed back to the light tapping at her apartment door, the tapping that started her attack. Without noticing Charlotte flinch John opened the door to admit to New York City detectives, whom were impeccably dressed.

  “I’m Detective Jonathan Wire and this is my partner Elizabeth King. We are investigating the attack on you and would like to ask you some questions if you don’t mind.” The detectives waited with stern, unemotional looks and ridged stances.

  Charlotte wasn’t sure she could answer any questions with the way her throat felt, not to mention she had patches of what happened and it was driving her crazy not knowing who or what had hit her. Reluctantly, Charlotte nodded her head and gestured her hand for the chair closest to the window, the one John had been warming for the last few days. Elizabeth King sat and thanked Charlotte for her kindness, she seemed to be the softer out of the partnership, a welcome trait Charlotte needed right now. Her partner however declined a seat and decided to stand while slightly rolling his eyes at his partner.

  “Can you tell us what day it is Ms. Jackson?” Detective Wire spoke sternly and waited for Charlotte’s answer. He was surely a man to get straight down to business. Both detectives were well dressed. Mr. Wire was approximately 45 years old, with salt and pepper hair. He wore a Men’s Warehouse suit with sliver and blue cuff links, colors for the police field Charlotte assumed. He stood at an impressive 6”4” and his black dress shoes were well shined, an impressive feat for the cold rainy weather of New York City in November.

  Ms. King wore dark blue pants, an eggplant purple silk dress shirt and a matching dark blue suit jacket. Her badge was seen only in certain movements that hung on her belt at her right hip, near her gun. Her hem line was starch pressed and showed off her long slender legs. She was approximately 5’ 9” with long silky brown hair that hung over her shoulders and reached approximately to her elbow. She was gorgeous to say the least. Her demeanor and aura had a don’t mess with me stance but with a soft edge that made her approachable.

  “It’s Thursday, I think.” Charlotte answered, her voice low and crackled. “I don’t remember much, I’m not sure I can help you.” Charlotte’s tears began to fall at her frustration of not remembering. John jumped in standing next to Charlotte in a defensive move. “You can’t come in here and upset her, she’s only been awake for less than two days, for Christ’s sake.” John was firm and trying to control her emptions as he came to her defense.

  This time it was Detective King that spoke. “Sir, I am sure you are protective of your wife, but we need to speak with her while the information is fresh in her mind. We know this is hard but it’s highly important and we need to try and ca
tch the creep who almost killed her. Please allow us to do our job.” Charlotte noticed that John did not correct the detective when she called her his wife, Charlotte touched John’s arm and nodded softly. That made John stand down from his post and sit back by her bedside, holding her hand in sweet support. Charlotte heart swelled with his protectiveness and courage to always be by her side. In that moment Charlotte knew she wanted to marry her knight.

  “I don’t remember what happened Detectives. All I remember is a light knocking at the door and when I went to answer it I saw… I saw… I.. I don’t remember, I don’t remember, God what is wrong with me.” Charlotte placed her head in her hands and sobbed. “There was so much pain, my head felt warm and was pounding, and someone touched me lightly with their nails, tormenting me, a piercing pain. Why do I remember the pain, why can’t I see them?”

  Detective Wire urged Charlotte to go on, pressing with his questions. The interview lasted a horrifying 2 hours. Charlotte was exhausted by the end of it. The advancements Charlotte had made were minimal at best. She remembered two people, a man and a woman. She remembered knowing them, at least at an acquaintance, which only scared Charlotte more. Charlotte did gain a substantial headache.

  Ms. Nelson brought Andrew over for a visit, he always put Charlotte in a good mood. He begged to stay at his mom’s bedside, which the hospital allowed until 9pm with the end of visiting hours when all children under the age of 12 must leave. Hospital rules could only be bent so far and Charlotte knew not to push that one. Ms. Nelson would take Andrew home and get him ready for school the remainder of the week until Alex’s visitation time this weekend. Alex, Charlotte thought, something in her gut was screaming at her at the thought of him but she couldn’t put her finger on it. Charlotte pushed the thought aside and kissed her sleeping boy in her arms and cuddled him, holding him like it was last time she would see him. In her gut she felt like he was being torn away from her and the thought of the upcoming court date weighed heavy on her soul.

  Charlotte woke up and looked at the clock it was approximately 3am and John was stirring. “Honey are you okay?” John waited for Charlotte’s answer as he scooted to her bed and lay with her on the edge. Charlotte laughed at his huge body half hanging off the side; she scooted over so he could fit. Charlotte didn’t say anything she just lay with her head on his chest. No doubt sensing her contentment, John held Charlotte, running his fingers gently through her hair and enjoying her soft skin that pressed against his bare chest. Charlotte’s hand ran down John’s stomach to the swell in his pants. Gently she began to stroke him softly with more and more pressure, testing her limits with him. John grabbed her hand gently to stop her. “My dear, you’re in the hospital after a traumatic attack, now is not the time.” John gave her a sideways glance with a slight smile attached.

  “Please darling, I’m ok, it will make me feel better.” Reluctantly, Charlotte waited for Johns answer as she began to stroke him again. She kissed him, her lips dry, but hungry. She knew eventually she would get her way, though she didn’t have the strength to fight for it. Hopeful that John would easily give in, Charlotte unbuttoned her top to expose her taunt breasts that made John suck in his breath at the sight.

  Johns hand cupped her breasts and he leaned down to gently tease her nipples with his mouth. He kissed her breasts before taking her nipple into his mouth with gentle suction. He teased her nipple with expertise, lightly flicking her with his tongue, making Charlotte wet. Charlotte rolled over with her back to John, snuggled up against him, he fingered her increasingly wet tender folds, and she slowly began to lower her underwear and position herself so he could easily enter her. In response, John removed his lower clothes and entered Charlotte with a moan of pleasure. Slowly he allowed her wet sex to stroke his hard cock with a rhythm that matched his. Holding her in his arms he braced himself with one hand on her breast twisting her nipple in between his fingers.

  Charlotte tightened as her orgasm sprang from nowhere taking her into a rolling bliss of pleasure. John followed quickly after, unable to stand the sensation. Apologetically John spoke, “sorry, it’s been a while and I couldn’t control myself.” Charlotte rolled over and put her finger to his lips in an effort to tell him to be quiet. She removed her hand and replaced her lips to him. Pulling back, she whispered; “Never apologize for being in heaven with me, I want to join you in every way possible, your pleasure is my pleasure.”

  John blinked, touched by her words. Without a moments hesitance he spurted out the only thing that came to his mind; “Marry me Charlotte.

  It had been a week since John’s outward proposal. Since then he had bought her a ring, told everyone he could find about how he was going to marry the woman who saved him, this of course was including the orderly that brought her daily meals and any stranger who walked in the hall next to him. To say he was excited would be an understatement. Mr. Black, who was her attorney and the closest person John had to an actual good father, was thrilled and offered to officiate ceremony and file the necessary papers with the courts. Charlotte was not going to be released from the hospital for another week or so and court was in three days. Mr. Black would go in her stead to court and represent her accordingly; Charlotte had no doubt about that but it still made the whole incident on edge.

  John had begged to get married right away and Charlotte fought him, since she was still in the hospital and she wanted a small official ceremony with a dress and cake. As always John won, but only after he promised her a proper reception with close friends and family later on. Her decision was also persuaded by the fact that Mr. Black assured them that by getting married now it only strengthened her stability claim in court and that Andrew would be well taken care of should anything happened to Charlotte in the near future.

  Ms. Nelson brought Andrew for the occasion, who was complaining about having to clean up in dress pants and a collared shirt that Ms. Nelson insisted he wore. Her boss and most of the nursing staff gathered in the conference room as they wheeled Charlotte in, still too weak to stand from chemo and her attack. She wore a soft cream dress that was comfortable and one of her colleagues, Greta, curled her hair and pulled it up in a mess of curls that hung around her face. It was as gorgeous as any wedding ceremony could be. Charlotte, at the moment, realized she didn’t need a gown or official ceremony, all she needed was her son, her family and friends and the man she loved. Everything else seemed silly and insignificant.

  The conference room was on the second floor of the hospital. It was a large room with double mahogany doors. A large conference table stood in the center of the room towards the back. The table itself seated approx. 24 people. The chairs had been moved to four rows of six with a center aisle meant for her to walk down. The chairs were attached in the center by soft blue ribbon and hospital masks with messages of blessings written on them form her work family. She began to cry at the work they had done to make this moment special for her. John stood at the front along with Mr. Black. He wore dark dress pants and a white collared short with a blue diamond tie that matched his dreamy eyes.

  Greta rolled Charlotte down the aisle and placed her next to John. In that moment Charlotte and John were the only two people in the room, love surrounded them. It took Charlotte a mere six months to go from tragedy to hope. Six months to be saved by her knight in shining armor, a knight that loved her son as he was his own, a knight that continued to surprise her every day. Six months to love.

  “Who gives this woman to this man?” Mr. Black snapped Charlotte out of her daydream with a commanding start to the ceremony.

  “I do, with lots of love.” Ms. Nelson was soft spoken and stood proud as she gave Charlotte away.

  “Let’s be seated get started, shall we?”

  It had been a mere 3 days that the two were officially husband and wife, but the time had felt like they had been married forever. Charlotte still couldn’t believe that she had gotten married again. Dread consumed her as she thought about how fast they had moved. Sure, John seeme
d great and perfect, but she had thought Alex had seemed that way too. Had Charlotte made a mistake? Had she just signed her doom on a certificate that bound her to John Ranger, had she sealed the fate of her child? Pushing the thoughts aside, she ran her hand down the bare chest of her husband. Man that sounded sweet; her husband. His chest was warm and she was soothed by playing with the small patch of hair that rested between his pecks.

  Her hand traced the taunt muscles that lead down to his abs and down the v that rested just below the sheet. Thoughts of their marathon the night before aroused her. She has been gaining strength thanks to the B12 injections and therapy (at the request of Greta) she was enduring from both the attack and the cancer. Though her physical wounds were healing nicely and no major organs had been punctured in the attack when she was stabbed multiple times, her emotional scars were not healing and taking a toll on her. John and Andrew had been her distraction from the events she knew she would eventually have to face. Dr. Anderson, their on call psychologists had offered his services as soon as Charlotte felt like dealing with the emotional pain.

  Just what she wanted, more therapy! Lately Charlotte was beginning to feel like a permanent mental patient. There was only so much she could deal with and at this point she was nearing her breaking point. Today’s court date she would miss, though John had ensured that he would go in her stead with Mr. Black and Andrew, since the judge had required his presence if a need should arise that he wished to speak with Andrew at any point. Andrew was given a guardian ad litem; Guardians are adults who are legally responsible for protecting the well-being and interests of their ward, who is usually a minor. A guardian ad litem is a unique type of guardian in a relationship that has been created by a court order only for the duration of a legal action. Courts appoint these special representatives for infants, minors, and mentally incompetent persons, all of whom generally need help protecting their rights in court. Such court-appointed guardians figure in divorces, child neglect and abuse cases, paternity suits, contested inheritances, and so forth, and are usually attorneys. Charlotte simply called them angels for all the good they do and unlike parents, though’ sad to say sometimes, have only the child’s best interest at heart. Andrew’s Angel was called Olivia Reed. She was in her 30’s with short, black hair, fair skin and at one point Andrew had asked if she was Snow White. He adored her and for that Charlotte was thankful.