Rewritten (Unwritten Book 2) (4 page)

“Stop, of course he will like them. You’re amazing and I am so proud of you.”

“Thanks, baby.”

We pause, staring at each other. Both of us not sure what to say now. The silence fills the air and I feel my eyes closing and my hands wanting to cover my ears again in my
la, la, la, la, la
way so I say, “Ok, I have to get going. I’m sorry for waking you.”

“You can wake me whenever you want. Especially when you get back here,” he lifts his eyes suggestively.

I can’t help but smile, “Ok, lover boy. Not here. I’ll call you later. Love you.”

“Love you, too.”

I
put my phone back on the nightstand, moving to my stomach, trying to fall back asleep. When I do, I see Allison sitting on a porch swing in a country setting with a little boy wrapped in her arms while she reads him a book. I approach the two of them and they both look up, giving me a warm smile. I look at the boy and see myself looking back at me. Bright blue eyes, soft brown hair and a smile to light up any world.

“Hey, Daddy. Mommy’s reading me a book. Come sit next to me,” the little boy says with a big smile on his face.

Allison grabs the little boy, pulling him on to her lap, “Come here, Lyric. Sit on Mommy’s lap to make room for Daddy.”

I sit next to them, wrapping my arm around them both, smiling before leaning in to kiss Allison, just as a car pulls up. Jacquelyn gets out of the car yelling, “Get your hands off my son, you little bitch!”

Sounds of a text message going off awakens me from my dream. Breathing hard, I’m terrified from what I just saw. I look at my phone seeing it’s a text from Paul.

What’s up bro? Are you home? I thought I saw you pulling out from the garage yesterday… I’m heading out for a WOD, you up for it?

Yeah, got home the other day. Sounds good. I’ll meet you out front. Give me 10.

Paul and I have known each other since I moved to San Francisco. He worked at the same club as me, but after getting the chance of a lifetime, he disappeared for a few years to go to college. He’s made a life for himself since he came back here and it’s great to see him succeed from where he came from. I was glad that we stayed in touch when he was away at college because now he’s really the only true friend I have in San Francisco.

He’s the one that hooked me up with my house and actually lives in the same building, living a crazy bachelor life. I introduced him to CrossFit when he returned to the city and we’ve been working out together ever since, well that is before I took off to Paris.

Paul has an edgier look than me though. He’s tall and muscular like me but he’s covered in tattoos, with crazy blue eyes, dimples that I watch girls swoon over every time they see them and he’s a cocky son-of-a-bitch, which is probably why we always got along so well.

“What’s up, bro? How was Paris?” Paul greets me with a handshake dance as we meet out front of our apartment building and start walking toward the gym.

“Really good. Sad to be back.”

“Yeah, so what did you do? Was it just for vacation or what? Don’t tell me some rich chick paid to take you with her for a couple of weeks?” he laughs and I almost wish that was the case just so I could see the jealous look on his face.

Not many people know what I really do, or did, for a living but I always bragged to Paul about it, loving how jealous he would get and knowing he would never rat me out.

But no, I stop to look at him with a stern face, “I quit.”

Paul steps back in shock, “You did what?”

“Yup, I quit. No more. I’m done.”

“You have got to be shitting me? Why would you ever do such a thing? Have you gone insane?”

I laugh as we start to walk again, “No man. I met someone, her name’s Allison.”

Paul stops walking again, dropping his hands to his knees, laughing, “Shut the fuck up. You are not giving up your fabulous life for a girl. Let alone a girl you just met.” He hits my arm like he’s trying to talk some sense into me.

I throw my head back laughing. “I know, I know. But it’s true. I quit.” I grab his arm, “But oh, man. Wait till you see her. It’s all worth it, if you know what I mean. Wait, you saw her that day I brought her to workout with me.”

Paul gives me an are-you-kidding-me look. “That chick? Ok, I’ll admit it, she was hot. I even got a small chub watching her stretch.”

I hit his arm at his admission making him laugh as he rubs his arm for relief, “But just wait till she’s old and fat and not giving you any sex ‘cause she’s sick of your ass. I’ll be the one laughing then. Wait,” he grabs my arm this time, “so there’s an opening with your madam now I take it?” He lifts his eyebrows to me.

I laugh, hitting him back. “Dream on, they’ll never go for your punk ass.”

“What, they don’t like the bad boy look?” He tries to look as sexy as he can, making me laugh even harder.

I open the door to our CrossFit box, “Come on, I’ve got some steam I need to blow off.”

“Wow. If it isn’t the missing Charlie Ashley back from the dead. Where the hell have you been?” Andy screams across the gym as we walk through the door.

“I’ve been in Paris. Don’t worry, I didn’t go to another gym, I would never leave you guys.”

“Paris, oh-uh-oh, look at you Mr. ‘oh I was just in Paris,’” he teases me.

“Yeah, with that hot chick he brought in last month,” Paul pipes in.

Andy throws his head back, “Shut up. Man, she was hot. Ok, now I totally hate you. I think it’s only fitting that you have to do the 50 burpee, I-haven’t-been-coming-to-the-gym, punishment.”

Paul laughs, hitting my arm, “That’s perfect.”

“You know what…” Andy shouts out, “Make it 100, just because you were with her.” Then he comes closer to Paul and I, whispering, “I’m assuming you’ve been doing a ton of cardio workouts so you should be just fine, right?” then laughs, walking away.

Paul laughs, agreeing with Andy, “Shit, he’s taking it easy on you. I would have made you do 200 just for quitting your perfect job that every man wants, for a fucking girl.”

We both walk to the rower to begin our warm-up. Once finished, Paul walks to set up his WOD and I begin counting down the 100 burpees. Even though the workout totally sucks, it’s actually perfect as the monotonous movements help me think about what I will do if Jacquelyn actually does wake up.

Pain
by Three Days Grace plays over the speakers talking about pain without love and I’m stuck for a minute, lost in the lyrics. I’ve been numb for so many years and what they say is so true. Now that I’ve had my eyes opened to love, I would rather feel this pain I’m feeling now than nothing at all.

Once back at my apartment and showered, I pick up my phone to call Jason.

“Hey, look who’s back from Paris,” Jason answers the phone as friendly as ever.

“Yup, I’m home. Thinking of heading to Vacaville today. Do you guys have plans? Can I stop by?”

“Man, we never have plans. Just these damn kids,” he laughs. “Stop by anytime. USC game is on at noon so try to make it by then and we can watch the game.”

“Sounds good. See you then.” I grab my things and head out the door.

Fall time is the best weather in San Francisco. It’s always a little warmer than the cold weather that is the summer here. I drop the top to the Mustang, knowing it will only get nicer the closer I get to Vacaville.

As I pull up to Jason and Jen’s house on the outskirts of Vacaville, Mason and Leighton come running out, tackling me once I’m out of the car.

“Hey buddies!” I wrap my arms around both of them as we all go tumbling onto the ground, laughing that I lost my balance by their attack.

We’re all laughing as Jason walks out the front door frustrated with his kids, “Boys! Really?”

I smile, trying to calm him down, “No worries man, I love these little guys.”

Jason shakes his head offering his hand to help me up. “Good to see you man. How was Paris?”

“Amazing. Sad to be back.”

“Good to hear. You and Allison work everything out or is she sick of your ass already?” he teases.

“We’re good, but man, what would my life be without drama?” I give Jason a stern look.

“Shut the fuck up. What now? Here, come in.”

We walk into the house and are greeted by Jen who’s walking down the hallway.

“Charlie! You’re back. Glad to see you.” She gives me a big hug. “Where’s Allison?”

“He was just about to tell me what’s going on with that,” Jason answers for me.

“Oh, it’s nothing like that. Well, hopefully not,” I look down, sticking my hands in my pockets.

“Ok Charlie, what’s going on?” Jen tilts her head down trying to look into my eyes just as Mason grabs my arm trying to drag me into his room. I’m not quite ready to spill everything so I smile and follow Mason into his room. “Mason, leave your Uncle Charlie alone.”

I look up to her, smiling, “It’s ok. I need some Mason time right now.”

She shrugs and walks back into the kitchen.

“Ok, well spend all the time you need. We’ll enjoy the silence out here,” Jason jokes.

Mason pulls me into his room to show me the new guitar song he learned on his electric guitar. I sit back admiring Mason and the little boy he has become. It was my idea for Mason to take guitar lessons when I bought him his first guitar for Christmas and I could not be more proud of his progress.

I show him a few tips and pick up Mason’s acoustic guitar to play along with him. Our time together melts my heart as I think of my dreams and my parents saying I had a son. My eyes start to tear up as I put down the guitar and wrap my arms around Mason.

Walking out into their living room, I feel more prepared now to fill Jason and Jen in on what’s going on. I stop at their kitchen counter, placing my hands on their black granite countertops that look out to their living room where Jason is watching the USC game.

Jen walks over to me, placing her hands on mine, “So, what’s up Charlie?”

I take a deep breath as Jason mutes the game and turns his attention to me. “So, what’s the drama now?”

“Man, things couldn’t get more screwed up.”

“With Allison?” Jen asks.

“No, we had an amazing time in Paris.”

“Yeah, I bet you did,” Jason laughs and Jen gives him a funny look.

I smirk, “Yeah, it was good,” then raise my eyebrows to Jason. “But then I got a call from her mom.”

Jen interrupts, “Your madam right?”

“My old madam,” I correct her. “Turns out Jacquelyn, the woman that caused all the drama last time, is, I guess you can say, kind of dead.”

Jason questions, “How can you be ‘kind of dead?’”

“That’s the thing…” I take a long, deep breath, “She’s pregnant and on life support.”

“Shut the fuck up,” Jason yells standing up to join us at the kitchen counter.

Jen grabs her mouth in disbelief. “And it’s yours?”

“Yes, it’s mine. Diane, Allison’s mom, thinks she did it on purpose. I was always so careful about wearing condoms and disposing of them but after I tried to quit I ended up going back one last time and I was so fucked up over having to be there that I didn’t realize I wasn’t wearing a condom until it was too late.”