Charlie's Moving

“I think that’s the last of it,” Bella grunted as she set down the final box. She sat down and struggled to catch her breath. “Charlie, where are you?”

“I’m in the bathroom trying to fix this sink.” Charlie sighed and struggled to rise once more. Both girls knew that their new Californian condo was one dusting away from condemnation. Still, between Bella’s handy work and Charlie’s artistic vision, these shambles will soon become a home.

“What’s wrong with the sink?”

“There’s a crack in the drainpipe. I should have some pipes in my pickup, can you get that for me?”

She nodded and headed out into the blistering sun. It took some time, but the pipe presented itself to Charlie. As she locked up the truck, she saw a black car speeding into the parking lot. A man exited from it, pulling a bag that belonged to her. Fear rippled through her spine.

“You forgot this, son,” the tall muscular man informed with condescending intent. Charlie unzipped the pink, blue, and white stripped bag to see a stuffed shark inside.

“I’d figured you’d have thrown this out by now.”

“Listen kid,” the man said as he stepped closer. Charlie responded by tripping back into her lover’s Ford. “I know we didn’t see eye to eye at times. Your mom made me keep it, but I would have destroyed it. I just didn’t know how to get through to you!”

“Maybe if you only hit me harder.” Charlie scoffed. She eyed her new home hoping that Bella would wonder what’s taking her so long.

The man began to clench his fist and closed the distance between them. His voice sounded like bullet fire crashing into her ears; “I did what was best for you, and one day you’ll see that. What you’re doing here, playing dress up and who knows what, this isn’t going to last. I gave you the tools you need to make it on your own, to be your own person!”

“You don’t want me to be my own person, you just want me to be another one of your clones.”

“You’re not my clone, Charlie. You’re my son, and you always will be. This, pretending to be a girl, this isn’t you.”

“You’re not my father, so stop calling me your son!” Charlie felt years of fear and anger boil her innards alive. She couldn’t hold herself back and vomited her soul out for all to see. “A father doesn’t hit their child when they talk back! A father never forces their child to work even while they’re sick, nor do they force their child to drop out of school just because I learned things you’ll never understand!”

“Well, my father did!” Charlie’s father smugly retorted as if his generational trauma would somehow excuse his actions.

“There was a time when I looked up to you, but now all I see is that pathetic boy. You’re a menace to society. That’s what the judge said to you, huh? Yeah, I see what they meant.” The man lunged for the child and forced her back into the hot metal door.

“You’ll see what a true menace is then, if that’s what you want!”

“What the hell is going on!” Bella screamed as she ran from the building. The man backed away and spat at his daughter’s feet. He stumbled back into his car and drove away. “Who was that?”

“That was my daddy,” Charlie sobbed as she fell to the ground. She sobbed and sobbed and there was nothing Bella could do to console her. Bella just held her close, embracing their very souls. “I did it again, I always say the wrong thing!”

“That’s not true.”

“It is! He came here as an act of kindness and all I did was be so rotten to him!”

“What did you say?”

“He just wants me to be him, and I’m not! I told him… I told him he wasn’t my real dad.”

“Come on, let’s go inside. I’ll put the kettle on.”

“The stove isn’t connected to the gas!” Charlie choked out between tears.

“Then we’ll nuke the tea. Look at that, you’re making an American of me yet!” The two returned to their domicile and spent the next hour trying not to create a gas leak making tea. Their struggle paid off as they enjoyed the sweet elixir.

“So, you never told me about your dad.”

“Well, as a kid I never really got along with my siblings. Part of it was just our rivalry and the other part was my fault. I didn’t know how to communicate, and I often got in arguments and fights over basic miscommunications. Well, my mom had enough of it, so she sent me to live with her ex. At first it was great, he taught me all the things a father should do. I never had a dad, and I finally found one in him. Well, he was firm with me, but he always defended me on jobs and demanded that I be respected. He made me brave.”

“What went wrong?”

“I don’t know. It happened so slowly I didn’t even notice, but he turned mean. He would yell at me and humiliate me in front of the same people he demanded to respect me. Anytime I tried to focus on my studies he would demand that I stand by his side even when he didn’t need help. He began to treat me like a servant demanding that I bow to his every whim. The few times I didn’t, he hit me.”

“When was the last time he hit you? You need to go to the police!”

“No! I can’t do that to him!”

“That man abused you, Charlie!”

“You don’t understand…”

“Make me.”

“If he makes one more mistake, the court will take him away for the rest of his life. He’ll kill himself before that would happen, so if I report him, it would just be murder.”

“What do you mean court, is he on parole?”

“It’s not my place to talk about that. It’s just, despite all that happened…”

“You love him.”

“He’s my dad, why wouldn’t I? He taught me so much; I wouldn’t have the confidence and courage I have if it weren’t for me. He may hate it, but it’s because of him I can finally be my true self.”

“Despite all this, he still hurt you and he need to pay!”

“I left him, but it’s not right. He’ll be alone now, with no one to help him.”

“That was his own doing!”

“I can’t let him die alone, but it hurts so much to be around him.”

“Will it hurt if I’m with you?”

“Our tea’s gone cold.”

“Well, here’s the thing. I know this will make me look like the bad guy here, but you must make a choice. Do you stay here with me and the career of your dreams or go back home and live a life never knowing happiness again.”

“It’s you or him.”

“It’s life or him!”

“He gave me everything, and I am indebted to him because of it. I’ll pay him back… Not today. I choose you.” Bella showed her gratitude with a kiss when the air conditioner began wining. After a few seconds, the system shut down.

“That’s you’re department, Ms. Heat AC!” Bella referenced her former occupation under her father.

“Bella?”

“What is it love?”

“Dad drove all the way from Idaho to give me this bag.”

“He is your father, after all.”