“Hello?”
“Miss Matthias, your car is waiting downstairs when you are ready.”
“Okay, thanks.” I hang up the phone. Well, I guess that takes care of that. I leave the hotel room with one last look at the rumpled sheets and the memories of his touch.
I walk out into the lobby and out the revolving doors. I’m immediately surrounded by cameras in my face.
“Over here Charleigh!”
“Charleigh! Are you and Asher Stewart over?”
“Charleigh!! Do you have a drinking problem?
“Are you going to rehab like Michael?”
My name is being yelled out over and over multiple times. Questions are being fired at me. The paparazzi are crowding me and I’m starting to panic.
Two hotel workers come to my rescue and push through the crowd, helping get to the car. The driver has the door open and I dive into the interior. He shuts the door behind me. They are still taking pictures, but the car is tinted.
The driver gets in and pulls out into traffic.
“Miss, are you okay?”
“Yes, thank you.” I respond, even though I’m not okay. That was crazy!
“Mr. Stewart wanted me to give you this.” He says, handing me my phone.
“Thank you.” I turn it on and I’m missing a lot of phone calls and messages. I scroll through them.
There are some from Trix, some from Michael, one from my mother and one from Asher. I click on the one from Asher.
You can stay with my mother. She will love to have you. I will not be there. Michael is cutting out of rehab earlier than expected and we decided to continue with the tour we had postponed. I’m sorry about Nationals, but I will no longer be a student and I am not eligible to perform with you. Good luck finding your dreams. And… I know you don’t want to hear this, but this is what is best for you. I’m not good for you, but I do love you and I will always cherish our night together. Find some happiness.
Goodbye, Charleigh - Asher
They are leaving? They are leaving me again! I call Michael.
“Char Char!” He answers.
“What the hell is going on?”
“What?”
“You are cutting out early from rehab? Are you insane?”
“I did awesome there! The counselors even said I was good to go.”
“Michael, do not lie to me!”
“Fine, I voluntarily checked myself out. I was going crazy there! I swear I’ll be good.” He says and my heart sinks. What if he isn’t?
“Well, is Asher with you?”
“No, he is on his way to pick me up from the airport. I told him to bring you!”
“Asher is a dipshit.”
“You guys still hate each other? I thought everything was going good.”
“No, he is still an asshole.”
“I will come see you as soon as he gets me.” He says.
“He didn’t tell you?”
“Tell me what?”
“You guys are ditching me again and going on tour.”
“The hell we are!” He bellows.
While he yells his outrage with a few more choice words, I think about what happened…the drinking, the photos, Liz… suddenly it makes sense. This was Asher’s idea on how to handle the problem. That ass!!!! I interrupt Michael’s tirade.
“All I can say is I made a mistake last night. I pulled a Michael and now my face is plastered all over social media. I’m assuming this is Asher’s way of taking care of the problem. Apparently, I’m a PR nightmare.”
“That’s bullshit! All musicians have their moments and it’s fine.”
“Michael, I’m basically an unknown.” I say because it’s true.
“You are amazing and one day the world will see it. I saw the performance, Charleigh. You belong there. You became a star overnight. We need you.”
“It’s not up to me. I’ve been put in my place.”
“Hey, Asher’s here. I’m going to talk to him, and I’ll call you back later. I love you, Char Char.”
“Love you too, Mikey.”
After we hang up, I scroll through social media and the pictures are terrible. They were taken by some partygoers. I look wasted and the headings and comments are not flattering. I’m so embarrassed. How stupid am I?
We pull up to Asher’s house and I thank the driver. All my stuff is here, but I don’t plan on staying. I’m not sure where I’m going to go, but I’m done taking orders. It’s time I take charge of my life and stop relying on people to save me.
I enter the house and Tammy is in the kitchen.
“Charleigh, I’ve been waiting for you!” She says, coming towards me with her arms wide. Her hug is most welcomed, but I’m saddened for what is to come.
“Tammy, I can’t stay here.” I say.
“What do you mean? Asher said you were going to.” She says, confused.
“I can’t live next door to my mother and Tim, not after what happened. I can’t risk them taking it out on you.” I say. I’ve thought a lot about it. That’s one of the reasons, but the main one is… I can’t stay surrounded by memories of Asher.
“It’s your decision, but I want you to know, I’m always here if you need me.”
“I appreciate that and everything that you have done for me.” I say.
“I’m going to grab some of my stuff. If you don’t mind hanging on to some of it until I find a place, I would really appreciate it.”
“No problem, sweetie. Just promise to stay in touch.”
“I will.”
“This is so sad. First, it’s Asher leaving and now you.”
“So, it’s true. They are going back on tour?”
“Yeah, he broke the news to me earlier. I told him my piece of mind of course. I really wanted to see him graduate, but he is like his father. Stubborn as they come.” She says with a short laugh. I give her a smile, but it’s forced.
“I’m going to run up…” I say and she nods.
“Oh, I almost forgot. This is for you. Asher said it was payment from the concert and photoshoot. Maybe this will help you get started on your future.” She says handing me an envelope.
“Thanks.” I take it and head upstairs.
I sit down on the guestroom’s bed and open the envelope. There is a lot of cash in big bills in there. I thumb through it and take out a few thousand. I leave the rest in the envelope. I grab my bag and start packing. The last thing I do is rip out a sheet of paper from my song book. I place the book lovingly on top of my clothes in the bag.
I write a letter to my mother. I tell her that the money in the envelope is the money I owed her from the concert. I don’t say much, but it’s clear it’s a goodbye letter. I tell her to never get in touch with me again and I will do the same. When I’m finished, I put the letter in the envelope and seal it back up.
I take my bag downstairs but stop before entering the kitchen because I heard my name. Tammy is on the phone.
“Ash, honey, you are just like your father…….no, you hear me out! Pushing that girl aside because you are afraid to turn out like your father is doing the opposite. Your father always ran when times got tough. Yes, he hurt me time and time again, but you saw that. You have more compassion than he ever did. You don’t have the same problems he did. You don’t need those things to make you feel important, he did. The one thing he did have was fear. He was always afraid of never being good enough. You are acting the same way!!! You need to grab on to those you love and never let go……. honey, you are more than he ever was. You are stronger than he is. You love her so much to let her go, but have you ever thought that she is worth living for?”
She pauses and puts a hand to her forehead in frustration.
“She is leaving Asher…. no, I don’t know where she is going…… Asher, I can’t make her stay, but you could.”
“Don’t sass me!” She yells, then hushes her voice.
“You should take her with you if you are so concerned!” She says.
I love her
for being on my side, but I’m also reeling from what she said. Asher is pushing me away because he is afraid to turn into his dad? That makes no sense at all.
“Whatever. I love you, but you are being a dumb male.” She says and I hold back a laugh. I decide to make my entrance. She spots me.
“Hey, I have to go.” She says and hangs up.
“Hey, got everything?” She asks, clearly flustered.
“Are you okay?” I ask.
“Yes. I’m sorry about Asher.” She blurts out.
“It’s fine.” I say softly. It’s not, but I’m not going to bash her son to her.
“No, it’s not. That son of mine is destroying his own chance of happiness because of the mistakes of his father.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Honey, he loves you, he really does.” I shake my head.
“No, please, listen. I told you how bad it was with my husband and I. Asher decided a long time ago to never get married or have children. If he was going to be a Rockstar, he didn’t want to drag anyone through that kind of life. The kind of life where all your personal problems are broadcasted to the whole world. He saw what the rumors did to us. Some of them were rumors, but a lot of them were true. The women, especially. He saw how bad it hurt me and our relationship. He swore to never put someone through that. He believes he is sparing you from that kind of life.”
“I guess I understand, but it doesn’t make me feel any better.”
“I know. I try to tell him that since he is aware of how bad it hurts, then he would know to never put someone he loves through that. His solution is not what I had in mind, but in his… well, I guess he figures if you aren’t in his life then he would never hurt you. I don’t know, but I hope he figures it out before he loses the best thing that happened to him. And that’s you, sweetheart. I want to say don’t give up on him, but that wouldn’t be fair to you. Go live your life. I wish you the very best. I hope you find the love of a lifetime, hopefully my son, but if not, that’s okay too. You always have my support.” She says and I have never been more touched in my life.
This woman is truly amazing. I hug her with all I have. We both shed tears as we say goodbye. She follows me out the door, waving. She watches as I run over to my house. I place the envelope in the mailbox and jog away.
Tammy smiles at me and watches as I back my truck out of the driveway. My windows are down, and she says something, but I can’t hear her.
“What?” I yell out.
“Happy Early Birthday!” She yells out.
“Thank you!” I say and blow her a kiss. I leave with her waving in my rearview mirror. I grab my phone and click the contact list. I put the phone on speaker and pray she answers.
“Hello?”
“Hey, Roxy!”
“Hey, Charleigh! How are you holding up?”
“I’m okay. I was wondering if you knew of any places that would rent to me. I moved out and need something quick. I thought maybe you might have some connections.”
“Honey, I’ll do you one better. I have a spare room in my apartment! Come stay with me, rent free.”
“I can’t do that. I have money, not a lot, but I’m planning on getting a job.” I say.
“We can talk about that later.” She says and rattles off her address. I use my phone’s GPS to get me there.
Her place is in a trendy part of town and when I get upstairs, she is standing in the doorway.
“YAY!” She says and I smile. She ushers me through the door and her apartment is large.
“This is incredible.”
“The perks of my job! Unfortunately, I’m not here all that often. I travel all the time, so I’m the perfect roommate!” She says.
“This will be your room.” She says, pointing to an open door. I walk to it and peek inside. It is big with a queen-sized canopied bed. It is beautifully done in light gray and white.
“This is beautiful.”
“Thanks. It is all yours so if you want to change something, go ahead.”
“No, it’s perfect!” I exclaim.
“Come on, I’ll show you the rest.” I follow her down the hall to the bathroom.
“I have my own bathroom in my room, so you can put your stuff in this one.” She says.
“The only thing I ask is to keep the apartment somewhat clean. Your room, you can do whatever, but the rest… presentable.” She says with a laugh.
“Trust me, I understand. You don’t have to worry.”
“Also, you probably have to do your own grocery shopping. I’m hardly here so I don’t really cook. The fridge is pretty bare.”
“Okay.”
“And I think that’s it.”
“How much do you want for rent?” I ask and she gives me a look.
“I am paying.” I insist. She rolls her eyes.
“How about two hundred a month?” She offers.
“That’s really low.” I say.
“Look, take care of the place when I’m gone and cook me some dinner. You do know how to cook, right?”
“Yes, I can cook.” I say with a laugh.
“Then that seems fair to me.”
“Okay, if you are cool with that. I will be getting a job and can pay more if you need me too.”
“Perfect! I have a job ready for you!”
“What?”
“Okay, you would actually be doing me a huge favor.”
“Okay….”
“I need a model for this photo shoot that was scheduled. I was supposed to be the stylist, but this bitchy model canceled. So… everyone is freaking out and then I kind of threw your name out there and…. well…. they want you.”
“To model?”
“Yes, and trust me, after this job, everyone will want to hire you!”
“I’ll do it!”
“Yay! Awesome! I’m calling them right now.” She says, clapping her hands together.
She takes off towards the kitchen and I go to my room. I place my bag on the floor and sit on the bed. I take out my phone. I had put it on silent. I have a ton of missed calls from Michael.
I’m not ready to deal with The Orphans. I’m ready to live….
Chapter Twenty-Two
Today is my eighteenth birthday. I’m legally an adult. Finally, I am out from under my mother’s control. She cannot hurt me anymore. Tim cannot hurt me anymore. I wake up and get ready for school. I told Roxy that I was going to finish high school. I only have a few weeks left. I have an obligation to Mr. Brown as well. I’m not sure what my future will hold, but it’s the one thing I promised myself. I would graduate and do something solely for myself.
I avoid Michael’s phone calls and text messages. I know I need to talk to him, but I’m not ready. I arrive at school and catch myself looking for Asher. I know he isn’t here, but I guess it’s a habit I need to break.
The school day goes by slowly and only Trix wished me a happy birthday. My own mother didn’t even message me. I guess I should be grateful she took my note to heart. I walk into music class at the end of the day and see some depressed faces.
“I’m sure you have all heard that Asher is no longer going to be eligible to perform with us. I’ll be honest. It’s sucks, but we will be okay. Charleigh, you are soloing. You good with that?”
I thought this would happen, so I was prepared.
“Yes, that’s fine.”
I’m disappointed that I won’t get to sing our song with Asher, but I will not let Mr. Brown down.
“We have three weeks to prepare. Let’s get started with the changes.”
After class, I walk out of the school and find Michael standing by my truck. He is holding a birthday balloon and flowers. I run to him and grab him in a tight hug.
“Oh my god, I missed you.” I say with tears in my eyes. He awkwardly holds me back with his hands full.
“I missed you too! Why have you been avoiding me?” He asks. I back away from him and he hands me the balloon and flowers.
“I needed
time to get settled.”
“I heard you are no longer living with your mom or even Tammy. Where are you staying?”
“With Roxy. She was my personal stylist while you were gone.”
“You can come with us on tour.” He states.
“I have to finish high school.” I say and he nods.
“Back to where we were, but this time I’m offering, Charleigh.”
“I think I might explore some other things first.” I say.
“Do you not want to come because of Asher?”
“Yes.” I say honestly.
“Charleigh, it will be fine…”
“No, Mikey, it won’t. I love him with my whole heart. I can’t bear to see him push me away time and time again. I can’t bear to see him with other girls, and I can’t bear being around someone I can’t have twenty-four hours a day. My heart can’t handle it.”
“I hate this.” He mutters, looking down at his feet.
“Me too.”
“What’s your other options?”
“I’m doing some modeling right now. My first job is tonight, and Roxy says it’s a big deal. So, we will see.”
“Good luck with everything. Keep in touch, okay?”
“I will and Michael… no drugs, promise me.”
“I promise.” He says. He gives me another hug and tells me he loves me.
“I have to go. We are leaving in a few minutes, but I had to see you.”
“I’m glad to see you too.”
“There is someone else that would like to say goodbye.” My gut drops as Michael looks past me. I slowly turn around and Asher is standing there.
“I’ll meet you in the car.” Michael says to Asher and kisses me on the cheek.
Asher comes towards me. My heart skips a beat. He looks so handsome. His hair is blowing in the wind and he has sunglasses on so I can’t see his eyes.
“Happy Birthday, Charleigh.”
“Thanks.” I whisper. I try to tear my gaze from him, but he is like a magnetic force.
“I was worried about you.”
“Well, I’m fine.”
“I see that…. Charleigh….”
“Asher, I think you said it all in the note. I’m sorry sums it all up. I get it, okay.”
“I do love you, but I’m not the one for you.”
Lucky Me Page 20