Broken Truth

by Beth Ashworth

  Charlie flushed at his reply, feeling a tad embarrassed that she had thought about questioning him. Of course Jack and Ollie had put together to make sure they had their usual suite tonight. It had always been a ritual at Zachary’s which they looked to be continuing with or without Callum.

  “Come on,” Jack hollered as he approached the VIP hostess for the night.

  “Shots! Shots! Shots!”

  Charlie grimaced as she picked up her fourth shot in a row. She eyed the sickly green apple alcohol with disgust as her stomach started to turn nauseously. “I don’t want to drink it,” she whined.

  “Charlie! Get the fucking shot down your throat now.” Lucy banged her fist forcefully on the table, making the surrounding glasses rattle and shake in unison.

  “Jesus, okay,” she laughed, lifting the shot glass to her lips. Opening her mouth, she emptied the contents of her glass. “Ugh!” she heaved, feeling the sweet alcohol unsettling the acid in her stomach.

  Xavier slapped her back. “You are such a lightweight,” he mocked.

  She shot him a death glare, which much to her frustration, he liked.

  He cocked his head to the side and grinned merrily in her direction as he lifted a shot of Sambuca to his lips. “Bottoms up!” he declared, knocking it back in one swift motion.

  “I know I’m usually the one begging for shots, but can we not take it easy?” Amelia asked as she flicked a glance at the large platter filled with multiple shot glasses. “Clearly you have all forgotten that we actually have to go to work tomorrow?”

  “Not me!” Charlie squealed as she waved her arms in the air.

  “And why is that?” Xavier looked at her and narrowed his eyes.

  Charlie clamped her lips shut realising what she had just said. “Shit,” she mumbled under her breath as she diverted her eyes to look anywhere but at him.

  “Come on...” Xavier pressed.

  Catching Amelia’s eye from where she was perched comfortably on Jack’s lap, Charlie raised her eyes in silent question. She wasn’t sure what best to do now that she had dug herself into this gigantic hole.

  “It’s up to you?” Amelia mouthed across quickly while nobody was looking.

  A swarm of nerves fluttered and swirled uncomfortably around Charlie’s stomach.

  “Okay, okay, okay!” she said, picking up a shot glass from the tray. “I have something to tell you guys...” She watched as everyone in the small suite turned to focus on her.

  “Do we need to get a drink?” Ollie asked as he gestured to the shot in her hand.

  Charlie nodded and waited for everyone to grab a shot before she continued. “Okay, so I wanted you guys to be the first ones to know, which is why I asked you all to come out for drinks tonight.”

  “She’s up the duff!” Jack coughed discreetly into Amelia’s shoulder.

  Charlie laughed as her best friend smacked her boyfriend around the head. “Yeah right, so that’s why she has a shot in her hand and has been drinking all night,” she challenged.

  “Hey!” Jack protested as he rubbed the back of his now tender head. “I was only joking. I know she isn’t pregnant. There isn’t any need to take it out on the head,” he sulked, sticking out his bottom lip.

  “Silly, baby!” Amelia cooed as she sucked Jack’s protruding lip into her mouth.

  A chorus of groans echoed around the small suite as the two of them started to get heated.

  Charlie hollered and stamped her foot in an attempt at breaking the pair apart. “Hey!” she yelled as their kisses continued.

  Xavier grunted noisily at the sight of Jack and Amelia practically eating each other alive. “Fuck this shit!” he snapped, forcing his hands in between their bodies to prise them both apart. “I want to hear what Charlie’s got to say, so pack it in.”

  Amelia blushed and turned towards Charlie. “Whoops,” she smirked as she smoothed her fingers over her swollen lips.

  “I suppose I can carry on now that they’ve finished,” she laughed, flicking her head in the direction of Amelia and Jack. “Anyway, I wanted you all together so that you would all find out at the same time.” She sucked in a long and shaky breath. “I’m moving to Milan!” she squealed, thrusting her shot glass into the air before bringing it to her lips.

  Putting the empty glass on the table in front of her, Charlie sat down in her seat and glanced across at the expressions surrounding her.

  “Italy?” Lucy screeched as she clamoured across Ollie’s lap to sit next to her. “How did this come about? How long are you going for? Have you got a job?”

  “My boss at work asked me if I wanted to go and work in our newly opened Milan boutique for the next six to twelve months. They think it will be great experience for me,” she beamed.

  Lucy gripped her thigh. “I am so excited for you its unreal. You are going to learn so much from being out there. And you are going to be able to buy such amazing stuff!”

  Ollie’s head appeared suddenly over the top of Lucy’s shoulder. “When do you go?”

  “I told them today I wanted to go, so they have booked me on a flight for this Saturday!” Charlie exclaimed, looking around the suite to gauge their reactions. Her smile faltered instantly into sadness when she saw Xavier sitting quietly by himself.

  “Avi!”

  He lifted his head at the sound of his name.

  “Got a minute,” Charlie asked, gesturing towards the hallway.

  “Are you alright?” She approached him cautiously when they were out of earshot from the others.

  Casually leaning back with his foot propped against the wall, Xavier roughly thrust a hand through his hair in exasperation. “I can’t believe you’re leaving me!” he cried. “What am I going to do without you?”

  Charlie’s face crumpled as she saw the hurt and pain reflected in Xavier’s eyes. She always knew that witnessing his reaction first hand was going to be difficult. No matter how much she had mentally tried to prepare herself beforehand, she knew that nothing would compare to the sight of his utterly broken expression.

  “I’m sorry,” she choked. “I just couldn’t say no to this opportunity. I want you to be happy for me. Please be happy for me.” She looked into his eyes and pleaded with him to understand.

  Moisture sprung at the corners of her eyes at the sight of a small tear escaping down Xavier’s cheek. “I am happy for you. I just…” He trailed off with a sigh as he shifted his gaze to the floor. “I’ll miss you. You’re like my best friend,” he sniffed, stuffing his hands into the front pockets of his skinny jeans.

  “You’re such a weirdo,” she laughed, wiping her finger under both of her eyelids.

  His eyes snapped up to meet her stare. “That’s it, just kick me while I’m down,” he pouted, sticking his tongue out with a sly yet cocky smile.

  “Give me a cuddle,” she demanded, opening her arms and beckoning him closer.

  Placing his foot back on the floor to steady himself, Xavier closed the space between them and wrapped his arms around her waist. Charlie pressed her face into his chest and breathed in his usually reassuring scent. Instantly her nostrils recognised that something wasn’t quite right when the smell of spiced vanilla and amber infiltrated her senses.

  Suddenly alarmed, Charlie lifted her hands and pushed Xavier away from her. “That smell...” She dipped her head so that she could sniff the front of her dress that had been pressed against his chest.

  “What’s wrong?”

  Charlie’s eyes widened with abrupt realisation. She recognised the smell, but knew that it wasn’t Xavier’s usual aftershave. “Why are you wearing that?” she accused as the familiar and comforting memories of Callum rushed to the front of her mind.

  “Wearing what?” Xavier shook his head confused. “What have I done?”

  He stepped forward to comfort her, but Charlie backed away. “You smell like him,” she whispered.

  Xavier’s jaw dropped a little before he recovered himself. Lifting his hand, he slapped his forehe
ad hard. “Shit!” he muttered, realising his mistake. “Have I bought the same aftershave as Callum?” He knew that he didn’t need an answer to that question as he looked at Charlie’s crumpled face. “I can’t do anything right at the moment can I? I’d better pop to the men’s and see if there is any aftershave in there.” He offered her an apologetic smile before he headed along the hallway towards the toilets.

  “Where’s Avi?” Amelia called out as Charlie slid herself back into her seat.

  “Toilets,” she shrugged.

  Crossing her legs, Charlie placed her hands in her lap and looked over the side of the balcony at the masses of dancing people below.

  “Everything alright?” Lucy raised a questioning eyebrow as she observed Charlie’s sudden stiffness. “You look like something is bothering you,” she said, noting her standoffish body language and vacant expression.

  “Something is,” she admitted, flicking her eyes briefly in Lucy’s direction before she turned towards the dancing masses once again. “I need to get some stuff from the apartment before my flight on Saturday and I am absolutely terrified.”

  Visions of being ambushed by Callum filled her thoughts, dreams and nightmares. She couldn’t think properly without some form of memory or image being conjured in her mind. She knew that as far as actually getting over their break up... she was a long way off.

  “What time is your flight?”

  “Around one in the afternoon,” she confirmed.

  “Okay, how about we both go with you and then we drop you off at the airport?” Lucy suggested.

  “I’m not gonna let that fucker near you,” Amelia promised with a wink.

  Charlie acknowledged their offer with a small nod. Her brain was too busy to form words at that current moment as she was battling fiercely with her inner feelings. She knew that it was wrong, but a small part of her actually hoped they would run into Callum.

  Twenty Eight

  “Does he even know that you’re going to Milan... today... for twelve months?” she heard Amelia ask from behind as they walked into the lift that would take them straight up to the penthouse.

  “No.” Charlie punched the code into the keypad and felt a shiver run the entire length of her spine as the doors smoothly slid closed. The floor of the lift rumbled softly under her feet as it slowly started its climb. “He doesn’t know that I’m here and he doesn’t know that I’m leaving,” she replied, leaning back against the mirrored surface of the lift. She was nervous, but she didn’t want to let it show.

  “Well we know that he isn’t here at the moment, so you have nothing to worry about.” Lucy offered her a barely there smile which Charlie noticed held a hint of worry.

  Her friends knew just as much as she did about how unpredictable Callum could be. She knew that they were not out of the woods just because he wasn’t home. As was the same with everything that Callum did, Charlie had suspicions that there would be something planned in the event she did return to the penthouse.

  “Are you ready?” Amelia nudged her shoulder lightly as the lift came to a stop and the doors slid open before them.

  Stepping into the foyer, Charlie’s eyes locked instantly to the table positioned in the centre and noticed the usual vase of flowers missing. Casting her eyes down to the floor, she searched the immediate area until she found what she was looking for.

  “Someone has lost their temper,” she scolded, walking over to the other side of the room where the vase lay in shattered pieces on the floor. Picking out the flowers from the breakage, she placed them delicately in the centre of the foyer table.

  “Shouldn’t that have been cleaned up?” Amelia asked as they followed her through into the open plan living room and kitchen. “Okay... maybe not,” she muttered as the three of them took in the state before them.

  Charlie’s jaw dropped as she observed the sight of the living room in front of her. Multiple pieces of the sectional sofa had been tossed and left awkwardly in various places around the room, along with a littering of takeaway boxes and cans of beer. If she had to guess, she would easily estimate a good few weeks worth of half eaten food and rubbish lay scattered around the usually pristine room.

  As they stepped further forward into the centre, Charlie wrinkled her nose unpleasantly. “It fucking stinks in here,” she said, doing nothing to hide the disgust from her voice.

  She couldn’t believe that Callum had taken it upon himself to completely destroy their home and leave it in such a state for so long. She flicked her eyes towards the smashed picture frames and the broken shards that lay scattered on the floor. Bending down, Charlie picked the picture out of the shattered frame. A small lump caught in her throat as she stared at the smiling couple looking back at her.

  “Wow...” Lucy sucked in a hard breath and placed her hands on her hips. “What the fuck is he playing at,” she shrieked. “This place looks like an absolute shit hole. Surely to God he hasn’t just sat and lived like this?”

  Charlie looked up as Amelia walked up to an overturned sofa and flipped open a discarded pizza box that lay on the floor beside it.

  “Gross!” Amelia jumped away from the box and retched. “It’s fucking green!” she heaved, kicking it away with her foot.

  “Let’s just get my shit and get out of here,” Charlie said, cocking her head towards the sweeping staircases in the middle of the room.

  As they entered the master suite upstairs, Charlie wasn’t surprised to see that the mess had made its way up into the bedroom. Dirty clothes littered the floor while empty cans of fizzy pop and beer covered the bedside tables and the space beside Callum’s side of the bed.

  “I bet the dirty bastard hasn’t even changed the sheets since you left.” Lucy casually walked over to Charlie’s side of the bed and yanked the covers from the mattress. “They absolutely stink,” she grimaced as the smell lingered in a haze around her.

  “I’ll call in the cleaning crew after we leave,” Charlie explained, heading straight for her walk-in wardrobe. “Right now, we need to hurry up and get the stuff so we can get out of here. John wasn’t sure where he went earlier and he doesn’t know when he is coming back. We need to hurry up.”

  As she started to pull various items of clothing from the rails, Charlie felt a flutter of nervous energy pumping in the pit of her stomach. There was a part of her that wanted to see Callum. She wanted him to see her here, today, packing up her belongings. She wanted him to know that she wasn’t weak anymore and that he had made her stronger.

  On the other hand, there was still a part of her that didn’t want to see him. It was the secret part of her that she had locked away from the prying eyes of everyone else. It was the part of her that still held all of the hurt and the pain that Callum caused. It was the one place that she tried not to allow her mind to wander to, knowing that once she ventured in there was no way out. She knew that allowing herself into the space would create hurtful want and need. A need to be with the only man in the world who ever made her feel truly complete.

  “Calm down,” Lucy soothed, placing a reassuring arm around her shoulder. “You will end up forgetting something if you start rushing around the place like a mad woman. Let us sort out the clothes while you go and get your passport and stuff.”

  “Thank you.” Charlie smiled appreciatively as she scuttled past both Amelia and Lucy. She plonked herself on the edge of the bed and pulled open the drawer to her bedside table. Picking up the various envelopes and documents, she discarded the unopened bank and credit card statements for the time being. She didn’t need those in Milan. Right now, all she needed to get her hands on were her passport and savings book. “Aha!” she whooped as her eyes fixed firmly on the documents at the bottom of the pile.

  “Did you find them?” she heard Amelia call from the walk-in-wardrobe.

  “Yeah,” she replied, placing her passport and savings book into her handbag. “I have everything I need now, so let’s just pack up the rest of the stuff I need and get out of here.” She g
rabbed her weekend bag off of the bed and headed into the wardrobe to help both of the girls.

  “I think we have packed most of what you will need. Of course you will be able to get more stuff while you are out there.” Amelia stood with her hands on her hips checking the remaining clothes left in the wardrobe. “You have the rest of your necessities that we didn’t pack a couple of weeks ago along with the things you can’t live without, but what about the other sixty percent of your wardrobe? You aren’t seriously going to leave all of this here?”

  “I didn’t realise how much stuff you had,” Lucy said as she lightly wiped the thin sheen of sweat from her brow with the back of her hand. “I agree with Mia on this though, Charlie. I don’t think that you should leave all of this. I mean, I thought you were brave leaving it here up until now anyway.”

  “What do you mean?” Charlie asked.

  “Well... You didn’t know until the other day that Callum and Claire weren’t properly married. For all you knew, she could have come up after that night in London and thrown all of your stuff out without you even knowing!” Lucy gestured towards the multiple rails still filled with clothes. “What would you have done then, hey? You would have been royally fucked.”

  “I know Callum,” she replied. “There is no way on this earth that he would let her up here and anywhere near my stuff.

  “You might say that, but I think you dropped lucky,” Lucy replied.

  “Let’s get off this topic now so we can get out of here,” Charlie said, dropping to her knees to zip the cases up. Securely fastening the locks closed, she pushed one towards each of the girls. “I think we are done. I have my jewellery, my clothes and my documents... I think we can roll!” She got to her feet and pulled the handle up on her case.

  Amelia held up her hands to block Charlie from leaving. “Hold up,” she paused. “What are you doing with your car?”

  Charlie pursed her lips. She already knew the answer to the question as it had been playing on her mind for a few weeks. “I’m leaving it here,” she confirmed. “It was a gift from Callum at the end of the day which I no longer want. I can’t see the point of having a car when I don’t need it.”