Chapter One: Letting Go, Moving On
“I don’t
know” Brian shrugged wearily “You know how he gets when
we try” he added with a concerned tone, as Zara, his wife of
3 years, pouted sweetly on the other side of the table
“She’s
a sweet girl, there’d be no reason why he couldn’t like
her” Zara smiled sucking back on the milkshake she held
tightly in her hands
“Zar you
know what he’s like” Brian pleaded, though he knew it
was pointless once she had something planned in her mind, there
was no stopping her
“I know
he’s lonely, that egotistical rough exterior cant hide the
pain in his eyes Brian, I know he loved Melissa, but it’s
too long to keep holding on, for god sakes he’s still
looking for the person he thinks killed her, he needs to let go,
for his own sake”
“Alright,
what’s her name again?” Brian sighed, succumbing to her
plan
“Charisma”
Zara winked before looking down at her watch “Oh baby, look
I gotta go, remember 7 o’clock” she smiled sliding out
of the booth seat
“Uhuh”
Brian nodded
~ THAT NIGHT ~
“Now he’s
got a few hang up’s but generally speaking he’s a nice
guy” Zara laughed as she handed Charisma a glass of wine
“He doesn’t
know about me does he?” Charisma inquired he chocolate eyes
staring up from behind her long eyelashes
“Not
essentially” Zara sighed plopping down on the leather couch
beside Charisma
“Nick has
some issues, but I think he needs to get out there meet people,
he’s living in the past and fading away if you know what I
mean”
The sound of
the door opening cut the conversation short and Nick and Brian
wandered into the lounge.
“Hey”
Brian smiled, kissing Zara caringly
“Nick, I’d
like you to meet a girl I’ve been working with, Charisma,
this is Nick, Nick this is Charisma” Zara introduced as
Charisma stood and shook his hand
“Pleasure
to meet you Nick” she smiled, her soft pink lips curving
into a full smile
“Charisma’s
a wonderful singer” Zara smiled “and nice enough to let
me write some songs with her” she added with a grin.
It was true,
Charisma was slowly finding her feet in the music world. Her
genre was more country than anything. She was a young
looking 22, with soft brown eyes and long dark hair, which was
tied back in a low pony tail. She carried herself like a
super model, a tall 6 foot 3 inches, with legs that seemed to
reach the sky. However the shy, Californian native,
preferred for people to notice her voice first.
“Really,
how intriguing” Nick mumbled, seemingly chastising her as he
strolled past, plonking himself on the white leather couch.
“So, ah,
you must find traveling the world and amazing thing”
Charisma smiled as she sat back down
Nick shrugged
nonchalantly. “It’s what you make it” he grumbled.
He knew what Brian and Zara were doing they tried it on many
occasions in the past. They wanted him to “find
someone”, it hadn’t work in the past and it wasn’t
going to work now.
“Carter,
I need your help in the kitchen, please” Zara announced
through clenched teeth – he could be such a jerk sometimes.
“Bri can
help you” Nick remarked picking at the corner of his
thumbnail. He was pissing her off he could tell, Zara’s
green eyes would turn this funny deep blue color, and she scrunch
up her eyebrows. That look never ceased to amuse him.
“No,
Brian’s going to show Charisma the piano over there”
Zara grumbled, pointing to the baby grand in the corner, which
was Brian’s pride and joy, though he couldn’t actually
play it.
“I am?”
Brian muttered
Zara cast him
a quick, ‘do what you’re told look’ before turning
her attention back at Nick.
“Carter,
kitchen now” she sighed before turning around and walking
out into the kitchen
Nick mumbled
something to himself as he pulled himself out of the chair and
followed Zara out into the modernized kitchen.
“Are you
a complete tosser?” she muttered handing him a knife “Cut
the salad” she added
“Why yes
I am, I graduated from Tosser university a few weeks a go, so
good of you to notice” Nick replied sarcastically as he
began chopping away at the tomatoes in front of him
“Oh
ha-ha, a joke a minute. For god sakes Nick, what is your
problem, Charisma is a very nice girl” Zara sighed, she knew
this was a touchy subject but someone had to tackle it
“I'm sure
she is, but what does that have to do with me?” he
questioned staring on the carrot
“Nick, I
know how much you cared about Mel, but its time to let her go,
you cant keep living in the past”
“I can do
whatever I want”
“You can
be such a conceited annoying pathetic pig Nick, but that doesn’t
hide the fact you’re dying inside”
“How
would you know?”
“I'm a
women, its my job to pick these things up. Look Nick, just
promise me you’ll give this one a chance”
Nick sighed
subtlety as he shrugged his shoulders.
“For me?”
Zara pleaded batting her eyelashes
“You know
that trick doesn’t work on me, it only works on weak people
like Brian” Nick laughed
“Pweaseeeeee”
she continued
She was the
same age as him, with big green eyes and barely touching the
shoulder length hair, but she had this puppy dog face and
perfectly pouting lips that got him, and all the others, every
time.
“Fine”
Nick announced, giving in
Zara smiled
brightly before turning on her heals and strolling into the
dining room placing the food onto the table.
Zara was
right, it had been a long time, but he still missed Melissa more
than anyone would know. He kept most of his feelings to
himself, he didn’t tell anyone about the sleepless night,
about the reoccurring nightmares, or about the fact he was sure
this wasn’t an accident. Brian had pleaded with him
after the crash to see someone, he’d gone once or twice to a
physiatrist, but once the media got hold of that information he
swore to never be venerable to that again. He knew deep
down that perhaps it was time to let go, or to move on, but he
also knew that was going to be one of the hardest things he could
ever endure.
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