Resurrection of Hope: Chapter 10
Ville awoke with a start, half scared by the dream. He breathed a sigh of relief when he heard her steady heart, beating strong in her chest. She was still unconscious, though, and Ville worried again. What if she didn’t wake up?
The doctor standing at the end of the bed snapped the clipboard shut, and smiled at Ville. “We would have gotten you a cot, too, Mr. Valo.”
“I didn’t want one. Wait, who else…?” the doctor moved, and Ville could see Rosalie sitting up on her temporary bed. “She awake?” she asked sleepily.
Ville answered before the doctor could speak, “No,” worry showing through in his voice. He could hear Rosalie talking, but he tuned her out because he thought he felt Charli grip him. He looked down at her as she took a deep breath and opened her eyes, immediately seeing Ville staring back at her.
“You should brush your teeth,” were her first words.
She’d immediately demanded they take the tubes out of her arms; she hated feeling sticky. Ville convinced her that they needed to be there from his place at her right side, Rosalie on her left. She stopped arguing when she’d felt the pain, then praised Ozzy that one of the annoying tubes was morphine. “They’re gonna turn me into a junkie,” she giggled. She hadn’t asked what happened, didn’t want to know, and she was awake for two hours before Keith came to ask her questions. Amy hobbled over from her room with Lauri carrying her and taking a place on Rosalie’s cot. “Hey kid,” she said to Charli, “How the hell are ya?”
Charli rolled her eyes and responded, “You know I’m older than you.”
“Yeah, but I see you as my little sister. I guess you don’t need to be protected now.”
There was silence in the room to see how Charli was going to take that. “He’s dead?” she asked cautiously, looking at Keith. “Yeah,” he confirmed slowly.
“Holy fucking shit, that’s why I can breathe!” she said, relieved.
No one questioned whether she was sad, or the elation she felt that another human being was dead. Then again, everyone in that room knew what that one person had meant to her, and they would have thought it strange if she hadn’t acted that way.
“Ville, baby, go home. I mean, go hotel. Take a shower, get some rest,” Charli said, reaching for him, after Rosalie had gone to do just that.
“No, darling, I’m fine,” Ville answered her.
“No, you’re really not,” she said, wrinkling her nose.
Ville chuckled and said, “Fine, but I’ll be back in a half hour,” as he stood to leave. When he got to the door, Charli said, “Hey,” then when he turned around to her, “Thank you for saving my life.” Ville’s weary heart flooded and he rushed back to her, taking her hand and kissing her gently but passionately, so as not to hurt her. “I’d have laid down my life to have gotten there sooner,” he said and saw tears welling up in her eyes.
“You did what you needed to do. You saved me. And Amy. She’s going to buy you lots of clothes now!” she said smiling, “You didn’t just save me from him, Ville. You saved me from loneliness, pain- though, the morphine’s doin that right now- and belief that every man is like him. I love you, too.”
He raised his eyebrows, “You heard me?”
“I’ve heard everything you’ve said to me, even the chuckle the first day I saw you, when I told the bellboy he was getting gum for a tip. You have been the one clear spot in my life since I’ve met you, the one safe home I know I’ll always have.”
Ville took a cab back to the hotel and rested his head against the back of the seat, thinking about the last two days. Hell, the last two weeks with Charli had more ups and downs than he'd had since being sober. He knew she was whimsical and spontaneous, but he never expected this being, this ethereal entity, to disrupt his life so quickly and easily. He smiled to himself, eyes still closed, thinking that he didn't really care what she'd done to his quiet, reclusive life. Having her in it made it worth all the craziness.
"Here you are, sir," the cabbie said, breaking Ville out of his introspection. He made his way inside, smiling at the attendant, and got on the elevator.
When he stepped off, he found a forensics team and a few FBI milling around; he found himself being pulled past his door and down to Charli's room unconsciously. He stopped at the taped off door and looked inside. He didn't expect to see the kind of destruction that was there. Tables overturned, blood everywhere, Charli's blood. Chairs were broken, the window he and Charli sat at the night they had their first dinner together was broken, and he could see clothes strewn about, some in tatters. He felt himself tear up again, and sobbed suddenly.
Keith made his way over to Ville, noticing him in the doorway. "Ville, you shouldn't be here," he said.
"He did this," Ville said, a statement, not a question.
"Yeah."
Ville took a deep, shaky breath and said, "You're sure he's dead? Not coming back to get her?"
"I don't see how he could. The shot to his neck sliced through his jugular and he bled to death."
Ville looked at Keith, venom for the dead man in his voice, "It was too good for him. He should have been stripped and mounted on a pike to be paraded around the country."
Keith smiled a small smile at Ville, agreeing with him. "You should get some rest. I know you have work to do, too, and I don't know much about singers, but I don't think snoring is a top album seller."
Ville chuckled, then creased his brow slightly. "Don't you and Rosalie have a daughter?" he asked him.
"Yeah, Dawn. Charli's goddaughter. She's with Rosalie's mom back in Virginia. Why do you ask?"
"I just noticed that I hadn't met a baby, and Charli's talked about her..." he said.
"Oh, yeah, Charli loves that little girl. You should see her spoil Dawn. My daughter is the best dressed kid in the country," Keith said, laughing, "Which I don't get, cause Charli hates shopping."
"Somehow, I think shopping for kid clothes soothes her," Ville said, thinking. "I'm going to go take a shower and head back to the hospital. See you around?" Ville said.
Ville didn't take long in the shower, though the hot steam soothed his aching head and the water pelting his neck massaged his muscles. He knew he was tired, but he didn't want to be away for long; he still needed to be able to see Charli in order to know she was alright. He dressed and decided he should at least stop by the studio, to tell the others why he wasn't there.
Entering the studio, Silke handed him hot coffee. "How did you know I'd be late?" he asked her.
"Tabloids. It's already all over the front pages of every magazine. Charli's name was the headline, so I didn't really expect you at all. This is just back up," she answered, taking in his dark shadowed eyes. "Are you ok?"
Ville scratched the back of his neck, sighing. "I'd be better if she'd never had to go through that, but I guess in light of the situation, I'm as good as I can be. Where is everyone?"
"They're in the mixing room. They're not expecting you either, so if you want to go, I'll tell them you stopped by," Silke said.
"No, I need to tell them what's going on," Ville said, moving to the mixing room and opening the door. The music was loud and he could hear his friends' hard work and momentarily felt bad for abandoning them. But when everyone looked up, he could see that not only did they understand, but it seemed as if they could feel his pain.
"Hey guys," he said warily.
Linde spoke up first, "How is she?"
"Doing well. She woke up this morning, joking like her usual self. But she's so... beaten. Cracked ribs, fractured skull, broken arm and leg, stitches..." Ville trailed off, feeling the tears tighten his chest again.
"Is she up for visitors?" Burton asked.
Ville looked up at him and said, "Yeah. She'd never turn anyone away, but the doctors have her on strict visitor instructions. Charli's friend Rosalie and I are the only ones who don't count as visitors; they seem to know that we will be moving into Charli's room until she gets released."
"When will that be? Do you know yet?" Linde said.
"No," Ville said, sighing, "Thanks for understanding guys. I really want to get back to her..."
"Go on," Seppo said.
"Yeah, we'll be here," Mige added.
On his way out, Silke handed him another cup of coffee. "She might enjoy this," she said and Ville smiled his thanks.
Ville walked back into the hospital room and handed Charli her coffee, placing a gentle kiss on her bruised forehead. He pulled away and saw her smiling, eyes closed. "Mmmm... I needed that," she said.
"Hey, I kissed your forehead," Rosalie said from her chair next to Charli's bed.
"Yeah, I know, but your lips feel like girl lips, and his feel like Ville lips. He's the only one with those lips. I heart those lips," she said, attempting a heart with her broken and bruised hands and grinning at Rosalie. Turning back to Ville, she said, "You were fast. Did you tell your people where you are?"
Ville nodded his head and answered, "Yes, I did. I even went in the studio to tell them."
"Oh, man, they're not gonna like me cause you're here instead of at work..." Charli said, looking guilty, "You should go to work. Right now. Go."
"Ha! No way, little enkeli. You're stuck with me now," he said grinning.
"But..." she started.
"They weren't even expecting me to stop in this morning. They send you well wishes."
"Wait. They didn't expect you? Why?" she asked, confused.
"Silke told me the tabloids got wind of the story. Though I have no idea how; it's not like we had the entire LA police force and FBI in our hotel," Ville answered sarcastically.
"Aw, crap!" Charli whined, "Damn! Ugh, I hate tabloids! Jeez!"
Her little rant over, she laid her head back on her pillow and closed her eyes, smiling. "But you know what?" she asked to no one in particular, "I don't care who reads it. I don't have to worry about hiding my whereabouts anymore."
Ville reached for her hand, and smiled in relief with her, settling in his chair while she drifted off to a morphine- induced sleep. He watched her sleep for a while when Rosalie went outside to call her mother and check on Dawn. He knew she felt safe, and he could already see, through the casts and the tape and the stitches that Charli breathed easier.
He went into Amy's room for a bit while Charli napped, and found Laurie doting on her, giving her everything she asked for. He jumped up at any slight indication that Amy wanted something, lying with her in the bed for a time, but mostly being at her side in the uncomfortable hospital chair. Ville was amused at the two. Amy had Lauri like a pet, but Ville could also see that Amy adored him.
"So, I see that going straight for a night didn't kill you," he joked.
"No, definitely not," she answered, "Lauri's definitely proved my theory wrong about men being too rough," she said, giggling at him. Lauri blushed and dipped his head shyly. "Now that's something I've never seen him do!" Ville said chuckling.
"I turned me one! I turned a lesbian straight!" Lauri said, pride in his accented voice. Amy beamed at him and responded, "Yep, and I'm never going back. Unless you're tired of me," she said to him.
"Not going to happen," Lauri said, planting a gentle kiss on Amy's cut lip. The two looked at each other, and Ville could feel their electricity, and he savored the sweet feel of a blossoming love. They would be good for each other, he decided.
Leaving the two to their intimate moment, Ville stood and stretched, returning to Charli's side where he stayed, absently watching television for the rest of the afternoon.
Charli woke around five o'clock to eat the dinner that the hospital delivered to her. She took one bite and crinkled her nose, making Ville laugh, and said simply, "Ew," pushing the plate away. "Darling, you have to eat," Ville said, guiding the plate back to her.
"You taste that and tell me to eat it," she said. "Go on. Really."
Ville stared at the plate of food, which looked like mashed potatoes and corn mixed together. He grit his teeth and took a bite, wanting to spit it out the second it touched his tongue, but for Charli's sake, smiled as he choked it down. "See?" he said brightly, "Not so bad..." Charli laughed loudly.
Ville could never figure out how she did it, but Silke showed up at just the right time again, holding food she brought in for Ville and Charli. Ville introduced them and set Charli's dinner before her, glad to see her eyes light up at her prospective dinner. Taking her first bite, she looked at Silke and said, "I know we just met, but I love you."
Silke and Ville laughed together and Ville sat back down in his chair to eat his own dinner. Charli looked at him, then the plate, then to Silke sitting in Rosalie’s chair, and said, "Maybe he needs more carbs in his diet. Put some weight on those skinny ass hips," grinning cheekily.
"Ha. If I could get him to eat sweets, I wouldn't worry so much," Silke said grinning.
Rosalie strolled into the room and sat down on her cot looking at Silke, then Charli's plate, and said, "Dinner delivery? Good. I had no idea where to go, and I know Charli wouldn't eat this gross food. I'm Rosalie," she stuck her hand out to Silke and Silke introduced herself as Ville had his mouth full of peas.
They finished eating and Charli said, "Ok, take me to the bathroom now, I need a smoke."
Silke laughed and said, "It's a hospital. I don't think they allow smoking."
"Charli's already jumped that hurdle. She somehow managed to convince the doctors that since she's not a cancer or heart patient, she can smoke. In the bathroom, with the fan on, and blowing it out the window," Rosalie explained with a small laugh and a roll of her eyes. Ville was already moving the table and about to pick Charli up. He closed the door behind him, and took advantage of their snagged private time to kiss Charli sensually. When he moved away from her, he laughed out loud because Charli's mouth was still moving in kiss, her eyes closed, and a big smile starting on her lips. She opened her eyes and said, "More," reaching to him, pulling him back. They kissed for about five minutes before Rosalie pounded on the door. "Charli, the doctor didn't clear you for sex yet, so get to smoking before the doctor rips me a new one for letting you out of bed so long."
The lovers laughed and pulled away from each other, Charli calling to the door, "Yeah... about that... since you're so good at talking people into things, ya think you could get that clearance for me?" and laughed at Rosalie's "Ew."
Just as Ville was getting Charli settled back into bed, Linde, Mige, and Burton showed up, arms full of flowers and chocolates and stuffed animals. "We didn't know what you'd like best, so we just got a bunch of stuff," Mige said after they'd been introduced.
"Thanks guys!" Charli said, enthusiasm lighting her eyes, "I'm glad we got to meet now, instead of before or later..."
"Why?" Linde asked.
"Cause, I look so bad right now, everything after this is downhill!" she said, causing everyone to laugh.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
i thrive in love...
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter 7pt1
Chapter 7pt2
Chapter Eight
The doctor standing at the end of the bed snapped the clipboard shut, and smiled at Ville. “We would have gotten you a cot, too, Mr. Valo.”
“I didn’t want one. Wait, who else…?” the doctor moved, and Ville could see Rosalie sitting up on her temporary bed. “She awake?” she asked sleepily.
Ville answered before the doctor could speak, “No,” worry showing through in his voice. He could hear Rosalie talking, but he tuned her out because he thought he felt Charli grip him. He looked down at her as she took a deep breath and opened her eyes, immediately seeing Ville staring back at her.
“You should brush your teeth,” were her first words.
She’d immediately demanded they take the tubes out of her arms; she hated feeling sticky. Ville convinced her that they needed to be there from his place at her right side, Rosalie on her left. She stopped arguing when she’d felt the pain, then praised Ozzy that one of the annoying tubes was morphine. “They’re gonna turn me into a junkie,” she giggled. She hadn’t asked what happened, didn’t want to know, and she was awake for two hours before Keith came to ask her questions. Amy hobbled over from her room with Lauri carrying her and taking a place on Rosalie’s cot. “Hey kid,” she said to Charli, “How the hell are ya?”
Charli rolled her eyes and responded, “You know I’m older than you.”
“Yeah, but I see you as my little sister. I guess you don’t need to be protected now.”
There was silence in the room to see how Charli was going to take that. “He’s dead?” she asked cautiously, looking at Keith. “Yeah,” he confirmed slowly.
“Holy fucking shit, that’s why I can breathe!” she said, relieved.
No one questioned whether she was sad, or the elation she felt that another human being was dead. Then again, everyone in that room knew what that one person had meant to her, and they would have thought it strange if she hadn’t acted that way.
“Ville, baby, go home. I mean, go hotel. Take a shower, get some rest,” Charli said, reaching for him, after Rosalie had gone to do just that.
“No, darling, I’m fine,” Ville answered her.
“No, you’re really not,” she said, wrinkling her nose.
Ville chuckled and said, “Fine, but I’ll be back in a half hour,” as he stood to leave. When he got to the door, Charli said, “Hey,” then when he turned around to her, “Thank you for saving my life.” Ville’s weary heart flooded and he rushed back to her, taking her hand and kissing her gently but passionately, so as not to hurt her. “I’d have laid down my life to have gotten there sooner,” he said and saw tears welling up in her eyes.
“You did what you needed to do. You saved me. And Amy. She’s going to buy you lots of clothes now!” she said smiling, “You didn’t just save me from him, Ville. You saved me from loneliness, pain- though, the morphine’s doin that right now- and belief that every man is like him. I love you, too.”
He raised his eyebrows, “You heard me?”
“I’ve heard everything you’ve said to me, even the chuckle the first day I saw you, when I told the bellboy he was getting gum for a tip. You have been the one clear spot in my life since I’ve met you, the one safe home I know I’ll always have.”
Ville took a cab back to the hotel and rested his head against the back of the seat, thinking about the last two days. Hell, the last two weeks with Charli had more ups and downs than he'd had since being sober. He knew she was whimsical and spontaneous, but he never expected this being, this ethereal entity, to disrupt his life so quickly and easily. He smiled to himself, eyes still closed, thinking that he didn't really care what she'd done to his quiet, reclusive life. Having her in it made it worth all the craziness.
"Here you are, sir," the cabbie said, breaking Ville out of his introspection. He made his way inside, smiling at the attendant, and got on the elevator.
When he stepped off, he found a forensics team and a few FBI milling around; he found himself being pulled past his door and down to Charli's room unconsciously. He stopped at the taped off door and looked inside. He didn't expect to see the kind of destruction that was there. Tables overturned, blood everywhere, Charli's blood. Chairs were broken, the window he and Charli sat at the night they had their first dinner together was broken, and he could see clothes strewn about, some in tatters. He felt himself tear up again, and sobbed suddenly.
Keith made his way over to Ville, noticing him in the doorway. "Ville, you shouldn't be here," he said.
"He did this," Ville said, a statement, not a question.
"Yeah."
Ville took a deep, shaky breath and said, "You're sure he's dead? Not coming back to get her?"
"I don't see how he could. The shot to his neck sliced through his jugular and he bled to death."
Ville looked at Keith, venom for the dead man in his voice, "It was too good for him. He should have been stripped and mounted on a pike to be paraded around the country."
Keith smiled a small smile at Ville, agreeing with him. "You should get some rest. I know you have work to do, too, and I don't know much about singers, but I don't think snoring is a top album seller."
Ville chuckled, then creased his brow slightly. "Don't you and Rosalie have a daughter?" he asked him.
"Yeah, Dawn. Charli's goddaughter. She's with Rosalie's mom back in Virginia. Why do you ask?"
"I just noticed that I hadn't met a baby, and Charli's talked about her..." he said.
"Oh, yeah, Charli loves that little girl. You should see her spoil Dawn. My daughter is the best dressed kid in the country," Keith said, laughing, "Which I don't get, cause Charli hates shopping."
"Somehow, I think shopping for kid clothes soothes her," Ville said, thinking. "I'm going to go take a shower and head back to the hospital. See you around?" Ville said.
Ville didn't take long in the shower, though the hot steam soothed his aching head and the water pelting his neck massaged his muscles. He knew he was tired, but he didn't want to be away for long; he still needed to be able to see Charli in order to know she was alright. He dressed and decided he should at least stop by the studio, to tell the others why he wasn't there.
Entering the studio, Silke handed him hot coffee. "How did you know I'd be late?" he asked her.
"Tabloids. It's already all over the front pages of every magazine. Charli's name was the headline, so I didn't really expect you at all. This is just back up," she answered, taking in his dark shadowed eyes. "Are you ok?"
Ville scratched the back of his neck, sighing. "I'd be better if she'd never had to go through that, but I guess in light of the situation, I'm as good as I can be. Where is everyone?"
"They're in the mixing room. They're not expecting you either, so if you want to go, I'll tell them you stopped by," Silke said.
"No, I need to tell them what's going on," Ville said, moving to the mixing room and opening the door. The music was loud and he could hear his friends' hard work and momentarily felt bad for abandoning them. But when everyone looked up, he could see that not only did they understand, but it seemed as if they could feel his pain.
"Hey guys," he said warily.
Linde spoke up first, "How is she?"
"Doing well. She woke up this morning, joking like her usual self. But she's so... beaten. Cracked ribs, fractured skull, broken arm and leg, stitches..." Ville trailed off, feeling the tears tighten his chest again.
"Is she up for visitors?" Burton asked.
Ville looked up at him and said, "Yeah. She'd never turn anyone away, but the doctors have her on strict visitor instructions. Charli's friend Rosalie and I are the only ones who don't count as visitors; they seem to know that we will be moving into Charli's room until she gets released."
"When will that be? Do you know yet?" Linde said.
"No," Ville said, sighing, "Thanks for understanding guys. I really want to get back to her..."
"Go on," Seppo said.
"Yeah, we'll be here," Mige added.
On his way out, Silke handed him another cup of coffee. "She might enjoy this," she said and Ville smiled his thanks.
Ville walked back into the hospital room and handed Charli her coffee, placing a gentle kiss on her bruised forehead. He pulled away and saw her smiling, eyes closed. "Mmmm... I needed that," she said.
"Hey, I kissed your forehead," Rosalie said from her chair next to Charli's bed.
"Yeah, I know, but your lips feel like girl lips, and his feel like Ville lips. He's the only one with those lips. I heart those lips," she said, attempting a heart with her broken and bruised hands and grinning at Rosalie. Turning back to Ville, she said, "You were fast. Did you tell your people where you are?"
Ville nodded his head and answered, "Yes, I did. I even went in the studio to tell them."
"Oh, man, they're not gonna like me cause you're here instead of at work..." Charli said, looking guilty, "You should go to work. Right now. Go."
"Ha! No way, little enkeli. You're stuck with me now," he said grinning.
"But..." she started.
"They weren't even expecting me to stop in this morning. They send you well wishes."
"Wait. They didn't expect you? Why?" she asked, confused.
"Silke told me the tabloids got wind of the story. Though I have no idea how; it's not like we had the entire LA police force and FBI in our hotel," Ville answered sarcastically.
"Aw, crap!" Charli whined, "Damn! Ugh, I hate tabloids! Jeez!"
Her little rant over, she laid her head back on her pillow and closed her eyes, smiling. "But you know what?" she asked to no one in particular, "I don't care who reads it. I don't have to worry about hiding my whereabouts anymore."
Ville reached for her hand, and smiled in relief with her, settling in his chair while she drifted off to a morphine- induced sleep. He watched her sleep for a while when Rosalie went outside to call her mother and check on Dawn. He knew she felt safe, and he could already see, through the casts and the tape and the stitches that Charli breathed easier.
He went into Amy's room for a bit while Charli napped, and found Laurie doting on her, giving her everything she asked for. He jumped up at any slight indication that Amy wanted something, lying with her in the bed for a time, but mostly being at her side in the uncomfortable hospital chair. Ville was amused at the two. Amy had Lauri like a pet, but Ville could also see that Amy adored him.
"So, I see that going straight for a night didn't kill you," he joked.
"No, definitely not," she answered, "Lauri's definitely proved my theory wrong about men being too rough," she said, giggling at him. Lauri blushed and dipped his head shyly. "Now that's something I've never seen him do!" Ville said chuckling.
"I turned me one! I turned a lesbian straight!" Lauri said, pride in his accented voice. Amy beamed at him and responded, "Yep, and I'm never going back. Unless you're tired of me," she said to him.
"Not going to happen," Lauri said, planting a gentle kiss on Amy's cut lip. The two looked at each other, and Ville could feel their electricity, and he savored the sweet feel of a blossoming love. They would be good for each other, he decided.
Leaving the two to their intimate moment, Ville stood and stretched, returning to Charli's side where he stayed, absently watching television for the rest of the afternoon.
Charli woke around five o'clock to eat the dinner that the hospital delivered to her. She took one bite and crinkled her nose, making Ville laugh, and said simply, "Ew," pushing the plate away. "Darling, you have to eat," Ville said, guiding the plate back to her.
"You taste that and tell me to eat it," she said. "Go on. Really."
Ville stared at the plate of food, which looked like mashed potatoes and corn mixed together. He grit his teeth and took a bite, wanting to spit it out the second it touched his tongue, but for Charli's sake, smiled as he choked it down. "See?" he said brightly, "Not so bad..." Charli laughed loudly.
Ville could never figure out how she did it, but Silke showed up at just the right time again, holding food she brought in for Ville and Charli. Ville introduced them and set Charli's dinner before her, glad to see her eyes light up at her prospective dinner. Taking her first bite, she looked at Silke and said, "I know we just met, but I love you."
Silke and Ville laughed together and Ville sat back down in his chair to eat his own dinner. Charli looked at him, then the plate, then to Silke sitting in Rosalie’s chair, and said, "Maybe he needs more carbs in his diet. Put some weight on those skinny ass hips," grinning cheekily.
"Ha. If I could get him to eat sweets, I wouldn't worry so much," Silke said grinning.
Rosalie strolled into the room and sat down on her cot looking at Silke, then Charli's plate, and said, "Dinner delivery? Good. I had no idea where to go, and I know Charli wouldn't eat this gross food. I'm Rosalie," she stuck her hand out to Silke and Silke introduced herself as Ville had his mouth full of peas.
They finished eating and Charli said, "Ok, take me to the bathroom now, I need a smoke."
Silke laughed and said, "It's a hospital. I don't think they allow smoking."
"Charli's already jumped that hurdle. She somehow managed to convince the doctors that since she's not a cancer or heart patient, she can smoke. In the bathroom, with the fan on, and blowing it out the window," Rosalie explained with a small laugh and a roll of her eyes. Ville was already moving the table and about to pick Charli up. He closed the door behind him, and took advantage of their snagged private time to kiss Charli sensually. When he moved away from her, he laughed out loud because Charli's mouth was still moving in kiss, her eyes closed, and a big smile starting on her lips. She opened her eyes and said, "More," reaching to him, pulling him back. They kissed for about five minutes before Rosalie pounded on the door. "Charli, the doctor didn't clear you for sex yet, so get to smoking before the doctor rips me a new one for letting you out of bed so long."
The lovers laughed and pulled away from each other, Charli calling to the door, "Yeah... about that... since you're so good at talking people into things, ya think you could get that clearance for me?" and laughed at Rosalie's "Ew."
Just as Ville was getting Charli settled back into bed, Linde, Mige, and Burton showed up, arms full of flowers and chocolates and stuffed animals. "We didn't know what you'd like best, so we just got a bunch of stuff," Mige said after they'd been introduced.
"Thanks guys!" Charli said, enthusiasm lighting her eyes, "I'm glad we got to meet now, instead of before or later..."
"Why?" Linde asked.
"Cause, I look so bad right now, everything after this is downhill!" she said, causing everyone to laugh.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
i thrive in love...
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter 7pt1
Chapter 7pt2
Chapter Eight