Page 60 of Second Chances
“MEG. ARE YOU OKAY?”Charlotte’s voice echoed through the hallway as she burst into her house.
Megan heard her friend bounding up the staircase.
“I’m okay,” she yelled from behind the closed door of the guest room.
Charlotte threw open the door anyway.
“Come in,” Megan said, putting on a fake smile for her friend.
“You’re smiling?” Charlotte asked and then sat down on the bed. “I thought that I saw some blood out there. I guess it belonged to Alex?”
“Actually, it was me, my hands feel like a pincushion,” she said, holding up her swollen hands.
“What happened?” Charlotte’s eyes were wide as she held up Megan’s hand, inspecting the damage. “Are these from the thorns? Did you beat Alex over the head with those corner store roses?”
“I did. Oh, Char. It felt so good, but it was so bad.”
“Tell me everything,” Charlotte said, holding Megan’s hands gingerly in her own.
Megan told her the whole story, Alex’s weak attempt to get her back, his confession about his fertility, how he seemed genuine and then turned around and was a complete asshole. How he told her she deserved the money one minute, and the next, how he told her she’d never see a red cent.
“What an asshole,” Charlotte gasped when Megan finished the story.
“And then I beat him over the head with the roses.”
“As one should.” Charlotte squeezed her shoulders.
Megan sighed and then smiled at Charlotte. “You know what? A couple of months ago this would’ve ruined me.”
“I know.”
“But I know that I’m going to be okay. And I owe that to you. Thank you for helping me.”
Charlotte’s eyes welled up with tears and her voice was shaking, “You’re practically family Megan. I would do anything for you. But you know what? You did this yourself. You picked yourself up and built a powerful and independent Megan. I’ve seen a huge change in you. It was all you – and I think you may have had a little help from certain blue eyed local.”
“Oh that. Well, I royally f-ed that up.”
“Do you want to tell me what happened there? We were just getting into it when that no-good ex of yours showed up.”
Megan sighed and pulled her knees up to her chest. “I told Josh the truth about who I am, that I don’t own the café, or this house.”
“Yeah, we got that far in the story.”
“I didn’t tell him who you were, are... He pushed, he didn’t understand why I had lied to him. I couldn’t betray your secret, Char. I couldn’t tell him the whole truth, and when I refused, he was pissed. And rightfully so. I get it. I know what it’s like to be lied to.”
“Oh, I see.” Charlotte’s voice was uncharacteristically quiet. “You were protecting me.”
“I guess I was. I should never have said anything. Actually, I should never have agreed to the façade in the first place.”
“And I should never have asked you.” Charlotte stood up.
“Where are you going?” Meg slid to the edge of the bed and put her feet on the floor.
“Come with me Meg. There’s something I need to show you.”
Meg stood and followed Charlotte down the hallway and into her office. Meg had never been in the office and was surprised at how hard and modern the space was, like a mission control centre. It was in stark contrast to the feminine and rustic style of the rest of the house. Two big screens sat on her desk, there were huge maps lining the walls with pins pushed onto addresses, Megan assumed locations of where Charlotte had sold homes. The walls were filled with white boards covered with numbers and goals.
“This is quite the man cave,” Megan said.
