Page 67 of The Devil in Blue Jeans
Charly shut her eyes, feeling relief at his insistence. She needed her people around her, regardless if they fussed over her.
“Charly.”
She snapped open her eyes and peered toward the door. Her heart sank when she saw Marcel’s sister, Mia. She was five years younger than Marcel, but had his dark brown hair, dark eyes and olive complexion. Her red-rimmed eyes and blotchy skin showed that she had cried the entire flight there. Now her gaze fixed on her brother in the hospital bed—every ounce of color drained from her face as she surveyed him with horror.
“Dad,” Charly began, “Mia is here. I must go.”
“Of course,” came his reply, “we’ll see you soon. Love you.”
“Love you, bye,” Charly said, ending the call.
“I...” Mia’s breath hitched and then she burst out sobbing.
Charly was on her feet in a second, embracing Mia tightly. Even though she trembled and sobbed, the room was silent apart from them as they clung together until Charly gently parted away when Mia regained her composure.
Charly took Mia’s hand. “Have you called your parents?” she asked.
“Yes,” Mia said with a slow nod, “but they’re on a cruise and won’t be back in the port in Greece until tomorrow.”
“You don’t have to be alone,” Charly reassured her, as something close to panic overtook Mia’s expression, “I’ll stay here with you.”
Mia nodded gratefully, stepping away to stand beside her brother’s bed, looking uncertain where to even touch him. “What did the doctor say?” she asked Charly softly, without glancing back at her.
“That she wanted to talk to the family,” was Charly’s careful response.
The look on the doctor’s face when Charly first arrived at the hospital told her all she needed to know—the machine was keeping Marcel alive. The moment they turned it off, he would die.
“I understand,” Mia stated, her voice trembling. She sat down on the bed near his legs. A long, heavy sighed passed through her lips. “I know he regretted hurting you. He probably would have carried that guilt for the rest of his life.” Her voice faltered before she continued, “Though, he didn’t deserve this.”
“Of course, he didn’t,” Charly agreed helplessly. “Marcel made a bad judgement, but that doesn’t make him a terrible person.”
Glancing over her shoulder, Mia asked, “Do you forgive him?”
“I do,” Charly said, giving a smile that felt honest and real through the tears. “Our paths ended, and that’s okay. We had many wonderful memories together. I won’t forget them.”
Mia’s breath hitched and tears flooded her cheeks.
Charly knew why—Marcel hadn’t only hurt Charly, he had hurt his entire family who had grown to love Charly as part of their family.
Before Charly could say more, helping Mia find the same peace Charly had found, a cry of anguish echoed as the door squeaked open.
Charly couldn’t move, shocked to see one of the last people she ever expected.
Mia immediately leaped up and threw herself at Hannah tightly. In that moment, Charly realized that Hannah had not just been a fling to Marcel.
Hannah wailed loudly, moving closer to Marcel on the bed as tears coursed down her face.
Charly couldn’t look anymore, the pain pouring from Hannah was unbearable to witness. Instead, she shut her eyes against the overpowering sadness radiating from both women. Her heart felt like it had shattered into a million pieces, yet a truth hit her she could not ignore: she did not belong there anymore.
Forcing herself, she approached Mia, embracing her tightly in comfort. “I’m so sorry this happened to him,” she murmured quietly. She glanced at Hannah, the woman whom Charly once wanted to wish horrible things upon, only to find Hannah staring back with red-ringed eyes full of despair. “It is so unfair.” Glancing at Mia again, she added, “If you need me, call me.”
“Thank you,” said Mia, and Charly hugged her one last time.
She gave Hannah one final look as she wept, lying across Marcel’s chest. The same woman who had been involved in ruining Charly’s life, but only compassion overwhelmed Charly now. No one deserves this kind of pain.
Before she made it out the door, Hannah said, “Thank you, Charly. Thank you for being here for him.”
Charly felt a warm comfort slide through her as she glanced over her shoulder. She had made peace with Marcel, and now she felt it was time to make peace with Hannah too. “I’m sorry that you’ve lost him,” she said, before turning away and heading out the door.
