Charlie
Charlie’s attention remained vaguely on his brother’s chatter as Joel rambled on to Mischa about his drama class and his mom and dad, barely pausing for breath as he launched from one story to the next.
Mischa, for her part, hadn’t appeared to move a muscle, but as Charlie glanced across at his brother, he noticed that the pair were still holding hands, and there was a softer expression on Mischa’s face, as though she was feeling less stressed.
Charlie couldn’t help but wonder how Sara had come up with the idea of using Joel to help her patient. So far, at least, Mischa seemed to be responding calmly, which was unexpected to say the least from what he’d heard about Mischa’s hysterics at the hospital the day before.
Joel seemed to be totally caught up in his story-telling, and Charlie guessed he was going to have to drag the boy away, kicking and screaming, when it was time to take Sara home.
Talking was one of Joel’s favourite pass-times, and talking to Mischa was almost like having a captive audience.
Charlie turned back to Lara and smiled. She was quite a petite little thing, with auburn hair and the same grey eyes as her sisters. Those grey eyes were currently staring at his brother, a gentle expression on her face.
“You do realise he can talk for hours.” He warned.
Lara glanced at him for the first time since they’d been left alone, and blushed.
“She seems to be responding to his voice in some way.” She nodded, looking immediately back in her sister’s direction. “I can see her eyes, and they’re smiling.”
Charlie sat up a little to get a clearer view, but he couldn’t see any change in Mischa’s eyes.
“I guess you’d be able to tell something like that, what with being so close to her. You three sisters probably know what each other is thinking.” He guessed.
“It’s not that.” Lara shook her head. “Our eyes tend to be a lighter grey when we’re happy. They darken when we get upset or angry.”
Charlie was fascinated with those eyes. Well, to be more precise, he was fascinated with Lara’s eyes.
Ever since he’d walked into the room and first caught a glimpse of her sitting quietly by the bed, he’d been startled by the way she had frozen to the spot. Her eyes had stayed locked on her younger sister for minutes, until she seemed to find the courage to glance at young Joel.
“You’re right about us being close, though. Tulli is not so many years older than Mischa and me, but a world older in maturity. She gave up everything to look after our mom and help raise us, which allowed Mischa and I to stay young for longer.” Lara explained quietly. “But there are less than two years between Mischa and I, so the two of us were always close. We’ve always done everything together, and I suppose we never needed to grow up or be particularly mature, because Tulli always did everything for us.”
“If you don’t mind me asking, how old are the two of you?” Charlie asked, unsure if he wanted to know the answer. They both looked so young!
“I don’t know the date, exactly…” Lara twisted her fingers together. “But I think I must be twenty-four now, and Mischa must be twenty-two.”
Charlie stared at Lara in shock. She was still almost seven years younger than him, but that was a whole lot older than she appeared.
“Really?” He shook his head. “I wouldn’t have said you were out of your teens by much, if at all. And Mischa looks like she should still be in high school.”
He watched the blush rise on Lara’s cheeks again.
“Like I said… Tulli taking on all the responsibility of caring for our mother, allowed Mischa and I to live life without responsibility for much longer than we should have.” Charlie watched her bite her lip. “It’s been playing on my mind for a long time. Probably since just after we were kidnapped. I regret how easy it was to let Tulli take on that burden. She should have had the chance to be young too, I think.”
“Would Tulli have wanted it any other way?” He asked. “I mean, do you think she’s ever felt resentful of the extra responsibility she took on?”
Lara shook her head adamantly.
“No, she has too good a heart to resent us for anything.” She admitted. “But that doesn’t mean we weren’t selfish, allowing her to take everything on her shoulders. Mischa and I just let her do it because it left us able to be young and carefree for longer.”
“Then I’m sure Tulli is glad of that at least.” Charlie reasoned. “Especially after what you’ve endured recently.”
Charlie watched Lara tense, but she said nothing, keeping her eyes firmly fixed on her sister.
He could have kicked himself for being so insensitive in bringing it up.
“I’m sorry, Lara.” He sighed. “I shouldn’t have mentioned it.”
Lara turned slightly to look at him straight on for the first time.
“Compared to some of the women there, Tulli, Mischa and I had it very easy. We fought back in the first few weeks, so much that they mostly left us alone after that.” She explained quietly. “We were the lucky ones, really. Except I don’t think Mischa could cope with everything that happened. She was standing right next to our parents when they were killed, so she literally saw everything up close. She was covered in their blood. What happened at the camp, well, I guess it just tipped her over the edge.”
Charlie didn’t want to imagine what they’d endured. In his years in the military, he’d been posted to some godawful places, and seen some stomach-churning sights. Whilst the sight of a man blown apart could make you lose your stomach contents in an instant, it was the violence that men showed to women that had a lasting effect on him.
He’d seen whole African villages massacred, but whereas the men had often just felt the fast, sharp blade of a warrior’s knife, what those animals would do to a woman was a hundred times worse. And much, much slower.
“At least you’re safe now.” Charlie knew it wasn’t the most original thing to say, and it was probably stating the obvious, but…
“For now…” Lara nodded, seeming lost in thought again.
“What do you mean, ‘for now’ Lara?” Charlie asked, confused by the way she’d said it. “You’re not going back there, and nobody will be coming after you.”
Lara nodded her agreement, before turning to face him.
“But what about tomorrow? Or next week?” She shrugged. “What will happen when we’re back on our own again? No father or brother to protect us. No jobs and no prospects. What then? Who’s going to take care of Mischa while we find somewhere to live? While we’re at work?”
Charlie was surprised at Lara’s bleak outlook. She should at least be celebrating her freedom for a little while.
“As far as I know, you’ll be staying here for the foreseeable future. There’s no need to worry about being homeless or finding a job just yet.” Charlie frowned. “Did nobody explain that to you.”
Lara looked puzzled.
“We’re staying here? Where is here? I have no idea where we are.” She stated, obviously confused.
“Do you remember Gregor? The man who came in with Joel and Sara when we arrived? He’s Sophia’s father. This is his house, here in Philadelphia.” Charlie explained. “He’s the man who paid for the team to go down to Colombia to find her, and he’s also the man that arranged to get you back into the country. He’s said you can stay here for as long as you need somewhere.”
“Why would he do that?” Lara countered. “He has his daughter back. Why would he allow us to intrude on his home like this?”
Charlie shrugged.
“I can’t say I really know very much about him. But my boss, Alex’s step-father, speaks very highly of him. He seems to be a genuinely good guy.” Charlie explained. “In case you were worrying, I don’t think there’s any ulterior motive. He just saw how Sophia almost ended up, in the exact same predicament you were in, and wanted to reach out and help you all.”
Lara nodded, but Charlie wasn’t sure she was convinced that Gregor’s motives were totally honourable.
A squeal from the bed had both of their heads spinning around.
“What’s the matter?” Lara jumped up, worried that Mischa had made such a strange sound.
“She’s laughing at my joke.” Joel grinned at them.
Charlie stood up to see over Joel’s head, and Mischa was definitely smiling now. And while her eyes didn’t seem entirely focused yet, they didn’t seem as cloudy as they’d been earlier.
“Really?” Lara whispered, holding Mischa’s hand.
“Really.” Joel nodded. “It took about twenty jokes before we found one she liked, but we got there in the end.”
Charlie smiled at his brother’s frankness.
“Well if anyone was going to come up with a joke Mischa would like, it was always going to be you, buddy.” He clapped his brother on the shoulder before turning to Lara. “Joel devours joke books like my mom devours her romance novels. Don’t ever ask him to tell you a joke or you’ll still be there an hour later. He knows thousands!”
Lara leaned over to take Joel’s free hand and squeezed it.
“Thank you for your patience, Joel.” She smiled at him. “I’m grateful that you told Mischa your jokes. At least we know now that my baby sister is still in there somewhere. Mischa loves to laugh, and it looks like you just reminded her of it.”
“I can come back tomorrow if you like, and make her laugh again, maybe?” Joel offered, seeming thrilled that he’d made a new friend.
“I’m not sure how that fits in with everyone else, pal.” Charlie smiled. “But I reckon, if you can cheer Mischa up as easily as you did today, then Lara and Tulli might like to see you visit with her often.”
“Definitely.” Lara nodded, a hint of a smile on her face, lightening her grey eyes.
Joel turned to Charlie with a grin.
“See? I told you I was a ladies’ man!” He said smugly, his eyes shining.
Charlie couldn’t stop the chuckle that burst out.
“Never in doubt, my man!” He smiled. “Never in doubt!”