Coming Back Home

Chapter 14: He's not worth it

HE'S NOT WORTH IT

The Denisons preferred to arrive fashionably late.

What did Charlie expect from a dramatic couple? The wait wasn't long, maybe forty-five minutes to one hour but hey, who's counting?

Charlie doesn't understand why she's so riled up to meet their client. Maybe it's because one of the client is her ex-boyfriend. Her hot sexy ex-boyfriend.

The doorbell rings and Charlie's head snaps towards its direction. The tiny flicker of hope evaporated when a short woman struts in with her ridiculously wide purse.

The ginger head huffs loudly before her eyes trials to her boss; the man currently gobbling down his second plate of food. Charlie is suddenly rethinking if it was wise that she agreed to hold the meeting in Mr. Gibson's favorite restaurant.

"Are you sure we didn't mix up the ti—" Charlie begins but her assistant immediately cut her off.

"Charlie, stop worrying. We set the time at 1 pm, they're just being stuck up." Theresa rolls her eyes before taking a long sip of her chilled water.

"Yeah, Charlie. You know how rich people are. Besides, they are the ones paying so..." Mr. Gibson shrugs.

"I guess..." Charlie mutters before she adjusts her light blue T-shirt for the umpteenth time. She fears that if she adjusts it any further, she might just tears it off her skin.

Her feet bounces unconsciously. The next doorbell, after twenty minutes, announces the arrival of their clients. It was like slow-motion. Mario's hair looks slicker than usual and his lips were a deeper shade of pink. Charlie is so grateful that the Ray-Ban covered his hypnotic eyes.

"Good afternoon. Sorry for the delay," Dora nods at them all as they settle on the empty seats around the table.

Their presence finally made Mr. Gibson press a pause on his eating. If someone can even call it that.

Theresa clears her throat before she sits upright, "No problem. It's not like you guys wasted one hour of our time, but like I said, it's no problem."

Charlie shoots her a shocked glare to which Theresa shrugs and rolls her eyes.

"Shall we begin?" Her boss intervenes.

"Yes, we shall. But before we start, can we order first? Baby, you hungry?" Jasmine pipes up and that is the first time Charlie looks at her.

She would be lying if she says Jasmine Denison isn't a stunning woman. She is "Hot-on-legs". Her curly hair was pulled in a high ponytail that make her lashes pop.

"Yes I'd love to, babe. Waiter!" Mario bellows and Charlie almost gasps from exasperation.

His voice still remained as raspy as ever. The thick southern tang wraps around each syllables deliciously.

Charlie pulls out of her reverie when Theresa's foot nudges hers. She shoots her a look which the former shoots back.

Her assistant leans in close to her ear, "Maybe you shouldn't be drilling cupid arrows into his face with your eyeballs."

A red tint covers her cheeks and someone notices this.

"Honey, do you need to go to the powder room? You look flushed," Jasmine's question pulls all attention to her and Charlie wishes to faze into the air in embarrassment.

"N-no... I mean ye—" she clears her throat, "I'm fine, thank you."

Once the orders were placed, they begin. Theresa pulls out her notepad while Charlie pulls out her phone and opens the sound recorder.

All the while, Charlie watches as Mario's lips moved with every suggestion he chipped in.

"We want the vows to be as long as f**k because I want to know how much my husband loves me," Jasmine rubs her husband's arm softly.

Well, if he loves you that much he should write his own stupid vows, Charlie thinks with a grimace.

Theresa hums before she jots down on her notepad.

"Such a beautiful union you have there. You guys look so much in love," Mr. Gibson chips in with an award-winning smile.

Suck up.

Jasmine smirks, "You can say that."

She looks at Mario, "Marrie and I love each other dearly. There might be little hiccups in our relationship but no matter who they are, we always manage to continue loving each other and that is never going to stop."

Charlie doesn't feel right when Jasmine sneaks a glance at her during her "hiccup" speech. She suddenly feels suffocated. This brings back the memory of when she first found out that Jasmine is Mario's wife.

The only option right now is the powder room!

Running out right now is not the most reasonable thing to do. It'll just plainly say that she isn't over Mario but he's not worth it. He never was.

"We'll make sure to do just that. Charlie, here, is one of our finest and I guarantee you'll get a good writeup." Her boss boasts. What's the surprise there?

"Oh. Charlie, huh? Have we met?"

Nah. Not really! I was just servicing your husband for the three years you were gone protecting our country. No biggie!

"No. I don't think so— Excuse me, I have to use the lavatory." Charlie nods politely before speedwalking to the toilet.

She walks in there in time for the first tear to drop. Then the next. Follows the next. Before she's full on sobbing in a restaurant's toilet. She is distracted that she didn't hear someone come in.

"Why are you crying?"

She gasps and turns back immediately. Mario is leaning on the doorway with his hands crossed on his chest making his pecs bulge.

"What are you doing in here? In the female's bathroom?"

"You walked out so suddenly. I had to check up on you."

Charlie furrow her brows, "Why are you doing this?"

Mario stands upright, "Doing what?"

"Acting like you care! Like your wife isn't sitting outside there wondering where her model husband his!"

Mario laughs, "That's exactly why I'm here. Jasmine was just called back two days ago. She leaves for the Army in a week's time."

"Why are you te—" a look of recognition plasters on her face, "You want... You think I'm getting back with you?"

"Well yeah," The black man shrugs.

Charlie stares at him intently. The waterworks are now dried only a look of disappointment settles in her eyes.

Disappointment in herself.

Was she so much in love that she failed to realize how dense Mario is and will always be?

She continues staring for sometime before she just shakes her head and walks past him. Or attempts to...

Mario grips her arm tightly.

"Let my hand go right now or else I'll call the security. I'm sure you remember how loud my voice can be," The ginger threatens with a low voice. She doesn't wait for Mario to release her arm before she pulls away herself.

As she walks away, she realizes;

If Deedah was here, she would have pat my back and called me a "True ass b***h".