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The girl nodded her head causing the blond curls to bounce wildly about her face. “People call him Donnie. They call my brother that too. They have the same name,” the little girl answered as she proceeded to color the feathers on her bird now that it had eyes.
Donnie had children? Wow! Now there was a shocker. She couldn't even picture him with a woman. In school he'd been the geeky nerd the other kids turned to when they needed help with their algebra. As far as she knew he never even had a date in high school. He'd taken his third cousin to the senior prom, though he refused to admit it. Obviously he had changed since then.
“This is a present for mom and dad,” the little girl said holding up her bird. “They can hang it up when we go home.”
Charlie stared at the lopsided bird with the googly eyes and colorful feathers unsure of what to say. How much did the girl understand? Did she know they might never return to the home she'd once known? She didn't know what damage her former classmate’s house had suffered but if the family was still at the shelter it must be significant.
“I'm sure they'll love it. Do you want me to write a message on it?” Charlie forced herself to smile.
The girl handed her a purple marker. “Love, Ellie.”
Charlie printed the words on the belly of the bird and handed it back.
“Thanks,” the girl said before sprinting off toward the other children.
With the departure of the little girl the craft table was empty and Charlie began to clean up the scraps of paper left behind. She tried not to think about the children playing tag further down the room. It was bad enough that the adults had lost everything but at least they understood. The children didn't. She'd overheard them talking and many seemed to think they'd be going home any day now; back to the homes they'd always lived in. It just wasn't fair. Children deserved a chance to grow up without worries or loss. There would be enough opportunities for that when they grew up. They shouldn't have to face it now.
Life isn't always fair. Charlie knew that first hand. If it was, her father wouldn't have walked out on her and Sean. Regardless these children would survive their loss just as she had. It might not be easy, then again few things in life were.
Like the old saying went, what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger? As far as Charlie was concerned, truer words had never been spoken.
After she finished cleaning up the craft supplies, Charlie crossed to the other side of the room where Lizzie was organizing a game of musical chairs. It looked as if Lizzie needed some help as she tried to explain the rules of the game to a group of children. From the expressions on their faces, Charlie guessed that they had never played before. She'd never considered musical chairs a complicated game, but the confused expressions on the children's faces told her that was strictly a matter of opinion. Just like everything else in life. “Do you want me to try explaining it?” Charlie asked.
***
“Thanks for coming with me,” Charlie said pulling into the Hamilton Mall parking lot the next afternoon. With the wedding in Newport only two days away she needed something to wear.
“I'm glad you asked,” Jessica answered. “I still can't believe Jake Sherbrooke asked you to be his date. Are you nervous?”
Charlie ran through a mental inventory of her emotions. Nervousness about meeting his family hovered around the edges of her mind while anticipation all but consumed her. Since the night on the yacht, Jake hadn't made any attempt at intimacy, yet she expected it to happen t
his weekend.
“It's only a wedding.” Charlie pulled open the door to Macy's.
Jessica stopped dead in her tracks, her eyes wide and her lips parted in surprise. “How can you say that? It's all the media is talking about. Hollywood stars and multimillionaires are going to be there. Not to mention Jake Sherbrooke is your date.”
“I didn't say I wasn't excited. Just that I'm not all that nervous,” Charlie answered with quiet emphasis. “Now are you going to help me find a dress or not?”
Jessica began moving again. “Are we looking for something blue or is that not your favorite color anymore?”
“Jake said the bridesmaids are wearing royal blue so unfortunately I need to pick something else.”
“Too bad you don't like yellow. Supposedly it's the in color this season.”
A sense of guilt pressed down on Charlie as she watched Jessica stroll between the racks of dresses. In high school they'd been the closest of friends. Over the years though she'd made little effort to stay in contact, yet Jessica still remembered what colors she preferred. Now that she had reconnected with Jessica she wouldn't let that happen again. When she returned to Virginia she would make an effort to keep in touch.
Charlie pushed the guilt away and stopped at a rack of dresses. “What do you think of this one?” Charlie held up a simple black cocktail dress.
“You can't wear black to an afternoon wedding.” Jessica grabbed the dress out of Charlie's hands and held up a floor length lilac gown. “This one would work though.”
It took them several tries but after two hours of shopping they agreed on a strapless cream-colored floor length gown with an open back. With Jessica's help Charlie choose a pair of silver heels and a silver clutch that matched the silver beading around the sweetheart neckline.
With the purchases in the car, Charlie pulled onto the highway. “Thanks for your help. I would've ended up with that black dress if it wasn't for you.”
“Any time, Charlie. You have to come in when you drop me off. I have some jewelry that'll go perfectly with that dress.”
Chapter 6
