Charlotte

Some find home in a big city with bright lights. others seek home in the middle of know where, with a clear night sky, far away from the city lights. I have know home, i do not seek a home in the city nor in the fresh air of a county road. I have no place where I belong, no small town where people know too much, or a big city where people don't know me at all. All I long for is a place I call home.

From down here you see no light but the sirens of police cars. People know you by only what you sell or in my case the girl from the penthouse. I have lived in the place of their dreams and I had to leave because of 4 words, not spoken words just a letter on a napkin. Quit! I can be stuck in my past, i have to focus on now. i have no money, no home, and no friends. Just one small boy, my one and only companion. I made it my mission to keep him away from the rest of this town. I know they will take him away from me like my mother took my life from me.
“Charlotte?” The sound of his shy voice brings me back to the present. “Whats for dinner?”
“I don't know, we might have to skip tonight, we ate yesterday,” This is the longest i gone without a shopping trip, much less food. “:I know you're hungry, I am too.”
“Okay, my tummy hurts.Um, do you think we can use this to get food?”
I look down and see a $50 bill in his grimy 7 year old hand, I don't know if I should use it. Dad always gave the money he finds to homeless shelters, and told me never to take the money and use it from my own personal needs, but we are the charity now.
“ What do you want to eat?”

We arrive at the grocery store, and Kyle's eyes get as large as dinner plates. I guess he has never seen so much food in one place. We start to look around at some of the pre-made meals. I hold up 2 mac-n-cheese meals and look at him.

“What’s that?”

“ it;s mac-n-cheese, you’ll like it.”

“Kyle! Hey buddy, how are you? I’ve got you candy. want some?” a tall boy, about 19, with the same eyes as kyle asks.


Caleb
I’m glad the the girl from the penthouse has taken Kyle under her wing, but wonder how she handle me giving Kyle his meds. She probably thinks i’m drugging him, but i not, well sort of, it’s prescribed allergy meds from our mom. I can do it directly because if they see me with him and caring for him then they will not only hurt me but him and revealing him to my dark past is too much he is too little to know.
“Kyle lets go pay,” she pulls him to the redisture then outside to a bench.
I need to give him his meds for the week. there was a large gasp and wheezing and Charlottes scream as Kyle falls to the ground. I run up and put his meds down his throat.


Mathew
Charlotte looks at Caleb angrily up at him and claws his arm, until Kyle open his eyes and gasped. She look at him tears in her eyes, then up at the older boy awe and a hint of suspicion in her teary eyes.
“H-how did you do that?”
“What? oh he has allergies and needs the meds I give him. mom was like that too.”
“Mom… Caleb, what are you talking about? My mom is dead,” the small boy, Kyle, asked with lack of breath in his voice. “How do you know my mom?”

“Well Kyle, we have the same mom, when my dad left we were alone, then she, um, well she meet you dad and then you were born, they, the doctors, saw that you would have severe allergies like mom and they gave her the prescription. She didn’t take her meds that day and she had an attack. I’ve been giving you your meds since you were born.”

“So you his brother? That explains why you're always around him.”

“I have a big brother?! this is the best day of my life! Can you come over to our boxes now? Please, Charlotte can he, can he?! Caleb please say yes!!!”

“umm if it’s okay with Charlotte, Charlotte?”

“Sure, come stay with us if you have no better place to be.”



Charlotte
I’m not so sure about bringing him to our home, boxes, but never the less i saw the way he looked at Kyle and saw that he would never do anything to hurt him. once we reached the boxes i hear the wail of a 40 year old devil. I tell them to go inside and wait for me.

“Hunny!! Oh how I’ve missed you so much!”

“Mom? I thought-”

“It took me so long to find you! I missed, why in the world did you choose this part of the amazing New York City? Who where your friends there?”

“Mom I thought you moved to LA with, who was it? I don't care, what are you doing here?”


Caleb
Outside we hear Charlotte and her mom arguing loudly, i think it’s about her mom leaving her and moving to LA with her boyfriend, or something. I show Kyle some card tricks to keep him from listening to them argue. I hear all about her backstory and how her dad was kicked out because he was gay and how her dad is the only parent she wants.
“Mom! Dad is perfectly fine!! HE actually remembers my birthday! But you on the other hand, you are the most stereotypical-”
“Don't you dare finish that sentence young lady! I am your mother you have to listen to me! Come on we’re leaving!”
“Mom I don't have to listen to you because you disowned me when you left, and now you need to leave!”
“but sweaty I just got here and-”
“Don't sweaty me. leave.”
“no, let me get you something for your birthday.”
“how about you leave for my birthday and never come looking for me again. now GET OUT OF HERE!”


“You really want me to go?”

“yes”

Charlotte comes in and tells us to pack up and leave because we are moving.

“Where Charlotte?” Kyle asks tentatively.

“I think my da is either her in Georgia. I think my dad is there.’


Mathew
Charlotte hold up one of the mothers many credit card and gets lots of clothes, luggage, and plane tickets for the three of them to go to Georgia. At the boarding they all got on with a glimmer of excitement and fear of the unknown in there eyes. For both of the boys the full duration of the flight they where looking out the window with awe in their enormous eyes.

“We are landing in Atlanta Georgia, at 5:30 pm the weather is 65 degrees. We hope that you have safe travels and thank you for flying Jetblue.”

they all got off the plane and got their rent-a-car and drove to a small town called Avera where Charlotte thinks her Dad is in. After a few months of asking around she gave up and they all settled into a small house in the middle of the woods. They kept away from the scrutinizing 201 eyes of the towns people.


Charlotte

I guess I still don't have a home, I’m not in a city of lights but in a small town in Georgia where there are the eyes on us and they pry for information. I still have no home but i think I have come to peace with that and now I wish for my family to come. I think that once you let one wish go there in another that replaces it in your heart. I don't seek a home but a family to make a home with I am never homeless not even when i lived in boxes, because I am at home with the laugh of the now 8 year old boy the smile from the other boy who makes me feel at home when we were on the road. I find my home in hugs they give me when I feel like I can't go on. I find home in the hope that I will find my dad someday. I will never be homeless, because I have found my way home.


Epilogue


Charlotte
It’s been 4 years since we got here. We never got mail in all these 4 years not one, until today. Kyle and Caleb come running in with a fat letter addressed to me. I open it with shaking fingers.




March 13,20117
Dear Charlotte,

I know it’s late to be sending you a letter but I couldn't because you had no address. Now that you do here I am writing you one. I miss you and I hope you don't let your mother take control of your life like she did mine. I hope that you got the money from use that day you met Calbe, I know we should have come and seen you but we knew that this would bring him into your life and that he would help you and kyle survive.I hope you are safe and happy down in the south. I know you hate humidity, you're like me in that way. I well if you were wondering. Me and Ryan are good we really enjoy going out on Friday. How are you, have you met anyone yet? I hope if you do you know that I will have to meet him and approve, She will don't worry, we approve! sorry that was Ryan interrupting my first letter to you in forever. Well we just gave you a heads up and tell you we are coming down to see you next week so you better have your house neat or you know that, well you don't know cause you haven't met him but you’ll see, that Ryan will clean up for you, so if you don't want the house to make him go into overdrive obsessive cleaning HEY I don't do that Dont deny it Ryan! Anyway Love you sooo much Char!
Love,
Mathew, I mean Dad
are you forgetting someone?
Love Ryan!


I feel tears running down my face, my body filled with joy. This is the first word from my father in 8 years. I call in Caleb and Kyle and tell them the good news.

My family has finally come to make me whole again.