Violence of Summer, chapter 45
August 2003
"Three long years... and your favourite man...Is that any way to say hello? And you hold me... Like you'll never let me go" - Cut Here - The Cure
Tre knocked on the door and as each second passed he could feel his nerves become more and more tense as he stood patiently on the door step of the house he had never stepped foot in before. Tre stood still as the door knob turned slowly as if the person on the other side was struggling to get it open. He stayed put as the door opened slowly and he saw no one in front of him. Lowering his head, a lump formed in his throat as he was faced with a small four year old girl staring back at him with big brown eyes. The little girl held onto the door as Tre smiled nervously. It was almost as if he was looking at a mini Charlie...her golden brown hair fell neatly onto her small shoulders as her small hand held a brown and worn out teddy bear that brushed against the pink frilly dress she was wearing.
"Are you here to see my mommy?" the girl suddenly asked in a sweet voice.
"Uuh...yeah I am, is she in?" Tre stuttered feeling his knees go weak.
The mini Charlie at Tre's feet nodded her head as she turned her head round still holding onto the door. "MOMMY!" she screamed at the top of her lungs making Tre jump slightly. "THERE'S A MAN AT THE DOOR TO SEE YOU!"
"Jesus Christ, Ashleigh, you don't have to tell the whole neighborhood!"
Tre felt his hands get sweaty hearing the sound of her voice after so long as he heard her footsteps get closer to the door. The door opened wide and when Charlie looked up from her daughter to see Tre on her doorstep her face fell and she froze.
"Hi... " Tre breathed just about being able to force out a word. She had changed - but not so much. She still looked so young... Her hair was longer he could tell from it just being up in a high pony tail. It was almost back to its natural color from when he first remembered it - light golden brown. She looked tired none the less, but he couldn't get over the fact that she was now definitely... a woman. She had filled out and thinned out in all the right places as she stood in front of him wearing a pair of pale blue tight fitted jeans and a white tank top.
He was completely thrown of guard when she came forward and threw her arms around his neck. Tre said nothing just wrapped his arms around her waist as she held him closer. The feel of her body this close and her scent just brought back so much for him it was almost too much to take in one go.
Charlie closed her eyes and breathed into his neck. She pulled away from him and smiled nervously.
"I take it you're happy to see me then right?" Tre asked as he laughed half heartedly.
"It's just an unexpected surprise," Charlie said quite honestly. She opened the door wider and stepped back into the house. "I think you should come in..." she trailed.
Ashleigh ran over to her holding on to her leg as she looked from her mother to the stranger that entered her house as a million questions ran through the young child's mind. Charlie picked Ashleigh up and looked at Tre indicating for him to follow her down the corridor. Ashleigh watched Tre follow them into the kitchen as he looked at his surroundings.
"Ashleigh, go watch some TV for a second okay... " Charlie said putting Ashleigh down on the floor kneeling down in front of her.
"But mommy I want to stay with you... " Ashleigh said quietly glimpsing up at Tre then back at her mother holding her teddy tighter.
"Ashleigh for two minutes please? I need some time to talk to my friend... "
Ashleigh nodded obeying Charlie as she turned around and walked into the living room leaving Charlie and Tre alone in the kitchen.
Charlie got back onto her feet as Tre turned to look at her and waited for her to say something. Instead she raised her hand and slapped Tre round the face bitterly.
"That's for never coming to visit me all those times you were in the city," Charlie said coldly. Tre just looked her, stunned as she raised her hand and slapped him round the face again. "That's for being such a jerk." Tre stepped away from Charlie as she took another step towards him and slapped him again this time even harder than the last two as Tre hissed and held onto the side she had just slapped.
"And what was that one for!?" he asked rubbing his cheek. Charlie just shrugged and leaned against the counter looking at the sink avoiding Tre's gaze. "I'm sorry... " Tre muttered.
"Is that it?" Charlie said loudly looking back at him as he opened his mouth. "Is that what you came here to tell me? That you were sorry? What are doing here!? You're not touring, you're not even supposed to be in the state! Why are you here?"
Tre shut his mouth and looked at the floor shaking his head not knowing what to say as he tried to force back the lump that was forming in his throat.
"Mike called me the other day and said that you and the guys haven't talked to each other in almost a year... " Charlie said in a completely different tone. Tre looked up at the twenty eight year old letting out a deep breath. "What happened?" she asked quietly.
"Nothing happened." Tre shrugged going over to the counter next to the fridge leaning against it stuffing his hands in his pockets. "We just... stopped talking to each other."
"You don't just stop talking to each other Tre." Charlie said turning to face him. "What happened?" she asked persuasively.
"Well that's the thing. Nothing happened Chaz we just...stopped talking to each other. I don't know we just fell out...Green Day is over."
Charlie looked at Tre for a long time. He had changed so much in three years. She almost didn't recognize him. He didn't have that quirky look in his eyes, the cheekiness in his face, no, he just looked tired, worn out.
"So, why are you here?" Charlie asked after a few moments of silence.
Tre watched Charlie open the fridge as he stuffed his hands in his pockets leaning against the counter. "This is a really nice place," He stated avoiding the question.
"Stop avoiding the situation," Charlie said getting two glasses from the washing rack. "Just answer my question."
"I just felt like it was time," Tre sighed. "I've been kinda weirded out lately you know? Coming back off tour and stuff... things have just gotten awkward." Charlie poured Tre and herself both a drink handing him the glass. "So how have you been?"
Charlie laughed at Tre shaking her head. "You come back after three years of no contact and ask me 'how I've been?' like you spoke to me yesterday on the phone!? What is this?"
"What the fuck Chaz. It wasn't my decision to move to New York okay. Don't take this out on me." Tre said putting his glass down.
"Is that why you didn't contact me? 'Cause you were still pissed I moved?"
"Yes!" Tre snapped. Charlie dropped her shoulders staring at him.
"Really?"
"Yes really. You just fucked off when all of us were going through shit. I was angry. It faded after a while but then it was a month since we hadn't talked, then a month turns into a year and before you know I haven't talked to or seen you in three years. It just doesn't work Charlotte. You really fucking hurt me." Tre crossed his arms over his chest avoiding looking at her watching her face in the corner of his eyes.
"It hurt me too, you know." Charlie whispered.
Tre looked up at her breathing in heavily. He put out a hand for her to take raising his eyebrows. "Look I came here to make things right again. I know I said something's that made you feel worse about yourself and I'm sorry yeah? Let's just put that all in the past. I did a little bit of growing up... "
Charlie smiled slightly taking Tre's hand as he pulled her in for a hug. She held him tighter than before breathing in heavily. "Oh god, it's so good to see you again Tre," She said resting her head against his chest. She started getting teary eyed as Tre pulled away looking at her face.
"Hey c'mon, don't start cryin' on me again," He joked wiping the tears from her cheeks. Charlie giggled sniffling slightly.
After Charlie had finally pulled herself together Tre looked over at the little girl sitting in the middle of the front room drawing on large pieces of paper with colored crayons.
"I can't believe how much she's grown... " Tre whispered. Charlie looked over at Ashleigh and smiled brightly.
"Yeah I know. She changes everyday."
"She's so you, it's un-believable." Tre said leaning against the kitchen counter.
"I don't know where she get's all that energy from though. I was so shy when I was little, that's definitely not from my side... "
Tre turned his head back to look at Charlie as she smiled at him. "It's gonna be really nice having you around." She said quietly.
Tre said nothing just looked at the woman standing opposite him as a smile curled onto his face. However long it takes to get you back Charlie...
"Three long years... and your favourite man...Is that any way to say hello? And you hold me... Like you'll never let me go" - Cut Here - The Cure
Tre knocked on the door and as each second passed he could feel his nerves become more and more tense as he stood patiently on the door step of the house he had never stepped foot in before. Tre stood still as the door knob turned slowly as if the person on the other side was struggling to get it open. He stayed put as the door opened slowly and he saw no one in front of him. Lowering his head, a lump formed in his throat as he was faced with a small four year old girl staring back at him with big brown eyes. The little girl held onto the door as Tre smiled nervously. It was almost as if he was looking at a mini Charlie...her golden brown hair fell neatly onto her small shoulders as her small hand held a brown and worn out teddy bear that brushed against the pink frilly dress she was wearing.
"Are you here to see my mommy?" the girl suddenly asked in a sweet voice.
"Uuh...yeah I am, is she in?" Tre stuttered feeling his knees go weak.
The mini Charlie at Tre's feet nodded her head as she turned her head round still holding onto the door. "MOMMY!" she screamed at the top of her lungs making Tre jump slightly. "THERE'S A MAN AT THE DOOR TO SEE YOU!"
"Jesus Christ, Ashleigh, you don't have to tell the whole neighborhood!"
Tre felt his hands get sweaty hearing the sound of her voice after so long as he heard her footsteps get closer to the door. The door opened wide and when Charlie looked up from her daughter to see Tre on her doorstep her face fell and she froze.
"Hi... " Tre breathed just about being able to force out a word. She had changed - but not so much. She still looked so young... Her hair was longer he could tell from it just being up in a high pony tail. It was almost back to its natural color from when he first remembered it - light golden brown. She looked tired none the less, but he couldn't get over the fact that she was now definitely... a woman. She had filled out and thinned out in all the right places as she stood in front of him wearing a pair of pale blue tight fitted jeans and a white tank top.
He was completely thrown of guard when she came forward and threw her arms around his neck. Tre said nothing just wrapped his arms around her waist as she held him closer. The feel of her body this close and her scent just brought back so much for him it was almost too much to take in one go.
Charlie closed her eyes and breathed into his neck. She pulled away from him and smiled nervously.
"I take it you're happy to see me then right?" Tre asked as he laughed half heartedly.
"It's just an unexpected surprise," Charlie said quite honestly. She opened the door wider and stepped back into the house. "I think you should come in..." she trailed.
Ashleigh ran over to her holding on to her leg as she looked from her mother to the stranger that entered her house as a million questions ran through the young child's mind. Charlie picked Ashleigh up and looked at Tre indicating for him to follow her down the corridor. Ashleigh watched Tre follow them into the kitchen as he looked at his surroundings.
"Ashleigh, go watch some TV for a second okay... " Charlie said putting Ashleigh down on the floor kneeling down in front of her.
"But mommy I want to stay with you... " Ashleigh said quietly glimpsing up at Tre then back at her mother holding her teddy tighter.
"Ashleigh for two minutes please? I need some time to talk to my friend... "
Ashleigh nodded obeying Charlie as she turned around and walked into the living room leaving Charlie and Tre alone in the kitchen.
Charlie got back onto her feet as Tre turned to look at her and waited for her to say something. Instead she raised her hand and slapped Tre round the face bitterly.
"That's for never coming to visit me all those times you were in the city," Charlie said coldly. Tre just looked her, stunned as she raised her hand and slapped him round the face again. "That's for being such a jerk." Tre stepped away from Charlie as she took another step towards him and slapped him again this time even harder than the last two as Tre hissed and held onto the side she had just slapped.
"And what was that one for!?" he asked rubbing his cheek. Charlie just shrugged and leaned against the counter looking at the sink avoiding Tre's gaze. "I'm sorry... " Tre muttered.
"Is that it?" Charlie said loudly looking back at him as he opened his mouth. "Is that what you came here to tell me? That you were sorry? What are doing here!? You're not touring, you're not even supposed to be in the state! Why are you here?"
Tre shut his mouth and looked at the floor shaking his head not knowing what to say as he tried to force back the lump that was forming in his throat.
"Mike called me the other day and said that you and the guys haven't talked to each other in almost a year... " Charlie said in a completely different tone. Tre looked up at the twenty eight year old letting out a deep breath. "What happened?" she asked quietly.
"Nothing happened." Tre shrugged going over to the counter next to the fridge leaning against it stuffing his hands in his pockets. "We just... stopped talking to each other."
"You don't just stop talking to each other Tre." Charlie said turning to face him. "What happened?" she asked persuasively.
"Well that's the thing. Nothing happened Chaz we just...stopped talking to each other. I don't know we just fell out...Green Day is over."
Charlie looked at Tre for a long time. He had changed so much in three years. She almost didn't recognize him. He didn't have that quirky look in his eyes, the cheekiness in his face, no, he just looked tired, worn out.
"So, why are you here?" Charlie asked after a few moments of silence.
Tre watched Charlie open the fridge as he stuffed his hands in his pockets leaning against the counter. "This is a really nice place," He stated avoiding the question.
"Stop avoiding the situation," Charlie said getting two glasses from the washing rack. "Just answer my question."
"I just felt like it was time," Tre sighed. "I've been kinda weirded out lately you know? Coming back off tour and stuff... things have just gotten awkward." Charlie poured Tre and herself both a drink handing him the glass. "So how have you been?"
Charlie laughed at Tre shaking her head. "You come back after three years of no contact and ask me 'how I've been?' like you spoke to me yesterday on the phone!? What is this?"
"What the fuck Chaz. It wasn't my decision to move to New York okay. Don't take this out on me." Tre said putting his glass down.
"Is that why you didn't contact me? 'Cause you were still pissed I moved?"
"Yes!" Tre snapped. Charlie dropped her shoulders staring at him.
"Really?"
"Yes really. You just fucked off when all of us were going through shit. I was angry. It faded after a while but then it was a month since we hadn't talked, then a month turns into a year and before you know I haven't talked to or seen you in three years. It just doesn't work Charlotte. You really fucking hurt me." Tre crossed his arms over his chest avoiding looking at her watching her face in the corner of his eyes.
"It hurt me too, you know." Charlie whispered.
Tre looked up at her breathing in heavily. He put out a hand for her to take raising his eyebrows. "Look I came here to make things right again. I know I said something's that made you feel worse about yourself and I'm sorry yeah? Let's just put that all in the past. I did a little bit of growing up... "
Charlie smiled slightly taking Tre's hand as he pulled her in for a hug. She held him tighter than before breathing in heavily. "Oh god, it's so good to see you again Tre," She said resting her head against his chest. She started getting teary eyed as Tre pulled away looking at her face.
"Hey c'mon, don't start cryin' on me again," He joked wiping the tears from her cheeks. Charlie giggled sniffling slightly.
After Charlie had finally pulled herself together Tre looked over at the little girl sitting in the middle of the front room drawing on large pieces of paper with colored crayons.
"I can't believe how much she's grown... " Tre whispered. Charlie looked over at Ashleigh and smiled brightly.
"Yeah I know. She changes everyday."
"She's so you, it's un-believable." Tre said leaning against the kitchen counter.
"I don't know where she get's all that energy from though. I was so shy when I was little, that's definitely not from my side... "
Tre turned his head back to look at Charlie as she smiled at him. "It's gonna be really nice having you around." She said quietly.
Tre said nothing just looked at the woman standing opposite him as a smile curled onto his face. However long it takes to get you back Charlie...
