The Day Our Promise Breaks (Charles and Evelyn)

'No way!'

'That's not true!'

Charles shook his head on instinct. The moment the idea that Charlie might actually be gone hit him, and his gut reaction was to flat-out refuse it.

Charlie couldn't be gone! How could a perfectly healthy kid just up and die because she waited a bit too long at an amusement park? No, that was just not possible!

That was it impossible! Evelyn must have said that because he bailed on her. He had left Charlie waiting there all on her own at the park. Evelyn was too crushed over Charlie and too mad at him for always picking Sandy over everything. That was why she'd say something so outrageous.

Charles couldn't let himself think about it any more. He couldn't pick apart how thin his excuses were. It was almost like he was running on autopilot, dodging the thought. Dodging the chance that Charlie really was gone.

He couldn't face it. Didn't want to. He was terrified... terrified that everything Evelyn said might be true. And terrified... that it might already be too late.

It hit him all at once how much he had let Charlie down. He was only now starting to get what it meant to be her dad and figuring out how to love her right. Besides the amusement park surprise for today, he'd been planning so much more. He was ready to make up for every lost moment over the last five years and then some. Everything was set. He was just waiting for Charlie to show up.

Once Charlie was back, everything would be perfect. He wouldn't let her down again, wouldn't ever break a promise to her. From now on, he wouldn't treat anything regarding Charlie as something minor. Everything about her mattered, and he'd put his heart into it.

No matter what happened with Evelyn, Charlie would always be his little treasure, cherished and adored. While Charles was lost in his thoughts, the surveillance footage from the amusement park kept rolling. Just as he convinced himself that Charlie was alright, he saw her unsteady frame on the LED screen.

In that instant, Charles went into a

spin, as if Charlie's small figure was right there in front of him. His heart clenched tight, and he instinctively moved forward, worry all over kis face as he called out, "Charlie..."

He reached out with both arms, desperate to catch her, to stop her from hitting the ground. But all he could do was watch, helpless and heartbroken.

He watched as Charlie suddenly coughed up blood and collapsed right in front of him.

"Charlie!"

Charles' eyes were wide in shock. The blood felt like it had splashed straight into them, and it was hot and burning, scorching his eyes and piercing his heart.

Charles stood there, staring at Charlie lying still on the floor. He was frozen like he'd been struck by lightning Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth, and soon, half her little face was resting in @pool of it

The bright crimson against her pale face made her look even more ghostly.

Before she passed out, she was still looking toward the amusement park entrance. In that moment, she hadn't given up-she was still waiting.

In the video, Charlie was looking atnoveldrama

the entrance. But Charles felt like she was also looking right at him like she was asking him through her tears, "Daddy, you promised me you'd be there. Why didn't you come?"

Her big eyes glistened with tears.