Charlotte POV
It was already 6 pm, and I was getting ready to leave work and head back to my lonely life. It had been six months since Aurora's wedding, and I hadn't heard a single word from her. She hadn't even tried to explain why she suddenly resigned from her job without telling me, her best friend. We were supposed to be a team, but now it seemed like nobody was talking to me.
I couldn't ask my boss, who was also her husband, about her because we had never been close. I didn't know what to do or who to talk to. I felt like I was in a state of limbo, unsure of what was going on or how to move forward.
Just then, I heard someone calling my name. "Charlotte!" The voice was familiar, but I couldn't quite place it. I turned around to see who it was, and someone opened their arms and hugged me.
"Excuse you, do I know you?" I asked, making an angry face. The person replied, "My favorite angry bird!" The statement sounded familiar, and I realized who it was. "Wait, Richard, is that you?" I asked.
Richard had had a serious crush on me back in high school. He would always say that when he made money, he would make me his wife. I would always tell him not to say things like that, but he would just smile and continue to pursue me.
"Longest time," he said with a big smile. "Where's your handbag, Aurora?" he asked. I replied, "It's been a long time since I heard from her." Richard looked around like he was searching for something and then said, "I'm famished. Let's grab something to eat."
I told him I wasn't really hungry, but he insisted. "Okay, then come and watch me eat," he said, holding my hand and walking straight into the nearest restaurant. He pulled out a chair for me to sit down, but I sat in a different chair on the other side of the table.
"You haven't changed at all," Richard said as he sat down. I smiled and replied, "Neither have you." The waiter came over and asked, "What would you like to have, sir?" Richard replied, "Whatever the lady is having."
I ordered spaghetti Bolognese and water, and the waiter took our order. Then Richard asked, "You said you haven't heard from Aurora for a while. What happened? Did you guys quarrel?"
I explained that we hadn't quarreled, but after her wedding, which I didn't attend because her husband wanted a private ceremony, I hadn't heard from her. Richard added, "That's funny, considering they made a public engagement."
I agreed with him. "Yes, that's exactly what I thought. But you know Aurora always tries to please people. She didn't see anything wrong with keeping the wedding private, and I couldn't force her to do what she didn't want to do."
Richard nodded in understanding. "I see. Well, I'm sure she'll come around eventually. You two have been friends for a long time." I smiled and replied, "Yes, we have. I just hope everything is okay with her."
"Sorry I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable," Richard said, his voice filled with concern. "Actually, I took a transfer letter to come down to New York." I asked him out of curiosity, "Why, which company?"
Richard replied, "I work with Belmont Medical Examiners as a forensic pathologist." I started to struggle to hear him because the television was blaring loudly in the background. I turned to ask one of the employees to turn down the volume, my eyes scanning the room for someone to help.
Just then, my gaze landed on the television screen, and my heart skipped a beat. Aurora's face was staring back at me, her bright smile and sparkling eyes frozen in time. I felt a sense of confusion and disorientation wash over me, like I was watching a scene from a movie.
As I turned my attention back to the news, my mind racing with questions, the announcer's voice boomed through the speakers, "Breaking news, a devastating collision has occurred on the highways of New York, leaving the two victims dead and a community in shock."
The screen flickered to a graphic with the words "Tragedy on the Highways" emblazoned across it, and I felt my stomach drop. The announcer continued, his voice grave and somber, "According to eyewitnesses, a tank driver and a young woman driving a Lamborghini car were involved in a horrific crash earlier today."
The camera cut to footage of the accident scene, and I gasped in horror. The wreckage of the two vehicles was scattered across the highway, with emergency responders and police officers scrambling to respond.
The announcer's voiceover continued, "The victim has been identified as Mrs. Aurora Madison Grey, ." I felt like I had been punched in the gut, my breath catching in my throat.
"Crash!" My glass of water dropped on the floor. I felt like I was going crazy. This can't be true. I don't want to believe this. Aurora can't be dead. At this point, I started screaming at the top of my voice.
My sister cannot leave me like that without any explanation. Richard was also short of words on how to console me. He knows how close I was with Aurora. He grabbed me tight and said, "Calm down, first let's get to the scene."
He hurriedly paid the bills and we entered his car to head to the accident scene. As soon as I got out of the car, I tried to rush to where the two crushed bodies were lying. But the police held me back.
"I'm sorry, ma'am, you can't cross this line," the police said repeatedly. Richard came to hold me back, trying to calm me down.
Richard looked around and asked, "Is this not Madison?" I turned and saw him seated on the floor, crying. I walked straight to him and asked, "What happened?"
He looked up at me, tears streaming down his face, and all he could say was, "I don't know."
I felt like I had no strength left in me. When I opened my eyes, I found myself in a different environment that I had never seen before. Richard walked up to me and asked, "You're awake?"
I looked up at him and asked, "What happened?"
Richard replied, "You fainted at the accident scene and I had to bring you here. You've been resting."
I sat up and asked, "Where is my bag? I need to go to the hospital. Do you know where she was taken?"
Richard's expression changed, and he said firmly, "Calm down, Charlotte. Do you want to go out there and collapse and die too?"
He took a deep breath and continued, "She was taken to the hospital where I work. I'll take you there tomorrow."
I looked up at him with teary eyes and asked, "Can I spend the night here? I don't think I can sleep at my place tonight."
Richard's expression softened, and he said, "My place is your place. You can stay as long as you want, until you're ready to go back to your place."
Thank you so much Richard I really appreciate, "what are friends" goodnight dear he said as he made way to his room.