Chapter 3 – That Gives Joy and Happiness
Before going to her job today, Charlotte stops by the suit store to see how Alec’s business is doing. Right now, there are dozens of customers trying on suits and giving their clothes to the family to be tailored.
Charlotte goes up to the front counter where Alec and his father is. “Business looks good today. It must be your great setup and suits.”
“As much as I’d like to think that, it was actually you. Most people came in because you talked about it yesterday. You’ve been a great help to us, Charlotte and I don’t know how to thank you. I’d ask you if you wanted to be with my son, but you already have him,” Alec’s father says.
“It’s no big deal. I always try to do what I know is right. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go to work.”
Charlotte says bye to Alec’s parents and kisses Alec before she goes. She’s cleaning a church today since there aren’t many services on weekdays. The priests and nuns are out teaching the young at school, so she’s all alone in the church relatively speaking.
While working, she hears the whispers saying, “Take the donations in the back of the church. There’s enough there to feed the homeless who are working at the homeless shelter.”
“They’re going to get the money anyway, so what’s so wrong about giving it to them early?”
“You can prove yourself to be holier than the church.”
“The people will love you.”
“Maybe you can even take some of it and put it into Alec’s pockets. The priests and nuns don’t count the number of donations they receive anyway.”
“What is the right thing to do?” Charlotte quietly asks herself.
“This is the right thing to do and you know it.”
“What is the right thing to do?” Charlotte asks her guardian.
“Let me handle them. Look around you and also call upon the Holy Ones to help aid you.”
Charlotte prays and asks the help of the saints and the Queen of Heaven to help her. Within a matter of minutes, her temptations subside so that she can get back to work.
The whispers then come back an hour later and say, “Why do you even bother cleaning this place? It is sullied by sinners, some of which aren’t even fully devoted to God.”
“Let them sit in their own filth.”
“We can truly tell you that most that go into the confessional commit sacrilege by not confessing all of their sins. We can tell you the sins of everyone in this area. The people will look up to you as a prophetess.”
“You will be the wisest woman on the earth if you let us tell you what to say.”
“We will give you the wisdom to help save souls and extend the lives of a multitude of people.”
The whispers then say what the sins are of most of the people in town. Some of the sins are despicable that deserve to be reported to the authorities or at least to the church so that the person may be forgiven. Charlotte even hears the sins of Alec and his family. Even though their sins aren’t too bad, they could be a problem later if they are not addressed.
“We can even tell you what will happen to Alec and his family’s business in the future. If they get too greedy, then they will lose everything including their souls.”
“Just ask and we will answer.”
“I ask for your silence.”
“Oh come now. We can do so much good for you. Just think about the possibilities.”
Charlotte prays to her Guardian and everyone else and again the whispers go quiet after a short while.
“You’re doing good, Charlotte,” her Guardian says, “If you keep doing this, then their temptations will have no power over you.”
“How do I get rid of them in a meaningful way?”
“You’re not going to like it, but future attacks will have little effect on you.”
“Then do it to me.”
“I’m not the one who’s going to do it.”
After cleaning the church, Charlotte goes back to Alec’s shop. There she sees a woman kissing him. He pushes her away, but the deed is done, and her laughing doesn’t help. The core of Charlotte’s soul burns with anger as she watches the woman. Time is going slower in her mind as her big challenge presents itself to her.
“Control yourself, Charlotte. Alec isn’t interested in that woman at all who has her own demons to deal with. It’s best to let it go and go to Alec to show her that he’s yours.”
Charlotte calms her nerves as she walks towards Alec. Some of the people in the shop notice her and wonder if she’s going to do anything.
Alec turns to Charlotte and says, “It’s not what it looks like I swear! I would never betray you!”
“I know,” Charlotte responds with a cold chill to her voice that can be felt by all in the shop.
She then hugs Alec and kisses him to assert her place as his lover. The envious woman then pushes Charlotte much to the shock of everyone.
“Don’t do anything, Charlotte!” her Guardian says.
Again, Charlotte forcibly calms herself down.
“Please leave here. Never come back if you’re going to act like this,” Charlotte says with obvious anger in her voice.
The envious woman then slaps Charlotte in the face and says, “Shut up! The angels promised me a great man after being so lonely for so long and you took him from me!”
Now Charlotte can barely hear her Guardian as she tells her to control herself. The Whispers give her the strength to punch the woman in the gut, which gets the woman to cough up blood on the floor. People the shop gasp while some cheer for Charlotte.
“Get out of here,” Charlotte growls at the woman.
The envious woman then leaves with tears in her eyes and vomit on her clothes.
Charlotte snaps out of her rage-filled trance then says, “I’m sorry everyone for that. I’ll clean this up.”
The people in the shop, including Alec’s father, praise Charlotte for defending herself and her love.
Alec says, “Now I know I’ll have to be extra careful not to get you mad.”
“That’s my daughter in law!” Alec’s father proclaims, “She’s the toughest woman in town!”
After cleaning up the mess left in the shop, Charlotte is taken out to a sort of celebratory dinner. Word is quickly spread around town about what Charlotte did and people come to praise her. The envious woman is given a bad reputation in town. Charlotte hears about this and doesn’t tell them not to mock or give the woman another chance. She just lets the people think what they want. Men in the dinner start asking her out and she denies them, but she doesn’t deny their gifts. The day turns out good for Charlotte in the end.
When she goes to bed, she asks her Guardian, “I did good today, didn’t I?”
But she doesn’t get an answer from the right source. “You did great. Just follow my suggestions and tomorrow will be another great day. You might even be immortalized in the town’s history. Just think about it. A nobody cleaner who becomes one of the most notable women in history. It’s like a Cinderella story.”
“Yeah, I’d like that.”
Charlotte sleeps with a smile on her face as Fall’s Whispers prepare her big day.
Here's another good song that I associate with this story. Rise Above - Fireflight
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