Misled

By Pamela Hardin

Misled was inspired by a few people that have come along in my lifetime and some that were just passing through. The term misled is to deceive, throw of the scent, put on the wrong track, and take for a ride, which Charlie experiences everyone in his journey to find real happiness and meaning in life. Charlie takes off to clear his head, but his adventure soon turns into a flat-out nightmare at every turn. Charlie takes the ride, is put on the wrong track, is deceived more times than he cares to count, and finally is just flat-out annihilated. Charlie has a big heart that has been broken too many times but still moves on—a beautiful man with a caring and beautiful soul that seems to pick the wrong women.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Mar 8, 2021
• ISBN: 9781662411519

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Misled

Pamela Hardin

Copyright © 2021 Pamela Hardin

All rights reserved

First Edition

PAGE PUBLISHING, INC.

Conneaut Lake, PA

First originally published by Page Publishing 2021

ISBN 978-1-6624-1150-2 (pbk)

ISBN 978-1-6624-1151-9 (digital)

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-one

Chapter One

June 3, 2017, Saturday: Charlie’s Birthday Party, Oakmont Country Club

Lisa planned Charlie’s birthday party this year because she was getting tired of eating barbeque, either in someone’s backyard or at the motorway. This time the party was going to be on her turf—the Oakmont Country Club—with rich people, no barbeque, beer, or dirt.

Lisa personally seated everyone as they arrived. Once she had her guests seated, she began gently clicking her diamond ring against her champagne glass. As she cleared her throat, she felt the acid rising.

I would like to take this time to express my gratitude for everyone coming tonight. We are celebrating the birthday of a very caring man and an ever-more wonderful husband. Charlie was, I mean, has been there for a lot of you, helping with one thing or another. That’s why I fell in love with him. Raise your glasses high and toast my husband, Charlie Archer.

Everyone stood up and raised their glasses, chanting, Speech. Charlie didn’t like speaking in public, but since Lisa went to all the trouble, he had to rise to the occasion, or he would never hear the end of it.

I’m feeling really special tonight, surrounded by all my friends. I want to thank you all for coming and celebrating my birthday. Some of you cleaned up really, well. I would also like to thank the one person who made this all happen, the one person that I love with all my heart. She’s a beautiful lady that I will adore forever and a day. Thank you, Lisa.

He bent down to give her a kiss as she faked a look of adoration. Loretta saw Lisa pull away from Charlie as he kissed her, making that face she always made when she thought something stank. Bitch. A few more people made teary-eyed toasts. Lisa signaled the waiters to start serving dinner before it got too late. She was already getting a headache. Loretta also noticed that Lisa was fidgety all through dinner.

When Lisa looked around and noticed that everyone was pretty much through with their dinner, she finally signaled the hired help to roll out the cake, which was a three-tiered affair topped with sparklers. Charlie gave her a big hug and kissed her—on the lips this time.

I love you, he whispered.

After endless rounds of cake, coffee, and champagne, the guests finally began to take their leave. The mayor and his wife, Evelyn, were close to the last ones to leave. Lisa helpfully guided them to the exit. Evelyn was still clutching her champagne glass, rambling incoherently about the wonderful party, the wonderful guest, the wonderful meal, and how wonderful it was to be invited to such an event. Lisa kept guiding her to the door, smiling, nodding, and saying, Thank you.

The valet finally arrived with their car. The mayor tried wrangling Evelyn into her seat as she gushed on about the evening, ending with, You have a good night, dear, and thank you again for the wonderful evening. Lisa just wanted to slap her. Lisa shut the door, and they drove off. She then looked up and saw the three idiots standing outside, talking. She walked over to them and asked Charlie if he was ready to go. She had a headache. He asked the valet to bring the car around. David told Lisa how nice the party was, and he appreciated being invited.

Don’t be silly. You’re Charlie’s best friend. Why in the world would I not invite you? She went over and gave him a semi-hug.

She blew Loretta a kiss and told her she would see her later. Have a good night.

On the way home, as Charlie was holding Lisa’s hand, she started biting her bottom lip again.

Thank you so much for a wonderful party. You did a great job. I loved the cake.

You’re welcome. Nothing is too good for my husband. I’m glad you enjoyed it. I thought it would be better than having barbeque every year even though I know you like it, but I just wanted to change it up this year, added Lisa.

When they reached home, Lisa got out of the car first and went into the house. She headed straight upstairs to her room and slammed the door. She was glad this nightmare was over. She realized she had bitten her lower lip so hard it had started to bleed.

She took a few antacids because of the acid rising in her throat. What she didn’t realize was how being nice to people she hated would make her sick. She then started throwing up and hoped she wasn’t pregnant, again.

Meanwhile, Charlie went into the kitchen, opened the fridge, and took out a beer. He sat at the bar for a few minutes then decided to go up to his room. He saw the lights were already out in Lisa’s room. He finished his beer and took a shower. When he hit the pillow, he was automatically out.

Sunday morning he woke to loud music and the vacuum going downstairs in the living room. It was okay. He needed to get up anyway; he was going to meet David at the shop. They were working on new plans to expand their business to other cities.

I’m going to the shop, Charlie said as he was walking out the front door.

Lisa didn’t acknowledge him. She just kept vacuuming. He knew she was ignoring him. Here lately she was acting so strange, but when he went to ask her any questions, she would get a headache or go straight to her room. He even told her that they could take a trip to London or Paris if she wanted. She just said, No, thank you.

Charlie came in late Sunday evening; he and David had gotten busy working on rebuilding a bike for a client. Charlie didn’t have the energy to climb the stairs, so he just fell asleep on the living-room sofa. He was out as soon as his head hit the pillow. Lisa hated when he fell asleep on the sofa.

Monday morning Lisa came out of her bedroom to go downstairs to make her morning coffee; she stopped midway down and peered into the living room to find that her husband, Charlie, was asleep on the sofa. He was usually up and out of the house by 8 a.m. Now she was annoyed. She had a 10 a.m. appointment to get ready for, and he was still in the house. She was getting tired of his late nights at the garage. She just thought he was staying away on purpose. In her mind, Charlie was being selfish. She didn’t like being ignored.

She backed up the stairs, went back to her room, walked in, turned around, and slammed the bedroom door as hard as she could. Boom!

Charlie woke with a start, stood straight up from the sofa, didn’t realize he was tangled up in his blanket, lost his balance, and fell over the coffee table, landing flat on his face. Lisa was now back standing midway on the stairs, watching as the whole scenario unfolded. She had to hold in her laughter so that Charlie wouldn’t know she was watching. She quickly went down the stairs into the kitchen to let out a slight giggle.

Meanwhile, Charlie was trying to regain his composure to get up off the living-room floor. His nose was sore, and when he tried to stand, he felt his ankle throbbing. When Charlie glanced at the alarm clock, he realized that he forgotten to set it before he fell asleep. He hopped up the stairs to take a shower before Lisa came out of her room. He didn’t want to hear her whining first thing in the morning. She was never satisfied with anything in the past year or so. No matter how hard Charlie tried, it was never enough for her, and she would let him know it daily. Her shrill voice cut right to the bone.

Lisa came out of the kitchen when she heard the front door shut. It was already 9 a.m. Now she was annoyed because she didn’t have enough time to properly get ready for her special appointment. She screamed all the way up the stairs and into her room. Boom!

Charlie finally arrived at work. He felt like he had been hit by a Mack truck. When he stepped out of the truck, he nearly fell to the ground because of his ankle. He was limping all the way to the office door. Loretta, his office manager, greeted him.

Are you okay? Loretta asked.

I had an accident this morning, and I think I twisted my ankle. It’s throbbing so bad right now.

What happened, did Lisa push you down the stairs? I told you she might do it one day.

No, Charlie said with a half-smile. I heard a loud bang upstairs, and it startled me. I stood straight up off the sofa, and when I started to take a step, I got tangled in my blanket and fell over the coffee table and landed on my face.

Maybe you need to go to the emergency clinic and let them take an X-ray. You can never be too careful.

No, I’ll be fine for right now. I’ll take a couple of aspirins with my coffee and sit down for a while. If it still hurts in an hour or so, I’ll go.

I’ll get the aspirins and your coffee. Go sit down and try to get that shoe off. I don’t know why you wore them anyway. I’ll be right back.

Loretta got halfway down the hallway and turned back around. She stuck her head in Charlie’s office to let him know that the envelope she put on his computer was in the mail slot this morning, addressed specifically to him. He picked it up and took a quick glance then put it back down; it was the last thing he wanted to think about right now.

Charlie sat down at his desk, lifted his foot, and tried to take off his shoe, but it wouldn’t budge. Loretta came back into Charlie’s office and asked why he hadn’t taken the shoe off yet. Charlie didn’t want to tell her the truth because she would make a fuss, so he just told her that after taking the aspirin, if his ankle felt better, he would go home at lunch and put something more comfortable on. It would be fine. She didn’t believe him because she could see the pain in his face. She took a pillow off the sofa and put it in one of the chairs. She then told Charlie to rest his foot on it.

We need to get the swelling down. You said that you fell over the coffee table? Are you sure Lisa didn’t push you down the stairs?

No, I fell over the coffee table, I promise. She did slam her bedroom door, which caused me to get startled and quickly get up off the sofa, but the blanket is really the one to blame.

But it’s partly her fault for slamming the bedroom door. Maybe she was trying to get you to break your neck. I don’t trust her, you know that. She’s going to cause you a whole lot of misery one of these days, mark my words.

In the middle of their conversation, they heard yelling coming from the garage. David and his brother, Kyle, were having one of their heated arguments.

I’m really getting tired of that kid. He puts David in an uproar all the time. It gets to the point where he can hardly eat because he’s so stressed. Even though Kyle has his own place, he still comes over to borrow money or something. He’s up to no good, I just know it. Why haven’t you fired him yet? He doesn’t do much of anything, Loretta said in very irritated voice.

Charlie replied, I wanted to a long time ago, but David still thinks he’ll learn a lesson and change. He still feels the need to take care of his baby brother. I personally don’t see why.

David came in from the garage with a red face and breathing hard. Kyle’s truck could be heard squealing its tires all the way to the stop sign. That was the last straw.

What happened to your foot? David said.

Never you mind about that. Where did the crybaby go? I hope you told him that he was fired. I am so tired of him coming in here not helping but bitching all the time and getting you in a tither. It makes me so mad. I was going to keep my mouth shut, but I can’t help it now. He’s a spoiled brat, and he should be fired. It’s not fair to the other employees, Loretta said.

Don’t worry, he’s fired this time. I told him that if he left not to come back. He left, and now he’s fired. I can’t support him any longer. He’s old enough to take care of himself.

What did he want this time? Charlie asked.

He wanted to borrow ten thousand dollars from me to open his own motorcycle shop in Clearwater, David replied.

What? There’s nothing in Clearwater. It’s practically a ghost town. I would’ve said not only no but hell no, Charlie replied.

I pretty much told him that, but I added a few more of my own descriptive words. Now tell me what happened to your foot? David said.

I fell over a coffee table this morning, and I think I sprained my ankle.

Why did you fall over a coffee table?

I was sleeping on the sofa when I was startled by a loud noise. I stood up, got tangled in my blanket, and fell over the coffee table, landed face-first on the floor.

David tried to hold back a laugh.

David, that’s not funny. He could’ve broken his neck. Lisa’s trying to get rid of him, Loretta said.

Charlie just smiled and took two more aspirins.

Can I have a couple of those? I feel a headache coming on. The pain in the ass is gone, but my head is pounding, David said.

Charlie and Loretta just smiled and went back to work.

Charlie was so glad that Kyle was gone. Good riddance to bad rubbish.

Now it was time to get some of his messages answered and go through some of the bills. He had forgotten all about the envelope.

Can you get the shoe off yet? Please try while I am standing here, or do you want me to do it for you so that you don’t have to lean over?

Yes, but do it slowly.

Loretta bent down and tried to slide the shoe off Charlie’s foot. He winced a little, but she finally got it off.

"Let me go and