Charlie had been very pleased to see Sophie when she arrived at the wedding. And he was looking forward to speaking to her a little later in the reception. But after his gran had read the letter, that he had once found to be the bane of his existence, he could tell she was upset. She ran away, and he gave chase. But... he wasn't in Italy anymore. He was in a stormy, nasty, mucky place, and Sophie was nowhere to be seen. So he had gone, sullenly, to his room and pouted for a few days, while the storm played out. He had sat at his window, staring as the rain made streams down the pane. It felt like the world was crying for his broken heart. For Sophie's sadness.
When he awoke this morning, the sun was streaking into the room. He blinked, squinting against the brightness. But it was welcome, as he needed to stretch his legs and think. He simply had to know what was wrong with her. As he left his building, he stood a moment and gazed about the street. In his haste, he hadn't realized he had walked right past another apartment building. He turned to his left and walked toward the building, appraising the exterior and name emboldened over the awning. As his eyes roamed, he found himself gazing at a golden goddess. He rubbed his eyes, and upon opening them, he found her still there.
He ran the short distance to stand almost directly under her balcony, but a little to the left. "Sophie?" he called, hoping and praying she wouldn't turn around and walk back inside.