Chapter 34
34
Saturday, July 26
37 Days Left at the Lake
Sam was right about Charlie being dramatic. The entire tree house is draped in an enormous cloth—I can’t imagine how he found it or got it up there. The sun has set, but Charlie has lanterns down here, too. About twenty of us have peeled away from the party for the big moment. Percy stands with her back resting on Sam’s chest, both their hands on her belly. Charlie’s shirtsleeves are rolled up—he looks like a cologne commercial. Harrison is a few feet away, holding a length of rope.
“I’m going to keep this short because I know you’d all rather get back to the fun than hear me speak,” he says. “Plus, I think I told every embarrassing story I have about Sam at the wedding.”
“I have a few more,” Percy adds, and Sam shakes his head, smiling.
“I’ve never been happier than the day I found out I was going to be an uncle,” Charlie begins. He pauses, looking at his sister-in-law. “Pers, I know you’re worried about…well, absolutely everything parenthood involves, but anyone who knows you knows that you’ll be a wonderful mom.” A murmur of agreement runs through the crowd.
Charlie sets his eyes on his brother.
“I love you, Sam.” For a second, I think Charlie may cry. He takes a steadying breath, looking up at the trees. “You’re going to be a great father. I wish Mom and Dad were here to see it.”
“Me too,” Sam says, his eyes watering. Percy whispers something in his ear, and her father puts a hand on Sam’s shoulder.
I weave my way to Charlie’s side because I want him to know he has someone here for him. He looks down at me and takes another deep breath.
“Okay, let’s do this.” He turns to Harrison and nods, then Charlie unites two extension cords as the cover falls to the ground. A gasp runs through the group, followed by applause.
The tree house glimmers with thousands of white twinkle lights. They glow on the railings of the two decks, wind their way up the trunks of the two trees the fort rests in. They line the pitched roof, and the frames of the windows and the door.
“Jesus,” I hear Sam say.
Percy starts to cry.
“You really do like showing off,” I murmur to Charlie.
“I like seeing them happy,” he says to me. Then louder: “Cut it out, Pers. You haven’t even seen inside yet.”
“This is over the top, even for you,” Sam tells Charlie, pulling him into a hug. “Thank you.”
I slip away, giving them privacy.
I share a drink with Harrison, and chat with Percy’s parents on the porch. I lose track of time, and when I finally make it back inside, the crowd has thinned. Percy is sitting on the couch, with Delilah and Chantal. All three women have kicked off their shoes.
“I’m going to head out,” I say to Percy. “But I wanted to say goodbye to Charlie. Have you seen him?”
“He was in the kitchen a while ago,” Chantal says.
“I saw him sneak back toward the tree house,” Delilah adds.
“I’ll walk you there,” Percy offers. “I need to stretch. I’m not comfortable in one position for very long these days.”
She doesn’t bother putting her shoes back on before leading me outside. A veil of stars covers the sky, and we take a moment to stare at them.
“You can’t see them like this in the city,” Percy says.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many,” I say.
She hums. “I love it here.”
We follow the path down the hill, but then Percy stops to face me.
“I know you and Charlie say you’re just friends,” she says. “And you’re free to tell me to mind my own business, but I think you would be good for him. I think you could be good for each other. He really does have a big heart. You probably know that already, but it can be hard to see beyond his joking.”
“I do know that.” I’m glad he has other people in his life who recognize it, too. “But we are just friends. It’s not going to turn into anything more than that.”
She bites her lip. “Okay, I get it. And if Sam were here, he’d be gesturing for me to stop talking, but he’s not, so…” She shrugs. “You’re not like the women he usually spends time with. He looks at you differently, too. I think it could be more. I think maybe it already is.”
I start to argue but Percy laughs. “Come on, Alice. Did someone else give you that hickey?”
I touch my neck, immediately flushing. I thought my collar covered it. Effing Charlie.
“That’s what I thought,” she says, as smug as the man himself. “Just try to stick with him, okay? He’s a real pain in the ass, but there’s so much good there.”
I stare at her, not sure what to say. But I don’t need to say anything because Percy links her arm though mine and leads me along the path. Just as we reach the ladder, she asks for my phone.
“I’m texting myself,” she says. “So we have each other’s contact info. Get in touch whenever you want. It’ll be nice to have a friend who can put up with the Brothers Florek for an evening.”
She passes my phone back and returns to the house in her nice dress and bare feet.